Squat Jerk

QuadricepsBarbellIntermediate
Start by standing with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and lower your body into a squat position. As you straighten your legs, push off with your feet and simultaneously jerk the weight above your head using your arms. Make sure to stabilize your body and land with your feet shoulder-width apart. Repeat as required.

How to perform the Squat Jerk

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Squat Jerk using your barbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your quadriceps.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your quadriceps rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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