Weightlifting Track: Clean and Jerk Singles to 90%, Then Back Squats
Friday, September 11, 2026 | CrossFit MYO, San Jose CA
What Makes This Session Effective
Clean and jerk day, and the opening complex tells you what it’s about. A power clean into a front squat into a jerk at 60% means you receive the bar high, then have to stand up out of a full squat anyway, then put it overhead with legs that have already worked — which is precisely the sequence that falls apart when the weight goes up.
From there it’s singles at 85-90%, then jerks alone at 90% and above. Pulling the jerk out on its own is deliberate: most missed clean and jerks are missed overhead, not off the floor, and by then you’re tired enough for the real fault to show.
Back squats at 85-90% for doubles at the end are the strength work the whole track is built on. They’re last because they’re the part that doesn’t need you fresh.
The Protocol
| Movement | Sets & Reps | Target Load | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power clean + FS + jerk | 4 sets | 60% 1RM | Elbows around fast on the catch; stand all the way up before the jerk dip |
| Clean + Jerk | 4 sets | 85–90% 1RM | One clean, one jerk, full recovery between — treat every rep as a competition attempt |
| Jerks | 3×1 | 90% 1RM | Vertical dip, head out of the way, punch to a locked, still bar |
| Back Squats | 3×2 | 85–90% 1RM | Depth first, then speed out of the bottom |
Barbell Prep
Bar only:
6 Muscle cleans + 6 PP
5 Power cleans + 5 FS
4 Clean & jerks
Light weight 1-2rds: 3x Push Press 3x Front squat 3x Hang Clean + PJ 3x Clean + jerk
Score type: Not Scored
Power clean + FS + jerk
4X @60%+
Score type: Load
Clean + Jerk
Build up to: 4X @85-90%
Score type: Load
Jerks
3x1@90%+
Score type: Load
Back Squats
3x2 @85-90%
Score type: Load
Full Session Breakdown
| Block | Duration | What You’ll Do |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-Up | 15 min | General movement prep, barbell complex, mobility for today’s lifts |
| Work | 30 min | Build to working loads or max effort on primary lifts |
| Barbell Prep | 15 min | Snatch and/or Clean & Jerk barbell complex |
Total class time: approximately 60 minutes.
Movement Glossary
Power clean — A clean received above parallel rather than in a full squat. It rewards a fast, aggressive turnover because you have less time and less room to get under the bar. Used here to force a clean receiving position before fatigue sets in.
Front squat — Barbell racked across the shoulders, elbows high, squatting to full depth. The front rack is what makes it hard: keep the elbows up and the torso vertical, and the weight stays over the middle of the foot where you can stand it up.
Jerk — Bar driven from the shoulders to overhead using a dip and a drive from the legs, receiving it with the arms locked. The dip must be straight down — any forward lean sends the bar out in front, and no amount of pressing will save it from there.
Back squat — Barbell on the upper back, squatting below parallel and standing. The base of everything else in this session. Brace before you unrack, not after.
FAQs
Q: The complex is only 60%. Can I go heavier if it feels easy?
A: The first set will feel easy — that’s expected, and it’s not an invitation. The complex is three movements deep, so the fourth set at the same weight will not feel like the first, and its job is to groove the sequence rather than test it. Save the ambition for the singles at 85-90%, where it counts.
Q: I keep pressing the jerk out instead of locking it. What do I fix?
A: Almost always the dip. If your chest drops forward even slightly, the bar leaves your shoulders travelling forward and your arms are left to finish it. Film one rep from the side: the bar should go straight up and your head should move back out of its way, then straight back under it. Fix the dip and the press-out usually disappears on its own.
Q: Should I squat if my legs are done after the jerks?
A: Yes, and expect the first double to feel heavy — that’s the design, not a warning sign. What you shouldn’t do is chase the top of the range on a day your positions are slipping. Take 85% for all three doubles rather than grinding one at 90% with a rounding back.
Q: Where is CrossFit MYO in San Jose?
A: 3550 Charter Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95136 — near Almaden and Blossom Hill. Parking on-site.
Want to train with us? Book a free class at CrossFit MYO — drop-ins welcome.
📍 CrossFit MYO | 3550 Charter Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95136