Weightlifting Track: Clean Complexes, Heavy Jerks and Back Squat Doubles
Friday, September 18, 2026 | CrossFit MYO, San Jose CA
What Makes This Session Effective
A clean and jerk is only as heavy as the front squat you can stand up from before you dip. The opening complex makes that obvious: power clean, ride it into a full front squat, then jerk it, so at 60% you’re rehearsing the exact recovery that decides whether a 90% clean turns into a made lift.
From there the clean and jerk builds to four heavy sets at 85–95%. Jerk singles up to 100% and beyond come next, pulled off the rack so the overhead finish gets trained without paying for a clean first. Back squat doubles at 85–90% close it out. That’s the leg strength that makes the bottom of a heavy clean feel like a place you can stand up from, not a place you get stuck.
The Protocol
| Movement | Sets & Reps | Target Load | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power clean + FS + jerk | 4 sets | 60%+ 1RM | Catch the power clean with elbows up so you can sink straight into the squat without the bar sliding forward |
| Clean + Jerk | 4 sets | Build to 85–95% 1RM | Stand up from the clean, reset your breath and rack, then dip |
| Jerks | 3×1 | Up to 100%+ | Dip straight down through the heels and drive the bar back over the middle of your head |
| Back Squats | 3×2 | 85–90% 1RM | Brace before each rep and keep the same speed on the way down for both reps |
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 @85-95%
Score type: Load
Jerks
3x1 up to 100%+
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 + front squat + jerk — A three-part complex done as one set: power clean the bar, immediately drop into a full front squat, stand, then jerk. The power catch is high, so you have to keep your elbows up while you ride down into the squat. If the bar drifts off your shoulders on the way down, the catch was too soft.
Clean and jerk — The bar goes from the floor to the shoulders in a full squat clean, then from the shoulders to overhead with a jerk. Stay over the bar until it passes your knees, then finish the hips and pull yourself under. Stand all the way up and take a breath before the jerk; rushing the dip is the most common way heavy jerks get missed.
Jerk — Taken from the rack, the bar starts in the front rack and is driven overhead with a short, vertical dip and drive, then caught in a split or power position with locked arms. The dip goes straight down, heels flat, torso upright. When the chest tips forward in the dip, the bar goes forward too.
Back squat — The bar sits on your upper back and you squat to full depth, then stand. Take a big breath and brace before you start down, and control the descent instead of dropping into the bottom. At 85–90% for doubles, the second rep should look like the first.
FAQs
Q: How should I build to 85–95% on the clean and jerk?
A: Treat the four sets as a climb, not four max attempts. Something like 85%, 88%, 92%, then 95% only if the 92% was fast on both the clean and the jerk. If one half of the lift is slowing down, stay at that weight. Four solid lifts at 90% will do more for you than one missed 95%.
Q: What does 100%+ mean on the jerks?
A: The percentage comes from your best clean and jerk, not a separate jerk max. Because the bar comes off the rack, you skip the clean, so a lot of lifters can jerk more than they can clean. Stop adding weight when the dip starts tipping forward or the bar lands out in front of you.
Q: Why front squat in the middle of a power clean complex?
A: It teaches you to recover from a clean that doesn’t land where you wanted. Riding a high catch down into a full squat forces you to keep the rack tight and the chest up under load. Then you have to stand and jerk it, which is exactly the sequence of a heavy squat clean and jerk.
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.
Q: Can I drop in just for the Weightlifting Track?
A: Yes. CrossFit MYO welcomes drop-ins. Check the schedule at cfmyo.com or book a free class to try a session first.
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