I wrote this article for StrongFirst and wanted to re-post it here…

There is no denying the benefits of the hardstyle kettlebell jerk. Whether your goal is power, strength, hypertrophy or endurance, these can all be accomplished by training the hardstyle jerk. There are various drills and exercises to improve the hardstyle clean and jerk, but for the sake of simplicity, I will only be discussing how the front squat can improve your clean and jerk for today.

The Kettlebell Rack Position

Once the bells are cleaned into the rack position a few things need to happen:

The body stays zipped up. (Basically it is a plank, only in the standing position.)
The elbows are connected to the rib cage and the kettlebells become part of your body. The elbows should be pointed towards the ground. If the elbows point towards anywhere else, you are most likely disconnected and will have a power leakage later in the lift.

The Barbell Rack Position

The same principles apply to the barbell rack position.

The bar should rest slightly behind the collarbone, on the front delts and slightly touching, but not choking, your neck.

The elbows should be at least be perpendicular to the floor. This is where the body can handle the heaviest load and allows you to stay connected to the bar.
In both instances, the implement becomes one with the body. The rack position, either with the kettlebell or the barbell, is vital to technical proficiency.

Read the remainder of the article on the StrongFirst website.

Barbell Front Squats and Kettlebell Jerks