Which correction addresses lack of full hip extension in a push jerk?

• A. Take the athlete back to steps 1-3 of the teaching progression. Have the athlete focus on reaching hip extension before moving on to the next step.
• B. Cue "Jump higher."
• C. Place your hand at the top of the athlete's head when fully standing; keep it at that height and then ask the athlete to hit your hand during the drive.
• D. Encourage the athlete to squeeze the glutes and quads before pressing under.

Answer: (A)

In a push jerk, full hip extension is what powers the drive from the legs up into the bar, helping you get the bar vertical and stable overhead. When an athlete isn’t achieving complete hip extension, the drive can be short, the bar can ride too far forward, and the catch becomes unstable. The most effective correction is to step back to the earlier teaching steps and concentrate on reaching full hip extension before moving on. By revisiting the foundational pattern, the athlete rebuilds the mechanics of the drive—extending the hips fully first, then coordinating the upright finish and catch—so the movement isn’t compensating with the spine or shoulders.

Other cues don’t tackle the root pattern as directly. “Jump higher” can encourage more vertical movement without ensuring the hips actually extend fully. A cue that involves touching the head during the drive is more about a tactile target than reinforcing the hip extension pattern, and can disrupt rhythm. Encouraging glute and quadriceps squeeze before pressing under helps with leg engagement, but it doesn’t guarantee that full hip extension occurs during the drive, which is the key issue in this scenario.