Olympic weightlifting program guide and free spreadsheet
Beginner · 3 days a week · Repeating 4-week blocks, retest after two or three · Snatch, clean and jerk, pulls and squats on percentages of your best lifts, three days a week
Our own three-day Olympic weightlifting program for lifters who have learned the snatch and the clean and jerk and now want a set weight for every session.
This Olympic weightlifting program is our own. You train three days a week. Two sessions are built around a competition lift, the snatch or the clean and jerk, with a pull and a squat after it. The third is a lighter day of power variations. Every weight is a percentage of four numbers you enter: your best snatch, clean and jerk, front squat and back squat.
We wrote our own percentages because the free beginner programs we read load the bar by feel. Greg Everett's four-week starter program at Catalyst Athletics tells you to pick weights by feel. Glenn Pendlay's beginner program, archived by Lift Vault, plans the weights only roughly and adjusts them by how the lifts look. StrengthLog's 12-week beginner plan uses percentages, but they sit in its paid app. We kept the layout ideas and set the numbers ourselves.
Day 1 is snatch, snatch pull and back squat. Day 2 is clean and jerk, clean pull and front squat. Day 3 is power snatch, overhead squat, power clean and split jerks from the rack. Everett's starter week follows the same pattern: each classic lift with its pull and a squat, plus a day for power variations and the overhead squat. His runs four days a week at first and five later. Ours fits into three, such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The block lasts four weeks. In weeks 1 and 2 the snatch is done in doubles and the clean and jerk in singles, climbing from 60% to 75%. Week 3 moves both lifts to singles at 80%. Week 4 tops out with two singles at 90%, and Day 3 is lighter. Pulls run from 90% to 105% of the matching lift, and squats start at 70% (fives on the back squat, triples on the front squat) and finish with doubles at 85%. On Day 3 the power lifts and jerks sit at 60 to 70% of the matching lift and the overhead squat at 80 to 90% of your snatch. All of these percentages are ours.
After week 4, raise your numbers and start again at week 1, which works as an easier week. Everett's starter ends the same way, with an easy week that repeats week 1 before the next program.
Which one to pick: choose this program if the snatch and the clean and jerk are your goal, or you want to enter a weightlifting meet. Choose the Powerlifting program if your goal is a bigger squat, bench and deadlift. Choose Starting Strength if you are new to barbells and want basic strength first; it teaches the power clean but not the snatch. Choose the Full body workout routine for general strength and muscle without the technical lifts.
The in-app templates carry week 1's sets and reps. Use this page and the spreadsheet for the four-week percentages.
The schedule
Train on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or any other days with rest between. Percentages are of your training max, which is 100% of your one-rep max.
Week 1, day 1: Snatch
Lift
Sets and reps
Snatch
1 x 2 @ 60%, 1 x 2 @ 65%, 4 x 2 @ 70%
Snatch pull
3 x 3 @ 90%
Back squat
3 x 5 @ 70%
Week 1, day 2: Clean and jerk
Lift
Sets and reps
Clean and jerk
1 x 1 @ 60%, 1 x 1 @ 65%, 5 x 1 @ 70%
Clean pull
3 x 3 @ 90%
Front squat
3 x 3 @ 70%
Week 1, day 3: Power variations
Lift
Sets and reps
Power snatch
4 x 2 @ 60%
Overhead squat
3 x 3 @ 80%
Power clean
4 x 2 @ 60%
Split jerk from the rack
4 x 2 @ 60%
Week 2, day 1: Snatch
Lift
Sets and reps
Snatch
1 x 2 @ 65%, 1 x 2 @ 70%, 4 x 2 @ 75%
Snatch pull
3 x 3 @ 95%
Back squat
3 x 5 @ 75%
Week 2, day 2: Clean and jerk
Lift
Sets and reps
Clean and jerk
1 x 1 @ 65%, 1 x 1 @ 70%, 5 x 1 @ 75%
Clean pull
3 x 3 @ 95%
Front squat
3 x 3 @ 75%
Week 2, day 3: Power variations
Lift
Sets and reps
Power snatch
4 x 2 @ 65%
Overhead squat
3 x 3 @ 85%
Power clean
4 x 2 @ 65%
Split jerk from the rack
4 x 2 @ 65%
Week 3, day 1: Snatch
Lift
Sets and reps
Snatch
1 x 1 @ 70%, 1 x 1 @ 75%, 5 x 1 @ 80%
Snatch pull
3 x 3 @ 100%
Back squat
4 x 3 @ 80%
Week 3, day 2: Clean and jerk
Lift
Sets and reps
Clean and jerk
1 x 1 @ 70%, 1 x 1 @ 75%, 5 x 1 @ 80%
Clean pull
3 x 3 @ 100%
Front squat
4 x 2 @ 80%
Week 3, day 3: Power variations
Lift
Sets and reps
Power snatch
5 x 1 @ 70%
Overhead squat
3 x 2 @ 90%
Power clean
5 x 1 @ 70%
Split jerk from the rack
5 x 1 @ 70%
Week 4, day 1: Snatch
Lift
Sets and reps
Snatch
1 x 1 @ 70%, 1 x 1 @ 80%, 2 x 1 @ 85%, 2 x 1 @ 90%
Snatch pull
3 x 2 @ 105%
Back squat
3 x 2 @ 85%
Week 4, day 2: Clean and jerk
Lift
Sets and reps
Clean and jerk
1 x 1 @ 70%, 1 x 1 @ 80%, 2 x 1 @ 85%, 2 x 1 @ 90%
A plus sign means AMRAP: do as many good reps as you can on that set.
Progression and stall rules
Start from your real best lifts
Enter a best snatch, clean and jerk, front squat and back squat from the last few weeks of training. If you have never tested, StrengthLog suggests two estimates: a snatch of about 60 to 65% of your front squat and a clean and jerk of about 80 to 85%, or 90% of your best technically sound single on each lift. Round down when unsure.
Technique sets the ceiling
Glenn Pendlay's beginner program aims for 7 or 8 good lifts out of 10: if you make all 10, add weight faster; if only about 5 are good, back off. StrengthLog suggests taking 5 to 10% off when form breaks or you are tired. Treat the sheet's numbers as the top of the day, not a target to grind out.
Pulls stay inside the usual range
Greg Everett writes that pulls are usually done at 80 to 105% of a lifter's best snatch or clean. Ours run from 90% in week 1 to 105% in week 4. The sheet sets the clean pull from your clean and jerk. Your best clean is at least that heavy, so the pull lands at or a little under the same percentage of your clean.
Move up after each block
After week 4 the sheet adds 5 lb (2.5 kg) to the snatch and the clean and jerk and 10 lb (5 kg) to each squat, then starts again at week 1, the lightest week. These jumps are our own defaults. If week 4 felt like a grind, keep the same numbers for another block.
Retest every two or three blocks
StrengthLog suggests reassessing estimated maxes every 4 to 6 weeks and offers a real max test after week 12 of its plan. Our rule: after two or three blocks, work up to a heavy single on the snatch, the clean and jerk and both squats, and enter the new numbers.
Weekly volume
Work sets per lift, counted from the schedule above (warm-ups not included).
Lift
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Snatch
6
6
7
6
Snatch pull
3
3
3
3
Back squat
3
3
4
3
Clean and jerk
7
7
7
6
Clean pull
3
3
3
3
Front squat
3
3
4
3
Power snatch
4
4
5
3
Overhead squat
3
3
3
3
Power clean
4
4
5
3
Split jerk from the rack
4
4
5
3
Who it suits
A good fit
Lifters who can already snatch and clean and jerk with sound positions and want planned weights instead of guessing each session.
People coming from general strength training who want the Olympic lifts to be their main focus for a few months.
Anyone who can train three days a week and has about an hour per session.
Look elsewhere if
Complete beginners who have never been taught the snatch and the clean and jerk. Learn the lifts first and load them by feel until your positions hold.
Lifters who cannot give a believable best for each lift. The percentages are only as good as the numbers you enter.
Experienced weightlifters who train five or more days a week. This plan is too light and too simple for them.
People whose goal is the squat, bench and deadlift. A powerlifting program fits that better.
Common mistakes
Entering a lifetime best
Use a best from recent training. An old number, or one you hit once on a great day, puts every set in the block too heavy.
Chasing the number when form breaks
If the bar starts to swing away or you miss the receiving position, take 5 to 10% off, as StrengthLog suggests, and finish the session with good reps.
Turning pulls into slow deadlifts
A pull should look like the start of the lift: same positions, same speed through the finish. If a pull slows down or the bar drifts forward, it is too heavy for that day.
Dropping the jerks on Day 3
Inside a clean and jerk you only jerk what you managed to clean, so the jerk gets less practice. Day 3's jerks from the rack give it work of its own; keep them even on short days.
Testing a max every week
Week 4 already reaches 90%. Save max attempts for the end of a few blocks or a meet. Testing every week eats the recovery the next session needs.
Your sample week
For each lift, enter: Your best lift in recent training (tested, or a careful estimate). The weights below update as you type. Your numbers stay in your browser and are not saved. The numbers shown are an example lifter.
Week 1, day 1: Snatch
Snatch
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
80
2
2
90
3
2
95
4
2
95
5
2
95
6
2
95
Snatch pull
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
3
120
2
3
120
3
3
120
Back squat
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
5
185
2
5
185
3
5
185
Week 1, day 2: Clean and jerk
Clean and jerk
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
1
105
2
1
115
3
1
125
4
1
125
5
1
125
6
1
125
7
1
125
Clean pull
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
3
160
2
3
160
3
3
160
Front squat
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
3
160
2
3
160
3
3
160
Week 1, day 3: Power variations
Power snatch
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
80
2
2
80
3
2
80
4
2
80
Overhead squat
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
3
110
2
3
110
3
3
110
Power clean
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
105
2
2
105
3
2
105
4
2
105
Split jerk from the rack
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
105
2
2
105
3
2
105
4
2
105
Week 2, day 1: Snatch
Snatch
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
90
2
2
95
3
2
100
4
2
100
5
2
100
6
2
100
Snatch pull
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
3
130
2
3
130
3
3
130
Back squat
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
5
200
2
5
200
3
5
200
Week 2, day 2: Clean and jerk
Clean and jerk
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
1
115
2
1
125
3
1
130
4
1
130
5
1
130
6
1
130
7
1
130
Clean pull
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
3
165
2
3
165
3
3
165
Front squat
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
3
170
2
3
170
3
3
170
Week 2, day 3: Power variations
Power snatch
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
90
2
2
90
3
2
90
4
2
90
Overhead squat
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
3
115
2
3
115
3
3
115
Power clean
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
115
2
2
115
3
2
115
4
2
115
Split jerk from the rack
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
115
2
2
115
3
2
115
4
2
115
Week 3, day 1: Snatch
Snatch
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
1
95
2
1
100
3
1
110
4
1
110
5
1
110
6
1
110
7
1
110
Snatch pull
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
3
135
2
3
135
3
3
135
Back squat
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
3
210
2
3
210
3
3
210
4
3
210
Week 3, day 2: Clean and jerk
Clean and jerk
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
1
125
2
1
130
3
1
140
4
1
140
5
1
140
6
1
140
7
1
140
Clean pull
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
3
175
2
3
175
3
3
175
Front squat
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
180
2
2
180
3
2
180
4
2
180
Week 3, day 3: Power variations
Power snatch
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
1
95
2
1
95
3
1
95
4
1
95
5
1
95
Overhead squat
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
120
2
2
120
3
2
120
Power clean
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
1
125
2
1
125
3
1
125
4
1
125
5
1
125
Split jerk from the rack
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
1
125
2
1
125
3
1
125
4
1
125
5
1
125
Week 4, day 1: Snatch
Snatch
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
1
95
2
1
110
3
1
115
4
1
115
5
1
120
6
1
120
Snatch pull
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
140
2
2
140
3
2
140
Back squat
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
225
2
2
225
3
2
225
Week 4, day 2: Clean and jerk
Clean and jerk
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
1
125
2
1
140
3
1
150
4
1
150
5
1
160
6
1
160
Clean pull
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
185
2
2
185
3
2
185
Front squat
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
190
2
2
190
3
2
190
Week 4, day 3: Power variations (light)
Power snatch
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
1
90
2
1
90
3
1
90
Overhead squat
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
2
110
2
2
110
3
2
110
Power clean
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
1
115
2
1
115
3
1
115
Split jerk from the rack
Set
Reps
Weight (lb)
1
1
115
2
1
115
3
1
115
The spreadsheet
The file has three sheets: your numbers, the full week with every weight as a formula, and a progress table that carries the weights forward. It opens in Excel, Numbers and LibreOffice. The weights in the link below use the numbers you typed above.
Go to Google Drive and choose New, then File upload, and pick the file.
Double-click the uploaded file and choose Open with Google Sheets.
Choose File, then Save as Google Sheets so you can edit it.
Want the weights to follow you into the gym? Create a free account and the program loads into Train for you.
How it compares
Olympic weightlifting program vs Powerlifting program
Our Powerlifting program trains the squat, bench and deadlift on three days. This plan trains the snatch and the clean and jerk, which reward speed and position as much as strength. Pick the powerlifting plan to raise your big three; pick this one if the Olympic lifts are the goal. Read the Powerlifting program guide.
Olympic weightlifting program vs Starting Strength
A novice program on the squat, press, bench and deadlift, with the power clean as its only fast lift. Pick it if you are new to barbells and need basic strength first. Pick this plan once you have learned the snatch and the clean and jerk. Read the Starting Strength guide.
Olympic weightlifting program vs Full body workout routine
Three full body days with heavy, medium and volume sessions for general strength and muscle. Pick it if you want to get stronger without learning the technical lifts; pick this plan if you want to snatch and clean and jerk. Read the Full body workout routine guide.
Load Olympic weightlifting program into Train and log each session against the plan.
The workouts in Train carry week 1 of the block, with one set and rep count per lift. The four-week percentages on this page and in the spreadsheet are the full plan.
Common questions
What is the best Olympic weightlifting program for beginners?
That depends on whether you have learned the lifts. If you are still learning the lifts, a plan that loads by feel, such as Everett's free starter program or Glenn Pendlay's beginner program, fits better. Once your technique holds up and you know your best lifts, a percentage plan like this one lets you plan each session.
How do I find my max snatch and clean and jerk if I have never tested?
StrengthLog gives two shortcuts: a snatch of about 60 to 65% of your front squat and a clean and jerk of about 80 to 85% of it, or 90% of your best technically sound single on each lift. Use the lower number when unsure.
How many days a week should a beginner do Olympic lifting?
This plan uses three. Pendlay's beginner program and StrengthLog's 12-week plan also train three days a week. Everett's starter runs four days in its first two weeks and five in the last two, so it suits lifters with more time.
Why are the pulls heavier than the snatch?
A pull skips the turnover and the catch, so you can move more weight. Greg Everett writes that pulls are usually done at 80 to 105% of the best snatch or clean, and that newer lifters nearly always have more strength than their technique lets them use. Ours stay within that range.
Is an Olympic lifting program the same as an Olympic weightlifting program?
Yes. Both mean training for the snatch and the clean and jerk, the two lifts in a weightlifting meet. This plan covers both.
Can I add other training?
Keep extra work small. Everett's starter adds ab work on every training day and allows about five minutes of conditioning twice a week, picked to spare the legs. Use the same limits with this plan.
Do the in-app templates match this?
They carry week 1: the same lifts with one set and rep count each. Start-it fills in a week 1 weight for any lift where you have a saved max; type the rest from this page. Use the spreadsheet for weeks 2 to 4.
This Olympic weightlifting program is our own. Its layout draws on Greg Everett's free starter program at Catalyst Athletics, and its pull range on Everett's article on pull weights. We also read Glenn Pendlay's beginner program as archived by Lift Vault and StrengthLog's beginner guide. The percentages, the four-week block and the in-app templates are ours.
Checked . Symmetric Strength is not affiliated with Catalyst Athletics, Greg Everett, Glenn Pendlay, Lift Vault or StrengthLog. Program names are used only to identify the programs.
