Guides Olympic Lifting

26 Olympic Weightlifting Programs From Beginner to Advanced

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Olympic weightlifting programs were designed, often by Olympians themselves, to improve the weightlifter’s proficiency in two movements – Snatch and Clean & Jerk. The best routines don’t just focus on increasing your strength, but also refining speed, coordination, and flexibility.

Because of this, other sports’ performance can be improved with these exercises and their modifications. Due to their biomechanical properties of great strength and power output, it is advised that sports requiring high speed force, such as American football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, athletics, and martial arts, adapt features of Olympic weightlifting.

An Olympic weightlifting program focuses on the Snatch and Clean & Jerk techniques, while also working on boosting overall explosive power. It is tailor-made to increase strength and speed, which can benefit not only lifters but athletes across various other sports.

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Olympic Weightlifting Program Comparison Table

Olympic Weightlifting Competition Preparation Programs

wl4ff

WL4FF

Weeks: 12 | Workouts per week: 3 | Duration: 40-60 min | Volume: high | Intensity: high | Experience: intermediate | Goal: snatch and C&J peak performance.

A comprehensive program for functional fitness athletes focusing on Olympic weightlifting. It balances heavy, technical and recovery sessions to peak performance in Snatch and Clean & Jerk.

MALE 2.0

Weeks: 12 | Workouts per week: 5 | Duration: 60-90 min | Volume: high | Intensity: high | Experience: Intermediate – Advanced | Goal: snatch and C&J peak performance.

Structured program for male athletes, focusing on strength, technique and peak performance in Olympic weightlifting, with phased training to optimize preparation for competitions.

FEMALE 2.0

Weeks: 12 | Workouts per week: 5 | Duration: 60-90 min | Volume: high | Intensity: high | Experience: Intermediate – Advanced | Goal: snatch and C&J peak performance.

A program tailored for female athletes aiming for Olympic weightlifting competition readiness. Focuses on achieving new personal records in the Snatch and C&J.

MASTER DIESEL

Weeks: 10 | Workouts per week: 4 | Duration: 60-90 min | Volume: Medium | Intensity: Medium | Experience: Intermediate | Goal: snatch and C&J peak performance.

Optimized volume, less shock loads, more recovery. Get new result while refining technique. For MASTER athletes (35+ y.o.)

INTENSO CYCLE

Weeks: 8 | Workouts per week: 4 | Duration: 60-90 min | Volume: Medium | Intensity: High | Experience: Intermediate – Advanced | Goal: snatch and C&J peak performance.

Іntensive and shortened cycle. A lot of heavy triples, doubles, and singles to spike to really push your limits. Wave loading relying primarily on the competition lifts.

OLY WOD

OLY WOD

Weeks: 12 | Workouts per week: 3 | Duration: 45-90 min | Volume: Medium | Intensity: Medium | Experience: Beginner – Intermediate | Goal: snatch and C&J peak performance.

Amateur program, every session focused on Snatch or Clean or Jerk, less exercises in program

Olympic Weightlifting technique Programs

snatch cycle

SNATCH CYCLE

Weeks: 5 | Workouts per week: 5 | Duration: 60-80 min | Volume: High | Intensity: High | Experience: intermediate | Goal: snatch result progress

A fundamental program focusing on building strength and technique in the snatch, tailored for lifters looking to solidify their foundational skills.

CLEAN CYCLE

Weeks: 5 | Workouts per week: 5 | Duration: 60-80 min | Volume: High | Intensity: High | Experience: intermediate | Goal: Clean result progress

A fundamental program focusing on building strength and technique in the clean, tailored for lifters looking to solidify their foundational skills.

JERK CYCLE

Weeks: 5 | Workouts per week: 5 | Duration: 60-80 min | Volume: High | Intensity: High | Experience: intermediate | Goal: Jerk result progress

A fundamental program focusing on building strength and technique in the jerk, tailored for lifters looking to solidify their foundational skills.

PROGRAM FOR BEGINNERS

Weeks: 4 | Workouts per week: 3 | Duration: 60-80 min | Volume: Medium | Intensity: Low | Experience: Beginner | Goal: Speed, explosiveness and turnover development

Learn and improve technique, build foundation in strength & power.

SPEED CYCLE

Weeks: 5 | Workouts per week: 5 | Duration: 60-80 min | Volume: High | Intensity: High | Experience: intermediate | Goal: snatch result progress

A high-intensity Olympic lifting program focused on boosting explosive strength & speed. Perfect for weightlifters aiming to improve power and quickness in Snatch and C&J.

OLY SET MAX

Weeks: 21 | Workouts per week: 5 | Duration: 60-90 min | Volume: High | Intensity: High | Experience: intermediate | Goal: snatch result progress

Ultimate Olympic Lifting Bundle. A comprehensive 5-part series, including 21 weeks of specialized Snatch, Clean and Jerk cycles, paired with in-depth Snatch and Clean masterclasses. Perfect for mastering technique and boosting performance.

THE OLYMPIC CLEAN MASTERCLASS

Clean Masterclass

Weeks:| Workouts per week:| Duration:| Volume:| Intensity:| Experience: Beginner | Goal: Learning the Olympic Clean technique.

The “Clean Masterclass” is an in-depth digital course designed to improve Olympic Clean technique. It includes 20 theoretical lessons and 12 practical lessons, featuring 105 video tutorials, drills, and tips. An exclusively designed 3-week Olympic Clean training program is included in the eBook.

THE OLYMPIC SNATCH MASTERCLASS

Snatch Masterclass

Weeks:| Workouts per week:| Duration:| Volume:| Intensity:| Experience: Beginner | Goal: Learning the Olympic Snatch technique.

Full Snatch progression, split into 20 step-by-step theoretical lessons, which include unique tips and drills followed by 115 images, 55 video examples, and a 3 week snatch training program, which is included in the Masterclass.

Olympic Weightlifting off-season training Programs

muscle gain 2.0

MUSCLE GAIN 2.0

Weeks: 5 | Workouts per week: 4 | Duration: 50-80 min | Volume: high | Intensity: Medium | Experience: intermediate | Goal: Muscle mass gaining, moving up to new weight category

A comprehensive program designed to enhance muscle gain and strength. Focuses on progressive overload through compound Oly lifts, functional movements and tailored accessory exercises to optimize athletic performance and muscle growth.

EMOM Weightlifting

Weeks: 5 | Workouts per week: 4 | Duration: 25-40 min | Volume: Medium | Intensity: High | Experience: intermediate | Goal: Strength endurance and work capacity development

A high-intensity program designed for efficiency & endurance. Focuses on maximizing work capacity through EMOM intervals. Ideal for athletes looking to enhance power while maintaining Olympic weightlifting form under fatigue.

LEG STRENGTH

Weeks: 5 | Workouts per week: 4 | Duration: 60-80 min | Volume: High | Intensity: High | Experience: intermediate | Goal: Leg strength development for OWL

The program is specifically designed to build leg power and overall lower body strength, focusing on drills that enhance speed, acceleration and muscular endurance for peak Olympic weightlifting performance.

PULL & SQUAT CYCLE

Weeks: 6 | Workouts per week: 5 | Duration: 60-80 min | Volume: High | Intensity: High | Experience: intermediate | Goal: Leg & back strength development for OWL

This program is focused on developing strength and power in both pulling and squatting movements, making it ideal for Olympic weightlifters aiming to enhance their overall lifting capacity and performance.

OLYMPIC DEADLIFT PROGRAM

Weeks: 12 | Workouts per week: 3 | Duration: 60-80 min | Volume: High | Intensity: High | Experience: intermediate | Goal: Deadlift peak performance

This program focuses on developing raw strength and power through various deadlift techniques, including deficit and Romanian deadlifts, to maximize your pulling potential for Olympic weightlifting.

MASTER STRENGTH

Weeks: 12 | Workouts per week: 4 | Duration: 60-80 min | Volume: High | Intensity: Medium | Experience: All levels | Goal: Basic strength & GPP development

Strength plan tailored for athletes aged 35 and older. It focuses on balanced intensity and volume, optimizing recovery while minimizing joint stress, especially in squats and pulls.

power clean

POWER CLEAN PROGRAM

Weeks: 6 | Workouts per week: 3 | Duration: 60-90 min | Volume: High | Intensity: Medium | Experience: Intermediate | Goal: Strength & power athletic development. Power clean result progress.

The POWER CLEAN training program is specially designed for athletes across different sports who aim to enhance their explosive strength and improve their performance. The program focuses exclusively on clean variations, with no snatch variations included in the program.

FREE OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING PROGRAM

Intro PROGRAM

Weeks: 2 | Workouts per week: 4 | Duration: 40-60 min | Volume: Medium | Intensity: Low | Experience: Beginner | Goal: Muscle and technical preparation

INTRO PROGRAM is aimed at the beginner’s adaptation and preparation for the full training process, as well as to work out the main technical elements of Snatch and Clean & Jerk.

Flexibility & mobility Programs

MOBILITY FOR WEIGHTLIFTING

Full-Body Mobility

Weeks: 12 | Workouts per week: 3 | Duration: 20-30 min | Volume: Low | Intensity: Low |
Experience: All levels l | Goal: total body mobility development, injury prevention

Program designed to improve total body mobility, focusing on snatch and C&J positions, enhancing range of motion, stability and technique for optimal lifting performance and injury prevention.

Overhead Mobility

Weeks: 6 | Workouts per week: 3 | Duration: 30 min | Volume: Low | Intensity: Low |
Experience: All levels | Goal: mobility development, injury prevention

Program designed to enhance upper body mobility, flexibility and overhead stability in Olympic lifts. Perfect for athletes looking to improve their overhead positions and reduce injury risk.

Full Squat Mobility

Weeks: 6 | Workouts per week: 3 | Duration: 30 min | Volume: Low | Intensity: Low |
Experience: All levels | Goal: mobility development, injury prevention

The program is designed to enhance lower body mobility, flexibility, helping you achieve a stable and confident deep squat position for Olympic lifts like the snatch, clean and squat jerk.

Front Rack mobility

Weeks: 6 | Workouts per week: 3 | Duration: 30 min | Volume: Low | Intensity: Low |
Experience: All levels | Goal: mobility development, injury prevention

Comprehensive program designed to improve front rack mobility by targeting shoulder, wrist and thoracic flexibility, essential for optimizing performance in front squats, cleans and other Olympic lifts.

7 Goals of an Olympic Weightlifting Program

1. Basic Fitness

Long-term development and injury prevention depend on establishing a base level of fitness. The Olympic weightlifting program can be made more varied and the athletes’ health can be enhanced by beginning and ending each workout with a few simple plyometric, strength, and corrective aid exercises.

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