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olympic weightlifting, weightlifting, snatch, clean, jerk
Olympic weightlifting, strength and conditioning, fitness Workouts - Training Cycles - Catalyst Athletics

Block & Pull Cycle
6 weeks

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This is a 6-week cycle that uses a lot of lifting off the blocks and has an emphasis on pulling strength and power.


Monday January 2 2012
Comments (12)

  • Block snatch pull + snatch (mid-thigh) - 65% x 2(1+1) x 3, 70% x 2(1+1) x 2
  • Block clean pull + clean (mid-thigh) - 65% x 2(1+1) x 3, 70% x 2(1+1) x 2
  • Clean deadlift to knee + clean pull - 65% x 3+1 x 3, 70% x 3+1 x 2
  • Front Squat - 60% x 3 x 2, 65% x 3 x 2, 70% x 3 x 2
This will be a tough cycle. Be smart with restoration and cut back on sets or weight if you find you're not recovering adequately (feeling tired is fine; missing prescribed lifts is a better indicator).

Week 1 of 6
Tuesday January 3 2012
Comments (8)

  • Jerk - 60% x 3, 65% x 3, 70% x 2, 75% x 2, 80% x 2
  • Hang power clean (below knee) - 50% (of clean) x 3 x 4
  • Snatch push press + Overhead squat - 65% (of snatch) x 3+2 x 3
4 sets; no rest:
8 1-arm KB swings/arm
8 pull-ups
Wednesday January 4 2012
Comments (1)

  • Block snatch pull + snatch (below knee) - 70% x 2(1+1) x 3, 75% x 2(1+1) x 2
  • Block clean pull + clean (below knee) - 70% x 2(1+1) x 3, 75% x 2(1+1) x 2
  • Snatch deadlift to knee + snatch pull - 65% (of snatch ) x 3+1 x 3, 70% x 3+1 x 2
  • Pause back squat - 65% x 5 x 2, 70% x 5 x 4
Thursday January 5 2012
Comments (1)

  • Push press + jerk - 50% (of jerk) x 3+1 x 2, 60% x 3+1 x 2, 65% x 3+1 x 2
  • Hang power snatch (below knee) - 50% (of snatch x 3 x 4
  • Muscle snatch - 35% (of snatch) x 3 x 4
  • Pin back squat (just above parallel) - 50% x 3 x 2, 55% x 3 x 2, 60% x 3 x 2
3 sets; no rest:
400 m row
15 dips
Friday January 6 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Saturday January 7 2012
Comments (1)

  • Snatch - 50% x 2, 60% x 2, 70% x 2, 75% x 2, 80% x 2, then to heavy single
  • Clean & jerk - 50% x 2, 60% x 2, 70% x 2, 75% x 2, 80% x 2, then to heavy single
  • Front squat - 65% x 3 x 2, 75% x 3 x 2, 80% x 3, 85% x 3
4 sets; no rest:
10 DB push press
10 DB chainsaw rows/arm
Sunday January 8 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Monday January 9 2012
Comments (6)

  • Block snatch pull + snatch (mid-thigh) - 70% x 2(1+1) x 5
  • Block clean pull + clean (mid-thigh) - 70% x 2(1+1) x 5
  • Clean deadlift to knee + clean pull - 75% x 3+1 x 2, 80% x 3+1 x 3
  • Pause back squat - 60% x 5 x 3, 65% x 5 x 3
Week 2 of 6
Tuesday January 10 2012
Comments (0)

  • Jerk - 65% x 3, 70% x 3, 75% x 3, 80% x 2 x 2, 85% x 2
  • Hang power clean (below knee) - 50% (of clean) x 3 x 2, 60% x 3 x 2
  • Snatch push press + overhead squat - 70% x 3+2, 75% x 3+2 x 2
3 sets; no rest:
10 KB snatch/arm
10 topside halfmoons/side
Wednesday January 11 2012
Comments (0)

  • Block snatch pull + snatch (below knee) - 75% x 2(1+1) x 5
  • Block clean pull + clean (below knee) - 75% x 2(1+1) x 5
  • Snatch deadlift to knee + snatch pull - 75% (of snatch ) x 3+1 x 3, 80% x 3+1 x 2
  • Front squat - 65% x 3 x 2, 70% x 3 x 2, 75% x 3 x 2
Thursday January 12 2012
Comments (0)

  • Push press + jerk - 60% (of jerk) x 3+1 x 2, 65% x 3+1 x 3
  • Hang power snatch (below knee) - 50% (of snatch) x 3 x 2, 60% x 3 x 2
  • Muscle snatch - 40% (of snatch) x 3 x 3
  • Pin back squat (just above parallel) - 50% (of back squat) x 3 x 2, 55% x 3 x 2
For 7 minutes:
Max consecutive pull-ups
Max consecutive push-ups
No failed reps!
Friday January 13 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Saturday January 14 2012
Comments (0)

  • Snatch - 50% x 2, 60% x 2, 70% x 2, 75% x 2, 80% x 2, then to heavy single
  • Clean & jerk - 50% x 2, 60% x 2, 70% x 2, 75% x 2, 80% x 2, then to heavy single
  • Front squat - 65% x 3 x 2, 75% x 3 x 2, 80% x 3 x 3
3 sets; 3 min rest:
200 m sprint
Sunday January 15 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Monday January 16 2012
Comments (0)

  • Block snatch pull + snatch (mid-thigh) - 70% x 2(1+1) x 2, 75% x 2(1+1) x 2
  • Block clean pull + clean (mid-thigh) - 70% x 2(1+1) x 2, 75% x 2(1+1) x 2
  • Clean deadlift to mid-thigh + clean pull - 80% x 3+1 x 4
  • Pause back squat - 65% x 4 x 5
Week 3 of 6
Tuesday January 17 2012
Comments (0)

  • Jerk - 70% x 3, 75% x 3, 80% x 2 x 2, 85% x 2 x 3
  • Hang power clean (below knee) - 60% (of clean) x 3 x 3
  • Heaving snatch balance - 65% (of snatch) x 4 x 3
4 sets; no rest:
10 KB swings
10 DB chainsaw rows/arm
Wednesday January 18 2012
Comments (0)

  • Block snatch pull + snatch (below knee) - 75% x 2(1+1) x 2, 80% x 2(1+1) x 2
  • Block clean pull + clean (below knee) - 75% x 2(1+1) x 2, 80% x 2(1+1) x 2
  • Snatch deadlift to hip + snatch pull - 80% (of snatch ) x 3+1 x 4
  • Front squat - 70% x 2 x 2, 75% x 2 x 4
Thursday January 19 2012
Comments (1)

  • Push press + jerk - 65% (of jerk) x 2+1 x 2, 70% x 2+1 x 2
  • Hang power snatch (below knee) - 60% (of snatch) x 3 x 3
  • Pin back squat (just above parallel) - 55% (of back squat) x 3 x 3, 60% x 3 x 2
3 sets; no rest:
2 min jump rope
3 (1 KB clean + 5 push press)/arm
Friday January 20 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Saturday January 21 2012
Comments (0)

  • Snatch - 50% x 2, 60% x 2, 70% x 2, 75% x 2, 80% x 2, then to heavy single
  • Clean & jerk - 50% x 2, 60% x 2, 70% x 2, 75% x 2, 80% x 2, then to heavy single
  • Front squat - 80% x 3 x 5
For 5 minutes:
100 m row
5 burpees
Sunday January 22 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Monday January 23 2012
Comments (2)

  • Block snatch pull + snatch (mid-thigh) - 75% x 1+1 x 2, 80% x 1+1 x 2
  • Block clean pull + clean (mid-thigh) - 75% x 1+1 x 2, 80% x 1+1 x 2
  • Clean pull - 90% x 3 x 4
  • Pause back squat - 65% x 3 x 2, 70% x 3 x 3
Week 4 of 6
Tuesday January 24 2012
Comments (2)

  • Jerk - 70% x 3, 75% x 3, 80% x 2, 85% x 2, 90% x 2
  • Hang power clean (below knee) - 65% (of clean) x 2 x 2, 70% x 2 x 2
  • Heaving snatch balance - 65% (of snatch) x 3, 70% x 3 x 2
5 sets; no rest:
5 push-ups
5 KB swings
5 pull-ups
Wednesday January 25 2012
Comments (2)

  • Block snatch pull + snatch (below knee) - 80% x 1+1 x 2, 85% x 1+1 x 2
  • Block clean pull + clean (below knee) - 80% x 1+1 x 2, 85% x 1+1 x 2
  • Snatch pull - 90% (of snatch ) x 3 x 4
  • Front squat - 75% x 2 x 5
Thursday January 26 2012
Comments (2)

  • Jerk balance - 55% (of jerk) x 3 x 4
  • Split push press behind neck - 60% (of jerk) x 3 x 4
  • Hang power snatch (below knee) - 65% (of snatch) x 2 x 2, 70% x 2 x 2
  • Pin back squat (just above parallel) - 60% (of back squat) x 3 x 4
3 sets; no rest:
10 1-arm DB split snatch/arm
200 m row
Friday January 27 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Saturday January 28 2012
Comments (0)

  • Snatch - 50% x 2, 60% x 2, 70% x 2, 75% x 2, 80% x 2, then to heavy single
  • Clean & jerk - 50% x 2, 60% x 2, 70% x 2, 75% x 2, 80% x 2, then to heavy single
  • Front squat - heavy single
Sunday January 29 2012
Comments (2)

Rest Day
Monday January 30 2012
Comments (0)

  • Snatch - 70% x 2, 75% x 2, 80% x 2, 85% x 1, 90% x 1, 85% x 1
  • Clean & Jerk - 70% x 2, 75% x 2, 80% x 2, 85% x 1, 90% x 1, 85% x 1
  • Clean Pull - 90% x 2, 95% x 2, 100% x 2
  • Front Squat - 80% x 2, 85% x 1 x 2
Week 5 of 6
Tuesday January 31 2012
Comments (1)

  • Power Snatch - 80% x 1 x 8
  • Power Clean & Jerk - 80% x 1 x 8
3 sets:
Box Jump x 3
Pull-ups x 15
30 sec rest
Wednesday February 1 2012
Comments (4)

  • Snatch - 70% x 1, 75% x 1, 80% x 1 x 4
  • Clean & Jerk - 70% x 1, 75% x 1, 80% x 1 x 4
  • Snatch Pull - 90% x 2, 95% x 2, 100% x 2
  • Back Squat - 80% x 3 x 3
Thursday February 2 2012
Comments (0)

  • Power Snatch - 80% x 1 x 6
  • Power Clean & Jerk - 80% x 1 x 6
3 sets:
3 box jumps
15 DB push press
30 sec rest
Friday February 3 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Saturday February 4 2012
Comments (4)

  • Snatch - 70% x 1, 75% x 1, 80% x 1, 85% x 1, 90% x 1, 95% x 1
  • Clean & Jerk - 70% x 1, 75% x 1, 80% x 1, 85% x 1, 90% x 1, 95% x 1
  • Front Squat - 90% x 1
Sunday February 5 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Monday February 6 2012
Comments (1)

  • Snatch - 85% x 1 x 3
  • Clean & Jerk - 85% x 1 x 3
  • Clean Pull - 90% x 2 x 3
  • Back Squat - 70% x 2, 75% x 2, 80% x 2
Week 6 of 6
Tuesday February 7 2012
Comments (0)

  • Snatch - 60% x 1 x 8
  • Clean & Jerk - 60% x 1 x 5
  • Light technique work of choice - 10 min max
Wednesday February 8 2012
Comments (0)

  • Snatch - 75% x 1 x 3
  • Clean & Jerk - 70% x 1 x 3
  • Snatch Pull - 90% x 2 x 3
Thursday February 9 2012
Comments (1)

  • Snatch - 40-50% x 1 x 5-8
  • Clean & Jerk 40-50% x 1 x 4-6
Adjust the weight and sets based on how you're feeling - if you're feeling tired and slow today, stick with the empty bar only.
Friday February 10 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Saturday February 11 2012
Comments (0)

  • Snatch - max
  • Clean & Jerk - max
  • Front or back squat - max
Sunday February 12 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
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