Weightlifting Level 4

Catalyst Athletics

Weightlifting, Olympic Lifting
Coach
Greg Everett

This is the fourth and last in the series of Learn the Lifts training programs.

It's a 12-week, 5 day/week cycle with %-based loading that will work to max snatch and CJ while building better positions, strength and technique to support continued progress in the Olympic lifts.

It will prepare you for the rest of the Catalyst Athletics training programs.

Note: This program does NOT include coaching.

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Complete Program
Includes all prep and accessory work to keep you healthy and progressing maximally.
Features
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Programming 5 days per week
5 complete workouts each week
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Exercise Video Guidance
Instructional videos to guide your practice and make execution easy
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Delivered through TrainHeroic
Workouts, videos, instructions, logging and more through the app.
Equipment
Required
Barbell & Weights // Squat Rack
Recommended
Dumbbells/kettlebells
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Sample Week
Week 1 of 12-week program
Sunday
Week 1 Day 1

Prep

A

Team Warm-Up

Following is a complete warm-up. You don’t need to do all of it—use as much of it as you need. 1. 2-10 min monstructural (bike, row, etc) 2. Foam Rolling Series 3. Dynamic Warm-up (DROM) Series 4. Lower Body WU Mobility Series 5. Upper Body WU Mobility Series

Prep

B

Prep A-1

1-3 sets: P1. Band Snow Angel x 10-12 P2. Supine Iso Adduction Knees to Chest x 10-15 P3. Poliquin Step-up x 10-15 Think of this as the minimum—feel free to do any of these exercises on other days as well, and of course, add others you have found are necessary or valuable for you.

C

Segment Snatch + Snatch

5 x 2 @ 70 %

D

Floating Halting Snatch Deadlift on Riser

4 x 3 @ 75, 80, 85, 85 %

E

Back Squat

5, 5, MAX @ 70 %

Accessory

F

3 sets: A1. Bulgarian Split Squat (load with DBS at arms' length) x 10/leg A2. Hanging Leg Raise (sub: Knees to Elbows) x max

Recovery

G

Team Post-Workout Stretching

Do this complete circuit, or use only the stretches you need. You can also do some stretches between accessory work sets to save time. Hold each stretch for 20-60 seconds. If you use shorter holds, ideally do 2-3 sets of the series. Breathe deeply and try to relax into the stretches. Don’t push to the point of straining—if you’re sore the next day, you’re stretching too hard. You can also do most of these stretches as PNF contract-relax reps: Get into a stretched position and hold for 20-30 seconds, then isometrically contract the muscle(s) you’re stretching for 5-6 seconds at about 40-50% effort, then relax and move into a deeper stretch for 5-6 seconds, and repeat this 5-6 times. You can also add a contraction of the agonist muscles as you move into the deeper stretch, e.g. if stretching the hamstrings, tighten the quads and hip flexors. Lower body • Lying hamstring • Butterfly • Glute crossover • Straddle • Pigeon • Quad/hip flexor • Spiderman lunge • Russian Baby Maker • Ankle • Hurdler or Modified hurdler • Front Splits Upper Body • Weighted Shoulder Flexion • Leaning bar hang • 1-Arm Lat hang • Doorjamb Pec • Underarm + Rotation • Apley Push • Barbell Rack Stretch • Wrist flexion, extension, ulnar deviation (with hook)

Monday
Week 1 Day 2

Prep

A

Team Warm-Up

Following is a complete warm-up. You don’t need to do all of it—use as much of it as you need. 1. 2-10 min monstructural (bike, row, etc) 2. Foam Rolling Series 3. Dynamic Warm-up (DROM) Series 4. Lower Body WU Mobility Series 5. Upper Body WU Mobility Series

Prep

B

Prep B-1

1-3 sets: P1. Band External Rotation x 8-12 P2. Banded Wall Slide x 10-15 P3. Single-leg Bench-Supported Glute Bridge x 10-15 Think of this as the minimum—feel free to do any of these exercises on other days as well, and of course, add others you have found are necessary or valuable for you.

C

Muscle Snatch

5 x 3

D

Power Clean + Power Jerk + Jerk

5 x 4 @ 70 %

E

Push Press Behind the Neck

4 x 5 @ 154.32 kg

Accessory

F

3 sets: A1. Bent Row x 12-15 A2. DB Arnold Z-Press x 12-15 A3. Weighted Plank x 20-30 sec

Recovery

G

Team Post-Workout Stretching

Do this complete circuit, or use only the stretches you need. You can also do some stretches between accessory work sets to save time. Hold each stretch for 20-60 seconds. If you use shorter holds, ideally do 2-3 sets of the series. Breathe deeply and try to relax into the stretches. Don’t push to the point of straining—if you’re sore the next day, you’re stretching too hard. You can also do most of these stretches as PNF contract-relax reps: Get into a stretched position and hold for 20-30 seconds, then isometrically contract the muscle(s) you’re stretching for 5-6 seconds at about 40-50% effort, then relax and move into a deeper stretch for 5-6 seconds, and repeat this 5-6 times. You can also add a contraction of the agonist muscles as you move into the deeper stretch, e.g. if stretching the hamstrings, tighten the quads and hip flexors. Lower body • Lying hamstring • Butterfly • Glute crossover • Straddle • Pigeon • Quad/hip flexor • Spiderman lunge • Russian Baby Maker • Ankle • Hurdler or Modified hurdler • Front Splits Upper Body • Weighted Shoulder Flexion • Leaning bar hang • 1-Arm Lat hang • Doorjamb Pec • Underarm + Rotation • Apley Push • Barbell Rack Stretch • Wrist flexion, extension, ulnar deviation (with hook)

Tuesday
Week 1 Day 3

Prep

A

Team Warm-Up

Following is a complete warm-up. You don’t need to do all of it—use as much of it as you need. 1. 2-10 min monstructural (bike, row, etc) 2. Foam Rolling Series 3. Dynamic Warm-up (DROM) Series 4. Lower Body WU Mobility Series 5. Upper Body WU Mobility Series

Prep

B

Prep C-1

1-3 sets: P1. Scap Pull-up x 10-15 + 10-20 sec hold last rep P2. Sidelying Hip Internal Rotation + Iso Adduction x 10-15 P3. TKE x 10-15 Think of this as the minimum—feel free to do any of these exercises on other days as well, and of course, add others you have found are necessary or valuable for you.

C

Segment Clean + Clean + Pause Jerk Dip

5 x 4 @ 70 %

D

Floating Halting Clean Deadlift on Riser

4 x 3 @ 75, 80, 85, 85 %

E

Front Squat

4 x 3 @ 65 %

Accessory

F

3 sets: A1. Step-up (knee height / load with DBs at arms' length) x 10/leg A2. Jack knife x max

Recovery

G

Team Post-Workout Stretching

Do this complete circuit, or use only the stretches you need. You can also do some stretches between accessory work sets to save time. Hold each stretch for 20-60 seconds. If you use shorter holds, ideally do 2-3 sets of the series. Breathe deeply and try to relax into the stretches. Don’t push to the point of straining—if you’re sore the next day, you’re stretching too hard. You can also do most of these stretches as PNF contract-relax reps: Get into a stretched position and hold for 20-30 seconds, then isometrically contract the muscle(s) you’re stretching for 5-6 seconds at about 40-50% effort, then relax and move into a deeper stretch for 5-6 seconds, and repeat this 5-6 times. You can also add a contraction of the agonist muscles as you move into the deeper stretch, e.g. if stretching the hamstrings, tighten the quads and hip flexors. Lower body • Lying hamstring • Butterfly • Glute crossover • Straddle • Pigeon • Quad/hip flexor • Spiderman lunge • Russian Baby Maker • Ankle • Hurdler or Modified hurdler • Front Splits Upper Body • Weighted Shoulder Flexion • Leaning bar hang • 1-Arm Lat hang • Doorjamb Pec • Underarm + Rotation • Apley Push • Barbell Rack Stretch • Wrist flexion, extension, ulnar deviation (with hook)

Wednesday
Week 1 Day 4

Prep

A

Team Warm-Up

Following is a complete warm-up. You don’t need to do all of it—use as much of it as you need. 1. 2-10 min monstructural (bike, row, etc) 2. Foam Rolling Series 3. Dynamic Warm-up (DROM) Series 4. Lower Body WU Mobility Series 5. Upper Body WU Mobility Series

Prep

B

Prep D-1

1-3 sets: P1. Banded Wall Slide x 10-15 P2. Parallel Squat Band Abduction x 10-15 P3. Supine Banded Plank March x 10-15 Think of this as the minimum—feel free to do any of these exercises on other days as well, and of course, add others you have found are necessary or valuable for you.

C

Tall Snatch

5 x 3

D

Power Snatch + Heaving Snatch Balance

5 x 3 @ 70 %

E

Snatch Push Press + Overhead Squat

4 x 7 @ 70 %

Accessory

F

3 sets: A1. Pull-ups x max (use assistance as needed to get 10 minimum) A2. Press in Snatch x 8 (loading that allows smooth motion and control down) A3. Weighted Side Plank x 20-30 sec

Recovery

G

Team Post-Workout Stretching

Do this complete circuit, or use only the stretches you need. You can also do some stretches between accessory work sets to save time. Hold each stretch for 20-60 seconds. If you use shorter holds, ideally do 2-3 sets of the series. Breathe deeply and try to relax into the stretches. Don’t push to the point of straining—if you’re sore the next day, you’re stretching too hard. You can also do most of these stretches as PNF contract-relax reps: Get into a stretched position and hold for 20-30 seconds, then isometrically contract the muscle(s) you’re stretching for 5-6 seconds at about 40-50% effort, then relax and move into a deeper stretch for 5-6 seconds, and repeat this 5-6 times. You can also add a contraction of the agonist muscles as you move into the deeper stretch, e.g. if stretching the hamstrings, tighten the quads and hip flexors. Lower body • Lying hamstring • Butterfly • Glute crossover • Straddle • Pigeon • Quad/hip flexor • Spiderman lunge • Russian Baby Maker • Ankle • Hurdler or Modified hurdler • Front Splits Upper Body • Weighted Shoulder Flexion • Leaning bar hang • 1-Arm Lat hang • Doorjamb Pec • Underarm + Rotation • Apley Push • Barbell Rack Stretch • Wrist flexion, extension, ulnar deviation (with hook)

Friday
Week 1 Day 6

Prep

A

Team Warm-Up

Following is a complete warm-up. You don’t need to do all of it—use as much of it as you need. 1. 2-10 min monstructural (bike, row, etc) 2. Foam Rolling Series 3. Dynamic Warm-up (DROM) Series 4. Lower Body WU Mobility Series 5. Upper Body WU Mobility Series

Prep

B

Prep E-1

1-3 sets: P1. IYT x 5/5/5 P2. Glute-Ham Bridge Walkout x 6-10 P3. Wall Slide + Lift-off x 10-15 Think of this as the minimum—feel free to do any of these exercises on other days as well, and of course, add others you have found are necessary or valuable for you.

C

Snatch

2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1 @ 70, 75, 80, 73, 78, 83, 75, 80, 85 %

D

Clean & Jerk

4, 4, 2, 4, 4, 2, 4, 4, 2 @ 70, 75, 80, 73, 78, 83, 75, 80, 85 %

E

Back Squat

5, 4, 3, 3, 3 @ 70, 75, 80, 80, 80 %

F

Back Squat Jump

3 x 5 @ 20 %

Accessory

G

3 sets: A1. Ab work of choice A2. Barbell wrist curl x 10-15 A3. Barbell wrist extension x 10-15 A4. Banded hamstring curl x 12-15/leg

Recovery

H

Team Post-Workout Stretching

Do this complete circuit, or use only the stretches you need. You can also do some stretches between accessory work sets to save time. Hold each stretch for 20-60 seconds. If you use shorter holds, ideally do 2-3 sets of the series. Breathe deeply and try to relax into the stretches. Don’t push to the point of straining—if you’re sore the next day, you’re stretching too hard. You can also do most of these stretches as PNF contract-relax reps: Get into a stretched position and hold for 20-30 seconds, then isometrically contract the muscle(s) you’re stretching for 5-6 seconds at about 40-50% effort, then relax and move into a deeper stretch for 5-6 seconds, and repeat this 5-6 times. You can also add a contraction of the agonist muscles as you move into the deeper stretch, e.g. if stretching the hamstrings, tighten the quads and hip flexors. Lower body • Lying hamstring • Butterfly • Glute crossover • Straddle • Pigeon • Quad/hip flexor • Spiderman lunge • Russian Baby Maker • Ankle • Hurdler or Modified hurdler • Front Splits Upper Body • Weighted Shoulder Flexion • Leaning bar hang • 1-Arm Lat hang • Doorjamb Pec • Underarm + Rotation • Apley Push • Barbell Rack Stretch • Wrist flexion, extension, ulnar deviation (with hook)

Coach
coach-avatar Greg Everett

In over 15 years, he’s coached multiple national champions & record holders, Pan Am & European Championships medalists, & World Championships competitors from multiple countries. He’s coach of the Catalyst Athletics USA Weightlifting national championship team, a USA Weightlifting International Coach, and was named 2021 Danish Coach of the Year—the first non-Danish coach to be awarded the honor.

Weightlifting Level 4