This 6-week program focuses on building front squat strength with moderate volume and reps - it's based on programming used with some of Catalyst Athletics' world-class lifters.
It includes a lot of pulling strength work as well, and of course plenty of snatch and clean & jerk training.
Athletes have seen massive increases in their squats, as well as big snatch and clean & jerk PRs.
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-3
1-3 sets: P1. YTW x 5/5/5 P2. Copenhagen Roll x 10-15 P3. Petersen 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
Snatch
4 x 3 @ 70 %
D
Snatch Deadlift on Riser
3 x 5 @ 80 %
E
Back Squat
4 x 3 @ 70 %
Accessories
F
3 sets: A1. Weighted Plank x 20-30 sec A2. Staggered DB RDL x 10/side A3. Bent Row x 12-15
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)
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-3
1-3 sets: P1. Band Scap Protraction x 10-15 P2. Banded Wall Slide x 10-15 P3. Bird Dog 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
Clean & Jerk
4 x 4 @ 70 %
D
Clean Pull to Hip
4 x 3 @ 80, 80, 85, 85 %
E
Push Press
3 x 3 @ 70 %
F
Front Squat
4 x 2 @ 70 %
Accessory
G
3 sets: A1. Half-Kneeling Cross Chop x 10/side A2. Single-Leg Bench-Supported Glute Bride x 10/side
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)
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-3
1-3 sets: P1. Snow Angel Slide x 10-15 P2. Standing Medball Hip Internal Rotation x 10-15 P3. Spanish Squat (5 sec ecc) x 6-10 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
Back Squat
4 x 3 @ 70 %
D
Snatch
5 x 1
E
Clean & Jerk
5 x 2
F
Clean Deadlift on Riser
3 x 5 @ 80 %
Accessory
G
3 sets: A1. Dead bug x 10+/side A2. Pull-up (assist or sub lat pulldown as needed) x 12-15
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)
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.