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Sports training

Weightlifting technique workout: the snatch and the clean and jerk from the top down

British Weight Lifting advises that "no-one attempts an Olympic lift without prior training and supervision". The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) teaches the lifts from the top down, catch and finish first, then the pull, and lets technique decide how fast you move on. This session follows that order, with the weight kept light. Do it with a qualified coach, on a platform with bumper plates.

60 minBeginner15 movesCardio machine · A wall · A barbellQuads · Glutes · Back · Forearms · Shoulders · Hamstrings
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Warm-up (about 10 minutes)

  1. Indoor rowing (rowing machine)3 to 5 min easy
    Beginner · Quads, Glutes, Back · 3D demoHarder: Stair climbing
  2. Wrist & forearm flow60 s
    Beginner · Forearms · 3D demoCircles and palm turnsHarder: Wrist flexor stretch
  3. Knee-to-wall ankle rock8 slow rocks each side
    Beginner · 3D demoHeel down
  4. Thoracic rotation5 each side
    Beginner · 3D demoEasier: Side-lying open bookHarder: World's greatest stretch
  5. Deep squat hold30 to 60 s
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Adductors · 3D demoHold a support if you need toEasier: Goddess pose (Utkata Konasana)Harder: Cossack squat

Overhead positions

Rest 60 to 90 s

  1. Overhead squat3 × 5 with a dowel or the empty bar
    Advanced · Quads, Glutes, Shoulders · 3D demoSlow; bar over the middle of your feet; push up into the barEasier: Bodyweight squatHarder: Squat snatch
  2. Snatch balance3 × 3 with the empty bar
    Intermediate · Quads, Shoulders, Glutes · 3D demoDrop under smoothly, only as deep as you can keep the bar steadyEasier: Cable deadliftHarder: Power snatch

Snatch, from the top down

Rest 90 s to 2 min

  1. Muscle snatch3 × 3 with the empty bar
    Intermediate · Glutes, Shoulders, Back · 3D demoBar close, elbows high, then turn overEasier: Snatch pullHarder: Power snatch
  2. Hang snatch3 × 2, light
    Advanced · Glutes, Quads, Hamstrings · 3D demoFrom mid-thigh: jump, shrug and pull under. Catch as high as you need to while learningEasier: Smith machine hang power cleanHarder: Power snatch
  3. Barbell snatch4 × 1 to 2, light
    Advanced · Glutes, Quads, Hamstrings · 3D demoFrom the floor only once the hang snatch looks the same every rep. Practise missing safelyEasier: Power snatch

Clean and jerk, from the top down

Rest 2 min

  1. Clean rack delivery2 × 5 with the empty bar
    Intermediate · Shoulders, Forearms, Back · 3D demoFast elbows; bar onto your shouldersEasier: Clean shrugHarder: Barbell clean and press
  2. Hang power clean4 × 3, light
    Advanced · Glutes, Quads, Hamstrings · 3D demoJump and shrug, then quick elbowsEasier: Smith machine hang power cleanHarder: Power clean
  3. Jerk dip squat3 × 3 with the empty bar
    Intermediate · Quads, Glutes, Abs · 3D demoStraight down and up, heels downEasier: Machine hack squatHarder: Squat jerk
  4. Push press3 × 3, light
    Intermediate · Shoulders, Triceps, Quads · 3D demoDip, drive, press to lockoutEasier: Standing overhead pressHarder: Power jerk (push jerk)
  5. Split jerk3 × 2, light
    Advanced · Shoulders, Triceps, Quads · 3D demoDip, drive, split under, front shin uprightEasier: Push pressHarder: Squat jerk

Tips

  • Learn with a qualified coach: British Weight Lifting's website has a club finder. For children and teenagers, the NSCA asks for no more than 10 athletes per coach and no adult programmes.
  • Let technique, not a percentage of your body weight or a fixed plan, decide when to add weight, and end a set when reps start to look different.
  • Lift on bumper plates on a clear platform. Lower the bar in front of you, and let go only once it's below your shoulders, as the rules require.
  • Start with two technique sessions a week, with a day between, and add the weightlifting strength workout once the positions are steady.
  • The hook grip can hurt your thumbs at first. Tape on the thumbs is allowed in competition as long as it doesn't go past the fingertips.
  • Older lifters with arthritis can lift from the hang or from blocks, keeping loads where any pain settles by the next morning.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

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Questions people ask

How long does the weightlifting technique workout: the snatch and the clean and jerk from the top down take?

About 60 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: Cardio machine, A wall, A barbell. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 12 of its 15 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.