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olympic weightlifting, weightlifting, snatch, clean, jerk
CATALYST ATHLETICS TRAINING CYCLE

5-Week Front Squat Emphasis Cycle
5 weeks

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This is a preparatory cycle that emphasizes front squat strength and tests for a max front squat on the last Saturday.

"My snatch went from a lucky 240 to a solid 250 (I hit it two weeks in a row and just barely missed 260); a 300 clean and jerk to a 320 clean and jerk; my back squat went from 380 to 405; and my most dramatic increase was my front squat. At te beginning of the cycle it was at 320 I prd once at 335 3 weeks into the cycle, then today I hit a solid 380! 45 pound PR in two weeks and 60 pound in 5. Thanks a lot for the programming."




Monday July 30 2012
Comments (4)

  • Snatch - 75% x 3 x 5
  • Jerk - 75% x 3 x 5
  • Front Squat - 75% x 3 x 5
  • Snatch Deadlift - 100% (of snatch) x 5 x 3
Week 1 of 5

This is a 5-week prep cycle emphasizing front squat strength. We'll test a max front squat on week 5.
Tuesday July 31 2012
Comments (10)

  • Power Snatch + Snatch Push Press + Overhead Squat - 70% (of PS) x 3+3+3 x 3, 75% x 3+3+3 x 2
  • Power Clean + Power Jerk - 70% (of PC) x 2(1+1) x 2, 75% x 2(1+1) x 3
  • Snatch Pull - 90% (of snatch) x 3 x 2, 95% x 3 x 3
5 sets; no rest:
200 m row
10 KB clean + push press/arm
Wednesday August 1 2012
Comments (6)

  • Clean - 75% x 3 x 5
  • Jerk Behind the neck (hold split for 3 sec) - 75% x 3 x 5
  • Back Squat - 70% x 2 x 5
  • Clean Pull - 90% (of clean) x 3 x 2, 95% x 3 x 3
Thursday August 2 2012
Comments (8)

  • Power Clean + Push Press - 75% (of PP) x 2(2+1) x 5
  • Snatch Push Press + Snatch Balance - 70% (of snatch) x 3+1 x 5
  • Snatch Pull - 90% (of snatch) x 3 x 5
4 sets; no rest:
10 pull-ups
3 min jump rope
Friday August 3 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Saturday August 4 2012
Comments (9)

  • Front Squat - 80% x 3 x 5
  • Snatch - heavy single
  • Clean & Jerk - heavy single
  • Clean Deadlift - 100% (of clean) x 5 x 3
Sunday August 5 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Monday August 6 2012
Comments (5)

  • Clean - 75% x 3 x 3, 80% x 2 x 2
  • Jerk Bnk (hold split 3 sec) - 75% x 3 x 3, 80% x 2 x 2
  • Back Squat - 70% x 2 x 5
  • Snatch Deadlift - 100% (of snatch) x 5, 105% x 5 x 2
Week 2 of 5
Tuesday August 7 2012
Comments (0)

  • Power Snatch + Snatch Push Press + Overhead Squat - 70% (of PS) x 3+3+3, 75% x 3+3+3 x 4
  • Power Clean + Power Jerk - 75% (of PC) x 2(1+1) x 4, 80% x 2(1+1) x 1
  • Snatch Pull - 95% (of snatch) x 3 x 2, 100% x 3 x 3
4 sets; no rest:
12 chin-ups
15 push-ups
Wednesday August 8 2012
Comments (0)

  • Front Squat - 85% x 2 x 5
  • Snatch - 75% x 3 x 3, 80% x 2 x 2
  • Jerk (hold split 3 sec) - 75% x 3 x 3, 80% x 2 x 2
  • Clean Pull - 95% (of clean) x 3 x 2, 100 x 3 x 3
Thursday August 9 2012
Comments (0)

  • Power Clean + Push Press - 75% (of PP) x 2(2+1) x 3, 80% x 2(2+1) x 2
  • Snatch Push Press + Snatch Balance - 70% (of snatch) x 3+1 x 3, 80% x 3+1 x 2
  • Clean Pull - 95% (of clean) x 3 x 5
3 sets; no rest:
10 DB push press
20 DB chainsaw row
Friday August 10 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Saturday August 11 2012
Comments (1)

  • Snatch - heavy single
  • Clean & Jerk - heavy single
  • Clean Deadlift - 100% (of clean) x 5, 105% x 5 x 2
  • Back Squat - 70% x 2 x 5
Sunday August 12 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Monday August 13 2012
Comments (0)

  • Front Squat - 85% x 3 x 4
  • Snatch - 75% x 3, 80% x 2 x 4
  • Jerk (hold split 3 sec) - 75% x 3, 80% x 2 x 4
  • Clean Pull - 100% (of clean) x 3 x 4
Week 3 of 5
Tuesday August 14 2012
Comments (0)

  • Power Snatch + Snatch Push Press + Overhead Squat - 70% (of PS) x 2+2+1, 75% x 2+2+1 x 2, 80% x 2+2+1 x 2
  • Power Clean + Power Jerk - 75% x 2+1 x 2, 80% x 2+1 x 2
  • Snatch Pull - 95% (of snatch) x 3 x 4
20-15-10 reps each, no rest:
DB push press
DB bent row

Wednesday August 15 2012
Comments (0)

  • Clean - 75% x 3, 80% x 2 x 4
  • Jerk Behind Neck - 75% x 2, 80% x 2 x 4
  • Snatch Pull - 100% (of snatch) x 3 x 4
  • Back Squat - 70% x 2 x 5
Thursday August 16 2012
Comments (2)

  • Power Clean + Push Press - 75% (of PP) x 2(1+1), 80% x 2(1+1) x 4
  • Snatch Push Press + Snatch Balance - 70% (of snatch) x 2+1, 75% x 2+1 x 2, 80% x 2+1 x 2
  • Clean Pull - 95% (of clean) x 3 x 4
4 sets; no rest:
5 1-arm KB swings/arm
max rep pull-ups (stop short of failure)
Friday August 17 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Saturday August 18 2012
Comments (0)

  • Front Squat - 90% x 1 x 5
  • Snatch - heavy single
  • Clean & Jerk - heavy single
  • Snatch Pull - 100% (of snatch) x 3 x 3
Sunday August 19 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Monday August 20 2012
Comments (7)

  • Clean & Jerk - 75% (of cln) x 2+1, 80% x 1+1 x 2, 85% x 1+1 x 2
  • Clean Pull - 95% (of cln) x 3, 100% x 3, 105% x 2 x 3
  • Back Squat - 70% x 2 x 5
Week 4 of 5
Tuesday August 21 2012
Comments (0)

  • Power Snatch + Overhead Squat - 70% (of PS) x 2+1, 75% x 2+1, 80% x 2+1, 85% x 1+1 x 3
  • Power Clean + Jerk - 75% (of PC) x 2+1 x 2, 80% x 2+1, 85% x 1+1 x 3
  • Snatch Pull - 95% (of snatch) x 2 x 2, 100% x 2 x 2
With no rest:
400 m row
20 pull-ups
300 m row
30 push-ups
200 m row
10 pull-ups
10 push-ups
Wednesday August 22 2012
Comments (6)

  • Front Squat - 90% x 2 x 3
  • Snatch - 75% x 2, 80% x 2, 85% x 1 x 3, 80% x 1
  • Jerk - 75% x 2, 80% x 2, 85% x 1 x 3
  • Snatch Pull - 100% (of snatch) x 3 x 2, 105% x 2 x 2
Thursday August 23 2012
Comments (2)

  • Power Snatch - 75% x 2 x 2, 80% x 1 x 4
  • Power Clean + Power Jerk - 75% (of PC) x 2+1 x 2, 80% x 1+1 x 4
  • Clean Pull - 95% (of clean) x 2 x 2, 100% x 2 x 2
3 sets; no rest:
10 KB snatch/arm
10 KB clean + push press/arm
Friday August 24 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Saturday August 25 2012
Comments (3)

  • Snatch - heavy single
  • Clean & Jerk - heavy single
  • Clean Pull - 105% (of clean) x 3 x 3
  • Back Squat - 70% x 2 x 5
Sunday August 26 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Monday August 27 2012
Comments (0)

  • Front Squat - 95% x 1 x 3
  • Snatch - 60%x3, 65%x3, 70%x2, 75%x2, 80%x1, 85%x 1 x 3
  • Clean & Jerk - 60% x1+1, 65% x1+1, 70% x 1+1, 75% x 1+1, 80% x 1+1, 85% x 1+1
  • Clean Pull - 85% (of clean) x 2, 90% x 2, 95% x 2
Week 5 of 5
Tuesday August 28 2012
Comments (0)

  • Power Snatch - 70% x 1 x 3, 75% x 1 x 3
  • Power Clean + Jerk - 70% (of PC) x 1+1 x 3, 75% x 1+1 x 3
3 sets; no rest:
10 KB swings
15 pull-ups
Wednesday August 29 2012
Comments (0)

  • Snatch - 60%x3, 65%x3, 70%x2, 75%x2, 80%x1 x 3
  • Clean & Jerk - 60% x1+1, 65% x1+1, 70% x 1+1, 75% x 1+1, 80% x 1+1
  • Snatch Pull - 85% (of snatch) x 2, 90% x 2, 95% x 2
  • Back Squat - 70% x 2 x 5
Thursday August 30 2012
Comments (0)

  • Power Snatch - 70% x 1 x 3, 75% x 1 x 3
  • Power Clean + Jerk - 70% (of PC) x 1+1 x 3, 75% x 1+1 x 3
3 sets; 30 sec rest:
400 m row @ 75% effort
Friday August 31 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
Saturday September 1 2012
Comments (1)

  • Front Squat - max
  • Snatch - heavy single
  • Clean & Jerk - heavy single
Sunday September 2 2012
Comments (0)

Rest Day
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