Olympic Lifts for Powerlifters: How to Add Them

You already squat, bench and deadlift with heavy loads. Adding the snatch and the clean and jerk turns that strength into speed and gives you two more lifts for your supertotal.

The good news is that your strength base is a head start. The work now is skill, timing and patience. This guide shows you how to add the Olympic lifts without losing your powerlifting numbers.

Why strength athletes add the Olympic lifts

The Olympic lifts train you to produce force fast. That quality is called rate of force development, and slow heavy lifting does not train it as well.

A meta-analysis of 232 participants with resistance training experience found that Olympic weightlifting raised vertical jump height by 7.7% compared with control groups, and by 5.1% compared with traditional resistance training (Hackett et al., 2016).

Jump height is a good marker of explosive power, so these lifts give you something the powerlifts alone do not.

The NSCA agrees. Its 2023 position statement says that adding weightlifting exercises to a strength program produces greater gains in force production and athletic performance than general resistance training or plyometric training alone (NSCA position statement, Comfort et al., 2023).

Start with pulls, then add the catch

Do not start with the full snatch. Start with the pull. You already know how to pull from the floor, so pulling derivatives let you learn the explosive finish before you learn to catch the bar.

"The clean pull, snatch pull, hang high pull, jump shrug, and mid-thigh pull are weightlifting pulling derivatives that can be used in the teaching progression of the full weightlifting movements and are thus less complex with regard to exercise technique."

Suchomel TJ, Comfort P, Stone MH. Weightlifting pulling derivatives: rationale for implementation and application. Sports Medicine, 2015. PubMed

The same review notes that these pulls may train power as well as, or better than, the full lifts with a catch. So you do not lose training value while you learn.

A simple four-stage progression

1. Weeks 1 to 2: jump shrug and mid-thigh pull. Learn to stand tall fast.
2. Weeks 3 to 4: hang power clean and hang power snatch from above the knee.
3. Weeks 5 to 6: power clean and power snatch from the floor.
4. Week 7 onward: full snatch and clean and jerk, with a front squat or overhead squat catch.

Move to the next stage when your bar path stays close and your timing feels the same on every rep.

Loads and reps that work

The Olympic lifts are skill lifts. Keep reps low so every rep is fast and clean. Fatigue ruins technique long before it ruins strength.

• Full lifts and power variations: 3 to 6 sets of 1 to 3 reps at 70 to 85% of your best.
• Pulls: 3 to 4 sets of 3 reps at 90 to 110% of your best clean or snatch.
• Jump shrugs: 3 sets of 3 to 5 reps at 30 to 50% of your best clean.
• Rest: 2 to 3 minutes between sets.

If you do not have a snatch or clean max yet, pick a load you can move fast for 3 perfect reps. Add 2.5 to 5 kg per week while speed stays high.

Mobility you will need

The full catch asks for more ankle, hip and shoulder range than powerlifting does. Use the empty bar for overhead squats and front squats in every warm-up. Ten minutes a session is enough for most lifters.

How often to train the Olympic lifts

Technique improves with frequent practice, not long sessions. Train the Olympic lifts 2 to 3 times per week, for 20 to 30 minutes each time.

• 3 training days: snatch work on day 1, clean and jerk on day 3.
• 4 training days: one Olympic lift at the start of each session, alternating.
• 5 or more days: short snatch and clean sessions on lighter powerlifting days.

Always put the Olympic lifts first in the session. They need a fresh nervous system. Your squat, bench and deadlift will cope well with coming second.

Keep your powerlifting numbers

Adding new lifts means adding volume. Cut some of your existing accessory work to make room, not your main lifts.

• Keep your squat, bench and deadlift at their usual intensity.
• Drop 2 to 4 sets of back and leg accessories per week.
• Count clean pulls and snatch pulls as part of your deadlift volume.
• Count front squats from the clean as part of your squat volume.

Most lifters find their deadlift holds steady or improves, because the pulls train a fast lockout. Your bench is barely affected. Your squat often improves from the extra front squat work.

Watch your recovery for the first 3 weeks. If your main lifts feel slow, cut one Olympic lift session for a week, then add it back.

Common mistakes

• Pulling with the arms too early. Let the legs and hips finish first.
• Using powerlifting loads on fast lifts. Speed matters more than weight.
• Training the Olympic lifts after heavy deadlifts. Do them first.

Build it in the free builder

Open the builder and enter your squat, bench press and deadlift maxes. For the snatch and clean and jerk, enter your best power variation or a careful estimate. Choose 3 or 4 training days. The builder places the Olympic lifts at the start of each session.

Prefer a ready plan? Browse the starter programs and pick a five-lift block. Run it for 8 to 12 weeks, then test your new supertotal.