3 Day Beginner Olympic Weightlifting Program
4.55 (4 reviews)
For athletes looking to learn and improve Olympic lifts
Program Description
Program Overview
| Coach | Glenn Pendlay |
| Level | Beginner, Novice |
| Equipment | Full Gym |
| Days Per Week | 3 days |
| Program Length | 12 weeks |
Start the program
on Boostcamp for free
on Boostcamp for free
Week 1 · A variation
Day 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 10 | 1 | - |
| Clean Pull + Hang Clean From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Push Press (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | - |
Day 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch Pull + Hang Snatch From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 10 | 1 | - |
| Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 3 | - |
| -- | |||
Day 3
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 5 | 2 | - |
| Clean Pull + Hang Clean From Hip | 5 | 1 | - |
| Behind The Neck Jerk | 5 | 2 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
Week 2 · B variation
Day 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch Pull + Hang Snatch From Hip | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 5 | 2 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
| -- | |||
Day 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 10 | 1 | - |
| Hang Clean From Hip + Hang Clean From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Bench Press (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | - |
| Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 3 | +10lbs |
Day 3
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hang Snatch From Hip + Hang Snatch From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 10 | 1 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
| -- | |||
Week 3 · A variation
Day 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 10 | 1 | - |
| Clean Pull + Hang Clean From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Push Press (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | - |
Day 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch Pull + Hang Snatch From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 10 | 1 | - |
| Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 3 | - |
| -- | |||
Day 3
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 5 | 2 | - |
| Clean Pull + Hang Clean From Hip | 5 | 1 | - |
| Behind The Neck Jerk | 5 | 2 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
Week 4 · B variation
Day 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch Pull + Hang Snatch From Hip | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 5 | 2 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
| -- | |||
Day 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 10 | 1 | - |
| Hang Clean From Hip + Hang Clean From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Bench Press (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +5lbs |
| Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 3 | +10lbs |
Day 3
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hang Snatch From Hip + Hang Snatch From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 10 | 1 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
| -- | |||
Week 5 · A variation
Day 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 10 | 1 | - |
| Clean Pull + Hang Clean From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Push Press (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | - |
Day 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch Pull + Hang Snatch From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 10 | 1 | - |
| Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 3 | - |
| -- | |||
Day 3
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 5 | 2 | - |
| Clean Pull + Hang Clean From Hip | 5 | 1 | - |
| Behind The Neck Jerk | 5 | 2 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
Week 6 · B variation
Day 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch Pull + Hang Snatch From Hip | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 5 | 2 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
| -- | |||
Day 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 10 | 1 | - |
| Hang Clean From Hip + Hang Clean From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Bench Press (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +5lbs |
| Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 3 | +10lbs |
Day 3
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hang Snatch From Hip + Hang Snatch From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 10 | 1 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
| -- | |||
Week 7 · A variation
Day 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 10 | 1 | - |
| Clean Pull + Hang Clean From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Push Press (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | - |
Day 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch Pull + Hang Snatch From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 10 | 1 | - |
| Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 3 | - |
| -- | |||
Day 3
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 5 | 2 | - |
| Clean Pull + Hang Clean From Hip | 5 | 1 | - |
| Behind The Neck Jerk | 5 | 2 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
Week 8 · B variation
Day 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch Pull + Hang Snatch From Hip | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 5 | 2 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
| -- | |||
Day 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 10 | 1 | - |
| Hang Clean From Hip + Hang Clean From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Bench Press (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +5lbs |
| Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 3 | +10lbs |
Day 3
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hang Snatch From Hip + Hang Snatch From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 10 | 1 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
| -- | |||
Week 9 · A variation
Day 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 10 | 1 | - |
| Clean Pull + Hang Clean From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Push Press (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | - |
Day 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch Pull + Hang Snatch From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 10 | 1 | - |
| Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 3 | - |
| -- | |||
Day 3
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 5 | 2 | - |
| Clean Pull + Hang Clean From Hip | 5 | 1 | - |
| Behind The Neck Jerk | 5 | 2 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
Week 10 · B variation
Day 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch Pull + Hang Snatch From Hip | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 5 | 2 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
| -- | |||
Day 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 10 | 1 | - |
| Hang Clean From Hip + Hang Clean From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Bench Press (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +5lbs |
| Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 3 | +10lbs |
Day 3
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hang Snatch From Hip + Hang Snatch From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 10 | 1 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
| -- | |||
Week 11 · A variation
Day 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 10 | 1 | - |
| Clean Pull + Hang Clean From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Push Press (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | - |
Day 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch Pull + Hang Snatch From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 10 | 1 | - |
| Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 3 | - |
| -- | |||
Day 3
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 5 | 2 | - |
| Clean Pull + Hang Clean From Hip | 5 | 1 | - |
| Behind The Neck Jerk | 5 | 2 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
Week 12 · B variation
Day 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch Pull + Hang Snatch From Hip | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 5 | 2 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
| -- | |||
Day 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch (Barbell) | 10 | 1 | - |
| Hang Clean From Hip + Hang Clean From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Bench Press (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +5lbs |
| Front Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 3 | +10lbs |
Day 3
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hang Snatch From Hip + Hang Snatch From Knee | 5 | 1 | - |
| Clean & Jerk | 10 | 1 | - |
| Squat (Barbell) | 3 | 5 | +10lbs |
| -- | |||
What People Are Saying
4.6/5
Oscar D.Man
2 weeks complete
1 year of prior experience
As expected strength gains
As expected muscle gains
Marginal modifications
Learn and practice techniques for snatches and clean
6 months ago
J W.Man, 42
2 weeks complete
20 years of prior experience
As expected strength gains
Marginal modifications
It is a fun program. I have some small experience of olympic lifts from before and I use this program to practice the lifts rather than go for higher weights wich makes it a quick workout for about 30 minutes.
7 months ago
Eigil O.Man, 20
3 weeks complete
5 years of prior experience
As expected strength gains
As expected muscle gains
None modifications
The best free olympic weightlifting program there is
8 months ago
Jessy R.Woman, 32
2 weeks complete
10 years of prior experience
As expected strength gains
As expected muscle gains
None modifications
It isn’t bad. I’d like at least one day of deadlift
10 months ago
This is an outline for beginner athletes looking to learn and train in Olympic lifts by one of the greatest American Olympic weightlifting coaches ever. It was originally published on Glenn's blog in 2010, which is now defunct.