This is a 6 day, 8 week Olympic weightlifting program originally shared by Glenn Pendlay. It was originally shared over the course of 8 weeks in 2015 on his blog. The program is designed to be run in preparation for a weightlifting competition and can be considered a peaking program. It is well suited for an average intermediate weightlifter.
Intermediate Olympic Weightlifting Program Overview
- This is an 8 week program, 6 days of training per week.
- It is designed for intermediate weightlifters.
- It can be used to peak for a weightlifting competition.
- It programs for the following lifts (1RM unless noted otherwise):
- Back squat (5 rep max)
- Front squat (3 rep max)
- Push press (5 rep max)
- Snatch from hip
- Snatch from knee
- Clean & Jerk
- Clean & Jerk (from hip)
- Clean & Jerk (from knee)
- Clean
- Overhead Press
- Power Snatch
- Power Clean
- The set and rep scheme is sets x reps (e.g. 2×3 means “2 sets of 3 reps”)
- EMOM = every minute on the minute
Program Spreadsheet
Spreadsheet source: OWL Sheets
Notes
Below is a note from the original spreadsheet creator re: how Glenn Pendlay programmed some sets.
- On the blog, Glenn sometimes suggested working UP to a certain percentage, say 80%. This is worked up to over the course of multiple sets. Other times he wrote hang snatch at 85%. I have followed the blog as best I could. If the weights are too heavy for too many sets, consider working up to the highest weight listed instead of all the sets at that same weight.
- Where it says “heavy single,” it means to work up to your approximate one rep max for that day. It may be a PR, but it also may not. If Glenn wants you to go for a PR, it’s stated explicitly. Always use good judgement – if a PR just isn’t there that day, work up to whatever you can manage.
