7-Week Olympic Squat Phase

By

Leo Totten

Published: August 3, 2011Posted in: Programs, Sports Training, TrainingTags: leo totten, olympic lifting, program, squat

5 sessions per week / Russian squat cycle

Upper Body Work Included

NOTES:

1. FL = from floor;            Bkn = from below knees;            HB = high blocks or power position;
2. pulls = use % of best snatch or c&j plus __0___ kg
3. power snatch and power clean = use % of best power snatch or power clean
4. RDL = use % of best c&j or best front squat (depending on experience or ability)
5. combinations = use % of WEAKEST of the two or three segments
6. ** REPS x  SETS ** (example: 2×4 means 4 sets of 2 reps)
7. *** whenever possible, take a 20-30 minute break between exercises
8. before every workout: 10 minutes flexibility work
9. after every workout: 5 minutes flexibility work and 50-75 reps abdominal work

Below is the program in a phone and printer-friendly format.

Week 1
Session	Exercise	Percentages/Reps
1	Snatch	50%	65%	80%
		3 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps x 6 Sets
	3 Stage Snatch Pulls	70%	80%	90%
		6 Reps	6 Reps	3 Reps x 2 Sets
	Core Work	80 Reps
	Stretch
2	Snatch Pulls (HB)	50%	60%	70%	80%
	*hold for 3 sec at top	5 Reps	5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps x 3 Sets
	Back Squats	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	2 Reps x 6 Sets
	DB Press	6 Reps x 4 Sets
	Reverse Hypers	10 Reps x 3 Sets
3	Clean Pulls (HB)	50%	60%	70%	80%
	*hold for 3 sec at top	5 Reps	5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps x 3 Sets
	Back Squats	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps x 6 Sets
	Snatch Grip Press	8 Reps x 4 Sets
	*sitting in full squat/behind neck
	Reverse Hyper	10 Reps x 3 Sets
4	Power Snatch	50%	65%	80%
		3 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps x 3 Sets
	Clean & Jerk	50%	65%	80%	85%	80%	85%
		3 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps	2 Reps	2 Reps	2 Reps
	DB Straight Arm Strict Shrug	8 Reps x 4 Sets
	Core Work	80 Reps
5	Back Squats	50%	65%	80%
		4 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps x 6 Sets
	RDLs	50%	70%	90%
	*Percent Based off Clean	6 Reps	5 Reps	4 Reps x 4 Sets
	DB Press	8 Reps x 4 Sets
Week 2
Session	Exercise	Percentages/Reps
1	Snatch (FI)	50%	60%	70%
		3 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps x 5 Sets
	Snatch Pulls (HB)	90%	100%
		5 Reps x 5 Sets
	DB Press	6 Reps x 4 Sets
	Reverse Hypers	10 Reps x 3 Sets
	Core Work	80 Reps
2	Back Squats	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps	5 Reps	4 Reps x 6 Sets
	Push/Press	60%	70%	80%
	*Percent Based off Snatch	6 Reps	5 Reps x 5 Sets
	DB Straight Arm Strict Shrug	10 Reps x 3 Sets
3	Clean (HB)	60%	70%	80%	85%
		3 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps	2 Reps x 3 Sets
	Clean Pulls (FI)	70%	80%	90%
		6 Reps	5 Reps	4 Reps x 4 Sets
	Core Work	80 Reps
	Stretch
4	Snatch Pulls (HB)	60%	70%	75%	80%	85%
	*hold for 3 sec at top	5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps x 3 Sets
	Front Squats	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	2 Reps x 3 Sets
	Snatch Grip Press	6 Reps x 4 Sets
	*sitting in full squat/behind neck
	Reverse Hypers	10 Reps x 3 Sets
5	Snatch Pulls (Bkn)	70%	80%	90%	80%	70%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps	4 Reps	5 Reps
	Back Squats	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	5 Reps x 6 Sets
	DB Press	8 Reps x 3 Sets
Week 3
Session	Exercise	Percentages/Reps
1	Power Cleans (FI)	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps x 3 Sets
	Clean Pulls (HB)	90%	100%	110%	100%	90%
		6 Reps	5 Reps	4 Reps	5 Reps	6 Reps
	Core Work	100 Reps
	Stretch
2	Snatch (HB)	50%	60%	70%	75%	80%
		3 Reps	3 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps	2 Reps x 3 Sets
	Back Squats	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	2 Reps x 6 Sets
	DB Straight Arm Strict Shrug	8 Reps x 4 Sets
	DB Press	8 Reps x 4 Sets
3	Snatch Pulls (HB)	70%	80%	90%	100%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps
	Back Squats	50%	65%	80%
	Stretch	5 Reps	4 Reps	6 Reps x 6 Sets
4	Clean (HB)	60%	70%	80%	85%	90%
		4 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps	2 Reps	1 Rep x 3 Sets
	Clean Pulls (FI)	60%	70%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps x 3 Sets
	Core Work	100 Reps
	Stretch
5	Snatch (FI)	50%	60%	70%	75%	80%	85%
	*2 second pause at knees	3 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps	2 Reps	1 Rep	1 Rep x 2 Sets
	Front Squats	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	2 Reps x 6 Sets
	Snatch Grip Press	8 Reps x 3 Sets
	*sitting in full squat/behind neck
	DB Press	8 Reps x 3 Sets
	*sitting on physio ball
Week 4
Session	Exercise	Percentages/Reps
1	Power Snatch (FI)	50%	60%	70%	80%	85%	90%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps	2 Reps	1 Rep x 2 Sets
	Snatch Pulls (HB)	90%
		5 Reps x 5 Sets
	Core Work	50 Reps
	Stretch
2	Back Squats	50%	65%	75%	85%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps	5 Reps x 5 Sets
	Push/Press	60%	70%	75%	80%
	*Percent Based off Snatch	5 Reps	4 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps x 3 Sets
	DB Press	6 Reps x 3 Sets
	Hypers	10 Reps x 3 Sets
3	Snatch (FI)	50%	60%	70%	80%	85%	90%
	*2 second pause at knees	5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps	2 Reps	1 Rep x 2 Sets
	Back Squats	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	2 Reps x 6 Sets
	DB Straight Arm Strict Shrug	6 Reps x 3 Sets
	Hypers	10 Reps x 3 Sets
4	Push Jerk	60%	70%	75%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps x 3 Sets
	Snatch (HB)	50%	60%	70%
		4 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps x 4 Sets
	Core Work	50 Reps
	Stretch
5	Snatch Pulls (Bkn)	70%	75%	80%	85%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps	3 Reps
	Back Squats	50%	65%	80%	90%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps	4 Reps x 4 Sets
	DB Press	8 Reps x 3 Sets
	*sitting on physio ball
Week 5
Session	Exercise	Percentages/Reps
1	Cleans (FI)	50%	65%	80%
		4 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps x 4 Sets
	Clean Pulls (HB)	70%	80%	90%
		6 Reps	5 Reps	4 Reps x 4 Sets
	Core Work	100 Reps
	Hypers	10 Reps x 3 Sets
	Stretch
2	Snatch Pulls (HB)	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps x 3 Sets
	Front Squat	50%	65%	80%
	*Percent Based off Snatch	5 Reps	4 Reps	2 Reps x 6 Sets
	DB Press	8 Reps x 3 Sets
	Hypers	10 Reps x 3 Sets
3	Split Jerk	60%	70%	80%	50%	90%	80%
	*From Rack	3 Reps	2 Reps	2 Reps	1 Reps	1 Rep x 2 Sets	2 Reps
	Power Snatch (FI)	50%	65%	80%	75%	70%
		3 Reps	2 Reps	1 Rep	2 Reps	2 Reps
	Core Work	100 Reps
	Stretch
4	Snatch Pulls (HB)	80%	90%	100%	90%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps	4 Reps	5 Reps
	Back Squats	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	2 Reps x 3 Sets
	DB Straight Arm Strict Shrug	8 Reps x 4 Sets
	Snatch Grip Press	6 Reps x 3 Sets
	*sitting in full squat/behind neck
5	Snatch (HB)	50%	60%	70%	75%	80%
		3 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps	2 Reps	1 Rep x 3 Sets
	Back Squats	50%	70%	85%	95%
		4 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps	3 Reps x 3 Sets
	DB Straight Arm Strict Shrug	6 Reps x 3 Sets
Week 6
Session	Exercise	Percentages/Reps
1	Snatch (FI)	50%	60%	70%
		3 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps x 4 Sets
	Snatch Pulls (HB)	90%	100%	110%	120%
		6 Reps	5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps x 2 Sets
	Core Work	100 Reps
	Hypers	8 Reps x 3 Sets
	Stretch
2	Back Squats	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	2 Reps x 6 Sets
	Push/Press	50%	60%	70%
	*Percent Based off Snatch	5 Reps	5 Reps	5 Reps x 3 Sets
	DB Straight Arm Strict Shrug	6 Reps x 3 Sets
3	Clean (HB)	50%	65%	80%	85%	90%
	*From Rack	3 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps	1 Rep	1 Rep x 4 Sets
	Clean Pulls (FI)	70%	80%
		3 Reps	4 Reps x 4 Sets
	Core Work	50 Reps
	Stretch
4	Snatch Pulls (Bkn)	70%	80%	85%	70%	80%
		3 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps
	Back Squats	50%	65%	80%	90%	100%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps	2 Reps x 2 Sets
	Core Work	50 Reps
	Stretch
Week 7
Session	Exercise	Percentages/Reps
1	Cleans (FI)	50%	60%	70%
		3 Reps	2 Reps	2 Reps x 4 Sets
	Clean Pulls (HB)	90%	100%	110%	120%	130%
		6 Reps	5 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps
	Core Work	100 Reps
	Hypers	10 Reps x 2 Sets
2	Front Squat	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps		2 Reps x 6 Sets
	Snatch Grip Push/Press
		5 Reps	5 Reps	4 Reps	4 Reps	3 Reps
	Stretch
3	Snatch Pulls (HB)	90%
		4 Reps x 4 Sets
	Back Squats	50%	65%	80%
		5 Reps	4 Reps	2 Reps x 3 Sets
	Stretch
4	Clean (HB)	50%	65%	80%
		3 Reps	2 Reps	1 Rep x 3 Sets
	Clean Pulls (FI)	80%
		3 Reps x 5 Sets
	Core Work	50 Reps
	Stretch
5	Back Squats	50%	70%	85%	92%	3 Tests
		5 Reps	3 Reps	2 Reps	1 Rep	1 Rep Each
	Stretch

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About the Author

Leo is the President at Werksanusa USA and a retired Physical Education Teacher and Athletic Director for 33 years. Leo is the USAW Senior U.S. International Coach and was the Olympic Games Team Leader for Weightlifting 1996 and 2004.

12 Comments

1. Jeff

   Posted August 3, 2011 at 1:23 PM

   Nice!!…but the link in the author bio isn’t working…

2. dogy

   Posted August 3, 2011 at 4:27 PM

   what does fI and HB mean ?

3. zac

   Posted August 3, 2011 at 7:04 PM

   FL = from floor; Bkn = from below knees; HB = high blocks or power position

   (its number one in the notes)

4. Darren

   Posted August 3, 2011 at 8:34 PM

   Dogy

   Note 1.FL = from floor; Bkn = from below knees; HB = high blocks or power position;

5. Eamonn Harford

   Posted August 4, 2011 at 6:01 AM

   it says in the notes wat fl and hb mean but wat is a 3 stage snatch pull u have in the first session?

6. Brian

   Posted August 4, 2011 at 10:39 AM

   @Eamonn

   3 stage snatch pull = 3 reps snatch pull, 1st starting from the floor, 2nd and third from the knee.

   Charles Staley has a video on it:

   http://media.staleytraining.com/3_stage_sn_pull.MPG

7. Nathaniel Jenkins

   Posted August 4, 2011 at 8:12 PM

   If we do not have access to a reverse hyper, what would you suggest as a substitution??

8. Dan Baker

   Posted August 4, 2011 at 11:33 PM

   Ah, the old “Russian Squat program”. Actually it was from Belorus, first published in 1976 and then later in the early 1980′s in Soviet Sport Review (I still have my original photo-copy of it) and modified by Fred Hatfield to a 2/wk, 8-wk squat program for powerlifters (i.e 6 sets of 2 @80% on the light day, the heavy day being all the others). It is an example of Accumulation-Intensification cycling/periodization, in so far as you accumulate volume at 80% (building up from 6 sets of 2 to 6 sets of 6, before intensifying the training by raising the heavy day to 85%, then 90%, 95% & then 100%, with a diminishing volume. Nothing new under the sun, but it has worked for me and probably thousands of others who have tried it, at various stages of our long lifting lives. Will work for bench as well, but for the deadlift you have to ditch the light day and start the deadlift cycle 1-week before the squat cycle. Well that is what we did 20+ years ago….

9. Biff A

   Posted August 8, 2011 at 1:36 PM

   I’m glad to see that olympic lifting is getting some more attention.

   This was a good article.

   Could you use high bar olympic style goodmornings instead or reverse hypers?

10. Cooper

    Posted October 17, 2011 at 11:26 PM

    Interested to hear what sort of stretching pre and post workout you recommend

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