Strength meets precision.
The snatch and the clean & jerk combine strength, speed, mobility and technical timing.
In our Weightlifting classes you learn the movements of the Olympic lifts systematically or develop your existing technique further. You train without a WOD and without time pressure – with focused position work, specific strength exercises and direct feedback.
Technique decides how strength lands
Snatch
The barbell is brought from the floor to overhead in one continuous movement.
Watch technique videoClean & Jerk
The barbell is first cleaned to the shoulders and then jerked overhead.
Watch technique videoWhat looks fast and fluid from the outside is made up of several precisely coordinated phases. Starting position, pull, acceleration, timing, turnover and catch all have to fit together.
In our Weightlifting classes we take the time to train these phases individually and then combine them into one complete movement.
One class, your level
Whether you’re standing at a barbell for the first time or already handle the snatch and clean & jerk with confidence — you train in the same class. The structure and the programming are the same for everyone; what differs is the weight, the exercise variation and the technical focus your coach sets with you.
If you’re just starting out
Learn the technique from the ground upYou learn the snatch, the clean and the jerk from the ground up: grip and starting position, pull path and barbell control, stable intermediate positions, timing and acceleration, safe receiving positions as well as basic strength and mobility. The weights stay light enough that you can understand the movement and repeat it under control — starting with a PVC pipe or a light barbell is completely normal.
If you already have experience
Refine technique and build loadYou work on your individual technical weak points: more complex position and hang variations, snatch and clean-&-jerk complexes, speed and explosiveness, specific pulls and squats as well as technically controlled progressions.
New here?Just let your coach know before class — they’ll meet you where you are.
Proven principles. Clear training cycles.
Our weightlifting program draws on the methodical approaches, exercise variations and insights of Catalyst Athletics. From these, our weightlifting team develops complete training cycles with a clear progression.
The sessions build on each other over several weeks. Exercises and variations aren’t chosen at random; within the training cycle each one serves a specific technical or strength-related purpose.
We don’t adopt any single Catalyst program unchanged. The content is adapted to our weekly class volume, the group’s prerequisites, the current training block and the different starting points of the participants.
Snatch week
In snatch week the focus is on the snatch and its related positions, pull variations and strength exercises.
Clean & jerk week
The following week centres on the clean & jerk plus matching technical variations and accessory exercises.
The regular rotation gives both lifts enough attention without training too many complex elements at once in every class.
Technique
Movements are broken down into sensible phases and exercise variations.
Speed
You learn not just to produce strength, but to apply it at the right moment.
Specific strength
Squats, pulls, presses and accessory exercises support the competition lifts.
Repetition with a purpose
Every variation serves a specific purpose. Not every session has to end with a heavy snatch or clean & jerk.
Where to find the programWe publish the current program each week in RESAWOD and in Beyond the Whiteboard. There you can see the focus of the next class and follow the course of the training cycle. More about the training programs of Catalyst Athletics
Qualifications that land at the barbell
Our weightlifting team holds specific qualifications in Olympic weightlifting:
For your training that means: clear technique instruction, well-founded movement observation, a suitable selection of exercise variations, structured load management and coaching for different experience levels.
How a Weightlifting class works
Briefing on the week's focus
The coach explains which lift and which technical phase are the focus and how the session fits into the ongoing training cycle.
Mobility and preparation
You prepare the joints, positions and muscle groups relevant to the lift.
Position work
With a PVC pipe, an empty barbell or a light weight you work on individual phases of the movement.
Technical main part
A lift variation, a complex or a specific technical theme forms the core of the session.
Specific strength work
Depending on the training cycle, this might include squats, pulls, presses or accessory exercises.
A technically controlled finish
The class ends with the planned weightlifting work. There’s no additional CrossFit WOD.
Weekly rotationSnatch and clean & jerk alternate weekly. The individual classes don’t stand alone; they build on each other within a complete training cycle.
Weightlifting in the schedule
Good to knowYou’ll find short-notice changes and the current programming in the schedule as well as in RESAWOD and BTWB — that’s also where you book your spot.
Good to know
Who is the Weightlifting class for?▾
For everyone — from your very first contact with a barbell through to advanced lifters. The structure and the programming are the same for everyone; your coach adapts the weight, the exercise variation and the technical focus to your level.
Do I need to have trained with a barbell before?▾
No. You can start learning the movements with a PVC pipe or a light barbell.
Do the snatch and clean & jerk change within a single class?▾
The main focus changes weekly. One week centres on the snatch, the next on the clean & jerk.
Does each class follow its own workout?▾
No. The sessions belong to complete training cycles and build on each other over several weeks.
Where can I see the current program?▾
We publish the weekly program in RESAWOD and in Beyond the Whiteboard.
Do I have to want to compete?▾
No. You can train weightlifting to develop your technique, strength and explosiveness or to improve your CrossFit skills.
Do you lift heavy in class?▾
The load depends on the training goal and your technical level. More weight only makes sense as long as you can still control the movement.
Is there a WOD?▾
No. The entire class is dedicated to Olympic weightlifting and the associated strength and technique work.
Technique first. Weight second.
Learn the fundamentals of Olympic weightlifting or work specifically on your snatch and clean & jerk.