A good weight to shoot for snatch and C & J

[Juic3]

I started olympic lifting yesterday, I can do a 175 snatch and I havent tried a heavy clean and jerk yet but I can clean 260+. So Im guessing a 240 clean and jerk is my max.

What would be a good weight to do in the snatch and clean and jerk for my age (17)? and age up to 21? Thanks

[J.L.C.]

Technique >>>>>> weight

Especially when starting out.

[Juic3]

Technique >>>>>> weight

Especially when starting out.

I know that but I just need a weight to shoot for when I perfect my technique.

[J.L.C.]

I know that but I just need a weight to shoot for when I perfect my technique.

Perfecting technique is a lifetime endeavor - estimates are usually in the 10 year range

BW on snatch and 125% of BW on C&J are good starting goals IMO

3X BW total is a challenging long-term goal

[Juic3]

Perfecting technique is a lifetime endeavor - estimates are usually in the 10 year range

BW on snatch and 125% of BW on C&J are good starting goals IMO

3X BW total is a challenging long-term goal

Ok thanks

[Marc27Default]

Perfecting technique is a lifetime endeavor - estimates are usually in the 10 year range

BW on snatch and 125% of BW on C&J are good starting goals IMO

3X BW total is a challenging long-term goal

I had bw snatch and 120% clean and jerk off the top of my head. Close! lol

It's easier for people with poor technique to muscle up a clean and jerk. (may not pass in comp.) Far more difficult to have ugly form and get a bodyweight snatch. I have a couple friends that can ugly powerclean and push press 260 at my school gym but I have yet to see them powersnatch over 155-175. Theoretically with their strength and power they should be snatching 220 but cannot.

My best lifts are snatch 93% of bodyweight and clean and jerk 116% of bodyweight so I am still working towards the bodyweight snatch milestone. I was actually strong enough to jerk 115%-120% of my bodyweight very early on and I ended up hurting myself. I didn't evaluate my technique enough. Now I am back to lifting those weights and more in the jerk with ever improving technique. Just because you are strong in the lift does not mean you are doing it correctly. I remember being excited the first time I held 4 plates overhead despite not realizing my form was crappy. If you are deficient in form then you will hit a plateau.

[madaozeki]

Keep in mind you're a pretty big guy to start with, so you're at a disadvantage with using a % of bodyweight to shoot for. The world record clean and jerk for the lightest guys is over 3x bodyweight, while the current superheavyweight world record holder doesn't even do 2x his bodyweight. Similarly for snatch, the little guys put up almost 2.5x bodyweight, while the biggest don't even get 2x.

Just for an example, I snatch just over 130% of my bodyweight, and clean and jerk almost 165% of my bodyweight, but I can't qualify for the American Open just yet. If you were to cut your bodyweight to 207lbs to compete in the 94kg class, and you duplicated my lifts, you'd be at a 123kg (271lb) snatch and 155kg (341lb) clean and jerk, and EASILY qualify for the American Open.

That being said, a bodyweight snatch is a great goal to start with, but I'd be FAR more concerned with getting excellent technique before worrying about weight. As Marc pointed out, any meathead can muscle up what (s)he thinks is a big weight, but compare it to real lifters and it'll seem like a bad joke.

With your current strength levels (if the squat you posted is deep), with solid technique, you should be snatching around 127kg (280lbs) and clean and jerking about 158kg (350lbs) at your current bodyweight.