What is the Torokhtiy 13 week program?
Aleksey Torokhtiy is an Olympic gold medallist in weightlifting who has spent his post-competition career coaching and writing programs, and this is his thirteen-week block built for lifters who can train three days a week.
That last detail matters more than it sounds. Most serious weightlifting programming assumes five or six sessions a week, which rules it out for anyone with a normal job. This condenses a full training block into three sessions without pretending the compromise does not exist.
How it works
Each session covers the classical lifts along with squats and pulling work, loaded by percentages of your current maxes. The snatch and clean and jerk appear in most sessions because the technical demand requires regular practice.
Across the thirteen weeks the emphasis shifts. Earlier weeks carry more volume in the squats and pulls that build the strength base; later weeks reduce that volume and move the emphasis onto the classical lifts at higher percentages, finishing with a peak and a test.
Making three days a week work
Training weightlifting three days a week means each session has to do more, so they run long and are densely packed. The classical lifts are prioritised within each session because they are the skill component and the thing that degrades fastest without practice.
The trade-off is real: more sessions would allow more technical exposure and a gentler distribution of fatigue. But a three-day program you complete for thirteen weeks beats a five-day program you abandon in week four, and that is the calculation this block is built around.
Who it’s for
This is for lifters who already have competent snatch and clean and jerk technique and want a structured block to drive their numbers up - competitive weightlifters training around work, and experienced CrossFit athletes who want to actually specialise for a few months.
It is not a beginner program. If you are still learning the lifts, a beginner template with lighter loads and more coaching input will serve you far better - percentage-based work on a technique you have not yet grooved just ingrains the fault.
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths: written by a genuine Olympic champion, fits a three-day schedule, clearly periodized across a full block, and ends in a peak so there is something to test at the end.
Trade-offs: sessions are long, three days gives less technical exposure than a conventional weightlifting week, and it needs full weightlifting equipment - platform, bumpers, a bar you can drop.
How to run it
Enter accurate current maxes for the snatch and clean and jerk; percentage-based weightlifting programs fall apart quickly if the anchor numbers are wrong. Open the spreadsheet below for the thirteen-week layout.
Do not rush the classical lifts to save time - they are the point of the session, and technique under fatigue is what the block is teaching. Film your lifts, keep your mobility work going alongside, and test at the end of week thirteen.
The spreadsheet
Browse the full program below, or open it in Google Sheets to make your own copy and plug in your numbers.
Spreadsheet via LiftVault. If the preview doesn’t load, use “Open in Google Sheets”.
Equipment
This is a barbell program - you don’t need much, but a few pieces make it run smoothly.
Any brand works
Weightlifting shoes. A solid raised heel is close to non-negotiable for holding position in the receiving positions of both lifts.
Knee Sleeves
Add warmth and a little support to the knees, plus a small rebound out of the bottom of the squat.
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Lifting Belt
Gives your core something to brace against, adding stability and lower-back support on heavy squats and deadlifts.
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Lifting Straps
Secure your grip so heavy pulling and deadlift volume isn’t cut short by your hands giving out first.
Check OutLearn the lifts
New to any of the movements in this program? Our lift guides break down technique, cues and the common mistakes to avoid.
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