Variation Complexes: 9 Variations You NEED to Improve Your Olympic Lifts
One of the mistakes I made early on as an athlete and as a coach involved my approach to using variations on the snatch and C&J as a tool to improve technique.
I would find a variation for an athlete or myself that would magically fix the technique issue we’d been working on, then get excited and program it every chance I could.
This ultimately led to the athlete doing a month of some variation of the lift, but when it came time to see if this new skill carried over to the competition lift, it rarely did.
Over the last two years, I’ve started using what I call “variation complexes” to be the perfect solution to this problem. However, I am seeing carryover not just at the end of the cycle, but in the same set!
Now, a lot of these complexes use variations I include in my free WL101: Beginner Guide + 6-Week Program. If you’re new to the olympic lifts and trying to figure things out yourself, I highly recommend checking that out here!
What is a Variation Complex?
A variation complex is the pairing of one variation of a competition lift (full snatch or C&J), followed by the competition lift itself.
The variation lift should be chosen specifically for the athlete's technique goals. This can be done to help a lifter feel a particular aspect of the lift, or it can be more practical and force the lifter to use the target technique. If a lifter struggles with not making contact with the bar, then perhaps a tempo snatch which forces the lifter to slow down may give them the time to practice making contact.
The key here is to follow the variation up with the competition lift, with the intent to carry over the technique applied in the variation to your competition lift. Because, at the end of the day, any variation you choose MUST carry over to the competition lift, otherwise it was just wasted training.
But which variation complexes should you use?
Below I’ve listed a few of the most effective variation complexes for improving the snatch, clean, and jerk. Give them a try and tag me in your lifts @bigbendstrength on Instagram or TikTok!
Jerk Variation Complexes
Pause Jerk + Jerk
The Pause Jerk + Jerk complex is a great complex, especially for beginners. The most common technique error beginners tend to make all happen in the dip and drive portion of the lift. By pausing at the bottom of the dip you can correct a forward lean, collapsed core, or improper dip height before completing the rest of the lift. Then, in the second rep without the pause, you’ll have a higher likelihood of making the correct technique happen.
This variation can be loaded fairly heavily for technique work, which means it can function as a main exercise focus of a training cycle in which you try to push the weight for the complex. You can also keep this lighter if needed for some light volume work in the 70-80% range for 3-5 sets.
Push Jerk + Jerk
The Push Jerk + Jerk complex is one I use for lifters who tend to drive the bar forward, even if the dip is perfect. The Push Jerk prevents you from moving your feet, so you must perform the lift with a near-perfect vertical bar path. Then, you can take this exact approach in the split jerk as nothing about the dip and drive should change from one jerk to the other. This can lead to a much better split jerk, simply by making the first rep a push jerk.
This variation can be loaded fairly heavy which means you can use it as a main focus for a training cycle or as some moderate volume work in the 70-80% range for 3-5 sets.
Tall Jerk + Jerk
The Tall Jerk + Jerk is a complex designed to help lifters isolate and practice the punch-under phase of the jerk. The tall jerk specifically will help with this, which may make it easier for you to feel the punch under and stay connected to the bar in the normal split jerk.
This variation cannot be loaded very heavily, which makes it less useful as a main variation. However, it is incredibly useful as a movement primer complex before normal jerks, or as a light complex before upper body strength work like I do on the Skills & Strength days in the OlyStrong 5-Day Team.
Clean Variation Complexes
Tempo Clean + Clean
The Tempo Clean + Clean complex is one of my favorites for improving your pull technique. By slowing down for the first rep you can take the time to correct any issues like shifting balance, incorrect torso position, or lack of bar contact. This makes it much easier to apply these corrections to the full speed clean that follows.
This variation can be loaded moderately heavy, though some lifters will excel because of the tempo, and some lifters will be completely freaked out by it. Try this complex for 3-5 sets between 65-80%, or as part of your warm-up before continuing to push heavier on the cleans.
Power Clean + Front Squat + Clean
The Power Clean + Front Squat + Clean is the perfect tool for people who struggle to catch cleans in a squat. The goal is to smooth out the transition time from the power clean into the front squat, then carry that approach into the second clean. You’ll find that it becomes easier and easier to catch in a squat as you practice the complex.
This complex could be loaded fairly heavy, but for its purposes, it’s best to treat this as a teaching complex, not something you want to push for a training cycle. Stick with this for 3-5 sets between 65-75% with the goal of catching in a full squat for both reps by the end of your sets.
Pause Clean + Clean
The Pause Clean + Clean is a complex for more advanced lifters to help improve aggression in the second pull. By pausing at the knee for the first rep, you are forced to be aggressive after the pause if you have any hope of making the lift. Then, in the second rep you will likely be a little fatigued and feel the need to be aggressive if you want to make the lift happen.
This variation can be performed with very heavy weights, even up to 90%+. If you are more advanced I recommend performing this complex as a main variation and attempting to push for the heaviest possible weight at the end of the training cycle. I guarantee you’ll be more aggressive in your cleans.
Snatch Variation Complexes
Dip Snatch + Snatch
The Dip Snatch + Snatch is an incredible tool for lifters who do not know how to use their legs to launch the barbell enough. By practicing the first lift from the hip, you can isolate the exact leg drive phase of the lift before following with the second rep from the floor. This makes it much easier to feel where the bar is supposed to make contact and how to apply the proper leg drive. This complex also has the added benefit of helping lifters get faster under the bar. For lifters who don’t use their arms enough to get under the bar, this complex can also help a ton.
This variation can be performed as a main variation or as lighter technique work depending on the experience level of the lifter. If you are using this complex to learn leg drive, I recommend staying lighter for 3-5 sets around 50-70%. If you are using this complex to improve your speed under the bar, then feel free to push this complex as heavy as possible, as the heavier you go, the faster you’ll need to be.
No-Feet Snatch + Snatch
The No-Feet Snatch + Snatch Complex is perfect for lifters who have footwork-related issues like a forward or backward jump. By preventing your feet from moving in the first rep, it can help you make micro-corrections to your balance in the pull. Then, you are much more likely to carry those improvements over to the full snatch.
This variation can be trained fairly heavily, though I’ve found it to be most effective as a movement primer before your normal snatch training. Do a few sets of the complex in your warm-up to your top set of snatch for the day and you’ll see an improvement in your snatch technique.
Snatch Pull + Snatch
The Snatch Pull + Snatch, especially when the snatch pull is performed as a high pull, can help you practice a more aggressive and vertical finish in the pull, which you can then carry into in the normal snatch that follows. This also doubles as a way to add more pulling volume into your training if you are limited on time to train.
This variation can be trained very heavily as a main variation for lifters who need to strengthen their pull. It can also be used as a movement primer in your warm up to your top set of snatches for the day.
How To Implement
There are three main ways you can use complex variations in your training.
Main variation
Moderate technique work
Movement primer
How you use complex variations is primarily determined by the weight you intend to use for the complex. Some variations like the Tall Jerk + Jerk are inherently lighter and are by nature used as movement primers. Other variations like the Dip Snatch + Snatch are moderately limited by weight, but not to the same degree as a tall jerk, so it can be used as moderate technique work for volume. In the same vein, a lifter who is more advanced could use the same complex to improve their speed under the bar, and therefore treat it as a main variation with the goal of increasing the maximum weight used.
Once you understand your intent for the complex, you can determine how heavy you should go, and therefore where it fits into your training program.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below or ask in my free discord here and you can even drop your video in the #form-checks channel for a form check!
By the way, I’ve got a free beginner weightlifting guide and a 6-week program! If you’re new to the olympic lifts, then check it out here!
And if you’re looking for a weightlifting program designed to help you set PRs, improve your technique, and get strong af, then check out a FREE WEEK TRIAL of my 3 & 5-Day OlyStrong Team at the link below!