Weightlifting Track: Testing Week — Four Max Singles, One at a Time
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 | CrossFit MYO, San Jose CA
What Makes This Session Effective
Four scored singles this testing week: snatch, clean & jerk, back squat and front squat. Attack one or two per day and spread them across the week, so your legs are fresh for the squats instead of already spent from the pulls. The order in the notes is deliberate: competition lifts first while you’re sharp, strength lifts next, hang and block variations last. Both barbell prep complexes run bar-only into light weight before anything gets heavy, and that’s where you find out what today’s positions actually look like. A max taken on tired legs isn’t a max.
The Protocol
| Movement | Sets & Reps | Target Load | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch | 1×1 | Heavy single | Stay over the bar until it clears the knees, then pull under fast |
| Clean & Jerk | 1×1 | Heavy single | Stand all the way up and take a breath before the dip |
| Back Squat | 1×1 | Heavy single | Brace hard at the top, then drive the bar straight up out of the bottom |
| Front Squat | 1×1 | Heavy single | Elbows lead the way up: the moment they drop, the bar follows |
TESTING WEEK - Notes
Be thorough with your warm ups. If possible plan to attack 1 -2 lifts per day and spread out the days to keep your legs fresh.
- Competition lifts
- Strength lifts
- Hang / block variations
Have fun!
Score type: Not Scored
Snatch 1x1
Snatch for load: #1: 1 rep
Score type: Load
Clean & Jerk 1x1
Clean & Jerk for load: #1: 1 rep
Score type: Load
Back Squat 1x1
Back Squat for load: #1: 1 rep
Score type: Load
Front Squat 1x1
Front Squat for load: #1: 1 rep
Score type: Load
Barbell Prep
Bar only:
6 Muscle snatch + 6 OHS
5 Power snatch + 5 Snatch bal.
4 Snatch
Light weight 1-2rds: 3x snatch PP 3x Snatch Bal. 3x Hang Snatch 3x Snatch
Score type: Not Scored
Barbell Prep
Bar only:
6 Muscle cleans + 6 PP
5 Power cleans + 5 FS
4 Clean & jerks
Light weight 1-2rds: 3x Push Press 3x Front squat 3x Hang Clean + PJ 3x Clean + jerk
Score type: Not Scored
Full Session Breakdown
| Block | What You’ll Do |
|---|---|
| TESTING WEEK - Notes | Be thorough with your warm ups. If possible plan to attack 1 -2 lifts per day and spread out the days to keep your legs fresh. / 1. Competition lifts / 2. Strength lifts / 3. Hang / block variations / Have fun! |
| Snatch 1x1 | Snatch for load: / #1: 1 rep |
| Clean & Jerk 1x1 | Clean & Jerk for load: / #1: 1 rep |
| Back Squat 1x1 | Back Squat for load: / #1: 1 rep |
| Front Squat 1x1 | Front Squat for load: / #1: 1 rep |
| Barbell Prep | Bar only: / 6 Muscle snatch + 6 OHS / 5 Power snatch + 5 Snatch bal. / 4 Snatch / Light weight 1-2rds: / 3x snatch PP / 3x Snatch Bal. / 3x Hang Snatch / 3x Snatch |
| Barbell Prep | Bar only: / 6 Muscle cleans + 6 PP / 5 Power cleans + 5 FS / 4 Clean & jerks / Light weight 1-2rds: / 3x Push Press / 3x Front squat / 3x Hang Clean + PJ / 3x Clean + jerk |
Movement Glossary
Snatch: The bar travels from the floor to locked out overhead in one movement, received in the bottom of an overhead squat. Keep it close through the middle and finish your hips before you pull yourself under. Push the bar off the floor brushing your shins, or it swings out in front and drags your weight forward onto your toes.
Clean & Jerk: Two lifts scored as one: a squat clean from the floor to the front rack, then a jerk from the shoulders to overhead. Drive your elbows around fast in the turnover so the bar lands on your shoulders and not your wrists. Stand up completely and reset your feet before the dip, or a rushed setup breaks the jerk before your legs get the chance to drive it.
Back Squat: The bar sits across your upper back, feet about shoulder width, toes turned slightly out. Hips break below parallel, then you drive the floor away. Push your knees out as you descend, or they cave in and the bar drifts forward off your back.
Front Squat: The bar rests in the front rack with the elbows held high, which forces a far more upright torso than the back squat. Depth and elbow position matter more here than grinding the weight up. This is the position you catch a clean in, so what you can front squat sets the ceiling on what you can clean.
FAQs
Q: Should I really test all four lifts today?
A: The programming favors spreading the four lifts one or two per day across the week, even if you’re feeling fresh today. If today is your only shot, take the snatch and the clean & jerk first. The notes put competition lifts before strength lifts, so do them while you’re still sharp.
Q: How many attempts should I take on the way to a max?
A: Climb in singles once the bar gets heavy. Let the bar tell you when to stop: when a lift slows down or the position breaks, your last good single is today’s number.
Q: What if I’ve never tested a one-rep max before?
A: Then treat today as a technique test with a number attached. Build until the lift stops looking like the reps you just drilled in the barbell prep, and stop there. A clean single you know you could repeat tells your coach far more about the next cycle than a grinder you barely survived.
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