Olympic Lifts for CrossFitters: What We See, What You Need
CrossFit athletes are built different. They’re tough, athletic, and they live in the pain cave more days than not. Most have strength, decent mobility, and conditioning levels the average gym-goer couldn’t dream of. But there’s one piece of the puzzle that’s usually that never quite fits is Olympic lifting.
The snatch and clean & jerk are different animals. They’re not just another “barbell movement” you toss into a metcon between pull-ups and rowing intervals. They’re precise, technical, unforgiving. And in a sport where intensity reigns supreme, the nuance of these lifts often gets drowned out by the clock.
At Austin Barbell, we’ve worked with hundreds of CrossFitters (elite and enthusiasts) who want to level up their Olympic lifts.
2024 CrossFit Games Athlete Spotlight: Marissa Nichols
Crossfit Games athletes like Marissa Nichols, trains with us to sharpen her barbell her strength and technique, while still competing at the highest level in the CrossFit space. She didn’t walk in needing to “get stronger.” She needed to refine, tighten, and optimize. And she’s done just that.
Marissa Nichols returned to the 2024 CrossFit Games with the same relentless intensity and precision that have made her a standout in the sport. Marissa will be returning once again, to this year’s 2025 Crossfit Games. Known for her explosive power and technical prowess, Marissa continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in functional fitness.
If you're a CrossFit athlete who loves the barbell but feels stuck, not being able to break through your plateaus either in strength to technique, here’s what we see—and how to fix it.
1. Too Fast, Too Soon
CrossFit rewards intensity. Olympic lifting rewards precision. This is the first disconnect. Moving fast is necessary in Olympic Weightlifting but it’s important to know when and how to control the tempo of the barbell.
What We See:
Ripping the bar off the floor with maximum effort. Also called the IOS (instance of separation).
Pulling with the arms instead of the legs, AKA early arm-bend.
Skipping transition moments, and ignoring positions that should’ve be more predominate.
When you’re used to “fast = good,” it’s easy to think faster means better. But in Olympic weightlifting, speed has to be sequenced and have a rhythm.
“Strength gets you in the door. Technique keeps you in the game.”
What You Need:
Tempo pulls (both directions, eccentrically and concentrically) and partial lifts to rebuild patience and timing. Fast is good—but only when it’s timed right. Patience is a cue that we use ofter, and most athletes don’t have enough of it.
Controlled starts that build momentum through the second pull. Focusing on the instance of separation from the floor and acceleration after the barbell has transitioned past the athletes knee.
A clear understanding of positions—what they are, and why they matter. And… ultimately understand basic principles of acceleration. For athletes struggling to reach an ideal positioning, I prefer movements that reenforce balance (proper foot pressure and the proper distribution of weight) and pauses (some coaches call them halts, calling out Coach Tina on this one)
2. Too Much Muscle, Not Enough Mechanics
CrossFitters are strong—no one’s debating that. But strength without proper mechanics is like a Ford F150 trying to accelerate through a corner. Wrong car, wrong application.
What We See:
Early arm bend that kills power. There is an even a rhyme for this. “When the arms start bending, the power starts ending”
Bar crashing. Most notably over-pulling and not meeting or receiving the barbell at the adequate moment in time. AKA timing
Lack of balance, or no understanding of how it applies to Olympic Weightlifting.
What You Need:
No-foot variations to force vertical drive and bar-body connection
High-hang work to teach proper bar trajectory.
Catch-position drills to improve timing and stability in the receive
Lift-offs, focusing on the initial stages of pulling from the floor while remaining balanced and aligned to the center of mass of the barbell as it acceleration from the first to second pull.
3. Blaming Mobility for Technical Errors
Let’s clear something up: not all movement problems are mobility problems.
What We See:
Athletes stretching their ankles to death while pulling the bar forward
Catching in power position not because of tight hips, but because of fear or poor timing, or their CNS is fried.
No amount of foam rolling is going to help your lifts.
Obsessive video review to catch and correct inefficient movement patterns
What You Need:
Honest technical assessment—what’s mobility, and what’s movement?
Blocks—Specially mid-block, where the barbell is starting just below the knee. I really, really, really like blocks for beginners and those that struggle hitting those bottom positions at higher intensities.
Put the phone down—Chances are some of those positions you cannot achieve is due to a lack of positional strength.
4. Treating the Lifts Like Random Movements
Snatching once every 10 days and expecting progress? Good luck.
The Olympic lifts are skills. And like any skill—golf, gymnastics, leaning a language demands repetition, refinement, and focused progression.
What We See:
No consistent plan for the lifts—just whatever shows up in the WOD on the whiteboard.
Fatigue masking technical errors
Athletes grinding reps at 90% with no technical intention
What You Need:
Dedicated lifting sessions, separate from your conditioning work.
Structured progression, not random exposure.
A coach, ideally one that coaches based on a defined technical standard.
5. You Don’t Need to Quit CrossFit—You Just Need the Right Coach
Let me be clear: you don’t have to choose between being a CrossFitter and being a solid Olympic lifter. You can have both. But to make that work, you need someone who understands the demands of both worlds.
At Austin Barbell, we coach CrossFitters every day. Marissa Nichols is a prime example—she came to us already strong and skilled, but with Olympic lifts that needed tightening up. Now? She's moving better, lifting more efficiently, and translating that barbell confidence directly into her CrossFit performance.
Here’s What You’ll Get with Us:
✅ Olympic lifting programming that fits your CrossFit schedule
✅ Real technical feedback, that has actionable cues
✅ A well thought out training plan.
✅ Coaches who are dedicated to the sport—and actually coach on a full-time basis
Whether you train in a CrossFit box or a garage gym, remote or in-person, we’ll meet you where you are and help you move the needle—one PR at a time.
Ready to Train Like a Lifter—Without Leaving CrossFit Behind?
If you’re serious about improving your Oly lifts (snatch or clean & jerk), fixing your bar path, and finally hitting the numbers you know you’re capable of, we’re ready when you are.