Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program Review (2024): Olympic Lifting Training Tested by an Olympian

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from my 25-year-long career as an Olympic weightlifter, it’s that an in-person coach is invaluable in learning the technical particulars of the Olympic lifts: the snatch and clean and jerk.

However, for those who can’t find a weightlifting coach nearby, there are the best weightlifting apps. In particular, there’s Torokhtiy Weightlifting, designed by Ukrainian Olympian Oleksiy Torokhtiy. Having competed in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, Torokhtiy has been releasing a variety of training programs over the years—all designed around Olympic weightlifting.

I went ahead and took a look at a few of the programs offered and tried a few workouts myself. In this Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program review, I’ll go over this online workout program and talk about its strengths and weaknesses, and who these programs are best suited for.

Olympian-Made Programs Require Olympian-Made Reviews

While I wouldn’t say I’m as decorated of a weightlifter as Oleksiy Torokhtiy, we do share a title: Olympian. Having a long career in the sport of weightlifting, and reaching one of the top pinnacles of the sport by participating in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, I leaped at the chance to try out a fellow Olympian’s training program.

I brought the same level of testing and honesty that our team at Garage Gym Reviews—consisting of certified personal trainers, lifting coaches, and athletes—always brings to our product reviews. While trying out Torokhtiy Weightlifting, I looked at several aspects of the program, including:

• Free trials and pricing
• Setup and ease of use
• Level of instruction
• Equipment demands
• Progressive overload
• Workout variety

Now, grab your best Olympic barbell and lace up your lifting shoes, and let’s get into the finer details of this Olympic weightlifting program.

Torokhtiy Weightlifting

Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program

GGR Score: 4

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Product Highlights

* Series of Olympic weightlifting programs  * Designed by Ukrainian Olympian Oleksiy Torokhtiy * One-time payment for programs which last about 10-12 weeks * Torokhtiy Gang program available as a monthly subscription * 2-week intro program offered as free trial

Pros & Cons

Pros

• One-time payment for programs
• Mobile pdf versions available
• 2-week program as free trial
• Covers programs for beginners to advanced lifters

Cons

• Not available as an app
• Volume may be too much for stronger or elite lifters

Bottom Line

Designed by Ukrainian Olympian Oleksiy Torokhtiy, Torokhtiy Weightlifting is a series of programs geared for learning and training the Olympic lifts—the snatch and the clean and jerk. While there are programs for bodybuilding and powerlifting, the main focus and specialty is Olympic weightlifting. A free two-week intro is offered for new users, and the programs have tons of repetitions for new lifters (although the volume may prove too much for some advanced lifters).

A Quick Look at the Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program

After his weightlifting career ended, Torokhtiy began to create weightlifting content on sites like Instagram and YouTube, where he quickly became one of the top social media influencers of the sport. 

Although not actively competing anymore, Torokhtiy stays active in the weightlifting community. I’ve spotted him at international competitions taking athlete videos and pictures through Torokhtiy Media. He also founded the equipment and apparel company Warm Body Cold Mind, selling weightlifting accessories like weightlifting belts and lifting straps. Plus, he provides training programs and seminars through Torokhtiy Weightlifting.

While there are dozens of programs available on torokhtiy.com, the main emphasis is on Olympic weightlifting. Still, some programs are focused on different aspects of lifting or different modes of training, such as:

• Powerlifting movements like the back squat and deadlift
• Mobility exercises for weightlifting
• Functional fitness
• Bodybuilding routines
• Core strength

In addition, several programs focus on certain movements of Olympic weightlifting—like the snatch, clean, pull, or split jerk. For this review, I mostly focused on the Male Weightlifting 2.0 program, although I took a look at a few other programs. 

There is a similar program for women (the Female 2.0 program), with adjustments to volume and intensity. While research is limited on the impact of biological sex on Olympic weightlifting¹, coaches generally agree that women can handle volume at higher intensities and loads than men. One such study² showed that women required less recovery time after heavy bench press workouts, for example.

Unlike most of the best workout apps with a subscription, Torokhtiy Weightlifting has one-time payments for programs. You’re given an interactive PDF with routines, as well as links to instructions for lifts and complexes.

Before You Buy

• For those wanting to try out the programming, Torokhtiy Weightlifting offers a two-week lifting program aimed toward beginners to help them prepare for consistent Olympic lifting training.
• For those looking for a recurring long-term program, there’s Torokhtiy Gang, which is a subscription-based Olympic lifting program based on TrainHeroic. The cost is $15 per month.
• Lifters can also purchase his Snatch Masterclass and Clean Masterclass e-books, made to break down the finer points and technical aspects of the Olympic lifts.
• While the program by itself offers very little in terms of accountability or interactive features to keep you motivated, there is an optional consultation with Torokhtiy himself…although that’ll cost you $299.

Is the Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program Worth It?

Most of the programs available land between $45 and $55 for 10- or 12-week programs, with the 2-week beginner program being free. Torokhtiy does have bundled sets of three, four, or more programs to help you save money, too. With options for (albeit expensive) consultations and a subscription-based weightlifting program, there’s a little bit of something for everyone wanting to improve their Olympic lifts. I rate the value and pricing both a 4.5 out of 5.

While there are programs geared toward multiple modes of training—CrossFit, functional fitness, and powerlifting—these programs aren’t for everyone. As I said before, almost all programs have an emphasis on the Olympic lifts; if you don’t have a strong interest in Olympic lifting, then these programs are probably not for you. 

RELATED: Best Pre-Workout

I highly recommend an in-person coach if you’re brand-new to the snatch and clean and jerk to point out early technical flaws and correct them before they become bad habits. For this reason, I generally wouldn’t recommend a weightlifting program with minimal accountability to a complete beginner. However, this can be a good program for beginners who have already built a foundation in the lifts.

Lastly, while I like the use of progressive overload in the training sessions, the Male Weightlifting 2.0 program has a lot of volume. I found that it was a bit too much for me. The amount of volume may be fine for lighter intermediate lifters, but the amount was a lot for a larger, older athlete like myself—who is also lifting near his full strength.

Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program Specs

Using the Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program

As a still competitive weightlifter, I didn’t want to stray away from my own programming too much, but during some downtime after the last Olympic quad (the qualifying season before the Olympic Games), I tried a few of the Torokhtiy training sessions on the Male 2.0 program. I also took a look at the program as a whole, as well as a couple other best sellers.

The Male 2.0 program consists of most things you’d find in an Olympic weightlifting program—the classic lifts plus variations like the power snatch, power clean, hang clean, and snatch or clean complexes (multiple movements and repetitions within a set, like a pull+hang snatch). Strength movements and accessories like the back and front squat and dumbbell exercises are prevalent, too.

Each training session has a workout-specific warm-up, along with links to coaching instructions, a general warm-up, and a post-workout stretch. Each exercise has a link for a video demonstration of each lift. One nice thing I saw was that the program recommends when to use lifting straps, typically for higher repetitions or complexes. This takes quite a bit of guesswork out of when you should focus on grip strength and when you shouldn’t.

While I liked the aspect of progressive overload it followed, my one complaint was the amount of volume. If you’re not used to the amount of volume (I’m talking 10 or 11 sets of multi-rep complexes), there’s a definite learning curve involved. Let’s dive deeper and break down the rest of the program.

Trial

Torokhtiy Weightlifting offers a free two-week lifting program—four sessions a week, with two focused on snatches and two focused on the clean and jerk. Torokhtiy explains this is a great program to adapt and prepare for a more robust weightlifting program. The program can also be repeated a second time, essentially making it a four-week program.

Because of the length of the program, I think it makes for a great trial run to see if Torokhtiy Weightlifting is right for you, leading me to rate the trial period a 5 out of 5.

Ease of Use

Programs from Torokhtiy Weightlifting are pretty simple to use and set up. All programs are sent in a downloadable PDF format, with a desktop or mobile version available. The setup after purchasing the program is just downloading the file. Torokhtiy Weightlifting earns a 5 out of 5 for its setup.

The ease of use also earns a 5 out of 5, as the mobile version of the program is easy to navigate. There are a few instructions on how sets and reps are written, as well as what certain symbols on the PDF mean, and then it goes through each session. There are links to video demonstrations for exercises and warm-ups, all labeled clearly with a large red button with a “play” symbol inside. It was pretty intuitive to use in my experience.

Instruction

As I previously mentioned, each exercise has a link to a video demonstration and/or an article on the movement which does a good job explaining the exercise. The program also clearly labels when lifting straps are recommended, so you’re not killing your hands and grip with all the reps. Links to weekly training goals, warm-ups, and cooldown stretching are present as well.

With that said, I rate the instruction a 4 out of 5, as it’d be tough for a new lifter starting from scratch to properly learn the Olympic lifts. These lifts are some of the most technical weightlifting movements you can do in a gym, so I’d recommend going into this program with a bit of experience or knowledge beforehand.

Accountability and Interactive Features

If there is a place where the program falls short, it’s certainly with accountability and interactive features. Since this isn’t an app, and you don’t speak directly to a coach, there is no accountability to help you stay on track. You’re given the program and you have to be motivated to perform and continue it. If you need a bit of coaching or notifications to stay on course, this isn’t the program for you. It only earns a 1 out of 5 for accountability.

The program gets a 3 out of 5 for interactive features. While programs themselves have little to no interactive features, Oleksiy Torokhtiy has a bit of a social media following, so there is a community for lifters—it’s just outside of the program. Users can also opt for the Torokhtiy Gang subscription program, which is based on the TrainHeroic app, and will give you a bit more access to communicate with fellow users.

Equipment Demands

For equipment demands, we typically give top scores to apps and programs that can adapt to whatever equipment you have available. Unfortunately, Olympic weightlifting programs in general require a decent amount of equipment and space, leading me to rate the demands a 2 out of 5. You can switch out some accessory dumbbell exercises with kettlebell exercises, but for the most part, you’ll need:

• An Olympic barbell
• Bumper plates
• A lifting platform
• A squat rack
• PVC pipe (for warming up)

While not mandatory, I’d also recommend a pair of the best weightlifting shoes to get the most out of your training.

RELATED: An Olympian’s Guide to Equipment for Olympic Weightlifting

As far as workout variety goes, there are many programs tailored for specific strength interests—strength training, strongman, functional fitness, mobility, and powerlifting. Certain programs also are made for different ages or interests, with a Masters (35 years of age and up) program available. However, almost all programs keep Olympic weightlifting in mind as a focus, so Torokhtiy Weightlifting gets a 4 out of 5 for the variety.

Progressive Overload

The 12-week program of the Male 2.0 follows the concept of progressive overload, slowly building you up for new strength goals in the form of a competition day. Periodization is also followed, allowing for deload weeks and days to let the body rest and recover before another heavy day or big push in the training cycle. It earns a 5 out of 5 for progressive overload from me.

Let me add a quick note that this is a volume-heavy program; if you’re not used to a lot of volume, day one may be a bit of a wake-up call, as it was for me. Intermediate lifters with a bit of experience may appreciate the extra reps, but more experienced lifters already close to their max strength levels may find the extra sets and reps a bit daunting.

Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program vs JuggernautAI

JuggernautAI

JuggernautAI

GGR Score: 4

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Product Highlights

• Use code “GARAGEGYM” for a discount on JuggernautAI training.
• Smart powerlifting and powerbuilding program from Chad Wesley Smith, an accomplished strength athlete and owner of Juggernaut Training Systems.
• Uses information such as your weight, training history, current fitness level and training load, personal records, goals, and ideal training schedule to create strength and hypertrophy blocks to prepare you for powerlifting or bodybuilding meets.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Extremely intuitive app experience
• Super smart and responsive AI
• Offers a two-week free trial to see if you like it

Cons

• Not the same as working with a real coach
• Dashboard is a little confusing at first
• Only for strength training (no cardio workouts)

Bottom Line

JuggernautAI compiles your information to create a personalized powerlifting and powerbuilding workout experience.

JuggernautAI has similar beginnings as Torokhtiy Weightlifting, having been made by a top lifter in the sport. In the case of JuggernautAI, the powerlifting app was made by Chad Wesley Smith, the founder of Juggernaut Strength Systems and a former top competitor in powerlifting. Due to the background, you can probably tell that one major difference between the two programs is the mode of training: Olympic weightlifting vs powerlifting.

The other main difference between the two is the format. While Torokhtiy Weightlifting is an interactive PDF, JuggernautAI is a functioning app, which also customizes the workout to your needs and goals. If you’re looking for a personalized experience, JuggernautAI may be a better choice, although it doesn’t use a live coach either.

Looking at the cost, the JuggernautAI app requires a monthly subscription of $35 a month. The Torokhtiy program is around $50 for 12 weeks; the same length of time on JuggernautAI would be $105 (although the customization may be worth the extra cost).

Ultimately, you’ll need to look at how you want to train as well as your budget to figure out which strength program is right for you. You can get more information on the app in our JuggernautAI review.

Customer Experience 

There are two different return periods listed on the Torokhtiy website: 30 days and 60 days. Although it’s confusing, either period is a substantial return period for a 12-week program, earning the program a 4 out of 5 for customer service. Customer service can be contacted through email or on the website via a contact form.

Ordering the Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program

Ordering a program from Torokhtiy Weightlifting is pretty easy—pay for a program, and a link to download the file will be sent to you. There are several payment methods, including ShopPay, where you can pay in full or in installments.

Customer Reviews

As of this writing, there are a total of 850 reviews on torokhtiy.com spanning all lifting programs available. Customer reviews average out to a substantially high 4.85 stars out of 5. People who left positive reviews appreciate the structure of the programs and feel like the program is helping improve their lifts.

In general, customers who left negative reviews didn’t like the PDF format, finding it hard to navigate or preferring a more interactive experience, like an app. Others felt like they weren’t improving. One review in particular mentioned that they didn’t like the programming and claimed that it was non-refundable—although customer service responded saying they’d refund them. Plus, they do list a return policy, although two different time periods are listed (30 or 60 days to initiate a return).

Final Verdict of Our Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program Review

Torokhtiy Weightlifting follows classic principles of strength training in their weightlifting programs: progressive overload, periodization, and deloading. While it’s a bit more volume than I’m used to, it’s still a solid program. People looking to hone their technique, build muscle, and improve their snatch and clean and jerk will find the programs available to help reach those goals. A few other things to remember:

• The level of instruction might be lacking for a complete beginner, but anyone with some Olympic lifting experience can get something from this program.
• The programs focus mostly on Olympic weightlifting. General gym-goers and bodybuilders may want to steer clear of this program, as it’s specialized for a specific mode of training.
• For those looking for more of a community, the programs don’t provide much, although the Torokhtiy Gang program will have more interactive features and community present.

Full Rating

Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program

In this Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program review, we have an Olympian try out this Olympian-made program. Read on to see if the program met our expectations.

Product Brand: Torokhtiy

Product Currency: USD

Product Price: 44.95

Product In-Stock: InStock

Editor's Rating:
4

Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program: FAQs

References

1. Huebner, M., & Perperoglou, A. (2020). Sex differences and impact of body mass on performance from childhood to senior athletes in Olympic weightlifting. PloS one, 15(9), e0238369. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238369
2. Judge, L. W., & Burke, J. R. (2010). The effect of recovery time on strength performance following a high-intensity bench press workout in males and females. International journal of sports physiology and performance, 5(2), 184–196. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.5.2.184

Caine Wilkes, OLY, CNC, USAW-L1

Caine Wilkes is an Olympian, placing 9th in weightlifting at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. A former gym owner, he also has more than 15 years of experience coaching other athletes in weightlifting, CrossFit, and functional fitness.

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