CrossFit Strength Ratio Calculator
Find the lift holding your CrossFit training back
Enter your 1-rep maxes and see how your lifts compare to each other. Each ratio is graded green, yellow or red against the ranges coaches use most, so you know which lift is holding the others back.
Your 1-rep maxes
Fill in the lifts you know. Each ratio appears once both of its lifts are entered. Use recent, true 1-rep maxes for the best read.
Your strength ratios
How to use the CrossFit strength ratio calculator
Choose pounds or kilograms and enter the 1-rep maxes you know. Each ratio divides one lift by another and shows it as a percentage. The color tells you where you stand:
- Green: inside the target range coaches commonly use.
- Yellow: just outside the range. Worth watching, not a problem on its own.
- Red: well outside the range. One of the two lifts is likely holding the other back.
The marker on each bar shows exactly where your ratio falls. When a ratio isn't green, the calculator tells you which lift is likely lagging and what usually causes it.
What each ratio tells you
Snatch ÷ Clean & Jerk (target 78–83%)
The most studied ratio in weightlifting. Both lifts depend on the same pull, so the snatch should sit at about 80% of the clean & jerk. A low number usually means snatch technique or overhead stability is lagging. A high number usually means the clean & jerk is the limiter, most often the jerk or standing up from a heavy clean.
Front Squat ÷ Back Squat (target 80–90%)
The front squat demands an upright torso, a strong upper back and strong quads. A low number points to weak trunk and upper-back strength, quad strength or front-rack mobility. A high number usually means the back squat is underdeveloped, often from less practice or a weaker posterior chain.
Clean ÷ Front Squat (target 85–90%)
The front squat is how you stand up from a clean, so it sets a ceiling on your clean. Below 85% you have the leg strength to clean more, and technique or speed is the gap. Above 90% your legs are the limiter, and heavy cleans become a grind to recover from.
Clean ÷ Back Squat (target 74–84%)
A broader check on how well your strength turns into a clean. It combines Greg Everett's guideline (back squat at 125–135% of the clean) with the classic Soviet figure of a clean at 80–84% of the squat. Low means technique is the priority. High means more squat strength should lift your clean.
Snatch ÷ Back Squat (target 60–66%)
Shows how much of your leg strength reaches the snatch. Below 60%, snatch technique, positions and overhead stability are the gap. Above 66%, you're technically efficient and more squat strength is the fastest way up.
Power Clean ÷ Clean (target 80–90%)
Compares how high you can pull the bar with how much the squat catch adds. A low number means you depend on a deep catch and could use more pulling power or a stronger finish. A high number means you aren't getting full value from the squat, often from slow turnover, a weak receiving position or a lack of confidence in the bottom.
Power Snatch ÷ Snatch (target 80–90%)
The same idea for the snatch. Coaches apply the same 80–90% guideline used for the power clean, and published ratio tables put the power snatch at about 82% of the snatch. A low number points to pulling power. A high number points to getting under the bar and overhead squat stability.
Strict Press ÷ Split Jerk (target 58–66%)
The jerk is driven by the legs, but your press supports the bar overhead. In a 2022 study, athletes' overhead press averaged about 63% of their split jerk, and coaches commonly target a jerk of 1.55–1.7 times the press. A low number means pressing strength may be limiting your jerk. A high number means jerk technique (dip and drive, split, getting under) is the bigger gap, which is very common in CrossFit athletes.
Back Squat ÷ Deadlift (target 80–90%)
At the IPF World Championships, men from 59 to 105 kg squatted 86–92% of their deadlift. A low number means your squat is lagging, from quad strength, depth or mobility, or from long arms that favor the deadlift. A high number means your deadlift is behind, common in athletes who squat and clean a lot but rarely deadlift. Heavier athletes naturally run higher.
Target ranges and where they come from
| Ratio | Green | Yellow | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snatch ÷ Clean & Jerk | 78–83% | 75–78%, 83–86% | Everett (78–83%); 2,994 elite lifters averaged 80% (men) and 82% (women) |
| Front Squat ÷ Back Squat | 80–90% | 75–80%, 90–93% | Bosse (80–90%); Adams (85–88%); common 85% guideline |
| Clean ÷ Front Squat | 85–90% | 80–85%, 90–95% | Everett (85–90%); Garza (87–90%) |
| Clean ÷ Back Squat | 74–84% | 70–74%, 84–88% | Everett (74–80%); Chernyak (80–84%); Adams (75–78%) |
| Snatch ÷ Back Squat | 60–66% | 56–60%, 66–70% | Adams (60–64%); Chernyak (64–66%) |
| Power Clean ÷ Clean | 80–90% | 75–80%, 90–95% | Everett (80–90%) |
| Power Snatch ÷ Snatch | 80–90% | 75–80%, 90–95% | Same guideline as the power clean; published tables (about 82%) |
| Strict Press ÷ Split Jerk | 58–66% | 54–58%, 66–72% | 2022 study (about 63%); jerk at 1.55–1.7× press (59–65%) |
| Back Squat ÷ Deadlift | 80–90% | 75–80%, 90–95% | IPF Worlds data (86–92%); published tables (80–83%) |
Green is the range most sources agree on. The yellow bands are our own buffer: a few points either side, where a ratio is worth watching but isn't a clear weakness.
Ratios we left out
We only included ratios with clear, repeated guidance from coaches or data. Power Clean ÷ Deadlift, Power Clean ÷ Back Squat and Power Snatch ÷ Back Squat are mostly derived from the ratios above rather than measured directly, so they would double-count the same information. Deadlift ÷ Back Squat is simply the inverse of Back Squat ÷ Deadlift.
How to read your results
- Look for patterns. If every ratio involving the snatch is low, the snatch is your priority. If every ratio involving the back squat is high, you need more strength.
- Use true maxes. Old or estimated maxes can make a ratio look off when it isn't.
- Ranges aren't rules. Limb length, training age and bodyweight all shift ratios. A ratio outside the range is a question to look into, not a verdict.
Want a plan built around your weak links? ZOAR Fitness coaches use strength ratios to decide what each athlete's training should prioritize, from first-time CrossFitters to competitive athletes.
Train with ZOARFrequently asked questions
What is a good snatch to clean and jerk ratio?
About 78–83%. A study of nearly 3,000 elite lifters at World Championships and Olympic Games found the snatch averaged 80% of the clean & jerk for men and 82% for women.
What percentage of my back squat should I front squat?
Most coaches use 80–90%, with 85% the most common single figure. Below 80% usually points to upper-back strength, staying upright or front-rack mobility.
How much should I clean compared to my front squat?
About 85–90%. Below that, clean technique is holding you back. Above 90%, the front squat is the limiter.
How much should I power clean compared to my clean?
About 80–90%. If your power clean is above 90% of your clean, work on getting under the bar and your strength in the bottom position.
Why are my ratios different from an Olympic weightlifter's?
CrossFit athletes often have strong squats and deadlifts but less time on snatch and clean technique, so their technique-based ratios tend to run low. That's normal, and it's useful to know where the biggest gains are.
Sources
- Everett G. The Relation of Snatch, Clean, Jerk and Squat Weights. Catalyst Athletics. Link
- Everett G. Ask Greg: Improving Clean, Power Clean and Snatch, Overhead Squat. Catalyst Athletics. Link
- Flores FJ, Redondo JC. Snatch to clean & jerk ratio in international elite weightlifters. International Journal of Advanced Research, 2020. Link
- BarBend. How much should you clean in relation to your front squat? (Everett, Garza). Link
- Bosse C. Back squat vs front squat ratio. Link
- Adams A. If you can squat X, can you snatch Y? StandFast, 2021. Link
- Archibald D. What your deadlift to squat ratio can tell you about your Olympic lifts (citing Chernyak, 1976). Breaking Muscle. Link
- Is there a relationship between the overhead press and split jerk maximum performance? Influence of sex. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 2022. Link
- WODconnect. The correlation between overhead press and jerk. Link
- Powerlifting Technique. Should you squat or deadlift more? (IPF World Championships data). Link
- BoxRox. How to calculate strength with weightlifting ratios. Link
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