Weightlifting refers to the sport of Olympic weightlifting. Olympic lifting focuses mainly on lifting with maximum explosive power, while powerlifting focuses primarily on using one's limit strength to lift the weight. The biggest difference between these two styles of lifting is that Olympic lifting is done very quickly, while power lifting is done moderately slowly. Olympic lifts must be executed faster and with more mobility because of a greater range of motion during the lifts. These lifts are dynamic, explosive, and demand flexibility, focus, and precision.

Olympic lifts and their components are commonly used by elite athletes to train for explosive and functional strength thus enabling an athlete to apply the greatest amount of their maximal strength in the shortest period of time.  This is known as power (force times distance divided by time). This is the aim of power training - to reduce the amount of time it takes to apply a set amount of force. This style of training is skill-intensive and should not be attempted without the supervision of a strength and conditioning specialist.

It is the explosive nature of Olympic weightlifting that produces its unrivaled benefits including:

Most don’t realize it, but Olympic weightlifting has one of the lowest injury rates of all sports. It is safe and important for us as we age as athletic-type lifting contributes most to maintaining a high level of functional living through each decade of life. With the Olympic lifts, the propelling of weight and the demand for full range motion preserves the joints and strengthens the ligaments.

The Snatch

The snatch is the first lift performed in competitions and each competitor has three tries to make a successful attempt. If the lifter fails for each attempt then they cannot participate in the clean and jerk portion of the event. The snatch is a more technical lift than the clean and jerk. The lifter will get a wide grip and then will start the initial drive which comes from the hips, gluteal, and quadriceps muscles. The bar will proceed upward and the torso will stay roughly at the same angle when the lifter set up. The lifter will then extend their body when the barbell reaches their pelvis. This extension will create enough force that it will propel the barbell upwards while the lifter drops underneath to catch the barbell. Then the lifter will recover and stand up with the barbell.

The Clean and Jerk

The Clean and Jerk is considered the ultimate test of strength and power for a lifter. The clean begins with a grip that is a little wider than shoulder width then the pull begins which mimics a deadlift. The barbell proceeds up the body until it reaches mid thigh and then the lifter extend his/her body to propel the barbell upwards. As the bar is moving upwards the lifter will simetaneously descend underneath the barbell and flip their wrists so the arms are almost parallel to the floor. The bar is now racked across the clavicles and shoulders creating a resting point for the bar. The lifter then stands up with the bar from a front squat position.