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All About Olympic Weightlifting

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It's not bodybuilding, it's not power lifting, and it's not a strongman competition. Olympic weightlifting is two lifts: a one-motion lift called the snatch and a two-motion lift called the clean-and-jerk. They test more than just muscle.

Olympic Weightlifting, also called Olympic-style weightlifting, or weightlifting, is an athletic discipline in the modern Olympic programme in which participants attempt a maximum-weight single lift of a barbell loaded with weight plates.

The two competition lifts in order are the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. Each weightlifter receives three attempts in each and the combined total of the highest two successful lifts determines the overall result within a bodyweight category. Bodyweight categories are different for women and men. A lifter who fails to complete at least one successful snatch and one successful clean and jerk also fails to 'total' and therefore receives an 'incomplete' entry for the competition.

Full-body strength required

While most people see thick arms as a sign of strength, an Olympic weightlifter's power comes from the midsection and legs.

"The seat of power is around your waist, your legs and your buttocks along with your lower back. If that's really strong, you'll be a great athlete," says CBC weightlifting analyst Aldo Roy.

That's why the kinds of muscle development emphasized by bodybuilders and gym rats alike- the biceps and pectorals- are relatively unimpressive on weightlifters. But a weightlifter's quadriceps, trapezoids and lumbar muscles are formidable.

There are other, less obvious signs that point to a great weightlifter, according to Roy. Having long thumbs can be a big advantage, since they allow the lifter to put their thumbs around their fingers to hook the bar in a vice-like grip. The alignment of the lifter's bone structure and posture are also essential to maintaining balance and good form on lifts, as is flexibility in the shoulders.

Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide for Athletes

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Lifts and legwork

The snatch is a one-motion lift, a real test of balance and dexterity as the lifter swings the bar up and then in one motion slides his body underneath. The most important motions are actually pulling rather than lifting. The arms act like ropes while the rest of the body kicks the weight upward above the head.

With the clean-and-jerk, or "the king of lifts," as Roy calls it, the swing motion (the clean) hoists the weight up to the shoulders. The lifter pauses to gather strength and getting the proper footing before jerking it above the head. The jerk uses the entire body, especially the back and legs.

Roy likens the work involved in weightlifting to launching a rocket into outer space.

"The pull from the floor to the knees is when the heavy work is done, like booster rockets. It uses your quads, your buttocks and your lumbar (back) muscles. It's a slow grind that requires tremendous energy. Once the bar reaches your knees you're using your smaller faster muscles: your calves, trapezoidals and a bit of the arms."

Like any good athlete, lifters prize quickness and fluid movement. After years of practice, a good weightlifter should make a successful lift look easy, according to Roy. If you watch closely, you'll find that much of weightlifting is the process of getting the legs in position to support the weight before gravity has a chance to pull it back down on the lifter's head.

Legal lifts

In both the snatch and the clean-and-jerk, the lift is considered complete when the athlete is steady on his or her feet with the barbell above the head. The athlete is then permitted to drop the barbell after hearing a signal indicating the lift is valid. When dropping the barbell athletes must maintain their grip until it has passed waist level.

In total, lifters have three attempts at the snatch and the clean-and-jerk. They are permitted to start out with a lighter weight than what they feel will be their maximum lift, but are not permitted to try a lighter weight in the case of an unsuccessful first or second lift.

With this in mind, most athletes start out with a comfortable weight before adding more kilos onto the bar for their final attempt. Weight must be added to the bar in 2.5kg increments, except in the case of an athlete going for a world record, where as little as half a kilo can be added with only the closest multiple of 2.5kg being officially counted.

It might seem strange that an athlete who can lift 200kg with seeming ease will suddenly stagger under the addition of five kilograms. But like the straw that broke the camel's back, those few kilograms to a bar can make all the difference for a weightlifter in any category. Watch for lifters who handle added weight easily- they are usually starting out light and working their way up to their maximum lifting capability.

To determine lifters' final scores the greatest weight lifted during their three attempts in both the snatch and the clean-and-jerk are added together. The athlete with the most combined weight lifted wins that weight category.

All About Olympic Weightlifting

Full-body strength required

Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide for Athletes

Lifts and legwork

Legal lifts

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