Olympic weightlifting is a sport in which athletes compete by lifting a barbell loaded with weight plates from the ground to overhead, with the aim of successfully lifting the largest amount of weight.
It comprises two lifts: the snatch, and the clean & jerk. In the snatch, a barbell is taken from the floor to an overhead position in one movement. In the clean & jerk, a barbell is taken from the floor to the shoulders (the clean), and then from the shoulders to an overhead position (the jerk).
In a competitive environment, an individual has three opportunities to lift the most weight possible in each of these respective lifts, in various weight categories.
Olympic Weightlifting is the quintessential strength-speed sport, where heavy loads are used with a great deal of speed. Take a look at the great lifters, Oleg Perepetchenov, or Stefan Botev, and see weights well in advance of twice the body weight of the lifter move at mind boggling speeds. At the highest level of competition, snatches and clean & jerks will be completed in under a second.
The modern day sport of Olympic weightlifting is completed all over the world by millions of people. The lifts and their derivatives are also valuable training tools for anyone looking to develop power and athleticism and are utilised by coaches and athletes in many sports.
Olympic Weightlifting is a wonderfully demanding sport, where an individual from any background or strength level can essentially compete with themselves to grow and improve.
The inherent complexity of the two lifts, the snatch and the clean & jerk, is often cited as the primary barrier for an individual looking to train these movements and as such, an emphasis on technical development is placed commonly above all else in training. At FORM-AI, we believe this is inherently limiting as it misses a key primary developmental step. What is the individual’s current level of movement capability?
All too often the cart is put before the horse and an individual is thrown into trying to learn the two lifts with little to no prior athletic experience. Moreover, despite whatever athleticism an individual may possess they still might not have the specific physical tools required to be both safe and effective at completing them.
The purpose of this series of posts on Olympic Weightlifting is to break down the barriers that exist to their successful completion and training in a hierarchical and systematic way. Guided by principles and best practices.
Join us again soon as we dive into the barriers to Olympic lifting! Enjoy your exercise…
