The sport of Weightlifting, also commonly known as Olympic Weightlifting, involves athletes lifting a barbell loaded with weight plates from the ground to above their head. A men's competition barbell will weighs 20kg, with a women's one weighing 15kg.
This sport is a combination of speed, power, strength, flexibility, skill and mental toughness. Weightlifters compete in weight categories, with males and females competing separately.
In Weightlifting, it involves two different technical lifts; the ‘Snatch’ and the ‘Clean & Jerk’ techniques.
- The Snatch involves lifting the bar from the floor, overhead in one swift movement. Athletes position themselves with a wide grip on the bar and pull the barbell upwards before quickly bending their knees to ensure they are fully under the barbell, normally in a deep squat, with arms outstretched and the barbell over their head. The lift is completed by the athlete standing fully upright with the barbell still overhead.
- The Clean and Jerk involves a combination of two movements for the athlete to lift the barbell overhead. The first movement (snatch) is where athletes lift the bar from the floor to their shoulders before the athlete bends their knees again to deep squat under the barbell. The lifter must then rise to a standing position while still holding the barbell on their shoulders, before jumping into a bent knees position (the jerk) while pushing the barbell overhead. The movement is finished when the lifter re-straightens their legs to stand upright with the barbell still overhead.
