Should I consider Olympic weightlifting?
Supplementing your daily workouts and traditional training programmes with Olympic
weightlifting exercises have proven to be beneficial for speed, strength and power
development (1) . Olympic weightlifting exercises (the snatch and the clean and jerk) and their
derivatives (hang clean, hang snatch, power clean, power snatch and high pulls) require
explosive power and full body strength, making them an excellent choice when looking to
improve your overall performance and athletic abilities.
Lasha Talakhadze (Georgia) – Clean and Jerk
Despite what the name implies, you do not have to be training for the Olympics to do Olympic
weightlifting exercises. In fact, Olympic weightlifting has become a popular component of
training for improving strength and power in athletes across multiple disciplines and sporting
levels, including track and field, rugby, and soccer (2–4) .
Where do I start?
If you have ever tried Olympic weightlifting, you will know that one of the biggest challenges at the start is learning the technique. Of course, that’s after you finally convince yourself that
attempting to snatch in a public gym is not social suicide!
Safety is a factor that must be considered if attempting to do these lifts for the first time. Don’t
get me wrong, I have had my fair share of falls and failed lift attempts. But having included
Olympic weightlifting exercises as part of my training for the last six years, one thing it has
taught me is that these high-speed, technical movements are complex and require a great deal of timing, co-ordination and rhythm. Therefore, to minimise injury risk, it is important to build a foundation of strength, joint mobility, flexibility and stability. An excellent place to start
building this foundation is by training alternative lifts to the original Olympic weightlifting
exercises (more on this below!). At the beginning, having some form of coaching is definitiely recommended to give you the best foundations possible.
Am I too tall for Olympic weightlifting?
Compared to traditional weightlifting exercises such as the squat or deadlift, forces are applied through a greater range of movement when doing the snatch and the clean and jerk because the finishing position is overhead.
The barbell must move from the starting position which is usually from the floor, into an
overhead position in an explosive manner. To achieve this, the barbell must have a high level of acceleration throughout the movement which of course, requires large amounts of force and postural control.
Jourdan Elizabeth Delacruz (USA) – Snatch
So how does height and limb length impact this? To put it simply, the length of your limbs can
impact the path of the barbell (5) therefore, shorter height and limb length can be considered
an advantage when lifting heavy loads because the barbell does not have as far to travel (6).
Does this mean that if you’re six-foot-tall that you shouldn’t do Olympic weightlifting? Not
necessarily. Though, from an injury point of view (to protect the lower back), it may be
beneficial to use boxes initially if you find it difficult to achieve the ideal starting position when doing these exercises from the floor. Overtime and with consistent practice, positioning will improve and you will begin to feel more comfortable with your lift.
I can’t quite catch it!
Mastering the technique for Olympic lifting can take time, but just because you can’t snatch a
loaded barbell over your head (yet), doesn’t mean you should drop these training exercises all
together. If you’re a bit like myself where you struggle to hit a deep squat position and question the stability of your shoulders, then perhaps you should consider trying other exercise variations such as the power clean, power snatch or dumbbell variations.
What’s the difference you ask? Well the power clean and the power snatch differ slightly from
the clean and the snatch in that they do not require you to hit a deep overhead or front squat
position. They still require a degree of co-ordination, timing and balance, but essentially these
exercises allow you to focus on the speed of the bar and achieving a stable overhead position, without the fear of falling over!
Once you feel you are comfortable and stable overhead, the next step (in my opinion) would be to develop strength in a deep squat position using for example, front squats or overhead
barbell squats.
Training derivatives: what are my options?
Whether you’re struggling with technique of the initial lifts or simply looking for a new
challenge, there are many variations of Olympic weightlifting exercises which you can include in your daily workouts or training programmes. Some examples include:
Dumbbell variations - performing clean and jerks or snatches with a single dumbbell.
Power snatch – eliminates the deep overhead squat position.
Power clean – eliminates the deep front squat position.
Hang snatch – starting position from the upper shin (approx.) rather than the floor.
Hang clean - starting position from the mid-thigh (approx.) rather than the floor.
Clean pulls – eliminates the turn and catch of the barbell.
Snatch pulls – eliminates the turn and catch of the barbell.
Push press – starting position from behind the head, eliminates the split jerk position.
These exercises can also be done using a box. Note: this raises the starting position and
requires a greater initial rate of force development compared to a dynamic start (e.g. hang
cleans/hang snatch) (7).
If you have any questions or would be interesting in working with us for online coaching, personal training, or injury (p)rehab make sure to get in touch through our socials or email!
References:
1. Morris SJ, Oliver JL, Pedley JS, Haff GG, Lloyd RS. Comparison of Weightlifting, Traditional Resistance
Training and Plyometrics on Strength, Power and Speed: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.
Sports Med. 2022;52(7):1533–54.
2. Suchomel TJ, Sole CJ. Power-Time Curve Comparison between Weightlifting Derivatives. J Sports Sci
Med. 2017 Aug 8;16(3):407–13.
3. Jones TW, Smith A, Macnaughton LS, French DN. Variances in Strength and Conditioning Practice in
Elite Rugby Union Between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research. 2017 Dec;31(12):3358–71.
4. Weldon A, Duncan MJ, Turner A, Sampaio J, Noon M, Wong DP, et al. Contemporary practices of
strength and conditioning coaches in professional soccer. Biol Sport. 2021 Sep;38(3):377–90.
5. Butters B. The Effects of Anthropometrics on the Start Position of the Snatch: Implications for Bar
Path Kinematics.
6. Vidal Pérez D, Martínez-Sanz JM, Ferriz-Valero A, Gómez-Vicente V, Ausó E. Relationship of Limb
Lengths and Body Composition to Lifting in Weightlifting. IJERPH. 2021 Jan 17;18(2):756.
7. Suchomel TJ, Comfort P, Lake JP. Enhancing the Force-Velocity Profile of Athletes Using Weightlifting
Derivatives. Strength & Conditioning Journal. 2017 Feb;39(1):10.