Olympic weightlifting is regarded as the most prestigious strength sport because of its rich history in the olympic games, exacting technique, awareness of one’s body, and overwhelming strength. 

Even though it’s an obvious demonstration of strength, most gym lifters will never even try, much less pursue, a snatch or clean. This is because the movements have a great degree of complexity, which may first turn off some people.

Although the Olympic movements are undoubtedly complex, they are also teachable, so you’re in luck!

Of course, many people will want to learn Olympic lifts for strength and fitness reasons, however studies have also shown Olympic lifting can benefit your overall lifestyle including improving social interactions. It really is a sport for everyone!

So if you’re ready to learn all things clean and jerk, snatch and build explosive power, let’s get straight to it!

What is Olympic lifting?

Olympic weightlifting is a strength-based competition sport in which participants do two distinct lifts—the snatch and clean and jerk—using the greatest amount of weight possible. It is distinct from other weight training and strength training regimens, in that it emphasises technique, speed, and explosive force over total strength or muscle growth.

Olympic weightlifting is an excellent exercise to add to your training routine if you’re searching for something tough yet really gratifying. 

Olympic lifts are not like powerlifting, where back squats, barbell bench press, and deadlift are the main focus; instead, they are compound exercises that offer more than what is initially seen. They will improve your speed, explosive power, balance, agility, and much more in addition to your strength.

Olympic weightlifting is a competitive strength sport (similar to powerlifting), as the name implies. It is most known for being a part of the Summer Olympic Games schedule. Even though physical prowess is important, the sport is nonetheless quite technical and demands quickness, explosiveness, and correct technique to perform well. 

In short: being powerful and explosive is more important than gaining muscle mass.

The sport has a rich and lengthy history that dates back to the Olympic Games’ founding in ancient Greece. Olympic weightlifting made its debut at the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, in 1896. It was, nevertheless, quite different from what it is now.

How to learn Olympic lifting: 8 best techniques for beginners

1. Join an Olympic lifting class: As a beginner, a class can be a great way to test the waters and learn from an experienced coach in a less formal setting than personal coaching.
2. Practice, practice, practice! The best way to improve your Olympic lifting technique is to keep practising consistently. Start with lighter weights and focus on perfecting your form before adding more weight.
3. Focus on technique over weight lifted: It may be tempting to want to lift heavier weights, but as a beginner, it’s important to prioritise proper technique. This will not only prevent injury but also help you progress faster in the long run.
4. Get a 1:1 coach or mentor: 1:1 coaching with an Olympic lifting specialist is the most effective way to learn Olympic lifts, as you’ll receive personalised expertise, feedback and guidance tailored to your specific needs.
5. Incorporate accessory exercises: To improve your Olympic lifting, it’s important to also supplement your Olympic lifts with work on related exercises such as squats, romanian deadlifts, and overhead presses.
6. Watch and learn from experienced lifters: You could do this by joining an Olympic lifting gym, online forums or expert lifting YouTube channels to develop your understanding of Olympic lifting technique.
7. Record yourself and analyse your form: If you’re going solo with your Olympic lifting training, it can be helpful to record yourself and analyse your form to identify areas for improvement.

Remember, Olympic lifting is a sport that requires practice, patience, and persistence. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see progress right away, keep at it and you’ll soon be reaping the benefits of improved strength, power, and overall athleticism.

And most importantly, have fun with it! Olympic lifting can be an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable sport to learn and improve in.

Learning the Olympic lift movements

The two primary lifts in Olympic weightlifting are the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. Lifters compete in various weight classes according to their body weight.

Let’s explore these two Olympic lifts so you can learn Olympic lifting.

The Snatch

The Snatch is a demanding and exciting weightlifting exercise that requires skill, speed, and strength to do correctly. Furthermore, in order to perform at a high level, a high dose of explosiveness, agility, and balance are needed. Lifting a barbell up from the floor into an overhead squat position and then standing up is the exercise.

As a compound exercise, the Snatch works a variety of muscular groups. These muscle groups mostly consist of the arms, shoulders, quadriceps, back, and hamstrings, among others. To keep balance and control during the workout, a high level of core stability and strength is also necessary.

How to do the barbell Snatch

1. As you approach the bar, take a shoulder-width stance with your feet. Bend down to grip the bar in a wide grip. Maintain the front of your shoulders slightly in front of the bar – think ‘armpits above bar’.
2. Lower your hips into the start position, keeping your back flat and chest pointed forwards.
3. As you lift the bar to the knee, keep the angle of your back the same as the start, with armpits above bar. Once the bar has passed the knees, start to bring your hips forward, moving to a vertical back.
4. Extend up onto your toes in order to drive the bar upwards. As the bar is moving upwards under its own momentum, lower yourself into the receiving position. The snatch receiving position is in a deep squat, with the bar over the head and your arms fully extended.
5. Keep your arms locked out and your core braced, as you stand with the bar.

Clean and Jerk

The second Olympic lift is the Clean and Jerk, sometimes written as “Clean & Jerk.” Similar to the Snatch, it’s a compound exercise that calls on explosiveness, agility, balance, and speed in addition to strength and technique. It may demand less strength to perform, but because it’s a two-part exercise, the movement is more complicated and takes more practice to get right.

How to do the Clean and Jerk

1. Let’s look at the clean first. Take a shoulder-width stance in front of the bar. Grasp the bar with a narrow grip, shoulder-width apart. Maintain the front of your shoulders slightly in front of the bar – think ‘armpits above bar’.
2. Lower your hips into the start position, keeping your back flat and chest pointed forwards.
3. As you lift the bar to the knee, keep the angle of your back the same as the start, with armpits above bar. Once the bar has passed the knees, start to bring your hips forward, moving to a vertical back. Keep the bar close to the body throughout the pull. 
4. Thrust forward with your hips, explode with your legs, and pull the bar into a front squat. With your elbows nice and high, the bar should rest on your shoulders.
5. Keeping your core braced, recover the bar to a standing position.
6. The jerk part of the lift involves driving the bar overhead by dipping and driving up with your legs from the front rack position, which sends the bar upwards above your head.
7. As the bar moves upwards, jump into a split position with one leg forward and the other leg behind. You should be in a split position with both knees bent, as if you were lunging.
8. Your front foot should be flat on the floor. Your back leg should bend slightly at the knee, with just the ball of your foot on the floor. This means that the back knee is directly underneath the weight that is overhead.
9. To complete the jerk, move your back leg forward and your front leg back to get your feet parallel. You should finish the jerk standing straight with the bar locked out overhead. In competition, you would keep the bar overhead until the judge gives you the ‘down’ signal.

Looking to start Olympic weightlifting?

Olympic lifting is a highly skilled sport that takes a long time to master. But you can learn it, I promise, especially now that we’ve broken down the main Olympic lifting movements. Although mastering the clean and snatch will take some time, you’ll notice noticeable improvements in your overall athleticism, mobility, power generation, body composition, and all weightlifting movements.

We’re not here to offer you a generic Olympic weightlifting program, Strength Ambassadors offer beginners Olympic lifting classes in a safe and friendly environment with expert strength coaches and personal trainers.

At Strength Ambassadors, we provide strength training classes, one-on-one coaching in powerlifting, Olympic lifting, and more. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced lifter, our team of knowledgeable instructors can help you achieve your strength objectives.

Join our YouTube channel to see more videos on how to get better at strength training!

Book a class today!

Learn Olympic lifting FAQs

Is Olympic weightlifting harder than powerlifting?

Olympic lifters must perform precise and sophisticated motions with the right timing, balance, and coordination. Although good technique is still necessary for powerlifting, the focus is mainly on physical strength and stability during the lifts.

Can you Olympic lift everyday?

Even with the benefits of training multiple days a week for Olympic weightlifting, lifters still require a day of rest, and every so often a week of deloading.

Why don’t Olympic lifters deadlift?

Conventional deadlifts are not frequently used in the sport because Olympic lifters tend to use other exercises to strengthen the back, such as clean pulls, back extensions and Romanian deadlifts. That being said, they can be helpful in overall strength training.