Rules of Olympic Weightlifting
Olympic Weightlifting is not Powerlifting
Olympic weightlifting is the type of weightlifting included in the Olympics. It consists of two lifts: the snatch and the clean and jerk. Both are overhead lifts, and the clean and jerk is actually a two-part lift. While competitive Olympic weightlifting is its' own sport, athletes from many other sports utilize portions of Olympic lifts in their training including football players. Below you'll discover why you've never seen Olympic weightlifting at your local gym.
Olympic Weightlifting is not Widely Available
Enter any high school in the U.S. and you'll likely find a basketball court, possibly an indoor pool, and an assortment of volleyballs, basketballs, and other sports equipment. You'll very rarely encounter Olympic weightlifting equipment. Olympic weightlifting requires a wooden platform in addition to rubber-coated Olympic weights and an Olympic bar. Students opt for sports that are readily available to them, and Olympic weightlifting, unfortunately, is not that accessible in many parts of the nation.
The Snatch and Clean and Jerk are Intimidating
The snatch and clean & jerk are both overhead lifts. The thought of lifting heavy weight overhead doesn't appeal to many health enthusiasts, even the most hardcore. It's little known that Olympic weightlifting actually has a very low injury rate.
Olympic Weightlifting can be Noisy
Olympic weightlifters need facilities that allow lifters to drop the weights. When the weight is heavy enough, it's impossible to gracefully lower the weight to the floor without dropping it at some point. Also, it's sometimes necessary to bail out of a failed lift in order to avoid injury. Most mainstream healthclub facilities have very strict rules, in large part due to liability issues. Dropping weights would result in an automatic dismissal at most corporate-run weightlifting facilities.
Olympic Weightlifting Clubs are Sparse
There are under 200 registered Olympic weightlifting clubs nationwide. That averages out to less than 4 clubs per state, although some clubs are concentrated in certain states such as California. Not all Olympic weightlifting occurs in registered clubs, but there are few other healthclubs that offer Olympic weightlifting equipment. So aside from those rare gems and some home gyms, most Olympic weightlifting occurs in registered clubs.
While Olympic weightlifting will never be as widely celebrated in the U.S. as baseball or football, it has been experiencing a small, but steady, increase in popularity since 2000, the year women were first allowed to compete in the Olympics. Also, the growing popularity of CrossFit, a strength and conditioning program that utilizes the snatch lift, has resulted in wider recognition of Olympic weightlifting.
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