Olympic Weightlifting

Olympic Weightlifting

As a distinct discipline and current sport performed in the modern Olympic event program, Olympic Weightlifting essentially sees competitors attempt to out lift each other with a barbell loaded to certain capacity, while maintaining form.

Unlike other strength sports, that test limit strength, Olympic Weightlifting trials the human limits of ballistics, commonly referred to as explosive strength. These movements are performed fast, needing intense dexterity and range of motion during their execution. The Snatch and Clean and Jerk or The Clean and Press are examples of dynamic, explosive, lifts that are still graceful, high scoring. This is apparent when analyzing these lifts with a slow motion camera.

The format for Olympic Weightlifting competitions involves two types of lifts, the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. Once the lifters begin a starting weight to attempt. If they are unsuccessful at the initial weight, an option of retrying is given at that amount or heavier weight. This is following other competitors having had their chance to attempt the previous weight. The barbell is loaded incrementally and weight is increased during the competition. The increments they increase by is one kilogram. Each lifter is allowed only three attempts in all and the lifter whose total is the highest of the two successful lifts determines the result within a body weight class. A competitor who fails to the lift at least one complete Snatch and Clean and Jerk, is placed as incomplete in the competition.

The lifter who scores the highest in his or her weight class is awarded medals according to how the judges scored their overall performance. Like any other Olympic event the medals are bronze silver and gold. The score a lifter receives is based a large range of criteria, including form and how the lift appealed to the eye. The Snatch and Clean and Jerk are judged separately and with differing criteria. In regular competitions prizes are usually given for the heaviest weights lifted in the Clean and Jerk, the Snatch and the Overall, a combination score of the two.

Judging a competition with a fair amount of nuance, is quite a hard. The judges that score these competitions have a keen eye for detail and understand the technical aspects of the type lift they are scoring. An onlooker, unknowing of the rules and nuances of the sport, would see just a large man struggling to lift too much weight. But these judges are scoring the athletes on a wide range of very challenging maneuvers. The judging team consists of two side judges and a head referee, who in concert, score a lift either “successful” or “failed”. The team must score each attempt based on their own first hand observation. They follow the governing body’s rules and regulations and adhere to them strictly. As long as an athlete receives two passing grades his or her attempts to pass, which means to have fully completed the technical lift. Often the results are broadcast with a system of lights, having a white light indicating “successful” and a “red” light for “failed” lift. The lighting system allows for everyone in attendance to get the results as quickly as possible. This similar to the way many other Olympic sports conduct announcing scores.

The title of Best Lifter is the athlete having the best overall combination of scores and as little failures as possible. These awards are more prominent in the local competition setting and don’t apply to Olympic Weightlifting. The criteria for winning the award or gold medal, is based on an analysis of the lifter’s performance using the “Sinclair Coefficient”, which allows allows all competitors to quantitatively compared to each other regardless of physical and skill difference. This coefficient is developed and approved by the sport’s world governing body. When the formula is applied to each lifter’s overall analysis is compered against other athlete’s scores, it provides a numeric score. This score decides the competition’s best overall winner, which is separated by gender. Usually the overall winner of either gender class will have lifted the most during the course of the whole competition. A lifter in a lesser weight class might have lifted more weight in relation with their body weight and with the Sinclair Coefficient formula system they can still receive the “Best Lifter” award.

Olympic Weightlifting provides another avenue for those chosen to represent their county on an athletic platform and continues help the promote peace between differing people by allowing fair competition through the use of the Sinclair Coefficient.