THE TWO LIFTS
The Snatch and the Clean & Jerk
Every meet comes down to these two lifts. Both start with the bar on the floor and finish with it locked overhead.
The snatch: catching the bar in a deep squat
The Snatch
The bar goes from the floor to overhead in one continuous move. The lifter pulls it up fast, drops under it into a deep squat with straight arms, then stands up with the bar locked overhead.
The jerk: from the shoulders to overhead
The Clean & Jerk
Two moves in one lift. In the clean, the lifter pulls the bar to the shoulders and stands up from a squat. In the jerk, they drive it overhead, usually landing in a split, then bring their feet together under the bar.
HOW A MEET WORKS
Three Attempts, Three Referees, One Total
Meets run the same way from a local gym to a world championship.
Weigh In
Lifters weigh in before their session, which confirms the bodyweight category they lift in.
Three Attempts Each
The snatch comes first, then the clean & jerk. Each lifter gets three attempts at each lift.
The Bar Only Goes Up
Lifters choose their weights, and the bar is loaded from lightest to heaviest. The weight on the bar never goes down.
One Minute on the Clock
Once called, a lifter has one minute to start the lift, or two minutes when following their own attempt.
Three Referees
Three referees judge every lift. At least two must signal a good lift for it to count.
The Total Decides
A lifter's best snatch plus their best clean & jerk is their total. The highest total in each category wins.
Source: IWF competition flow · Britannica
WHO COMPETES
Every Age, Every Size
Lifters compete against others of similar age and bodyweight.
Youth
11 and under (U11), 13 and under (U13), 14–15 (U15) and 16–17 (U17).
Junior
Ages 15 to 20, the step between youth and open lifting.
Open
Any lifter 15 or older. Under 23, Under 25 and University divisions also exist.
Masters
Lifters 35 and older, in five-year age groups.
Within each age group, lifters compete in bodyweight categories. The categories change from time to time, and USA Weightlifting publishes the current list.
EQUIPMENT
What You See on the Platform
The Bar
The men's bar weighs 20 kg and the women's 15 kg. Young lifters train with lighter bars and technique sticks.
Colored Plates
Plates are colored by weight, so anyone can read the bar: red is 25 kg, blue 20, yellow 15 and green 10.
Singlet and Shoes
Lifters compete in an approved singlet. Lifting shoes have a firm, raised heel for a stable squat.
Source: IWF equipment
A SHORT HISTORY
More Than a Century of Lifting
1896
Weightlifting is part of the first modern Olympic Games, in Athens. (Olympedia)
1905
The federation that became today's International Weightlifting Federation is founded in Duisburg, Germany. (IWF)
1972
After the 1972 Munich Olympics, the press is dropped, leaving the two lifts used today: the snatch and the clean & jerk. (Olympedia)
2000
Women's weightlifting joins the Olympic Games, in Sydney. (IWF)
Today
Lifters compete from local meets to world championships, in age groups from 11 and under to Masters. (USA Weightlifting)
HOW WE TEACH IT
From a Stick to the Platform
Fortified Strength is a USA Weightlifting club. Every lift is taught step by step, and competing is always optional.
Start With the Positions
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends teaching these lifts from a dowel, to a light bar, to a weighted bar, under a qualified coach.
Coached in Every Class
A high coach-to-athlete ratio means cues and corrections as you learn.
Compete When You Choose
Competing is a choice. Athletes who want to compete join our Competition Team, coached from their first local meet to the national stage.
LEARN MORE
Sources and Resources
• IWF: how a competition runs
• Olympedia: weightlifting at the Games since 1896
• USA Weightlifting: age groups and bodyweight categories
• American Academy of Pediatrics: resistance training for children and adolescents, 2020
• USA Weightlifting: watch national meets live
• USA Weightlifting: find a meet
• USA Weightlifting: become a member
• USA Weightlifting: Masters lifting, 35 and older
Ready to Try It?
No experience necessary, and all equipment is provided. Start with a class for your age. Cost should never keep an athlete from training. Ask about tuition assistance.