Everything You Wanted To Know About Olympic Weightlifting

Opposed to bodybuilding where the weights are used simply as tools to stress the muscle and cause it to grow, in this sport the main goal is the lifting of the weight itself with flawless execution. It takes great functional strength, power, flexibility, dexterity, concentration, and great lifting technique to be successful at Olympic Weightlifting.

Dig into the pages below in order to learn how the strongest athletes on the face of the Earth do this. Hey, after getting to know this sport you may fall in love with it and become an Olympic Weightlifter as well (hint: in my opinion, bodybuilders are at an advantage since strength potential is directly related to the size of a muscle; therefore a bigger muscle equals a greater potential to get stronger).

About Olympic Weightlifting: Lifting a fully loaded barbell with the heaviest weight possible using perfect form on two different lifts is the name of the game.

Learn more about the rules, how the weightlifting competition is structured, how to participate, and how to get on the U.S. Weightlifting Olympic Team.

• What Is Olympic Weightlifting?
  
  
• Rules & Judging For Olympic Weightlifting Competition
  
  
• Learn To Participate In Olympic Weightlifting
  
  
• Your Road to the Olympic Team

Olympic Weightlifting History: Olympic weightlifting is one of the few sports to have been present in the first modern Olympic Games held back in Athens, 1896, and has been part of the Olympics ever since except for 1900, 1908 and 1912. Learn about how this sport has evolved over the years and who has won the medals so far.

• An Illustrated History of Weightlifting
  
  
• Past Olympic Weightlifting Medalists

Action Image Gallery: Take a look at some of the strongest athletes in the world lifting weights over their heads that defy logic.

• Action Image Gallery