Summary USAW USA WEIGHTLIFTING LEVEL 1 SPORT PERFORMANCE STUDY GUIDE

USAW USA WEIGHTLIFTING
LEVEL 1 SPORT
PERFORMANCE STUDY
GUIDE
“The Mission of USA Weightlifting shall be to enable United States athletes to achieve
sustained competitive excellence in Olympic competition and to promote and grow
the sport of weightlifting in the United States .”




Goals & Objectives:
Participants will:
 Learn how to teach and perform the Snatch and Clean & Jerk
 Learn how to teach and perform the Power Snatch, Power Clean
and variations
 Learn how to teach and perform related Squatting variations,
pulling variations and overhead pressing variations
 Learn how to evaluate and correct movement deficiencies that may
inhibit weightlifting mechanics
 Learn basic programming for beginner and intermediate athletes
 Learn basic biomechanics and key positions of weightlifting
technique
 Learn rationale for incorporating weightlifting movements in sports
performance training programs




Two Sections in the course:
1. Understanding and Preparing for Weightlifting: Learn more about
the sport of weightlifting and it’s uses in athletic preparation and
general fitness, and learn some simple strategies to better
individually prepare athletes to perform the movements.
2. Learning the technique of weightlifting and related movements.


 Approximately ¾ of the course will be “hands-on” weightlifting work
 A written exam will be administered at the conclusion of the
course;75% correct answers required to pass

, Section 1: Understanding and Preparing for
Weightlifting




Uses for Olympic Weightlifting:
1. Competitive Sport




Weightlifting the Sport
 Weightlifting is the only barbell sport in the Olympic Games.
 Weightlifting has been part of the modern Olympic Games since 1896.
 There are regional, national, and international competitive opportunities.
 8 weight classes for men and 7 for women make it non-size restrictive.
 Weightlifting is a lifetime sport. There are age divisions from u-13 to
80+




2

, Rationale for use of Olympic Weightlifting in
training for Sport Performance:
 Ground Based – Create force by driving against ground; triple extension
 Time Efficient – 1 exercise works multiple muscle groups.
 Full Body Development
 Develops Kinesthetic awareness
 Increases Muscle Fiber Diameter (Hypertrophy)
 Increases Neural adaptations:
 Improved Intramuscular Coordination (Recruitment and
Frequency Coding)
 Improved Intermuscular Coordination (Synchronization)
Efficient way to train the “core” in healthy population




Activity of the trunk muscles during squats
and pulls from the floor (dead lifts) is greater
or equal to that produced with many
common stability ball exercises.




Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, Volume 22, Issue 1, Pages 95-102, 2008.
Trunk Muscle Activity During Stability Ball and Free Weight Exercises: Nuzzo, McCaulley, Cormie, Cavill, and McBride




Power Development – based on work of John Garhammer PhD

Exercise Absolute Power (Watts)
100kg Male 75kg Female
Bench Press 300
Back Squat 1100
Deadlift 1100
Snatch* 3000 1750
2nd Pull** 5500 2900
Clean 2950 1750
2nd Pull 5500 2650
Jerk 5400 2600
*Total pull: Lift-off until maximal vertical velocity
**2nd pull: Transition until maximal vertical barbell velocity



3

, Functional Movements that require and
promote flexibility:
 Ankle
 Hips
 Spine
 Shoulders
Primary Multi-joint movements in every rep:
Dead lifting
Squatting
Overhead Pressing
Rowing
Jumping




Functional Stability:
• Ability to receive a load in strong position
• High Pull vs. “catching”




Safety in Weightlifting




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