Home Fitness Basic Weightlifting Moves: A Step-by-step Guide and Suggestions

Basic Weightlifting Moves: A Step-by-step Guide and Suggestions

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Basic Weightlifting Moves: A Step-by-step Guide and Suggestions

The fundamental weightlifting movements are the pillars on which you will need to practice this exercise. Without your technique, the danger of getting injured may be very high.

All of the fundamental weightlifting movements have to be performed with perfect technique. Should you don’t execute them this manner, you possibly can get seriously injured very easily.

Weightlifting is a sport that involves the heaviest possible lifting of weight on a barbell. This weight in the shape of discs is placed on the ends of that bar.

The activity has been a part of the Olympic Games since 1896. The gym has been liable for multiplying weightlifting techniques, as there are various routines that mimic or seek to adapt these movements to the training of any person.

The three basic movements of weightlifting

Being an exercise during which using force predominates in its maximum expression, weightlifting requires a better level of resistance. Keep in mind that the burden of the bar may be adapted to the moment you’ve begun your training plan.

In basic terms, there are 3 essential movements: the snatch, the clean, and the jerk. The goal is that, step-by-step, you possibly can take each tip to perfect the technique.

Weightlifting went from Olympic sport to a preferred option in gyms, making it available to anyone who trains as an amateur.

1. The snatch

This can be a combination of squats and the military press. The goal is to lift the bar overhead, while performing a squat concurrently.

Before you begin it is best to warm up, especially along with your shoulders. Emphasize preparing the rotator cuff area, which is a bunch of muscles and tendons attached to the shoulder joint.

The muscles most involved on this exercise are those of the lower body, core, and shoulders.

That is the step-by-step:

  1. Concentrate to the style of grip you’ll use with the bar, which known as a hook grip. The grip consists of edging the bar along with your thumb and the opposite 4 fingers will cover your thumb as you circle the bar.
  2. Your glutes needs to be positioned above the horizontal of your knees and your quads needs to be almost parallel to the ground.
  3. Keep your back straight in a neutral position, along with your eyes straight ahead.
  4. When lifting the bar, don’t separate it too far out of your body, because this raises its weight and makes it difficult to attain the lift. Should you separate it too far, you risk injury.
  5. Once the barbell is up, don’t let it go behind your head, but over your head. This error could cause the bar to fall backward and injure your arms or shoulders.

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2. Clean or loaded

That is the movement with which you lift the bar from the ground to your shoulders. The bar will rest in your shoulders so you can get up.

Here you’re employed just about all your muscles in the identical way. Particularly, your upper and lower body, in addition to your core.

The step-by-step is as follows:

  1. Position your legs wider than shoulder-width apart, along with your toes facing forward.
  2. Assume the hook grip, which you learned within the previous movement.
  3. Keep your back straight. Fix your gaze straight ahead.
  4. Lift the bar off the ground with an analogous displacement to the deadlift.
  5. You perform a lumbar flexion to bring your body under the bar.
  6. You receive the bar over your shoulders. After the lumbar flexion, your elbows should point upward, emulating a chin-up rowing motion. The bar shouldn’t pass the extent of your shoulders in order that once you receive it you don’t injure this area.
  7. Elbows aligned at 90 degrees and assume the bottom position within the squat.
  8. Finally, you need to stand with the strength of your quadriceps and your entire lower body to keep up stability.

3. The jerk

This represents the last position in a deadlift. Here you go from having the barbell in your shoulders to lifting it completely with each arms, imitating the ultimate position of a military press.

To perform the vertical thrust you’ve gotten to initiate a stride, that’s, position one leg in front of the opposite. Your shoulders, core, and leg muscles are heavily engaged on this movement.

The step-by-step is as follows:

  1. Your back must remain straight, whilst you adopt the stride position, as this will cause your back to lean forward or backward, which poses a risk of injury. Be mindful that the stride you perform prior to lifting the bar just isn’t complete.
  2. Your feet needs to be straight and forward. This is significant for the strength of your knees, that are stressed.
  3. Once you might be standing, with the bar still in your shoulders, is once you perform a small impulse to be in a half-stride position, along with your right leg in front and your left leg stretched out behind you. Here you lift the bar along with your arms. Hold this position for one or two seconds.
  4. Keeping the bar raised above your head, you lift your legs which are in a half-stride position in order that, finally, you end up standing with the bar on top. At this point, you’ll have achieved the goal, with the three basic weightlifting movements.
Should you’re used to barbell squats, you likely are already aware of a few of these techniques.

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Suggestions when practicing the fundamental weightlifting movements

You require physical strength, mastery of technique in each movement, attitude, and mental strength to perform these demanding exercises. Consistency within the warm-up is important. Start lifting a weight that’s adapted to your physical capability and you may notice that, little by little, you’ll find a way to lift more weight.

Along with your physical strength, you’ve gotten to work your mind, your speed, and your technique. Strength is worked through exercise routines, with just a few repetitions of maximum load. The goal is that you just move the utmost amount of weight in each set. When unsure, ensure to get the help of an expert trainer. 

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All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to make sure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this text was considered reliable and of educational or scientific accuracy.


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  • Oliva K, Gómez A, Zamora R, García Y. Análisis biocinemático de la ejecución del arranque en levantadoras de pesas escolares de Granma. Revista de la facultad de cultura física de la Universidad de Granma. 2017; 14 (42): 62-74.
  • Campos J, Poletaev P, Cuesta A, Pablos C, Tébar J. Estudio del movimiento de arrancada en halterofilia durante ciclo de repeticiones de alta intensidad mediante análisis cinemáticos. European Journal of Human Movement. 2004; 12: 39-45.

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