A Brief History of Olympic Lifting


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Olympic lifting is a sport that has been around for over a century. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece in 1896, and featured a men’s only competition in which the athletes had to complete two lifts: the snatch and the clean and jerk. The sport has evolved considerably since then, with women’s competitions being added in 2000 and new weight classes being introduced in 2018. 

Despite its relatively long history, Olympic lifting is still often misunderstood. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the origins of the sport and how it has evolved over time. We’ll also dispel some of the common myths about Olympic lifting and explain why it is such an effective training method for athletes of all levels.

The Origins of Olympic Lifting

As mentioned above, the first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece in 1896. The brainchild of French educator Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the Games were intended to promote international understanding and peace through sport. Coubertin was heavily influenced by the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece from 776 BC to 393 AD. 

Although there were no formal weightlifting competitions at the ancient Olympics, there were other events that would later be incorporated into the modern sport of Olympic lifting. These included the standing long jump, javelin throw, and discus throw. It wasn’t until 1904 that weighlifting was officially included as an Olympic event; however, it was only contested by men until 2000 when women’s competitions were finally added. 

Weightlifting remained a core part of the Olympics until 1972 when it was dropped from the Games due to concerns about drug use among competitors. It was reinstated in 1988 and has been contested at every Summer Olympics since then. 

How Has Olympic Lifting Changed Over Time?

As with any sport, Olympic lifting has undergone a number of changes since its inception over a century ago. Perhaps the most significant change came in 2018 when the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) introduced new weight classes for both men and women. Prior to 2018, there were eight weight classes for men (56kg, 62kg, 69kg, 77kg, 85kg, 94kg, 105kg, and 105+kg) and seven weight classes for women (48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 63kg, 69kg, 75kg ,and 75+ kg). 

With the introduction of new weight classes , there are now 10 weight classes for men (55 kg , 61 kg , 67 kg , 73 kg , 81 kg , 89 kg , 96 kg , 102 kg , 109 kg , and 109+ kg ) and nine weight classes for women (47 kg , 52 kg , 57 kg , 63 kg , 69 kg ̸ 75 kg , 81 kg , 87 kg ̸ 87+).   The new weight classes give more athletes an opportunity to compete at the highest level and create more parity between countries. 

 Conclusion:

 Olympic lifting is a complex sport with a rich history dating back over 100 years. Although it has undergone many changes since its inception, one thing remains constant: Olympic lifting is an incredibly effective training method for athletes of all levels. If you’re looking to improve your strength, power, and explosiveness, give Olympic lifting a try!


ritika sharma