The Difference in Weighlifting Sports

There are four well known variations of different types of weight lifting, some of which people understand and some of which alot of people fail to know of. Today I have decided to write about the differences in these sports for all to bear witness to.

This post comes straight from a question asked on the newly built forum about the different types of weightlifting.

Powerlifting

Powerlifting is a sport that is gauged on pure strength. In powerlifting tournaments a lifter will carry out three exercises, the deadlift, the bench press and the squat for one rep on the heaviest weight they can carry out one rep with. The total weight they can lift over all exercises combined is their score for the tournament.

In the tournament there are different weight classes to ensure the competition is fair for all.

Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding is all about looking good, a bodybuilder works hard on sculpting their muscles in size and definition to create an aesthetically pleasing and proportional body. In competitions bodybuilders complete many poses to show off their muscles and a panel judge them on the poses and their body to crown one the champion.

Olympic Lifting

Olympic lifting is a test of power rather than strength (yes these are different) unlike the powerlifting sport and uses different exercises. The idea is to use explosive power and speed to push the wieght up to the required position using correct form.

The Olympic Lifting sport carries out two exercises called the clean and jerk and the snatch. The winner is the person who can lift the most weight and gains the most points from the judges on form.

As with the powerlifting sport Olympic Lifting works on weight categories.

Weightlifting

Weightlifting can refer to Olympic Lifting but is generally used as a non sport term for someone who trains in the gym with weights. The term weightlifting can also be called weight training.