Weightlifting Glossary

There are a lot of terms, technical names and descriptions used in and around the sport of weightliftng, and they confuse a lot of people! Here is a run down of some that I get asked often.

BWL – Formerly known as BAWLA, this is the British governing body and coaching organisation for weightlifting in Great Britain.

Clean – Lifting a barbell from the floor to the shoulders in one continuous movement, catching the barbell in a deep squat position. Often incorrectly called a squat clean.

Hang position – Beginning a lift with the barbell located above the knee.

High hang position – Beginning a lift with the barbell located close to the hips.

Hook grip – Means of gripping a barbell with the thumb under the fingers, the preferred method for weightlifting.

Low hang position – Beginning a lift with the barbell located below the knee.

Power clean – Lifting a barbell from the floor to the shoulders in one continuous movement, catching the barbell in a high squat position.

Power Jerk – Lifting a barbell from the shoulders to full overhead extension in one continuous movement, catching the barbell in a high squat position. Often called a push jerk.

Power snatch – Lifting a barbell from the floor to full overhead extension in one continuous movement, catching the barbell in a high squat position.

Rack position – Barbell secured across the upper chest, anterior deltoids, collar bones and supported in the hands, with elbows high. Sometimes called the front rack.

Singlet – Tight fitting leotard like suit that all lifters must wear in competition. Virtually impossible to look good in.

Snatch – Lifting a barbell from the floor to full overhead extension in one continuous movement, catching the barbell in a deep squat position. Often incorrectly called a squat snatch.

Split jerk – Lifting a barbell from the shoulders to full overhead extension in one continuous movement, catching the barbell in a split squat position.

Squat jerk – Lifting a barbell from the shoulders to full overhead extension in one continuous movement, catching the barbell in a deep squat position. Not for the faint hearted!

Weightlifting –  a strength sport constituting of two lifts, the snatch, and the clean and jerk. Often called Olympic weightlifting or Olympic style weightlifting, the correct term is simply weightlifting. Not to be confused with the lifting of weights!