I.R.F.U. / I.A.WL.

A
Weightlifting Course
Content

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The Lifts

 The Clean
 The Snatch

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The Clean / Power Clean
 With an accelerated pull , bring the
bar from the floor to the front of the
shoulders

 All in one continuous motion

without interruption

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Grip - Shoes
 Hook
 Closed

 Tight
 Solid

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Start
 Feet placed between hip
and shoulder width apart
 Hands slightly wider than
shoulder
 Elbows fully extended
 The bar approximately 3
centimetres in front of the
shins and over the balls of
the feet
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 Start position
Power Clean
Back is flat Chest is
spread

Arms are
straight
Head in front
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BODY POSITION
Back flat with trapezius relaxed and
slightly stretched
Chest held up and out .Scapulae
retracted
Head in line with the spine or
slightly hyperextended
Shoulders over or slightly in front of
the bar
Eyes focused straight ahead or
slightly upward

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9
Common Technique
Errors
 Rounding the back
 Shoulders to far forward
 Barbell to far forward
 Having the weight on the toes and
not the mid-foot
 Feet position
 Assuming an upright position too
early

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 The starting position, for a
weightlifter, is of primary
importance.

 An athlete cannot finish “right”

if they start “wrong”.

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Start 1 st Pull

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 Lift the bar by extending the hips
and knees together
 Keep the torso-to-floor angle
constant
 Do not let the hips rise before
the shoulders
 Maintain a flat back position
 Keep the elbows fully extended
and the shoulders over or
slightly ahead of the bar
 As the bar is raised, keep it as
close to the shins

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End of 1 st Pull to 2 nd Pull

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1st and 2nd Pull
The “2nd Pull” must be faster than
the “1st Pull”.
The athlete tries to stay
„flatfooted‟ as long as possible
The arms only bend to pull the
athlete under the barbell.

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 As the bar travels slightly above
the knees
 Keep the bar as close to the
body as possible
 Keep the back flat, shoulders
over the bar and elbows
extended as long as possible
 Once the shoulders shrug, the
elbows begin to bend and the bar
travels to the lower chest area

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THE CATCH

 An erect torso
 A neutral head position
 Flat feet
 The feet move from the
„pulling‟ position to the
„receiving‟ position.

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Catch – Power Clean
 After the lower body has fully
extended and the bar reaches near
max height-pull the body under the
bar, rotating the arms
 Simultaneously, the hips and
knees flex into a ¼ squat position
 Rack the bar across the front of the
clavicles

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Clean

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Recovery

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Return
 Lower the bar gradually
 Flex the hips ,knees to cushion the
impact on the thighs
 Squat down with elbows fully
extended until the bar touches the
floor

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29/07/2011 22
29/07/2011 23
15/3/2009 24
What This Means
 The Clean is a preparatory loaded
movement that is similar to many
movements occurring on the
Rugby pitch.
 They must be performed with
explosiveness. Again a
requirement when executing the
Clean.
 Technique before weight
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The Snatch
 Bring the bar from the floor to over
the head with the elbows fully
extended
 In a controlled, continuous,
explosive motion without
interruption

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Beginning Position
 Stand with feet placed between hip
and shoulder width apart
 Grip distance is wider than the
Clean
 Elbows fully extended

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 Grip Distance
 Elbow-to-elbow distance when the
arms are straight out at the sides
 Distance from the edge of a
clenched fist of one hand to the
opposite shoulder when the arm is
straight out at the side

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29
 Snatch
 Feet placed between hip and
shoulder width apart
 Grip elbow to elbow distance
 Elbows fully extended
 The bar approximately 3
centimeters in front of the shins
and over the balls of the feet

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Start Position

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The Start

Back flat with trapezius

relaxed and slightly
stretched
Chest held up and out
.Scapulae retracted
Head in line with the spine or
slightly hyperextended
Shoulders over or slightly in
front of the bar
Eyes focused straight ahead
or slightly upward
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Body Position
Back flat with trapezius relaxed and
slightly stretched
Chest held up and out .Scapulae
retracted
Head in line with the spine or slightly
hyperextended
Shoulders over or slightly in front of
the bar
Eyes focused straight ahead or
slightly upward

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Start to end of 1 st Pull

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1st Pull
 Lift the bar by forcefully
extending the hips and knees
 Keep the torso-to-floor angle
constant
 Do not let the hips rise before
the shoulders
 Maintain a flat back position
 Keep the elbows fully
extended and the shoulders
over or slightly ahead of the
bar
 As the bar is raised, keep it as
close to the shins as possible
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End of 1 st Pull to end of 2 nd Pull

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The 2nd Pull
 As the shoulders reach the
their highest elevation , flex
the elbows to begin pulling
the body under the bar
 Continue to pull with the
arms as high and as long as
possible
 Due to the explosive nature ,
the torso is erect or slightly
hyperextended, the head is
tilted back , and the feet may
loose floor contact.

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End of 2 nd Pull to Catch

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Catch the bar with:
 Fully extended elbows
 An erect, tight torso
 A neutral head position
 Flat feet
 Bar slightly behind the head
 Stand up by extending the hips
and knees to a fully erect position
 Stabilize the bar overhead
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The Catch

 After the lower body has

extended and the bar
reaches near-maximal
height, pull the body
under the bar and rotate
the hands around and
under the bar
 Simultaneously, the hips
and knees flex into a
squat

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 Recovery
 Who would like to tell us what this is?

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Return
 Lower the bar gradually
 Flex the hips ,knees to cushion the
impact on the thighs
 Squat down with elbows fully
extended until the bar touches the
floor

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Weightlifting for sport
 Not the amount of weight you
can lift, but the amount of
strength or power you can use
in the context of your sport

 Adapted from Jiles 2005

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