Not many of us would admit this.
We have a love-hate relationship with muscles.
It's like the age-old debate about brain vs brawn. The truth is, having muscles is more than just an aesthetic goal, but a reflection of one's effort and dedication for better health and strength, for both males and females.
This is where weightlifting comes into the picture.
In this article, we will discuss weightlifting as a sport and fitness activity — its lasting popularity and significance.
Exploring The Advantages of Weightlifting
Weightlifting has been a popular competitive sport and fitness activity for several reasons.
Firstly, it is one of the most effective sports to increase muscle mass and size using different weight intensities. The more weight you lift, the more muscle fibres will be stimulated — causing muscle to grow. Not only that, weightlifting training can be applied to different muscles of your body from your chest, thighs, arms and even back muscles.
In other words, your upper-body muscle strength and lower-body muscle strength can be enhanced effectively with the right weight-lifting training.
Secondly, weightlifting helps to shape and build lean muscles. Some of us might want a firm and toned body shape to have a healthier body composition. It's not so much about having a big biceps or triceps to flaunt but actually having a good physique that makes you feel confident no matter what you're wearing at any age.
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash
Thirdly, weightlifting also aids in improving your overall bone health. Whenever you lift a specific weight, the bone tissues in between your muscles are also growing — leading to a stronger bone structure. Having said that, good bone health will also translate to better joint health, improving joint movement and alleviating any inflammation in the process.
Lastly, weightlifting is a wholesome sport that boosts physical and mental health. It helps to boost your overall stamina, energy level and cardiovascular system. In the long run, you'll notice a significant improvement in your overall exercise performance and endurance too. Furthermore, it can also help to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension, type-2 diabetes and also cholesterol levels.
When it comes to mental health, weightlifting is a good exercise to enhance your self-esteem and improve mental sharpness. Throughout the consistent weightlifting training, you get to see how much you have progressed from scratch. Also, your brain is also constantly being stimulated with new training regimes and increased blood flow circulation as you exercise.
Let's be honest. You've got nothing to lose when you master weightlifting.
Learn more about the different ways to navigate the weightlifting gears smoothly while you're training.
Figuring Out The Essential Equipements For Weightlifting
Now, let's talk about the tools and training gear that you will encounter as you attempt various weightlifting exercises.
Following the standards of Olympic weightlifting, the original barbell weight for men is 20kg while the original barbell weight for women is 15kg.
You can then increase the load on the barbell by putting different weights of discs on the two sleeves (both sides). Altogether there are five different colours of discs — white, green, yellow, blue, and red.
- White disc (5kg for rubber discs, 0.5kg for metal discs)
- Green disc (10kg for rubber discs, 1.0kg for metal discs)
- Yellow disc (15kg for rubber discs, 1.5kg for metal discs)
- Blue disc (20kg for rubber discs, 2.0kg for metal discs)
- Red disc (25kg for rubber discs, 2.5kg for metal discs)
In terms of weightlifting attires, athletes will wear a lifting singlet, a weightlifting belt for support as well as a pair of training shoes for proper foot positioning during each lift.
Some other protective training gear that athletes usually wear include wrist and knee wraps, weightlifting gloves and shin guards to prevent injuries.
Meanwhile, have a look at different weight categories and essential regulations for competitive weightlifting.
Learning About Different Weight Class & Weightlifting Regulations
There are currently five weight class divisions (respectively) that will be contested for the men's and women's weightlifting events during the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
The weight divisions have undergone a slight revision following the previous Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Here are the five weight class divisions for men's weightlifting:
- 61kg
- 73kg
- 89kg
- 102kg
- +102kg
Here are the five weight class divisions for women's weightlifting:
- 49kg
- 59kg
- 71kg
- 81kg
- +81kg
Photo by Victor Freitas on Unsplash
When it comes to the competition, both male and female athletes will compete in two different weightlifting categories: snatch and clean and jerk.
The snatch lift is performed in one continuous position where athletes have to lift the barbell from the ground right to overhead.
Next, the athletes will attempt the clean and jerk lift where they lift the barbell right up to the shoulders in a resting position before lifting the weight overhead in two different movements.
For each weightlifting category, athletes will be given three attempts. Once their names are called, they have to lift the weights within the given time frame (usually one minute) and lift the barbell until the buzzer is sound.
They are allowed to increase the lifting weight for the next attempt once they have succeded in the first round. For instance, they can gradually increase the lifting weight from 120kg to 125kg to 130 kg.
Their best attempts (highest weight) for each category will then be added. The top three winners will be chosen based on the highest weight combination. In cases where two athletes have the same highest weight combination, judges will then select the winner based on the athletes' body weight — the athlete with a lower body weight will win.
In another scenario where both athletes with the same body weight have the same highest weight combination, the judges will then look at the number of attempts to lift the weights.
Dive deep into the reasons why learning weightlifting is good for you.
Taking Simple Steps To Lift Weight As A Fitness Activity
We have talked a lot about weightlifting as a competitive sport. Let's switch our focus to view lifting weights as a feasible activity that we can include in our daily lives.
One of the key steps to take is having a clear and feasible goal on why you want to start lifting weights. Ask yourself what exactly are trying to achieve, and how much you want to achieve within a time frame.
Do you want to gain a specific muscle mass within 3 months?
Are you planning to reduce body calories for a leaner body physique because of a wedding photoshoot in 6 months?
Once you find out the answers to these questions, you can start working out a plan with an experienced coach or weightlifting tutor for the right guidance on basic techniques and lifting postures.
It will take you some time to adapt to the training pace and equipment as a beginner. Start with lighter weights and a stable posture before you gradually increase the weight intensity. Make sure your muscles are capable of lifting the weights without exerting too much force from the beginning. Remember, it's important to have breaks in between to prevent muscle fatigue and injuries.
Once you are more confident with the training routine, you can start working on different muscles and incorporate various training sets according to your fitness level.
As you slowly build up this training momentum, you should always keep track of your progress and aim for consistency in the long run. Granted, there will be days where you feel you're going nowhere and you've hit a plateau. Instead of giving up altogether, you can discuss with your tutor to adjust your training regimen for a better performance in the next round.
Master these various steps to perform weightlifting as a fitness activity or professional sport.
Where To Find An Experienced Weightlifting Coach/Tutor Near You?
Exploring weightlifting as an absolute beginner can be quite overwhelming even if you have loads of head knowledge and theories.
Your journey can be less lonely and more fulfilling when you have an experienced weightlifting coach by your side to offer you personalised guidance and feedback.
At times, it can be quite difficult to find the right gym trainer for a wholesome weightlifting session depending on your learning needs and personal schedule. Don't worry, we got you covered!
Introducing to you — Superprof! Superprof is a reliable tutoring platform that allows you to find the perfect weightlifting tutor in just a few clicks!
Once you head to the Superprof Malaysia homepage, you can browse through a wide selection of tutors who offer weightlifting lessons from different cities in the country. In the beginning, you just need to indicate what you want to learn and where you are currently based in the search box.
From there, you can continue to narrow down your search by indicating your learning level and also preferred hourly rates to have an effective browsing session. Let's say you have indicated that you are a beginner who wants to learn weightlifting from tutors in Kuala Lumpur at the rate of RM70 an hour, the system will only show you tutors from Kuala Lumpur who match all your filtering preferences effortlessly.
Image by katemangostar on Freepik
You can then take your time to review the tutors' profiles and learn more about their tutoring experiences and teaching methodology before making the final decision. If you are satisfied with what you have read, you can proceed to connect with your desired tutor via the messaging feature on their profiles to discuss the lesson schedule and payment method.
We hope this article has offered you an overview of weightlifting as a competitive sport and fitness activity.
Remember, everyone progresses at their own pace, so don't compare yourself to others. Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small, and stay focused on your fitness journey. May you find great satisfaction as you master weightlifting progressively.
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