The purpose of these guidelines is to provide a reference for the novice and intermediate lifter when the coach is not present. An experienced coach will be able to demonstrate and explain all the exercises available. For the newer lifter the amount of material presented may be too much to remember, and keeping a printed copy of this list will aid in recalling technical tips for all the exercises.
All the material here should be presented and interpreted by an experienced and certified coach.

Coach Selection

All exercises should only be performed under the supervision of an experienced Olympic Weightlifting Coach. USAW Certification is a must, but is not sufficient as a coaching credential. Preferred additional experience will include appointment to coaching duty by USAW, or experience as a Senior National Championship caliber lifter for at least 3 years, or experience coaching Senior National Caliber lifters to at least 3 Senior National Championship competitions. In addition to USAW Coaching Certification and having the additional preferred experience, any coach preparing a lifter for competition should have attended at least one referee's clinic in the previous year, or be a current National Level Referee.

Exercise Programs

Exercise programs should be designed by an experienced coach after reviewing the capabilities and goals of the lifter. Too many novice lifters use a program borrowed from someone else, or otherwise acquired. The program may or may not benefit the lifter, and all too often may end up doing damage. It is very simple for an experienced coach to write a one-size-fits-all program for beginning lifters. However, all too often in the absence of a coach, the lifts may be performed poorly, and even worse the lifter begins to pick and choose the weights and exercises according to arbitrary biases. Using this formula, an injured lifter and poor progress is the inevitable result.
Exercise programs should be developed by a properly certified Olympic Weightlifting coach, and performed under his or her supervision to the extent necessary to assure that the lifter make progress, and is not headed for avoidable injury.

Proper Lifting Equipment

All exercises should be performed using an IWF certified barbell and plates. Bumper plates are a must. If available, women should use a 15-kilogram Women's bar. The standard bar's diameter is 24 mm at the grip, and the women's bar is 22mm at the grip. Thicker diameter bars commonly found in many gyms should not be used.

Warming Up

Warm-ups should always be performed for a minimum of 10 minutes before beginning. Warm-ups should prepare the muscles to be used in the first exercises. A warm-up exercise should be a repetitious movement modeling the motion to be performed in the beginning exercises. Calisthenics type movements are recommended. Stretching exercises (a non-repeating movement meant only to stretch the range-of-motion) are not recommended, and are not really beneficial to the lifter, or other athlete for that matter. Any range-of-movement increase from stretching exercises is short-lived and thus not useful for the athlete. The purpose of warming up is to increase blood flow through the muscles to be used, and simple stretching movements are generally ineffective for that purpose. It is important to use warm-up exercises that work the joints through their full range of motion in a fairly vigorous manner to prepare the body for the increased resistance presented by the exercise regimen.

Warm-ups and other exercises that are on the "to be avoided" list below, are there because their benefit is outweighed by their potential for harm. Be cautious in warm-ups for movements of this type too. Movements that twist the spine, side bends, high-impact jumping movements and movements attempting to extend the range-of-motion should be avoided due to the damage they can cause to tendons, ligaments, and spine while adding no benefit to the athlete. It may 'feel good' but it probably isn't.

Don't Use Weightlifting Machines

A note about machines in is order. Don't use them unless recovering from an injury, and then only under the supervision of an informed physician or athletic trainer. Machines are really only beneficial to the athlete in recovering from injury. Machines focus movements in a very small area compared to more natural movements performed with free weights. This concentration will benefit the recovery of a damaged area if used correctly, but causes uneven growth in the healthy athlete. Movements performed with free-weights provide the benefit to secondary muscles and structures that cannot be attained on a machine. Machines also rob the athlete of balance and agility development. It is sometimes assumed that weight machines provide a measure of safety absent in free-weights, but this is offset by proper coaching, and the tendency to inflame tendons and ligaments from unnatural movements and weight overloading found on all machines.

The Weightlifting Area

All the exercises should be performed on a platform, free of obstructions and peripheral safety hazards. A clear area of 100 square feet should be adequate. A competition platform provides an area of 16 square meters (about 150 square feet). In addition to the platform area, some exercises require a power rack, or at least a set of support racks. A power rack is a set of two parallel uprights, secured to an adjoining wall. Pins or hooks are inserted at various levels of the uprights to support the barbell for the lifter. The power rack provides a safe environment for the lifter to perform some heavy assistance exercises safely.
Lifters often fall, or lose balance while training. Even highly experienced lifters fall from time to time, and usually backwards. It is highly recommended that the lifting area be clear of all hazards that may be encountered should a lifter lose his or her footing.
It is also worth noting that the timing and technique required by Olympic lifting is compromised by loud music in the lifting environment. Each lifter must develop timing and rhythm from inside him or herself.

The platform should be solid, and based on a reinforced concrete floor. The actual lifting surface should be several layers of well-secured plywood covered in a non-slip surface, or varnished wood.
Industrial-grade, non-cushioned semi-hard rubber surfaces such as conveyer belt material are quite good. A product called Sport-tred is ideally suited to the task. It is a very dense, closed cell rubber material about 3/16 " thick. It is common to provide a 'landing' area of cushioned rubber for the plates on th e platform. This should be avoided. Modern bumper plates actually last longer when landing on a hard surface than on a soft one. The main cause of bumper plate failure is due to landing on an angle where the stress is placed on the center of the plate, rather like rolling a tire off a rim. If the lifter is trained to replace the barbell in a controlled manner, a hard surface is safer for the lifter and the bar as the resulting bounce is more controlled, and absorbed by the plates. A bar dropped on a soft surface is also more likely to bounce back at the lifter in an unsafe manner.

Weightlifting Attire

For all exercises, proper attire should be worn. The lifter should have proper Weightlifting shoes or boots with a solid sole, and heel. Exercise pants covering the entire leg in a close fitting manner should be worn. A T-shirt should be worn that covers the shoulders and clavicles completely while not being so loose as to catch on the bar as it ascends the torso. Any loose clothing will impede to bar as it ascends, as proper technique requires minimal distance between the bar and lifter. Each lifter should have a pair of sturdy lifting straps for pulling exercises, and athletic tape for callous coverage. Optionally a lifter may desire various wraps for the knees and wrists. Consult the current IWF rulebook concerning the legality of any wraps or coverings. A belt may also be worn for any of the exercises at the lifter's discretion. Again consult the IWF rulebook for dimensional legality of any belt. Gloves of any kind should not be used, even though legal. Powerlifting suits and shirts (Super-suits, etc.) should not be used.

Snatch, or Squat Snatch (S)

• Wide grip, both palms downward. As a starting point, the width of the grip should be about 2/3rds of the athlete's height.
• Pull from floor, to full extension and receive the bar in a full squat position, arms fully extended. Stand to recover.
• Do not use straps. Use hook grip.

Power Snatch (PS)

• Wide grip.
• Pull from floor, to full extension and receive the bar with the hips higher than parallel to the floor, arms fully extended. Stand to recover.
• Do not use straps. Use hook grip.

Overhead Squat (OHS)

• Bar is placed on racks at shoulder height.
• Place bar behind the neck, and grip with snatch grip, step back from the racks.
• Jerk or press the bar to overhead position, set toes to 45 degrees, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
• Squat fully with arms fully extended, and recover to standing position.
• At end of movement lower the bar gently to back of neck/shoulders, and then to racks.

Drop Snatch (DS)

• Bar is placed on racks at shoulder height.
• Place bar behind the neck, and grip with snatch grip, step back from racks.
• Maintain the bar at shoulder height, while quickly dropping to a full squat position, arms fully extended.
• Recover by standing.
• At end of movement, lower the bar gently to back of neck/shoulders, and then replace in racks.

Squat Press (SP)

• Bar is placed on racks at shoulder height.
• Place bar behind the neck, and grip with snatch grip, step back from racks.
• Squat to a full squat position, toes to 45 degrees, feet slightly wider than shoulder width.
• From the full-squat position, press the barbell to overhead arms fully extended.
• Recover by standing.
• At the end of movement, lower the bar gently to back of neck/shoulders, and then replace in racks.

Snatch High Pull (SHP)

• Wide grip, use straps.
• Shoulder width or narrower stance.
• Pull from floor to mid-torso height, while extending to tip-toe. Fully extended, the bar should reach only the height of the sternum.
• Do not dip under the bar at full extension.
• Bar should brush top part of thigh, and remain close to torso.
• The bar should accelerate as it is raised, without stopping or bouncing on the thighs.
• The elbows should not bend until the traps (trapezius muscles) are fully contracted, or shrugged.

Snatch Deadlift and Shrug (SDL)

• Same as SHP, except the bar stops when the traps are fully contracted.
• Bar should travel to about navel-height.

From the Hang (/H)

• The exercise is begun after placing the barbell at height of the upper thigh.
• Hook grip is used, unless it is only a pulling exercise, where straps will be used.
• The bar is taken from the floor to the thigh position only on the first repetition of the exercise. Thereafter, the bar is only returned to the upper thigh starting position for each repetition of the set.

From the Blocks (/B)

• Same as from the Hang position, except that a pair of blocks is placed under the bumper plates to position the bar at the proper starting height.
• The blocks should not be lower than the tops of the knees, or higher than the crotch.

Clean & Jerk, or Squat Clean & Jerk (C+J)

• Narrow grip, both palms facing downward. The inside dimension of the grip should be 2-3 inches wider than the outside dimension of the athlete's deltoids.
• Using the hook grip, pull from the floor to full upright extension.
• As the bar uses momentum to continue up, the lifter rotates the elbows around the bar, while squatting under the barbell. The barbell is received at the shoulders, palms up and elbows pointing ahead, in a full squatting position.
• The Clean portion is completed when the lifter stands erect from the squat.
• After a short pause, the feet are re-adjusted to shoulder width in preparation for the Jerk.
• The lifter dips very slightly at the knees only, and violently reverses direction upward to drive the barbell overhead.
• At the fullest extension of the Jerk-drive, the lifter reverses direction and the feet are split, one forward and one back. The lifter thus wedges himself between the bar and the platform, with arms fully extended and feet split fore and aft.
• The forward foot placement should create a 90 to 95 degree angle between the center of the thigh to the platform's surface.
• For the rear foot, only the portion forward of the instep (forward ball-of-the-foot and toes) should be in contact with the platform at the end of the Jerk split.
• Recover from the Jerk by stepping back once or twice with the front foot, and then the rear foot is brought forward to a normal standing position.
• No pressing motion is permitted in the Jerk.

Clean, or Squat Clean (C)

• Same as the Clean & Jerk, but no Jerk is made.
• Recovery is complete when the lifter is standing erect from the squat.

Power Clean & Jerk (PC+J)

• Narrow grip, both palms facing downward. The inside dimension of the grip should be 2-3 inches wider than the outside dimension of the athlete's deltoids.
• Using the hook grip, pull from the floor to full upright extension.
• As the bar uses momentum to continue up, the lifter rotates the elbows around the bar, while squatting slightly under the barbell. The barbell is received at the shoulders, palms up and elbows pointing ahead, in a semi-squatting position. The hips must be higher than parallel to the platform's surface at the point where the barbell is caught.
• The Clean portion is completed when the lifter stands erect from the squat.
• The remainder of the lift is just as in the Clean & Jerk.

Power Clean (PC)

• Same as the PC+J except that the lift is complete when the lifter stands after the Clean.
• Care should be taken to assure complete rotation of the elbows around the bar. The lifter should avoid catching the bar low on the chest, and rolling the bar to the shoulders at the end of the Clean. Not only is it illegal, but can cause wrist injury.
• Any Clean caught with the hips at an oblique angle to the platform is sufficient for a Power Clean.

Clean High Pull (CHP)

• Same as the SHP, except with a narrow grip and the top of the pull should be below the sternum, and above the navel.

Clean Deadlift & Shrug (CDL/S)

• Same as CHP, except that the pull ends when the traps are fully contracted and the arms are unbent.
• The top of a CDL/S will have the barbell near navel height.

From the Hang (/H)

• Same as for the Snatch movements from the Hang.

From the Blocks (/B)

• Same as for the Snatch movements from blocks. Note that to achieve similar height with a Clean grip, the blocks will need to be slightly lower than for the Snatch movements.

Jerk from the racks (J)

• Narrow, Clean grip. No hook grip.
• Bar is placed on the support racks at shoulder height.
• Lifter removes the bar from the racks, supporting the weight on the deltoids, clavicles, and hands with palms up and elbows forward. The majority of the weight must rest on the shoulders and not on the arms.
• Lifter takes a step or two back from the rack, places feet about shoulder width apart and executes a Jerk as in the C+J lift. Recovery is as in the C+J.

Push Jerk (PJ)

• Preparation is as in the J.
• After driving the bar fully upward, the lifter then bends at the knees, and splits the feet slightly outward to drive himself under the bar. The feet are not split forward and aft.
• Recovery is standing erect, and placing the feet back at shoulder width.
• No pressing motion is permitted.

Push Press (PP)

• Preparation is as in the J and PJ.
• After the bar is driven upward, from the dip portion of the Jerk movement, the lifter remains erect, and the knees unbent.
• The lift is completed with a pressing movement.

Front Squat & Jerk (FS&J)

• Preparation is as in the J and PJ.
• After stepping back from the racks, the lifter squats to a full squat position the specified number of repetitions.
• After the last indicated squat, the lifter then executes a Jerk as described (J).
• For example, if the coach writes "FS&J 120 3x3" this means 3 sets of 3 repetitions, and one jerk after the third squat repetition of each set, with 120 kilos.

Jerk Supports (JS)

• The exercise must be performed in an enclosed power rack, with two sets of parallel uprights, capable of supporting 100% of Jerk weight safely over the lifter's head.
• The barbell is supported in the racks at the height of the top of the lifter's head. The lifter should be able to assume the completely split position of the Jerk movement, arms fully extended, with the weight being fully supported by the pins or rods of the rack.
• The lifter assumes the fully split Jerk position under the barbell, inside the rack.
• The lifter then presses up on the bar, supporting 100% of the barbell's weight in the fully split position.
• A Jerk recovery is then performed (front foot back, then rear forward) as described in the Jerk movement.
• The barbell is released to drop on the rack's pins/rods for the next repetition.
• The exercise should be completed without the bar hitting either forward or rear uprights, as the lifter maintains complete control over the bar.

Back Squat (BS)

• The barbell is placed on racks at about shoulder height.
• The lifter may grip the bar at any comfortable width, palms downward.
• The lifter gets under the bar so that the it rests on the contracted traps, high on the back.
• No towel, or other padding should be used between the bar and the lifter.
• The lifter steps back out of the racks, and places the feet at slightly wider than shoulder-width.
• The feet should be pointed at about 45 degrees, and the knees bent in the same direction during the squat movement..
• A deep breath is taken at the start of the repetition, to support the torso with air-filled lungs.
• The lifter then squats completely to the full range of motion, while maintaining a straight spine, in an erect posture.
• The squat should be slow and deliberate, with no bounce at the bottom of the range of motion.
• As the lifter ascends with the bar, air may be exhaled in preparation for the next repetition.
• The lifter's feet must remain flat and in contact with the platform at all times.
• No hesitation, partial squat, or squat to a bench should ever be performed.
• Two spotters on either side of the bar must be used for heavy weights.
• No bouncing or jerking motion should occur in any phase of the lift.
• An inexperienced lifter may utilize a 1-2" thick board under the heels for a few weeks, until proper form can be obtained. Proper form will be derived when hip and general leg strength is increased.

Front Squat (FS)

• Preparation is as in the J.
• The lifter squats to the full range of motion, in a smooth and controlled manner without bouncing.
• The elbows should be pointed directly ahead and the upper arm should be parallel to the floor at all times.
• The back must be straight and erect at all times, and the feet always flat on the floor in full contact with the platform.
• Lifters with small, undeveloped legs may find that at the bottom of the range of motion, the elbows touch the knees.
• An inexperienced lifter may use a 1-2" thick board as described in the BS lift for a short time period.

Press Behind the Neck (PBN)

• The lift may be performed seated, or standing.
• Width of grip is at the discretion of the coach.
• The beginning position is with arms fully extended when using a seated press, and behind the neck when standing.
• The press to fully extended arms is performed without leg or torso exertion.
• The bottom of each repetition should be at the crown of the head, or about ear-height.

Deadlift - lifting heavy weights from the floor to standing, especially with a curved back, and locked knees.

Good Morning - barbell supported on the back of the neck/shoulders, and the lifter bending forward at the waist to an almost 90 degree position.

Side bends - Standing erect with or without weight in either hand, and bending to each side.

Any machine exercise - no machines, unless for very specific injury recovery.

Military press - standing erect, or seated, bar driven overhead using a pressing movement only from a resting position either on the hands, or deltoids/clavicles.

All warm-up exercises are performed with a stick or bar of sufficient length to permit a snatch grip, weighing less than 5 kilograms.

Standing press - see military press. With no weight, this is a good warm-up. Ideally it can be done from a starting position both behind and in front.

Shrug - See SDL+S, CDL+S. Do only the shrug portion to warm up the trapezius muscles.

Toe Touches - Bend the knees slightly and warm up the erectors and legs using no weight.

Dislocates - using a wider than normal snatch grip, rotate the stick behind the back and back over to the front of the torso to warm up the shoulder joints.

Overhead Squats - see OHS. Done without weight, it's a good warm-up for the S.

Snatch - See S, good as the last warm-up exercise.

Snatch pull - precede the snatch in the warm-up routine.

Duck Walk - squat down fully, without a stick, and roll gently side-to-side, completely flat footed, as you take small steps forward.