Weightlifting Explained: What Makes a Good Lift?
When watching a weightlifting competition, it can seem overly difficult at times to determine what is and isn’t a good lift. These days, things get even more complicated due to the over-interjection of the jury. However, the rules of weightlifting are actually pretty easy to understand — even if they aren’t always evenly applied. Let’s take a look at the most common rules that a spectator of weightlifting should know to help them understand what the referees are looking for when judging a lift.
Before the lifter even starts lifting, the referees — or more specifically the Marshall, the official standing by the platform — are checking to make sure the lifter doesn’t have any foreign substance on their body besides chalk residue. This was more common in the old days when singlets were cut high on the thighs and lifters would rub baby powder or Vaseline on their legs to help the barbell brush the thighs without friction.
The Marshall is also checking the athlete’s equipment, making sure they’re wearing a legal 4” belt and that their wraps are not excessive. There used to be a rule where the bottom of the singlet couldn’t touch the knee sleeves, nor could you have two sets of wraps on a single joint. Thanks to the newer rule allowing tights to be worn underneath the singlet, most of those rules have basically been nullified.
Once the lifter has been called to the platform, they have one minute to begin lifting the barbell — or two minutes if they are following themselves. What does it mean to begin lifting the barbell? The countdown clock only stops once the barbell passes the lifter’s knees. At that point, the lift is considered attempted and the time stops while the lifter finishes the lift. If a lifter picks up the barbell and it doesn’t pass the knees, they may try again as long as the timer has not reached zero. Also, before or after the lift, the lifter cannot touch their foot to the barbell. That’s an automatic no-lift. Once the lift has begun the lifter cannot stop the lift and restart again. This commonly occurs when a lifter tries to lift the barbell from the “hang” position, they lift it, stop above the knee, then drop down and explode upward quickly. Basically, once the bar begins moving upward it cannot move downward at all during the pull phase.
Once the lift has begun, the referees are looking for a few universal infractions that apply to both lifts, along with certain infractions that only apply to the individual lifts.
The first is the butt touch. When the lifter catches the lift in the deep squat position in either lift, no part of the lifter other than the feet can touch the platform — most commonly the butt. If it does, it’s an automatic no-lift. Its cousin is the elbow touch, which commonly occurs in the clean. The lifter’s elbows cannot touch their knees while squatting under the barbell. Again, that constitutes an immediate no-lift. Also, in this same vein, is the so-called dirty clean. A dirty clean occurs when a lifter catches the bar low on the shoulders and then shoves the barbell up the chest to better position it on the shoulders. Essentially the barbell has to stay where it lands on the shoulders as the lifter stands, otherwise it’s a no-lift.
The most controversial rule — and the one with the most questionable level of enforcement — is the press-out rule. The intention of this rule is to prevent lifters from catching the bar on bent arms and then pressing it out straight while standing up. This rule used to be easy to understand and observe. However, in the last few years it has become an abomination, with referees calling no-lifts on every little flicker of the elbow. That was never the original intention of the rule.
Further, movement in the shoulders is allowed and is not considered a press-out. But again, due to the absurd enforcement of the rule, even shoulder movement is now sometimes called a press-out — which is also incorrect.
After a lifter stands up from the clean, they are supposed to come to a complete stop before beginning the jerk. You are not supposed to stand up from the clean and immediately move into the jerk movement. That’s why it’s called the clean and jerk, not the cleanjerk.
Also, after coming to a complete stop, the lifter is not supposed to purposely add oscillation, or movement, to the barbell before beginning the jerk. Oscillation can add momentum and whip to the bar, making the jerk easier to perform.
Lastly, in both lifts, if the lifter wants to receive the down signal from the referees, they must become motionless with both feet in line before the signal is given. The down signal is triggered either when the center referee gives the verbal “down” command — usually at local meets where electronic systems are not used — or when two of the three referees enter their decision electronically. If a lifter drops the barbell before receiving the down signal or command it is an automatic no-lift.
Once the lifter receives the down signal, they must return the barbell to the platform in front of them. If they drop it behind them, it is an automatic no-lift even if the referees initially called it good. Also, the barbell must actually be returned to the platform. What that means is both sides of the barbell must make contact with the platform first. Once they hit, the barbell can roll away and the lift is still considered good. In addition to the barbell staying on the platform, the lifter cannot step off the platform, otherwise a no-lift is given. When returning the barbell to the platform the lifter needs to maintain their hands on the barbell until the barbell passes the height of the shoulders. Any early release is considered a no-lift.
The last thing that can overturn a good — or bad — lift is the jury. Typically at international-level meets, and sometimes at national-level meets, a three- or five-member jury sits behind the referees ready to handle challenges to referee decisions if a challenge card is played… or sometimes just to interject because they feel like it.
In the past, the jury had a much more limited role, but over time — for reasons unknown to many — that role became far more intrusive. It adds confusion to decisions at times and usually isn’t done in favor of the lifter. In my opinion, the jury should only be allowed to interject if:
A challenge card is played, or
The referee decision is 2-to-1.
Other than that, they should have no role in the competition. Hopefully someday that changes.
Despite the sometimes confusing enforcement of the rules, weightlifting is still a very straightforward sport. Get the barbell from the ground to overhead — either in one movement or two — while adhering to a relatively small set of rules, and everything is good.