Olympic weightlifting looks like magic: a barbell goes from the floor to overhead in about a second, and the lifter somehow ends up underneath it. It's a real sport with real technique, and a beginner can start learning it without being a gymnast. This Olympic weightlifting Toronto beginner guide covers the two lifts, the strength you need first and how to find the right place to learn.
One honest note before we start: Olympic lifting is a skill sport that's best learned from a coach who specializes in it. We'll tell you what to build before you get there and where to look.
The two lifts
Olympic weightlifting, as a sport, has just two events:
- The snatch. The bar goes from the floor to overhead in one continuous movement. You pull it up, drop under it and stand with it locked out overhead.
- The clean and jerk. Two movements. First you clean: pull the bar from the floor to your shoulders and catch it in a front squat. Then you jerk: dip, drive and push the bar overhead, usually splitting your legs to catch it.
Both lifts reward speed, timing and mobility as much as strength. That's what makes them fun and a bit humbling.
The video above, from Catalyst Athletics, is a quick one-minute look at how a snatch is put together. Watch it a few times, then forget about trying it alone with a heavy bar.
What to build before you start
You don't have to be strong to begin, but a few foundations make learning far easier. Here's what to work on:
- A solid squat. Goblet squats and front squats teach you to stay upright with weight in front of you, which is exactly what the clean catch needs.
- A hip hinge. Deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts. The pull from the floor is the start of both lifts.
- Overhead strength and stability. Presses, push presses, and holding a weight overhead without your ribs flaring.
- Mobility. Ankles, hips, thoracic spine and shoulders. Overhead squats are unforgiving if you're stiff.
- Upper back and core. Rows, carries and planks.
Expect this prep to take a couple of months, and don't rush it. The people who progress fastest in the lifts are usually the ones who spent time getting solid at the basics first.
That's a normal strength programme, which is good news: you're not starting from scratch, you're just aiming it at a target. At Stay Gold, Gold Standard (our strength and conditioning class) is a good place to build general strength, and Liquid Gold (mobility) is a good place to work on the ankle, hip and shoulder range that overhead lifting loves. You can see the full class lineup here.
Olympic weightlifting Toronto: how to find a club
Weightlifting Canada's new-to-weightlifting page says Olympic weightlifting has representation in nearly every province and points newcomers to a club locator. That's the place to start if you want to learn the lifts properly or compete. A dedicated club will have coaches who teach the snatch and the clean and jerk every day, platforms built for the bar being dropped and a community of people who care about it.
When you visit a club, ask:
- Do you take complete beginners?
- Is there coaching in every session, or is it open practice?
- How do you teach the lifts? A good answer involves progressions, not "just try it."
- What's the vibe? Competition-focused, recreational or both?
Can I just learn it from videos?
You can learn the theory from videos. You can't learn the feel, and the feel is most of it. Bad habits in the snatch, like jumping the bar forward or pulling early with the arms, are hard to spot on your own. Use videos to understand the shape, then get a coach to correct your version of it. If you have shoulder, wrist or back issues, or any health concern, talk to your doctor before you start loading a barbell overhead.
A beginner-friendly week while you get ready
- Day 1: front squat, Romanian deadlift, push press, row, plank.
- Day 2: mobility session focused on ankles, hips and shoulders. Add a few overhead squats with a light stick or PVC pipe.
- Day 3: deadlift, overhead press, split squat, carries.
Light technique work with an empty bar, under a coach's eye, can slot into any of those days. If you'd like a plan that builds the base and aims it at the lifts, personal training is a good way to get one, and the beginners page shows what a first visit looks like.
Quick answers
What are the two Olympic weightlifting lifts?
The snatch, which takes the bar from the floor to overhead in one motion, and the clean and jerk, which takes it to the shoulders first and then overhead.
Can a beginner start Olympic weightlifting?
Yes. Start with light weights, learn the positions and work with a coach. Strength and mobility foundations make it much easier.
How do I find a weightlifting club in Toronto?
Use the club locator linked from Weightlifting Canada's new-to-weightlifting page, then visit and ask about beginner coaching.
What should I do to prepare?
Build a solid squat, hinge and overhead press, and work on ankle, hip and shoulder mobility. A general strength programme is a good start.
Build the strength base
Coached strength classes for beginners. Free tour or pass.