#GetTechnical // Personalizing the Start Position in Olympic Weightlifting

Posted on Posted in GetTechnical, Olympic Weightlifting, Videos

The start position of the lift is largely based on the athletes proportions, comfort, and other factors. There are some technical milestones that we should strive for to set up “by the book” such as:

  • Weight centered at MID-FOOT
  • Hips slightly above knees
  • Shoulders slightly ahead of, or above, the barbell
  • Eyes facing forward

But, even though these are excellent starting points, we must be flexible with our changes according to the athlete’s proportions — what works for one athlete may not work for another, so the “Copy and Paste” technique of blanket cueing could do some lifters more harm than good!

In this instance with one of our Remote Athletes, his start position looks a bit crowded. The action of spreading his feet a little bit wider will allow him to:

  • Push from a better position off the floor
  • Track the knees out of the way sooner
  • Maintain balance and weight shifting
  • Possibly generate more ground force

Start positions, and other aspects of Weightlifting technique, are largely relative to the athlete on an individual basis. There will always be a trial and error period of finding what works, but it’s important for both the coach AND the athlete to have patience while finding the most optimal technique!