Types of Weightlifting Style
There are different types of weightlifting styles and today we’re going to analyze each one of them. I mean, there’s powerlifting, Olympic lifting, bodybuilding, and so on – there must be differences, right? Not only that but there are also calisthenics, strongman, crossfit – what do they all mean?
Well, today we will explain the differences between these types of weightlifting styles. The world of lifting is extremely vast, that’s why we can see different people in the same gym who seem to perform completely different exercises, in completely different reps, sets, and so on. That’s why two people could be weightlifting for years, and they achieve completely different results.
- Having this said, in order to maximize your workouts and achieve your goals, you must first understand your goals. When you understand your goals, you can understand which would be a better weightlifting style for you. So, you will easily understand the different types of weightlifting styles here.
Still, you must be warned though – the different types of weightlifting explanations you will find below are just a brief introduction so you can better understand them. When you go deeper into each lifting style, there’s a lot to learn and know. If you’re setting your eyes on a certain type of weightlifting style, you can explore more about it online as there’s a lot more to know about each. So, research in more depth the one that is suitable for your needs. Let’s get started.
Powerlifting
Everyone heard about powerlifting. Still, not everyone knows exactly what powerlifting actually means. Everyone assumes that it involves lifting incredibly heavy weights, and you’re actually right. Still, doing bicep curls with 100 lb dumbbells is lifting incredibly heavy weights, and yet, it doesn’t make you a powerlifter.
Instead, powerlifting as a sport consists of three individual lifts:
- Squat
- Deadlift
- Bench press
Yes, that’s right. As a powerlifter, you only do these three exercises. I mean, these are the exercises that you’d be judged on in an actual powerlifting competition. Athletes complete the above three lifts, aiming for the heaviest weight they can do. Then they will calculate their total, with the heaviest successful attempt at each lift added together. That’s why you may have heard about people entering the “1,000 lb club”. You may not bench, squat, or deadlift 1,000 lb. Yet, you can reach this amount when you add all three. For example, if you bench 200 lbs, squat 400 lbs, and deadlift 450 lbs, then you have a total of 1,050 lbs, so you’re in the 1,000 lb club.
That’s why you should know that actual powerlifting is trying to be as strong as it can possibly be across these three lifts. Of course, they perform various other exercises, but mostly to enhance the performance of these three main ones.
Yet, even if you lift often and are heavy, you are not a powerlifter. A general rule is – a powerlifter is the one that actually competes. So, even if you’re in the 1,000 lb club, you’re still not a powerlifter as long as you do not really compete and prove it to have the “powerlifter” title.
Moreover…
You should also know that the word “power” in the world of fitness usually refers to force times velocity. In the fitness world, it is about speed and explosiveness. Just think about it – throwing, jumping, spriting – it is all about speed and explosiveness. This may confuse you because in powerlifting, the word power is not about speed or explosiveness, it is more about strength than power. It is not about how quickly you can deadlift 800 lbs, it is about doing it. It is all about moving the weight, regardless if it takes 2 seconds to move it, or 20 seconds.
Weightlifting
Weightlifting basically stands for the words “weight” and “lifting” which basically means that you lift some weight. However, if we get technical, the sport of “weightlifting” is what we would refer to as “Olympic weightlifting”. Having this said, training with weights is called weight training – working out with weights, while weightlifting is actually the sport of lifting weights.
Similar to powerlifting, weightlifting as a competitive sport will usually refer to certain types of lifts, and there are two weightlifting types:
- The barbell clean and jerk
- The barbell snatch
I know you may be confused by these words. Let’s analyze them. “Snatch” means that the barbell begins on the ground and ends overhead, in just one fluid motion. “The clean” means that the barbell begins on the ground and ends in the “front rack” – rests in the hands and on the shoulders. Lastly, “the jerk” means that the barbell begins on the shoulder and ends overhead.
There are different variations such as hang, power, and others, but they all focus on the basic principles above. Now, while it can be confusing, Olympic weightlifting is more about power than actual powerlifting. While it involves a lot of strength (obviously), it is about power too. You aim to lift the weight in a quick and explosive manner as it significantly helps perform the movement. That’s why Olympic lifters tend to be incredibly mobile. Moreover, they are extremely technical too! Even the slightest difference in their technique will make a huge difference.
Therefore, Olympic weightlifting is a competitive sport focusing on the actual fact of lifting as much weight as possible. But they try to do it fast as it helps achieve their goal, so it is more about power. Lifters are extremely strong, mobile, and technical!
Crossfit
I guess everyone saw various types of videos or heard different dudes completely dismissing the idea of CrossFit and joking about it. Similar to lifting heavy in the gym being branded as powerlifting (which is wrong unless you actually compete, as explained), high intensity workouts are also often seen as doing CrossFit, which is wrong.
Let’s clear these things. For starters, doing “Crossfit” means that you are working out in a Crossfit affiliate gym (such as in a box). Crossfit is not a style of workout. It is actually a company. In fact, what Crossfit has done is revolutionize a concept and brand it. In my opinion, they have done it very well. Having this said, the next time someone is talking about “not doing Crossfit”, you should remember that there is not a single definition of a Crossfit workout. It is actually pretty much anything.
In terms of definition, CrossFit is a branded fitness program that involves constant and varied functional movements that are done at high intensity. But it is a company that was founded in 2000 and is currently headquartered in Washington D.C. When it comes to functional training, involves elements from several sports and types of exercise. Yet, when you see someone performing half reps “at a high intensity” that is not Crossfit.
Bodybuilding
When you enter the world of bodybuilding, it does not mean that you should get a spray tan and step on the stage. In fact, it is worth mentioning that bodybuilding is not actually a sport or a competition. There is a bodybuilding competition when you do it professionally, spray tan, and step on the stage. But in reality, bodybuilding means… building your body. It is more of a goal than a type of weightlifting style. It means that you look to define your physique by growing lean muscle and burning as much fat as possible, achieving a low body fat percentage and a shredded physique.
But when we’re talking about different types of lifting, the bodybuilding category will most often get muscle group specific workouts. This means that when you are doing bodybuilding, you are trying to build as much muscle as possible in every single muscle group. For example, you could focus your workouts on the tricep muscle, on the chest, and so on.
Similar to any other type of weightlifting style, there’s a lot of confusion about bodybuilding. For example, some may think that bodybuilding focuses on stepping on stage, others may think that bodybuilding is about growing muscle or focusing on strength alone. Having this said, bodybuilding is about all of it. It allows you to lift heavy, growing big muscles. Nonetheless, in the end, the bodybuilder’s goal is all about body composition, not lifting as heavy as possible. It is about growing as much muscle as possible. While burning as much fat as possible. At the end of the day, their physique is all that matters. The definition of your body and how you look is what is rated in an actual bodybuilding competition, not how much you can squat.
So…
Bodybuilding workouts focus on hypertrophy (muscle growth) only. It doesn’t require you to squat a lot, be super strong, or do lots of pull ups or push ups. You only need to grow as much muscle as possible. Usually, it means high rep sets and split days.
Calisthenics
Calisthenics may not be as popular as other types of weightlifting styles, but you may still hear about it every once in a while. Similar to many other types of lifting that we’ve discussed so far, calisthenics often means one thing, but many people often confuse them for another thing. To explain it more easily, calisthenics are bodyweight exercises. This basically means that you are lifting weight without any equipment – you are only using your own body weight. That’s just as straightforward as it sounds.
Nonetheless, unlike your typical “bodyweight workout” that you can do at home, calisthenics has become synonymous with a particular type of bodyweight training where you are using your body for some incredible feats of strength and stamina. That’s why, a simple push up or pull up, or jumping jack is not calisthenics. It does use a “bodyweight” workout, but it is something that almost anyone can do. What we’re talking about when we say “calisthenics” is bodyweight workouts but to the extreme, such as human flags, muscle ups, front levers, handstands, and so on.
Yes, push ups, pull ups, dips, and jumping jacks all can be helpful when it comes to calisthenics, but they are far from what we could call calisthenics if we talk about types of weightlifting styles.
Strongman
Strongman training is fairly similar to powerlifting when it comes to goals – be as strong as it is humanly possible. But there are still huge differences when it comes to powerlifting and strongman. Another similarity is that a strongman is a person who competes in strongman competitions, similar to how a powerlifter is just the one who actually competes in powerlifting competitions. But when it comes to huge differences between the two types of weightlifting styles are the types of events that you will find in Strongman. That’s because powerlifting focuses on three lifts, but the possibilities are endless when talking about strongman competitors. That’s why these are usually inhumanly big humans.
Strongmen are those who are getting ready to lift some really heavy and really… weird stuff. It can get as imaginative as you can think of it. The bigger and crazier the stuff they have to do, the better when it comes to strongman events. Strongman competition is all about feats of strength. That’s really entertaining to watch too! These are some really strong men (and women) who carry heavy things, lift heavy, press heavy, pull heavy, and so on. They usually lift things that you were normally thinking: there’s no way someone can do it. Well, they do.
Deadlift cars? Yes. Lift giant stones? Please. Carry yokes? Oh yes. Pulling… an airplane? Yep, that’s what they do. Training for strongmen is extremely intense and incredibly varied as you always must pull, push, press, squat, throw, and lift things that are both heavy and… strange. It is perhaps the one type of weightlifting style that is actually about its name – be a really strong man.
Summary About Types of Weightlifting Style
So, here’s a quick summary of each type of weightlifting style. Maybe it helps you find what would better suit your goals.
- Powerlifting: being as strong as humanly possible across bench press, back squat, and deadlift
- Olympic lifting: performing the barbell snack as well as clean and jerk as heavy as possible
- Crossfit: workout done in a CrossFit affiliated facility
- Bodybuilding: getting as big muscles as possible with the lowest body fat percentage
- Calisthenics: crazy bodyweight exercises, doing crazy body moves
- Strongman: being as strong as humanly possible for moving in different ways and various stuff
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