Today, strength sports are more popular than ever. Take time to browse social media, and you will likely see some sort of strength sports-related content. It makes sense, considering that for centuries, humankind has been interested in extreme feats of strength and finding out who among us is the strongest. 

Historically, strength sports have included three subgenres of barbell training: Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and strongman. Powerlifting and weightlifting are similar, considering both sports use standard barbell movements to test absolute strength and explosive power in pursuing a total. The sport of strongman tests absolute strength, explosive power, and work capacity while using different static and medley-type events to establish an overall score.

No matter which training style an individual chooses, athletes will improve their absolute strength, explosive power, speed, work capacity, and physical composition.

In this article, we will primarily focus on the two strength sports with the most in common—powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting. While these sports share similarities, there are some distinct differences. Below, we will discuss the basics of each sport, providing insight to help the next generation of strength athletes determine which sport is right for them. 

An Introduction to Powerlifting and Weightlifting

Powerlifting and weightlifting focus on determining the strongest athlete using basic barbell exercises. Both sports require athletes to successfully perform barbell lifts to a standard, with the goal of lifting the heaviest weights possible to achieve a winning total. In strength sports, a total refers to the sum of the heaviest successfully completed competition lifts. 

However, these sports also have distinct differences. The most significant difference between weightlifting and powerlifting is that weightlifting is featured at the Olympic level, while powerlifting is not. Due to being featured in the Olympics, weightlifting is the more popular strength sport discipline throughout the world. With this level of recognition and popularity, many weightlifting clubs and leagues exist throughout the world. 

While powerlifting has not been recognized at the Olympic level, this does not mean that the sport has failed to gain recognition. Over the years, many different pro-level powerlifting leagues have formed to provide the best powerlifters in the world with the opportunity to compete at world-class events for cash prizes and championships. 

Another difference is the types of barbell lifts used during competition. In weightlifting, athletes utilize the snatch and the clean and jerk. These lifts require an athlete to possess high levels of absolute strength and explosive power, and they also have a major technical execution component. 

The sport of powerlifting uses the squat, bench press, and deadlift to determine an athlete's total. While these lifts also require absolute strength and explosive power, their execution focuses more on brute strength than technical perfection. That might upset some powerlifting movement gurus, but Olympic weightlifting is much more dependent on technical execution than powerlifting will ever be. 

Over the years, both strength sports have significantly contributed to barbell training philosophy and methodology. Today, if you look at many of the best training methods for athletes, you will see many movements and approaches either taken directly from or influenced by the sports of weightlifting and powerlifting. These two strength training disciplines have undoubtedly heavily influenced modern strength and performance-based training. 

The Powerlifting Competition Lifts

During powerlifting competition, the squat, bench press, and deadlift determine the strongest athlete. These lifts are judged by federation-sanctioned judges and must be performed to a standard defined by the rulebook provided by the federation. However, the rules that determine a legal squat, bench press, or deadlift are practically the same from federation to federation. 

When performing the squat, athletes must squat the barbell to a level that places the hip crease just slightly below the top of the knee. Athletes must squat just below 90 degrees, or the lift can be red-lighted for depth. In competition, the squat is the first event executed, and it is a lift that helps many athletes add substantial poundage to their totals. 

Not only can athletes fail a squat due to depth, but no up-and-down barbell movement is allowed. This means that as an athlete begins ascending in the squat, there can be no descent whatsoever until the barbell is locked out. This rule applies not only to the squat but also to the bench press and deadlift. 

The bench press is the next lift performed after the squat. With the bench press, the focus is placed on the pause at the chest. To perform a competition-legal bench press, athletes must lower the barbell to the chest, pause, and wait for a press call from the head judge. The pause length can differ from judge to judge, so it is best to practice extended pauses when training the bench press. 

Failure to properly pause the barbell on the chest, illegal up-and-down motion, or jumping the judge's press call will result in a failed lift. There are also rules regarding how an athlete places their feet when pressing. Some powerlifting federations require athletes to bench with their feet flat on the floor, while other federations allow athletes to choose the most optimal foot positioning. 

Once the squat and bench press have been completed, it is time to deadlift. The deadlift is the most brute strength-focused lift of the three and is performed when the athlete is most fatigued during the competition.

To perform a competition-legal deadlift, athletes must lift the barbell off the ground to complete the lockout without any up-and-down motion. They must hold the locked-out position until the head judge signals to put the weight back on the ground. When lowering the weight back to the ground, athletes must do so in a controlled manner. 

Failures in the deadlift typically occur due to a loss of grip, resulting in a dropped barbell. Up-and-down motion is also a common cause of failed deadlift attempts. Less commonly, athletes can miss deadlifts when the lift has been completed but the weight was not appropriately lowered to the ground.

All athletes will receive three attempts to lift the heaviest weight possible for each competition movement during the competition. The best attempts from each lift will be added, and the athlete's total will be determined.  

The Olympic Weightlifting Competition Lifts

Olympic weightlifting focuses on the successful completion of the snatch and the clean and jerk. These lifts must be performed to competition standards, following specific rules and parameters similar to powerlifting. Failure to do so will result in missed attempts or disqualification from competition. 

The first lift performed during Olympic weightlifting competitions is the snatch. The snatch calls for an athlete to lift the barbell from the ground to an overhead position with the arms locked out in one sustained movement. For this lift to succeed, athletes must avoid soft elbows and knees when locking the barbell out overhead, avoid hesitating after the initial movement, and perform the lift without dropping the barbell. 

Once the snatch has been completed, athletes perform the clean and jerk. While the snatch involves one fluid motion from the floor to overhead lockout, the clean and jerk is a lift performed in two parts. 

The first part of the lift is the initial clean, moving the barbell from the floor to the front rack position. Then, the athlete will perform an explosive movement, pushing the barbell overhead to lockout and completing the jerk portion of the lift. Like the snatch, athletes must lift fluidly, avoiding soft elbows and knees when locking out the barbell overhead and performing the movement without hesitation or losing control of the barbell. 

Considering the movement involved in both lifts, some maneuvering around the competition platform space is permitted. However, there are boundary lines to the competition platform, and athletes can be disqualified for completing lifts outside of the determined competition platform space. 

Similar to powerlifting, each athlete will receive three attempts per competition lift. A successful attempt is registered when the athlete performs the lift to standard, locks the barbell out completely, and gets the signal from the judges to lower the barbell to the ground. Once all attempts have been completed, the two best attempts will be added up, determining the athlete's total and competition placing. 

Training Philosophies and Objectives

The training methods and philosophies used for powerlifting and weightlifting share similarities and differences. While the sports are similar in that multiple special strengths must be improved to attain success, there are many differences in the demands each sport imposes on the athlete. 

First, it must be noted that any strength sport requires an athlete to improve their absolute strength, explosive power, speed, and work capacity. Improving these traits will lead to success in all strength sports. However, depending on the strength sport, different levels of emphasis will be placed on specific special strengths. 

In powerlifting, we primarily focus on the highest level of force output possible, meaning the sport is concerned mainly with absolute strength and brute force. With weightlifting, athletes must possess high levels of explosive strength and speed while becoming masters of technique. This is not to say that powerlifters do not need to become technically proficient. Still, there are significant differences between the difficulty of a snatch or clean and jerk compared to a squat or a deadlift. 

Olympic weightlifting mastery often requires athletes to begin practicing and competing at the youth level. Considering the difficulty of both movements, it can take years to develop world-class techniques in the snatch, clean, and jerk. Compare that to powerlifting, where many of the best lifters in the world didn't begin practicing or competing in the sport until high school or later. 

Regarding training style, weightlifting training will typically feature multi-joint exercises, with single-joint exercises being used as needed. Proper powerlifting training features multi-joint exercises and a healthy number of single-joint movements. Powerlifters can get away with a broader exercise selection, unlike weightlifters, who must take time to perform the same movements over and over at different levels of intensity and volume to master the technique. 

Equipment and Gear

The equipment and gear used in both strength sports are reasonably similar. In weightlifting, athletes can wear wrist wraps, knee sleeves or wraps, and belts. These items must be provided by approved companies and meet competition specifications as far as length, width, and how the item is secured (Velcro versus buckles). 

Powerlifting shares similar competition equipment standards, particularly in the raw powerlifting subgenre. However, the sport of powerlifting as a whole features the use of lifting equipment that differs greatly from standard Olympic weightlifting gear and equipment. Geared lifting introduces a wide variety of options for the athlete in terms of supportive equipment. 

Geared lifting will include single—to multi-ply squat suits, bench shirts, and deadlift suits. Additionally, knee and wrist wrap length rules are more relaxed in the geared powerlifting realm. However, similar to Olympic weightlifting, all powerlifting gear must be deemed competition-legal by the federation the athlete is competing in and purchased from an approved manufacturer. 

Both Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting require athletes to compete in competition-approved singlets. However, geared powerlifters will only require the use of a singlet during the bench press. Otherwise, their singlet will be the suit they wear to squat and deadlift. 

The shoes an athlete chooses to wear also play an important role in competition success. In weightlifting, athletes wear heeled shoes, commonly called "weightlifting shoes." Powerlifters will wear a variety of shoes. 

Some powerlifters prefer flat shoes such as the classic Chuck Taylor's, or Vans, which are becoming increasingly popular amongst modern powerlifters. However, many powerlifters prefer to use Olympic weightlifting shoes. Ultimately, the choice depends on personal preference and biomechanics. 

Cross-Training: Can You Do Both?

Historically, there have been athletes who have had success competing in multiple strength-based sports. For instance, Paul Anderson was a prolific weightlifter who also competed in powerlifting and strongman-style events. Similarly, Russian weightlifter Mikhail Koklyaev had success in all three styles of strength sports. 

However, it is important to note that these two examples represent individuals who could be considered genetic outliers. In modern times, athletes begin specializing in competitive sports very early in age, leading to high levels of skill and proficiency as years pass. To compete with this level of progress, most athletes must focus specifically on one discipline or risk being left behind by the competition. 

In the past, many strength athletes competed in multiple strength sports simultaneously. Some even went from competing in strength sports one year to competing in bodybuilding the next. Unfortunately, those days are over for all but the most genetically gifted athletes in the world. 

Can you train and compete in Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting? Certainly. Will you reach the top of these sports simultaneously? Most likely not. The best modern athletes spend years building strength and refining technique. To compete with this level of development, most athletes must follow similar paths. 

Making a Choice: Which One is Right for You?

Ultimately, choosing to compete in powerlifting or Olympic weightlifting will come down to age, training experience, and genetic predisposition. Athletes must consider the training timelines it takes to reach high levels of success in each sport and determine their level of ability to ensure time is well-spent. As much as hard work and dedication matter, genetic predisposition and timing play the greatest role.

Suppose you are a younger athlete interested in pursuing a strength sport and have the genetic ability necessary to potentially reach the level of Olympic competition. In that case, weightlifting is likely the right choice for you. These athletes will have plenty of time to build strength and refine technique before reaching ages that limit the likelihood of world-level success. 

Powerlifting is likely the right choice if you are an athlete who used to play a conventional sport or have a natural predisposition to brute strength. Powerlifting movements are relatively easy to learn, and if you're genetically gifted, it won't take much time to improve your strength and compete at a high level.

The most important aspect regarding the choice of strength sport is timing. If you are an athlete looking to dedicate your life to a strength sport early in your sports career, Olympic weightlifting is likely the right choice. If you are a former athlete looking to get back in the gym and want to compete, powerlifting is a viable option. Choose the option that best capitalizes on your situation and allows for the most success. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the primary lifts in Olympic weightlifting?
A: The snatch and clean and jerk.

Q: What are the primary lifts in powerlifting?
A: The squat, bench press, and deadlift. 

Q: Are there world-level competitions in powerlifting?
A: Yes, there are world-level powerlifting competitions for tested and untested athletes. 

Q: Which style of training is more challenging to learn?
A: For most, Olympic weightlifting will take more time to develop skill and technique. 

Q: Is it difficult to transition between the two sports?
A: It would be easier for a weightlifter to powerlift than for a powerlifter to weightlift. The only exception would be if a powerlifter had prior weightlifting experience, which some do. 

Discipline and Dedication

Regardless of the strength sport an athlete chooses, it all comes down to the quality of work the athlete puts in every week. Both weightlifting and powerlifting are demanding sports and require athletes to dedicate their lives to pursuing strength and technical mastery. Without strict discipline and dedication to these sports, athletes can expect to achieve subpar results.

It takes many years to reach the level of mastery in any sporting endeavor. In strength sports, many of the best athletes in the world have spent their entire lives training and refining their skills and abilities, particularly in weightlifting, where youth programs exist nearly worldwide. 

If you aren't dedicating your life to training and improving, you can bet the competition will be. To be the best in the world requires an athlete to walk the higher path and accept nothing less than perfection. The best athletes in the world live their lives based on their competitive goals. This is a sacrifice many are unable or unwilling to make. 

Success in sports often boils down to genetics and work ethic. One you're born with, the other you have to develop. However, both aspects are critical to the success equation. If you want to be the best strength athlete you can be, you must possess strict discipline and an undying dedication to your sport.

Sources:

Simmons, L. (2007). Westside Barbell Book of Methods. Westside Barbell.

Verkhoshansky, Y., & Siff, M. C. (2009). Supertraining. Verkhoshansky.