PROGRAM OVERVIEW: BARBELL
One of the unique things we have here at PFP is our Olympic Weightlifting Team. Weightlifting is a sport known throughout the world and in the last 10 to 15 years has gained a lot of momentum and attraction in the United States. With over 1 million members in the US, it has truly built itself into something special. Here at PFP, we love to foster weightlifters, new and old. The first step is our barbell assessment, where we meet a new prospective lifter for our team and either view their current technique or teach them for the very first time. Once that process is complete, we enroll them in our Intro Program. Now that may sound like it’s only for beginners, but I assure you it's not. We label it the Intro because it contains all of the essential pieces to help and solidify the core principles of weightlifting: strength, speed, movement consistency, patience, and fun. So let's talk about how it does that.
UNDERSTANDING BAR PATH IN THE CLEAN & SNATCH
The path of the bar in weightlifting is all about moving yourself in accordance with the weight as smoothly and efficiently as possible. When you’re first learning weightlifting, the movements can feel unstable and clunky. The way it is usually taught is in segments to make it easier to understand and process. This process is known to some as the “ top-down” method. Essentially, we are starting from our hip position, where the bar would be just before we extend and move the bar to our overhead position. Every subsequent position down towards the ground, our “start” position for a full lift, adds more complexity and requires us to be more aware of where we and the bar are moving simultaneously. In order to make it easier to understand, we will talk about the path from the floor to overhead to make the sequence one seamless progression to picture the overall lift.
SNATCH FOUNDATIONS: BEGINNER MISTAKES & FIXES
Weightlifting is a sport of grace and explosiveness. While those two descriptions may seem odd to master together, they are essential for the two main lifts in weightlifting. The snatch and clean and jerk are the epitome of those two terms, although we are just going to focus on the snatch for today. Let's discuss some common issues and how to fix them.
WHY IS SPRING A GOOD TIME TO START WEIGHTLIFTING
Your new fitness journey has come to a point where you want a new focus. The New Year's fitness goal was to get strong, be more active, and feel better, but you want a little bit more of a challenge. Weightlifting can be a great addition for you. Weightlifting is a barbell sport that comprises the two lifts, the snatch and the clean and jerk. While learning these lifts you will also train the squat, deadlift, presses, rows, and other strength exercises. What makes weightlifting so challenging but so fun?
TIPS TO GET STARTED WITH WEIGHTLIFTING
Here are some of Isaac’s best tips when it comes to getting into weightlifting. If you’ve tried before, but something was off, now may be the right time to try again!
UPDATES AT PFP
Hey everyone – happy 2025! Here are all of our gym updates condensed into one place for the new year.
PFP BARBELL METHOD: WHAT IS IT? WHO IS IT FOR?
Something new we are introducing at PFP in 2025 will be our PFP Barbell Method class. For current members, this may sound familiar, like PFP Method, our group fitness class we hold throughout the week at PFP. It is similar in terms of the length of the class and has a structure that should feel very recognizable.
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING IS FOR EVERYONE: Why You Should Give it a Try
There is a common misconception that Olympic-style weightlifting is reserved for more advanced athletes. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. Weightlifting is a sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and levels of abilities.
MAXIMAL ATTEMPTS: MENTAL & PHYSICAL APPROACH
You have finally reached the point in your program where you’ll be taking maximal attempts. Whether these are snatches and clean and jerks or bench presses, squats, and deadlifts, they will no doubt challenge what you have worked for up until this point. Maximal attempts are just that, they call for us to exert both our reserve of strength as well as require the highest level of technique and precision that we can muster at that moment. Not only are our physical capabilities challenged but our mental capacity to focus and overcome what is in front of us. It is, without a doubt, extremely difficult but you are more than capable of doing so.
TEEN WEIGHTLIFTING AT PFP BARBELL
The Teen Weightlifting Program at PFP Barbell is designed to introduce teens to barbell exercises and movement in a safe, positive, and supportive environment.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN STARTING WEIGHTLIFTING
It all starts with a barbell assessment with one of our USAW-certified coaches! During this one-hour session, a coach will go over the basics of both the snatch and clean and jerk. No experience is required - just make sure to bring comfortable clothes! You can sign up for a barbell session directly from our website.