What You Need to Know about Weightlifting as an Olympic Sport 

If you are passionate about the Olympics and are looking for another Olympic sport to get into and watch when the next games roll around, then weightlifting might be right up your alley. Although you do not often hear much about weightlifting as an Olympic sport compared to other more popular sports, such as swimming and running, weightlifting is an exciting sport that has been part of the games for a long time.  

It Has Been Part of the Games for Centuries 

Before you find out anything else about weightlifting and its role in the Olympics, you should know that it was first understood to be an Olympic sport in the modern Olympic games in 1896 as the sport gained popularity and began to become more mainstream, with earlier competitions for the sport alone opening in London. However, this weightlifting competition was far from what we see today, as there were no weight classes, for instance. In fact, although weightlifting returned at future Olympic games, the next Olympics did not feature weightlifting as one of the main sports. However, in 1920, the reins were finally taken, and the sport was given five weight classes and became more recognizable as the Olympic sport that is played today. Weightlifting as a sport has been popular for many centuries, though, with people in Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt practicing it. Some countries are better than others at weightlifting, and countries like Russia, China, and Bulgaria have produced more Olympic medal winners than any other country.  

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You Can Try it at Home  

If you are passionate about the sport that you see on the television, unlike some Olympic sports where you might need certain facilities and expertise to try them yourself, or you may not be able to find classes for the sport in your area, you can try weightlifting and train to be a weightlifter at home. All you need to do is invest in weights such as kettlebells that can allow you to build your strength and muscle and will allow you to feel as if you are a sporting celebrity once your level of performance increases. Then, to do squats and other workouts involving weights and reap the benefits that athletes do, you should invest in a Mirafit kettlebell that can help you to start enjoying the sport yourself.  

Olympic Weightlifting Exercises Are Used All the Time 

Although there are some sports that seem to only be played by professionals and which seem to have no purpose outside their competition, Olympic weightlifting exercises are used all of the time outside of the Olympic stadiums and arenas. In fact, many other athletes and sportspeople, from basketball players to football players, decide to use weightlifting exercises to improve their power and flexibility and to better their performance. It can also reduce their risk of injury. Not only this, but Olympic weightlifting exercises are also sometimes used in school, especially for college-level sports and games, due to their various benefits for sporting performance.  

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It Is Scored in Certain Ways 

The sports personalities that play in the Olympic games cannot simply pick up a weight and claim victory. Instead, there are certain rules about scoring that they have to follow to ensure that they can be successful and reach the top spot. First, the sportsperson must pick up the weight and bring it to their head. Then, they must pick up the weight from the ground, bring it to their chest and then lift it above their heads. Their best scores in each of these categories are then added together to form an overall score which is compared with their competitors. The weights increase in size if the sportsperson manages to lift a weight successfully. However, people are sorted into different weight classes, and if the game is tied, then the person with the lowest body weight will win the match, as it is more difficult for them to lift the weight over their head.  

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There Are Also Women's Weightlifting Categories 

There has been an official weightlifting category for women since 2000. However, there were world championships for weightlifting that included women since 1986. Now, some of the most famous female weightlifters have won Olympic medals, and there are many female weightlifters who have made a name for themselves in the male-dominated sport.  

Weightlifting is a great sport to watch and to get into when the Olympics is next staged, as this is a sport that you can try at home that will be exciting and that can give you many benefits in terms of your overall health and wellbeing. It has helped to make many people famous, and the exercises themselves have been used by many people to improve their fitness and performance.