ANALYSIS OF THE PERCENTAGE RATIO BETWEEN THE WEIGHT LIFTED IN THE SNATCH AND IN THE CLEAN AND JERK BY INTERNATIONAL ELITE WEIGHTLIFTERS

Olympic weightlifting consists of two lifts, known as the snatch and the clean and jerk. The aim of the present study was to help improve athletic performance by providing information on the optimum ratio between these two lifts. A descriptive, non-experimental method was employed to analyse the percentage ratio between kilograms lifted in the snatch and in the clean and jerk, in 2,994 male (n=1598) and female (n=1396) weightlifters in the senior categories classified among the top 10 in their weight class in the World Championships and Olympic Games between 1998 and 2018. Our results show that this ratio is around 80% and 82% for male and female weightlifters, respectively, with significant differences (p < .05) between weight classes but not between medallists in each category. Knowledge of the ratio between the snatch and the clean and jerk will provide coaches with clearer guidance for planning weightlifter training.