Most of the power required for weightlifting comes from the back, rather than the arms and legs, and lifters can support as much as three times their own body weight.
In the clean and jerk, athletes lift the weights from the floor to their shoulders, and then over their heads.
The snatch is the more difficult discipline, because the bar must be lifted from the floor and over the lifter's head in one motion.
The legs may be bent or split when lifting the bar, but they must come together to ensure the lift is declared valid.
In the clean and jerk, which requires a more narrow grip, the lifter pulls the bar to the shoulders in one movement, drops into a squat, and then stands straight up.
The next part of the lift involves jerking the bar above the head. Athletes split their legs front to back to achieve this.
Once the arms are locked and the bar is steady, the lifter brings the feet back together to ensure the lift is declared good.