Olympic Lifting at P.I.T.
Technique First.
Power Follows.
Olympic lifting is technical, fast, and unforgiving of shortcuts. The goal is not simply to move a heavy bar. It is to build the positions, timing, mobility, speed, strength, and control that make the lift work.
The Lifts
Speed, Position
and Strength.
Olympic weightlifting centers on the snatch and the clean & jerk. Coaching around those lifts also uses progressions, pulls, squats, positional work, and other strength exercises to improve the pieces that make the full movement possible.
01
SnatchMove the bar from the floor to overhead in one continuous movement with speed, timing, and control.
02
CleanMove the bar from the floor into the front-rack position efficiently while maintaining position under load.
03
JerkDrive the bar from the shoulders to a stable overhead position using coordinated leg drive, timing, and footwork.
Positions Before Pounds
Build the Lift
From the Ground Up.
Adding weight only works when the positions can support it. Olympic lifting coaching should make the movement clearer before it makes it heavier.
01
Mobility + Start Position
Create enough usable range of motion and control to begin from a strong position.
02
Pulling Positions
Learn where the bar and body should be through the pull instead of rushing past the important pieces.
03
Timing + Speed
Build the ability to produce force quickly and move into the receiving position with purpose.
04
Load + Refinement
Add weight as technique allows, then keep refining the movement instead of letting load dictate the lift.
What the Work Can Include
More Than
One Barbell Lift.
A useful Olympic lifting program develops the qualities underneath the competition lifts. That may include strength work, positional drills, mobility, pulls, squats, overhead stability, and technical repetitions based on what the lifter needs.
Position
Own the Setup.
Good lifting starts with repeatable positions and a bar path the athlete can control.
Strength
Build the Base.
Squats, pulls, presses, and supporting strength work create the capacity needed to express power.
Coaching
Adjust in Real Time.
Technique is learned through feedback. The goal is to identify what actually needs to change instead of adding random cues.
Coached by Tom Lavella
Why Olympic Lifting
Stuck With Tom.
USAW Level 2 Coach
Tom’s path into Olympic weightlifting grew out of his own athletic history. Years of motocross and repeated injuries pushed him toward training methods that could make him stronger, more durable, and better prepared for the demands he put on his body.
While studying exercise and performance, Olympic weightlifting stood out because of the combination of strength, speed, technique, and full-body coordination it required. That interest developed into both his own lifting practice and a coaching specialty at P.I.T.
Want to Learn Olympic Lifting?
Start With
Technique.
You do not need to know the lifts before reaching out. Tell us your experience level, your goal, and what you want to learn. We can start the conversation from there.
PIT Foundation