In any sport there is always a risk of getting injured, however there
are several things you can do to reduce the likelihood of an injury:
​
1: Always warm up properly before training any strength sport.
​
Dynamic stretches are a good way to warm up your muscles before lifting.
Powerlifting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0WUFHKuguY
Weightlifting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF5LLh7kmfk
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2: Stretching and Rolling.
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3: Be careful of over-training, or training too hard!
While it is tempting to lift heavy all the time, making sure our muscles are getting the recovery time they need is vital to preventing injuries. A good way to make sure you’re
not over-training is by following a program - take a look here for our recommendations.
​
4) Finally, sleep and nutrition are key in both improving your lifting and avoiding injuries!
​
As with any exercise, the more lifting you do, the more food and sleep your body needs. There is plenty of information around this online, or you can have a chat with our resident expert, Alex Jackson.
​
Find more info on preventing injury here
​
In any sport there is always a risk of getting injured, however there
are several things you can do to reduce the likelihood of an injury:
​
1: Always warm up properly before training any strength sport.
​
Dynamic stretches are a good way to warm up your muscles before lifting.
Powerlifting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0WUFHKuguY
Weightlifting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XF5LLh7kmfk
​
2: Stretching and Rolling.
​
​
3: Be careful of over-training, or training too hard!
While it is tempting to lift heavy all the time, making sure our muscles are getting the recovery time they need is vital to preventing injuries. A good way to make sure you’re
not over-training is by following a program - take a look here for our recommendations.
​
4) Finally, sleep and nutrition are key in both improving your lifting and avoiding injuries!
​
As with any exercise, the more lifting you do, the more food and sleep your body needs. There is plenty of information around this online, or you can have a chat with our resident expert, Alex Jackson.
​
Find more info on preventing injury here
​
WEIGHTlifting
A Message From Our Weightlifting Captain
Hi, I’m Isabella, a second-year Mathematics and Physics student, and I will be the Warwick Barbell Weightlifting Captain this year.
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Weightlifting, also known as Olympic weightlifting, is the sport of the snatch and the clean and jerk. In these two lifts, the goal is to move a barbell from the floor to overhead in one movement (the snatch) or two movements (the clean and jerk).
I know weightlifting can feel intimidating to get into, especially if you’ve never tried it before. I want to show that it doesn’t have to be that way. Joining Warwick Barbell is a great opportunity to learn where to start, with the support of experienced lifters in a friendly environment.
Every term, we will run two dedicated weightlifting sessions appropriate for complete beginners, where you can learn the fundamentals of the snatch and clean and jerk. I’ll also be around at weekly training sessions, so please feel free to come and ask questions — whether you’re curious about weightlifting, want to know where to start, or how to improve your technique.
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There is absolutely no pressure to compete if you don’t want to. However, if you do decide to compete, we will support you every step of the way. I competed for the first time last year, coached by our president, Clarissa, and I would highly recommend the experience. Whether your goal is your first competition or pushing your limits of strength and performance, we’ll do everything we can to help you perform at your best.
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For me, weightlifting has become something I genuinely love, and one of the best parts of it is sharing that experience with others. If you’re interested in getting stronger, challenging yourself, or just trying something new, I hope you will join us and try weightlifting.
Programmes and Coaching
Many of our lifters run different programmes that are built to provide the best results for their specific sport. Lots of programmes exist out there, and it is often down to personal preference as to which programme people to use. We've provided a list of programmes below for you to have a look at and compare! If none of the programmes here are leaping out at you, head over to liftvault.com and take a look around! There's plenty more programmes out there, many of which can be found at Liftvault.
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​We also have our own club programme designed for those new to powerlifting. This will take you from the beginning of Term 1 to the Internal Meet in December and from then to Varsity in late February. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Recommended Coaches
Competitions
To find your next weightlifting competition check out the British Weightlifting page
Qualifying Totals
Some competitions typically tier 2 or above with require a qualifying total (QT) in order for you to compete. The QT serves as a minimum requirement for the competition.
You will need to have an achieved this total in the body weight category you wish to compete in. For example, if you have achieved a total of 100kg in the 64kg category but wish to compete as a 69kg lifter and the QT for the 69kg category is 100 you can compete in this category. However, you would not be able to compete in the 58kg category as you have not achieved the total at the necessary body weight.
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Some completion may specify a timeframe in which this total must have been achieved. This will always be in the competition details if it is required.
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Equipment
In order to compete in an BWL competition, you will need:
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Singlet
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Shoes
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Belt (optional)
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Knee sleeves (optional)
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Wrist wraps (optional)
Whilst the belt, knee sleeves and wrist wraps are optional, they are highly recommended for anybody looking to compete.
Where to Find Equipment
The cheapest equipment on the market is from Strength Shop. These are good quality and you will get all the support you need from them however, if you want something more robust and long-lasting we would recommend either SBD or Weightlifting House.
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As a Barbell member you have access to our bulk SBD order which will give you 20% off (see our Sponsors and Partners page for more details).
You will also have access to our kit locker which allows you to borrow kit for a competition. Please reach out to one of our exec to find out more.