On Saturday, June 29th, we will be hosting our first ever in-house weightlifting meet that is open to all members. We are super excited to bring this to our gym because it is welcoming to all levels and a great experience for anyone interested in the sport of weightlifting. Whether you have never done a weightlifting meet or you’re interested but not quite ready to make the dive and buy a singlet, this meet will help you test the waters of a really rewarding event.
This event is designed to be inclusive and that is our main focus. While sanctioned USAW meets have specific rules and regulations, we are going to toss those aside and focus on making sure you are moving safe and having fun. There will be no singlets (although they do add 20lbs to your lifts from the cool points) and we will help teach you the process and flow of the meet. This blog will outline the main details of the when, where, and why as well as a few details that will help you prepare.
When: Saturday, June 29th @ 7am-12ish
Where: CrossFit Reform
Who: Anyone who has performed the Snatch and Clean & Jerk with moderate proficiency
Why: To learn about weightlifting, have fun, and cheer on others in the community
Cost: Free!
Should I Sign Up?
Now we say this is inclusive to everyone but there are a few stipulations in regard if you should participate. First, if you have an injury preventing you from safely completing these movements, we recommend coming to watch and support vs. lifting. The last thing we want is you to further injure yourself. We will have more of these in the future and you will get a chance to participate. Second, if you are unfamiliar with the movements or do not have the experience of attempting a one-rep max we recommend coming to support and try to learn as much as you can as a spectator. This meet will have minimal coaching during the lifts so a knowledge of the movements is important for your safety.
How Does A Weightlifting Meet Work?
A weightlifting meet is comprised of two parts: the snatch and the clean & jerk. As a participant you will get three attempts to lift your heaviest snatch. Once all participants complete his or her 3 attempts, we will reset and follow the same process for the clean and jerk. The order of participants is determined on the weight lifted from lightest to heaviest. For example, Bob tells us he plans on attempting 100lbs on his first snatch and Steve chooses to start at 105lbs. Bob will lift before Steve because he chose a lighter weight. Bob successfully completes his lift and he must increase weight by a minimum of 5lbs on his next lift. He may not stay at the same weight if he successfully completed the lift. Steve attempts his 105lb snatch but does not successfully make the lift. Steve has two options. Steve can stay at the same weight and try again (counting as his 2nd of his 3 attempts) or he can choose to increase his weight by a minimum of 5lbs. Neither athlete is allowed to decrease weight once they decide to attempt that weight. It is important for participants to start with a “safe” weight as his or her first attempt to guarantee success.
At the end each participant will have a weight they snatched and a weight they clean & jerked. There will be a male and female top 3 for snatch as well as clean & jerk. Once these numbers are added together you will have a “Total.” We will also have a top 3 male and female for a total. Instead of dividing participants into weight classes, we will be using a method to determine the heaviest lift relative to bodyweight. This creates a level playing field for all lifters.
Okay, I’m in! What’s Next?
We will have a sign up section on the events board in the gym. You can also message us to let us know you’d like to participate. At that point we will send out an itinerary that details the timeline of the morning and what to expect.
If you are on the fence about this my best advice is to just sign up! It’ll be a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to sharing this awesome experience with Reform!