What are the benefits of Olympic weightlifting on Athletic Performance? That’s always the question. Every few months, someone asks whether Olympic weightlifting is really necessary for improving vertical jump, acceleration, or overall athletic performance. Usually the question comes after hearing someone say, “Olympic lifts are too technical,” or “Just have your athletes jump.” My answer is always the same: don’t judge an exercise by the exercise; judge it by the adaptation it creates.

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At Rise Sports Performance, the home of Mash Elite Performance for four years now, we use the Olympic lifts because they serve a purpose. They check off several boxes at once. Yes, we could perform three different exercises to take their place, but that’s not an efficient use of time. 

Here are the main reasons we use the Olympic Lifts and their derivatives:

• Maximize Power & Rate of Force Development specific to Acceleration & Jumps 
• Specific Applications of Force in Athletic Movements: Improve the Rate & Magnitude of Force at Specific Joint Angles, Contraction Modes, + Velocities. 
• Improved Efficiency of the Neuromuscular System– improves high threshold motor unit(HTMU) Synchronization and improves the Coordination between Agonists and Antagonists.
• Improves Joint Elasticity (Reactive Properties) from Improved Tendon Stiffness, Greater Cross-Sectional Area, & Overall Increased Stability of the Tendon Matrix due to increased Collagen Production. This leads to stored energy that quickly becomes passive force production that happens at rates when athletes jump, sprint, and change direction.
• Improves Collision Capability from the Rapid Deceleration of the Barbell in the catch of the Clean and Snatch along with the catch of the Jerk Overhead.
• Improves Mobility in the Presence of Stability at all Major Joints.

Maximize Power & Rate of Force Development-

At Mash Elite Performance, we don’t chase exercises; we chase adaptations. That’s the foundation of everything we do. Every exercise is simply a tool, and the best coaches know when to use the right tool for the job. Force production is transferred specifically to the rate and magnitude it is being produced in training. Yes, high amounts of force production is a good thing, but high amounts of force at high rates aka velocities is even better.

If our goal is to improve an athlete’s ability to jump, accelerate, or change direction, then we need methods that improve how quickly they can produce and absorb force. We also need to improve reactive properties. That’s exactly why Olympic weightlifting has remained a cornerstone of athletic development for decades. (Mash Elite Performance)

The vertical jump is one of the purest displays of explosive athleticism. Success isn’t determined by how strong you are alone; it’s determined by how much force you can apply before your feet leave the ground. It’s a close look at an athlete’s ability to produce force at a very high rate. You may only have 200 to 300 milliseconds to produce force during many sporting movements, so athletes who can develop force rapidly will almost always outperform athletes who simply possess high levels of maximal strength (Cormie et al., 2011).

This is where Olympic weightlifting separates itself from nearly every other resistance-training exercise. During the second pull of the clean and snatch, athletes generate tremendous power while moving at velocities rarely seen during traditional strength exercises. Garhammer’s classic work demonstrated that the Olympic lifts consistently produce some of the highest power outputs measured in the weight room (Garhammer, 1993). Simply put, they teach athletes to express strength at game speed.

I’m sure that by now you are understanding more and more the importance of using velocity based training (VBT). It’s not about the amount of force production alone that’s important to athletic performance. It’s the rate of that force production that is really important. GymAware makes it easy to track improvements and ensure that athletes are operating at intended rates.

I hope by now you see that we are describing Power. Power is where force and velocity come together. Basically, you could say in elementary terms that power is where strength and speed meet. Power is the element in sports that makes people excited. It’s the swing of Barry Bond’s bat. It’s Michael Jordan flying through the air.

Power= Force x Velocity! You can learn more about it in my article that I wrote for GymAware.

If you understand how strength training transfers, then you understand why Olympic weightlifting is an obvious choice. When athletes get really good at the movements, they’re able to move loads 100-150% of their body weight at velocities comparable to vertical leaps, acceleration phase of sprints, and change of direction. Let’s get specific!

Here are a few averages collected from athletes around the world:

Here are some of my own numbers from my own athletes:

Think about it, if a 75kg/165lb young man can Snatch 115kg/253lb (150% of body weight) at 3.8m/s, then he’s able to put massive amounts of force into athletic movements that happen at those same rates. 

Let’s look at a few velocities of typical athletic movements:

☑️Vertical Leaps happen at 2.44-4.23m/s 

☑️NFL Running Backs Velocity at line of scrimmage between 3.93m/s-4.82m/s

☑️Velocity of NFL Lineman at Line of Scrimmage is between 2.5-3.5m/s

☑️Elite Sprinters at Steps 1-3 are hitting velocities between 2.2 and 4.5m/s

☑️Average Peak Velocity of 75% Snatches 3.1m/s with Athletes clocking 3.2-4+m/s at loads greater than Body Weight. 

Here’s a look at a bit of the research. Hawkins et al., 2009 compared the effects of Olympic weightlifting, plyometrics, and resistance training on jumping and lower body power, and they found Olympic weightlifting superior to plyometrics and resistance training alone. 

Tricoli et al., 2005 compared Olympic weightlifting (OL) to traditional strength training in relation to sprinting, jumping, and lower body power. OL once again created more adaptations than traditional strength training. Hoffman et al., 2004 compared OL to Powerlifting (PL) movements in relation to vertical leap and sprint speeds. OL was more effective for jumping, but even more surprising, OL was twice as effective for sprint speeds than getting stronger with PL.

Hackett et al., 2016 performed a meta-analysis on Olympic weightlifting’s effects on vertical leap compared to normal resistance training. They found a significant effect of Olympic weightlifting on jumping ability, and resistance training wasn’t even close.

Of course anecdotally, over the past three decades, I’ve had the privilege of coaching everyone from Team USA Olympic weightlifters and powerlifters, NFL, collegiate athletes, tactical professionals, and athletes from nearly every major sport. Across all those populations, one observation has remained remarkably consistent: athletes who learn to move a barbell explosively and with proper technique become more explosive on the field, court, or platform. Their vertical jumps improve. Their first step becomes more powerful. They accelerate with greater authority, and they learn to express the strength they’ve built in the weight room when it matters most, during explosive athletic movements. 

After reading this article, you will see why I measure everything. Yes, it’s important to read the research, but you still need to know that it’s happening with your athletes. GymAware RS units along with their Cloud makes it so easy to collect and analyze the data. Of course, Swift Timing Gates and Eze Jump Mats along with the ShredMill collects the data on the actual athletic movements, and now it’s easy to compare.

Is Olympic weightlifting the only way to develop explosive athletes? Of course not. But when it is taught correctly and integrated into a well-designed training program, few methods develop the combination of power, coordination, rate of force development, and athleticism as effectively. The science supports it, and after decades of coaching athletes at every level, I’ve seen those adaptations play out time and time again.

Specific Applications of Force in Athletic Movements-

The Olympic lifts allow coaches to program them in ways that will specifically improve the athlete’s application of force specific to the joint angle an athletic movement takes place and with a similar contraction. Let me explain.

At the start of a 40-yard dash, the front knee is flexed to about 90 degrees and the front hip is around 80 degrees. The race begins with one big concentric push, so the start of a clean or snatch from the floor is more relative. Remember, the transfer of training is specific to the Joint Angle and Range of Motion being utilized.

The main muscular contraction being utilized is the concentric contraction. By performing the clean or snatch from the floor, athletes will improve the ability of their brains to recruit high threshold motor units. The alpha motor neurons that are attached to those big Type II Fibers will send the signal faster and faster to fire. This is called Rate Coding.

However, in a vertical leap, the concentric phase comes after a massive eccentric phase that will utilize the various components of a stretch shortening cycle to elicit massive amounts of passive force production. This is where the Hang Clean or Hang Snatch is more effective. With these movements, you are utilizing the stretch-shortening cycle to create even more power.

Improved Efficiency of the Neuromuscular System-

Another reason the lifts transfer so well to jumping is their reliance on the stretch-shortening cycle. Great jumpers rapidly absorb force before immediately redirecting it into the ground. Olympic lifts demand this same rapid transition. The timing, rhythm, and coordination required to move efficiently under the bar train the neuromuscular system to produce force quickly and efficiently, qualities that directly influence jumping ability (Komi, 2003).

I also think coaches sometimes oversimplify the discussion by focusing solely on “triple extension.” Yes, Olympic lifts involve explosive extension of the hips, knees, and ankles, but so do many other exercises. The difference is the speed, sequencing, and coordination with which those joints work together. Olympic lifting teaches athletes to synchronize the entire kinetic chain into one violent expression of power. That’s the adaptation we’re after, not simply checking the box that says an exercise includes triple extension.

Image 7 Neuromuscular Junction

Improves Joint Elasticity (Reactive Properties)-

One of the greatest benefits of explosive training methods such as plyometrics, sprinting, Olympic weightlifting, and properly programmed resistance training is their ability to improve the mechanical properties of the tendon. These methods stimulate collagen synthesis, increase tendon cross-sectional area, and enhance the organization and stiffness of the tendon matrix (Kjaer et al., 2009; Baar, 2019). A stiffer, healthier tendon is capable of storing greater amounts of elastic energy during the eccentric phase of movement and releasing that energy almost instantaneously during the subsequent concentric action. This passive contribution to force production allows athletes to generate higher levels of power without relying solely on active muscle contraction.

Erdagi et al., 2016 showed that Olympic weightlifting increased the cross-sectional size along with the tightness of the quadriceps tendon along with increased stability of the Tendon Matrix due to increased Collagen Production. This leads to stored energy that quickly becomes passive force production that happens at rates when athletes jump, sprint, and change direction. McBride et al., 2003 showed the increase in size of Titin Protein Filaments in athletes using the Olympic lifts, which also leads to greater elastic energy. 

The ability to rapidly store and release elastic energy is one of the defining characteristics of elite athletic performance. Whether sprinting, jumping, or rapidly changing direction, athletes who possess greater tendon stiffness and elasticity spend less time on the ground while producing more force with each contact. This improved reactive strength enhances running economy, jump height, acceleration, and overall movement efficiency (Kubo et al., 2007; Bohm et al., 2015). From a coaching perspective, developing stronger tendons is not simply about injury prevention, it is about creating an athlete who can recycle force more efficiently, allowing every step, jump, and cut to become faster and more explosive. This is why training methods that progressively increase tendon stiffness should be considered a foundational component of any long-term athletic development program.

Of course, Olympic lifts aren’t the entire answer. A powerful athlete is built through multiple qualities developed over time. Heavy squats and deadlifts raise an athlete’s force ceiling. Plyometrics improve reactive ability and stiffness of the muscle-tendon unit. Sprinting teaches athletes to apply force into the ground in sport-specific positions. Olympic lifts connect those qualities by teaching athletes to produce high levels of force at high velocities. That’s why, at Mash Elite Performance, our Power-3 Framework focuses on developing jumping, acceleration, and change of direction together rather than treating them as isolated abilities. They all depend on the same underlying quality: explosive force production. (Mash Elite Performance)

Improves Collision Capability-

Olympic weightlifting is often recognized for developing explosive power, but one of its greatest advantages for collision sports is teaching athletes to both produce and absorb force at extremely high speeds. Whether an athlete is delivering a tackle, absorbing contact, fighting through a block, or maintaining position in a wrestling exchange, success depends on generating force rapidly while keeping the body stiff and stable. Olympic lifts develop exceptional rates of force development, peak power, and impulse through coordinated triple extension of the hips, knees, and ankles, which are all qualities that consistently transfer to sprinting, jumping, and other explosive athletic movements (Suchomel et al., 2015; Cormie et al., 2011). 

What often gets overlooked is the receiving phase of the clean and snatch. Catching a heavy barbell requires an athlete to rapidly decelerate an external load, brace the trunk, and create stiffness from the feet through the shoulders in a fraction of a second. Those same qualities are essential when taking on a collision in football, rugby, wrestling, or hockey. Research examining the catch phase of Olympic lifting has shown that these movements expose athletes to substantial load-absorption demands, challenging their ability to accept force while maintaining posture and stability (Suchomel, Lake, & Comfort, 2017). Reviews by Suchomel and colleagues further suggest that weightlifting derivatives can improve force absorption, eccentric braking, and whole-body coordination, making athletes more resilient when contact occurs. 

As coaches, we don’t teach Olympic lifts simply because they’re traditionally taught by our peers. We teach them because they develop athletes who can create force and withstand it. While no exercise alone teaches an athlete how to tackle or block, Olympic weightlifting builds the physical foundation that allows athletes to express strength under game-speed conditions. When combined with quality sport-specific coaching, the explosive power, trunk stiffness, rapid force acceptance, and neuromuscular coordination developed through Olympic lifting can make athletes far more prepared to win collisions on the field. 

Improves Mobility in the Presence of Stability-

One of the most overlooked benefits of Olympic weightlifting is that it develops mobility in the presence of stability. It’s one thing to have passive flexibility, but it’s another thing entirely to control those positions while producing or absorbing force. Every snatch, clean, and jerk demands athletes move through large ranges of motion at the ankles, knees, hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders while maintaining a stiff, stable trunk and precise joint positions under load. In other words, Olympic lifts don’t just improve how far an athlete can move, they improve how well an athlete can own those positions. This combination of mobility and stability allows athletes to maintain efficient movement mechanics whether they’re sprinting, changing direction, jumping, or taking on contact. Research has consistently shown that weightlifting movements require and reinforce high levels of mobility, coordination, balance, and dynamic postural control, making them uniquely effective for developing functional movement quality alongside strength and power (Haff & Triplett, 2016; Suchomel, Comfort, & Stone, 2015).

From a performance standpoint, mobility without stability is simply unusable. Athletes must be able to create stiffness at precisely the right time while still moving freely through full ranges of motion. The receiving positions of the clean and snatch are excellent examples, requiring rapid eccentric control, trunk stiffness, and joint stability while the hips, knees, ankles, and shoulders move into deep athletic positions. These demands improve neuromuscular coordination and dynamic joint stability, allowing athletes to express force efficiently while reducing energy leaks throughout the kinetic chain (Behm & Colado, 2012; Suchomel, Lake, & Comfort, 2017). This is one of the reasons I’ve always believed Olympic lifting is more than a power exercise because it’s one of the best movement education tools we have for building athletes who are not only explosive but also resilient.

This is one of the reasons why I like to start athletes at a young age. I’ve personally watched young athletes ages 7 to 11-years old with hips and ankles that wouldn’t let them squat below parallel. However, by the time they are 16-years old, they present perfect movement patterns at the ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders. 

The body will always adapt to the imposed demands. When athletes are continually snatching, cleaning, jerking, and squatting loads between 70-85% of their maximum voluntary threshold three or more times per week with an intent that deeper is better, their bodies are going to adapt. I can also say with certainty from years of experience that heavier loads with both isometric and dynamic contractions will lead to improved ranges of motion better than any static stretching could ever hope to achieve.

Conclusion-

The best programs aren’t built around one exercise or one training method. They’re built around physiology. If an athlete lacks maximal strength, we prioritize strength. If they struggle to express that strength quickly, Olympic lifting becomes an outstanding solution. If they need better reactive ability, we emphasize plyometrics and sprinting. Every decision starts with the adaptation we’re trying to create.

That’s why I continue to coach Olympic lifts after decades in this profession. Not because they’re traditional. Not because they’re impressive. Not because I love the sport of weightlifting, although I certainly do. I coach them because the science supports them, and more importantly, because I’ve watched thousands of athletes become faster, more explosive, and jump higher after learning to move a barbell with speed, precision, and intent.

At the end of the day, I don’t coach exercises, I coach adaptations. Olympic lifts aren’t valuable because they’re Olympic lifts. They’re valuable because they teach athletes to produce high levels of force at incredibly high velocities with precision and intent. When athletes learn to move a barbell explosively and correctly, they don’t just become better lifters, they become better athletes.

A few videos that go into detail about the same subject:

Coach Travis Mash, MSc, USA Weightlifting Senior International Weightlifting Coach

Any questions just email me at Travis@RiseIndoorSports or check out www.RiseIndoorSports.com if you’re local.

References

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