The sport of Olympic Weightlifting involves two lifts: The Clean and Jerk and the Snatch. The Clean and Jerk is a two-part lift, where the barbell starts on the floor, is brought to the chest, and is then pressed overhead. The Snatch is a single lift in which the barbell is brought from the ground, directly overhead, in one movement. 

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These movements are the golf swing of fitness. One wrong move and you’re in the sand. Another wrong move and you’re in the woods. But, if everything goes just right, it looks beautiful and the ball goes straight. This example is just like Olympic Weightlifting. You have to start light, learn the technique, and be patient with your own development. But, training these lifts is fun, and extremely rewarding when development and improvement occurs. 

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CrossFit includes Olympic Weightlifting in its arsenal of movements. Athletes at CrossFit 401 will practice these lifts in CrossFit class. However, by further refining these lifts in this specialized class, CrossFitters improve their abilities in CrossFit workouts that involve olympic lifts.