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Home: Competitive Weight LiftingIn fact weightlifting may be the very oldest of competitive sports. The very earliest tests of strength were basically weightlifting competitions. In many ancient societies, the leader of a tribe or group was determined by who could lift the biggest or heaviest rock. Competitive weightlifting as we know it today can certainly traces its history back to the first Olympic Games in Greece. But modern weightlifting competitions as practiced in the Olympics and World Circuit today really had its origins in the "Strongman" competitions of the 19th century. George Baker Windship is generally regarded as the originator of these competitions. The father of modern weightlifting he went on to invent and patent in 1865 what we now know as the barbell and plates. Weightlifting in the modern Olympics had kind of a spotty history. When the first modern Olympics were held in 1896 it was unsure as to what if any type of weightlifting event ouht to be a part of it. Ultimately it was just two. A dumbbell lift (1-handed) and a barbell lift. (2-handed) In 1900 weightlifting was removed from the program. Weightlifting made a comeback in 1904 returning by means of two entries in the category. Weightlifting again disappeared from Olympic competitions until 1920. It was in the 1920 games that the weightlifting events began to resemble current weightlifting competitions. 1920 was the first time competitors competed n different classes of weight, and they have of course remained. And the idea of medal standing based on an a combined score of three lifts was established. In 1928 these become the standard three weightlifting events, the jerk, the snatch and the press, - and remained as such up to the year 1976, when elimination of the press occured. Founded in 1905, today competitive weightlifting is over seen by the International Weight Lifting Federation. (IWF) The IWF sanctions weightlifting competitions worldwide including the Olympic Games. There are currently over 150 member nations in the IWF. In addition to IWF sanctioned events there are many national and regional amateur and professional weightlifting competitions, as well as several "Strongest Man" competitions that continue to gain in popularity. Proving that today like it was in ancient times people like to see men and women pushed to the ultimate limits of human strength and endurance.
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