The Best Home Gym Olympic Weightlifting Exercises

When we think about the key items necessary to properly equip our home and garage gyms, a few items immediately come to mind. A solid power rack or even a combination rack/Smith Machine is usually at the top of the list as well as a barbell, weight plates, and a bench. More ambitious lifters might want to get their hands on a dumbbell set or even a few different kettlebells to complement their barbell work.

It’s certainly possible for creative lifters to be able to get a complete workout with only these items, but there is a special category of home gym lifters that requires even less to get big results.

…and we’re talking Olympic medal results.

Don’t believe me? Well just ask 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Hampton Morris (aka “Hamp the Champ”) about his home gym setup and, more specifically, the Olympic weightlifting exercises he regularly performed to help him reach the podium in Paris.

What is Olympic Weightlifting?

Olympic weightlifting as a proper sport has been contested at the Summer Olympic Games since the 19th century. In competition, two major Olympic weightlifting exercises, the snatch and the clean and jerk, are contested. Each weight classes’ champion is the athlete who successfully lifts the most combined weight during these two exercises.

During the 2024 Olympic Games, Morris successfully snatched 126 kilograms (approximately 278 pounds) and clean and jerked an incredible 172 kilograms (approximately 379 pounds). These results were third best in his 61-kilogram (approximately 134-pound) weight class, earning him the bronze for his efforts.

What are the Major Olympic Weightlifting Exercises?

Because the snatch and the clean and jerk are the only exercises that are contested in formal Olympic Weightlifting competitions, these exercises are the cornerstones of many athletes’ lifting programs. Let’s take a closer look at them and a few others; you might be surprised at how many of them you can perform with minimal equipment in your own home gym!

Snatch

source from: https://www.trainingweightlifting.com/technique/snatch-the-basic-concepts/

The snatch is colloquially known as the “fastest lift in the world”...and for good reason! It involves lifting the barbell from the floor, up and over one’s head in a single, uninterrupted rapid movement. The laws of physics dictate that the only way that the bar and weight will make it overhead in this manner is if it is accelerated very quickly.

When Morris snatches, his 275-pound barbell is moving at a speed of approximately 1.5 meters per second. Considering that the ending position of the snatch involves athletes squatting low to reduce the height necessary for the barbell to travel, his lift lasts for only a fraction of a second!

If you want to build truly explosive power while also improving your balance and coordination, incorporate snatches into your workout regimen.

Clean and Jerk

source from: https://www.trainingweightlifting.com/technique/technique-of-the-jerk/

As the name implies, the clean and jerk is actually composed of two distinct Olympic weightlifting exercises: the clean and the jerk. During competition, athletes must complete both exercises in succession in order to receive credit for the lift.

Like the snatch, the clean starts from the ground. Unlike the snatch, the clean only requires athletes to lift the barbell to their shoulders. Once athletes successfully complete a clean lift, with the bar suspended by the hands against the shoulders, they proceed to hoist it over their heads in a fast, aggressive motion. This movement is known as the jerk and once lifters have exhibited control of the barbell over their heads, the combined clean and jerk is complete.

Although Morris “only” clean and jerked 172 kilograms in the Olympic Games, he actually set the world record for this Olympic weightlifting exercise a few months earlier, successfully lifting an unbelievable 176 kilograms!

Front Squat

source from: https://www.bulknutrients.com.au/blog/muscle-building/5-tips-to-improve-your-front-squat

You’re likely familiar with the back squat, also known as the “king of exercise”. However, you may be less familiar with the front squat. As the name implies, with the front squat, the barbell is held in front of the body, usually suspended by the hands against the shoulders, as opposed to on the back part of the shoulders (like with the back squat).

The front squat is an especially important Olympic weightlifting exercise since the movement closely mimics the portion of the clean where lifters must raise up after initially “catching” the barbell. The stronger athletes can become in the front squat, the less trouble they will have with this portion of the clean.

The front squat is also good for general lower-body strength development. Morris would not be able to snatch such an impressive amount of weight without the superior leg strength that generates world-class force development.

Olympic Lifting…at Home?

If you were following our discussion of the top Olympic weightlifting exercises closely, you likely quickly realized that none of these movements require an extensive array of equipment or a large amount of space. The fact that Hampton Morris exclusively trained for the Olympic Games in his garage confirms this notion!

If Morris’ story has inspired you and you’re ready to kick your Olympic training into high gear, consider equipping your home gym with a few key items.

A proper weightlifting platform not only provides a stable lifting surface, but it is also strong enough and sturdy enough to allow for heavy weights to be continuously dropped on it. An added benefit of equipping your home gym with a platform is that your floor will be protected!

Even a basic squat rack is sufficient for facilitating all squatting movements, although larger, sturdier racks are better for when the weight gets really heavy. Of course, an Olympic-sized barbell and bumper plates are necessary to finish off this type of home gym setup.

As you can see, it doesn’t take much to start training like an Olympian and, with a bit of hard work, maybe your name will be up there with “Hamp the Champ” as one of the greatest lifters to come out of their home gym!