I’ve been there. We’ve all been there. Running on the treadmill day in day out watching the clock go backwards, listening to that same running soundtrack iTunes suggested to get you motivated, desperately trying to see why people love the gym, but then I discovered weight lifting! Weight lifting is, from my experience, the best way to love training and reach all your goals.

When I refer to weight lifting I am talking about lifting as a whole, deadlifts, squats, bench press, push press, power lifting and I am coming from the view of an Olympic lifter so, snatches and clean and jerks.

The fantastic thing about weightlifting is it builds muscle mass. More muscle leads to an increase in metabolism which means you are also burning more calories when doing cardio or any other day to day activities. Lifting improves your bone density and strengthens tendons, muscles and ligaments. It creates mental toughness. How satisfying and confidence boosting is it to be and feel strong both physically and mentally?



Lifting heavy will decrease stress; throwing weights around can dramatically improve your mental wellbeing. Lifting has been found to increase IQ by strengthening and increasing the neurological pathways within your brain. Deadlifts and Squat are functional movements which will help and improve your day to day life. Most importantly weight lifting will push your boundaries, push you out of your comfort zone and allow you to achieve goals you didn’t even know existed. Get it right first time!



Learning to lift correctly is vital to achieving goals and obtaining a healthier body and way of life. If you learn to lift well from the beginning, strip back to the basics, you will avoid injury and progress in a way which will see results. The most important thing to know is that with almost all heavy lifts, deadlift, squat, snatch and clean and jerk it is primarily a LEG driven exercise.

It is one of the most common misconceptions with weightlifting that the back is used to drive the weight; lifting through the back can cause problems in the long term and will result in injury, so strip the bar back and perfect the technique before you start loading the it up with all the colours under the sun.



The second common misconception with weight lifting… is belts! It is very unlikely that you need to use a belt. Unless you are lifting around 2-3 times body weight you generally do not need to wear one. Instead you should try and include some assistance exercises to strengthen your core (Famers walks, planks, hyper extensions, dead bugs) which will improve your lifting without the need for a belt.



Correct footwear is important and essential when lifting heavy. Now obviously we are not expecting you all to go rushing out and spending £70 + on weightlifting shoes, so lifting bare foot is the next best thing. The problem with run-of-the-mill gym trainers is they do not have the correct support to aid your lifting. Gym trainer soles often tilt slightly backwards which is detrimental when lifting and can cause injury. Lifting bare foot or with lifting shoes which are raised slightly on the heels and have a solid flat sole for support is what you should be wearing, this will also help to strengthen your ankles.


So if you feel like seeing some better results and trying something new, go get on that platform !!! This article was written and researched by Ella Rawson, Fitness4Less receptionist and Olympic Lifting enthusiast. Currently training to compete and coached by George McKenzie, Fitness4Less Personal Trainer and Lifting specialist.