Watching an Olympic weightlifting competition, it might surprise you to see the build of the competitors. Many of them are large, without the defined muscle we imagine when we think of strength. To the casual observer, it might seem they all have something of a gut.
There are many reasons why people choose to lift. For some it may be to gain strength, and for others it may be to achieve a certain physical look. If you want to try Olympic weightlifting, it’s probably because you’re interested in strength training. Improving how much you can lift, as well as the technique used to do so. In which case, you want a body that best works for this purpose. That’s not going to be washboard abs.
Although an Olympic weightlifter initially may just seem fat, there’s more to the story than a first assumption. Beneath the obvious layer of fat, Olympic weightlifters are covered in muscle. It would be inaccurate to assume that the belly of a weightlifter is a gut. A lot of it is big, bulky, muscle. The core is essential to lifting, so a good weightlifter will gain muscle like a belly.
So there is muscle, it’s just hidden under fat. This layer of fat plays several important roles. It actually protects the muscle from damage, making it safer to lift those insane weights. But Olympic weightlifting doesn’t just require muscle. It also needs speed and technique. A good base is imperative for a clean, well-handled, lift. Every part of the body is going towards holding that weight up. So every part of the body needs to be able to handle it. Extra weight goes towards building this support, as well as contributing to the raw strength. We see weightlifters often wearing belts because it keeps the abs and muscles in alignment. This forms a sturdy column for difficult lifts.
It wouldn’t be quite accurate to assume that Olympic weightlifters aim to put on weight. However, they do need a lot of energy to keep their strength, and the bar, up. It’s not easy to try and snatch a weight up and out of the air. Throughout a training session, an Olympic weightlifter will need to eat regularly to gain calories. The easiest way to do this is with high calorie food consumed consistently. They also do little in the way of cardio. That means the weight isn’t exactly being shifted.
Also, not all Olympic weightlifters look the same. Weightlifting is broken down into different weight categories, so before a competition they may be required to lose or gain weight. The heaviest weight categories will be much larger than those in the smaller categories. You still may not see those defined abs, because that layer of fat is serving the same purpose.
So, Olympic weightlifters are fat because they need to eat regularly, and they won’t exactly be eating healthy. This weight then provides the muscle with a protective layer. It also gives them a stable base to exert force from.