How do lifters choose what weight to lift?
B · Beginner · Attempts, order and the clock · 5 of 6Each lifter gets three attempts in each lift and names the weight for every one. The bar only ever gets heavier during a session. After a good lift the next attempt must go up by at least 1 kg. After a miss the weight stays the same unless the lifter asks for more.
How it works
- Three attempts: a maximum of three in the snatch and three in the clean and jerk. The glossary entry is attempt.
- Whole kilograms: the weight of the barbell must always be a multiple of 1 kg.
- After a good lift: the automatic progression is a minimum of 1 kg for the same lifter. The glossary calls this weight progression.
- After a no lift: the weight on the bar automatically remains the same.
- Never lighter: once the announced weight is loaded and the clock has started, the weight cannot be reduced.
- Declaring openers: the starting attempts in both lifts are submitted at the weigh-in.
- The lightest bar: in the rule book read, 26 kg for men (a 20 kg bar, two 2.5 kg collars and two 0.5 kg discs) and 21 kg for women (a 15 kg bar, collars and two 0.5 kg discs).
Tricky cases
Can a lifter repeat the same weight after making it?
No. After a successful attempt the next weight must be at least 1 kg heavier.
A lifter misses 120 kg. Must the next attempt be 120 kg?
No. The weight stays at 120 kg automatically, and the lifter may ask for more. It cannot go down.
Can a lifter skip an attempt to save energy?
No, not a single one. A lifter may withdraw from the rest of the snatch or the clean and jerk through the marshal. Once the withdrawal is signed it is final for that lift.
Do all three attempts have to be at different weights?
No. After misses, all three can be at the same weight.
Why the rule exists
With one bar for a whole group, the session runs from the lightest request to the heaviest, and loaders only ever add weight. That keeps the competition moving and builds towards the biggest lifts at the end. The 1 kg step stops a lifter repeating a weight they have already made.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The rule book read | As above | BWL 2.1; BWL 6.6.1; BWL 6.6.3; BWL 6.6.4; BWL 6.6.5 |
| Children under 12 in British events | A 5 kg technique bar, with a minimum of 10 kg | BWL 6.6.5 |
| Withdrawing | Must be notified to the chief marshal and signed on the lifter's card | BWL 6.6.24 |
From the rule book
British Weight Lifting Technical and Competition Rules and Regulations (updated 22 July 2026), rules 2.1, 6.4.22 and 6.6.1 to 6.6.5 and 6.6.24. A national rule book that follows the IWF rules. The IWF document itself was not read. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: BWL Technical and Competition Rules and Regulations 2026 (PDF).