Why do we insist on pre-requisites at SFWL?

Your safety is our primary concern. Learning to lift safely is paramount to your long term progress - if you're hurt you can't train!

In our experience, the risk of injury from weightlifting is actually very low when compared to many other sports. That said, lifting with good technique is one of the factors that ensures this relative safety.

Both the snatch and clean & jerk require the bar to finish overhead under control of you - the lifter. As such we must first be able to safely get a bar overhead and stabilise it. Just a bar at first because this is where we will begin our journey. A womens' weightlifting bar weighs 15kg and a mens bar 20kg.

To build a house we need a strong foundation. The squat is a foundation movement and arguably the most important to be competent at weightlifting. Trying to navigate your way around the snatch and clean & jerk will be infinitely easier if you can already perform a decent squat. This helps ensure that everyone in every group training session is able to participate fully and everyone remains safe.

Nobody will be turned away!

If you can't yet do the above movements, don't despair, I’m a coach and teaching you is my goal. The best setting to learn these fundamental movements is in a foundation programme, either as part of an online training setting or in a 1-2-1 session(s). However long it may take, everyone has the ability to learn and improve in a safe, appropriate manner.

Any questions? I'd love to hear from you!