The new wave of weightlifting

by Fiona Self

Welcome to the new wave of weightlifting.

Once perceived as a domain for muscle-clad super heavyweights, weightlifting’s popularity is widening, thanks largely to a fitness revolution.

Since 2011, the Australian Weightlifting Federation has documented an increase in sport participation by over 270 per cent, a surge that the Commonwealth’s top lifters are attributing to CrossFit.

Reigning Commonwealth Games champion, New Zealand’s Richie Patterson, owns a CrossFit gym and has been on the board of New Zealand Weightlifting for four years.

The growth Australia has seen is mirrored across the Tasman, and Patterson agrees CrossFit has a lot to do with it.

“When I came on the board we had about 200 competitive members. Now we’re up to around just under 600,” Patterson tells GC2018.

“CrossFit I guess made the Olympic lifting more accessible to a lot of areas in New Zealand and obviously gyms.

“It’s grown weightlifting exponentially.”

For Details: https://www.gc2018.com/article/new-wave-weightlifting