Here’s how the winningest weightlifting team in the world trains.
Last updated on April 13th, 2025
The Chinese weightlifting team has dominated the global stage, with five of their six athletes clinching gold medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Their remarkable performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics saw eight Chinese weightlifters acquire seven golds and one silver.
In mid-April 2025, Shenzhen Weightlifting, a training association for elite weightlifters, shared the Chinese weightlifting team’s updated core training. Core training enhances stability, prevents injuries, and boosts overall weightlifting performance. (1)
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Lower Back Training
The Chinese weightlifting team starts their core training with a lower back exercise that involves an athlete lying prone on an elevated block with weight plates on their upper back. A spotter stabilizes the athlete’s legs as they perform back extensions.
Lower back training can improve stability and support the spine, reducing the potential for weightlifting injuries.
Barbell Side Bends
Strengthening the obliques with barbell side bends involves snatching the barbell from the floor and placing it on the upper back from an overhead position. Once secure, the athlete narrows their stance and grips the barbell firmly with a wide overhand hold.
From there, they rotate their torso side to side, causing the barbell to tilt back and forth like a see-saw. This motion activates the obliques, reinforcing spinal stability and reducing the risk of lower back injury.
Deficit Lying Side Bends
The athlete stacks blocks and then positions their hips on them while lying on their side, holding weight plates close to their chest. A spotter secures the athlete’s legs, ensuring they remain fully suspended and stable above the hips.
The athlete lowers their torso to one side and returns to the starting position. They repeat on the opposite side.
Abdominal Training
The athlete lies flat on the floor with a weight plate secured between their feet and another held in their hands. They simultaneously lift the arms and legs toward the center. The limbs are lowered straight or slightly angled to the side to target the obliques.
Deficit Handstand Push-ups & Overhead Squats
China’s weightlifting team enhances overhead strength and stability with deficit handstand push-ups on stacked blocks. A spotter holds the athlete’s legs for support.
The elevated blocks increase the range of motion in the shoulders during the descent. This allows for a deeper stretch in the pecs and front delts in the bottom position. Loading muscles in their fully lengthened position promotes hypertrophy.
The overhead squat engages the quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and shoulders and strengthens the core. (2)
Hip Stability — Weighted Side Lying Leg Lifts
Hip-stabilizing exercises engage the abs, lower back, and pelvic floor. The weighted side-lying leg lift is performed with a weight plate stabilized on the lifted leg. It enhances hip flexor mobility and strengthens the core, glutes, hamstrings, hip abductors, and lower back.
Front Rack Strength
The final routine focuses on full-body isometric strength. The athlete assumes a shoulder-width stance, holds a heavy barbell in a front rack position for a few seconds, and performs pulse squats.
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References
- Rodríguez-Perea, Á., Reyes-Ferrada, W., Jerez-Mayorga, D., Chirosa Ríos, L., Van den Tillar, R., Chirosa Ríos, I., & Martínez-García, D. (2023). Core training and performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Biology of sport, 40(4), 975–992. https://doi.org/10.5114/biolsport.2023.123319
- Aspe, R. R., & Swinton, P. A. (2014). Electromyographic and kinetic comparison of the back squat and overhead squat. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 28(10), 2827–2836. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000000462
Featured image: @shenzhenweightlifting on Instagram
