Phase-specific load–velocity slopes during the snatch and clean in elite weightlifters

We examined phase-specific load–velocity (L–V) relationships during the first and second pull of the snatch and clean in elite weightlifters. Twenty-four internationally competitive weightlifters (30 total observations) performed single repetitions of the snatch and clean at loads ranging from 75% to 100% of their one-repetition maximum while three-dimensional motion capture was used to quantify vertical barbell velocity. Individual linear regression models were constructed for each lifter to characterize L–V relationships separately for the first and second pull of each lift. Phase-specific L–V slopes were extracted and compared between lifts, pull phases, and levels of relative strength. L–V slopes were similar between the snatch and clean and did not differ between the first and second pull. Mean L–V slopes ranged from −0.006 to −0.009 m·s −1 ·kg −1 across all conditions. Relative snatch and clean strength did not significantly influence phase-specific L–V slopes. Greater inter-individual variability was observed during the first pull compared with the second pull. These findings demonstrate that in elite weightlifters lifting near maximal capacity, the sensitivity of barbell velocity to increasing load is highly consistent across lifts and pulling phases, despite individualized technique strategies. This study provides the first phase-specific characterization of L–V slopes for the clean and suggests that velocity-based monitoring in weightlifting should account for individual velocity profiles while recognizing the stability of L–V behavior under heavy loading conditions.