After Monday's post many people asked me about the Sinclair Formula, and what it is.
Firstly, we all know that weightlifting is divided up into different body weight categories, 8 for men and 7 for woman.
Firstly, we all know that weightlifting is divided up into different body weight categories, 8 for men and 7 for woman.
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56 kg (123 lb)
|
·
48 kg
(106 lb)
|
·
62 kg
(137 lb)
|
·
53 kg
(117 lb)
|
·
69 kg
(152 lb)
|
·
58 kg
(128 lb)
|
·
77 kg
(170 lb)
|
·
63 kg
(139 lb)
|
·
85 kg
(187 lb)
|
·
69 kg
(152 lb)
|
·
94 kg
(207 lb)
|
·
75 kg
(165 lb)
|
·
105 kg
(231 lb)
|
·
75 kg
and over (165 lb+)
|
·
105 kg
and over (231 lb+)
|
Men’s Weight Classes: Woman’s
Weight Classes
So how do we compare lighter lifters to heavier ones? That's where the Sinclair formula comes in. At the end of every competition all lifters combined snatch and clean and jerks are tallied and entered into the formula. With the result being their Sinclair coefficient. Rank per division, and overall rankings are based on this coefficient. The one with the highest coefficient wins. By using this formula we can now measure how heavy lighter lifters are lifting compared to their heavier counterparts.
That's seems quite fair right? Here is an example;
Say you are in the gym doing a max clean and jerk with a group. A lifter in the front weighs 94 kg and does a 120 kg clean and jerk. A lifter in the back weighs 62 kg and does a 95 kg Jerk. Who is lifting heavier? Most would assume the guy lifting 120 kg right? Wrong. According the Sinclair coefficient the lighter lifter is actually Lifting more.
At 62 kg / 95 kg C&J = 137.39 Sinclair Coefficient,
and at 94 kg / 120 kg C@J = 136.9 Sinclair Coefficient
This is the major issue I have with Crossfit Games. They do not make any lifting weight adjustments according to body weight. Now again I am biased here, for obvious reasons, I am a small guy who weighs 138 lbs. I can do 30 snatches at 60 kg / 135 lbs very easily. That's 30 snatches at 2 kg / 4 lbs under my body weight. Trying to compare my power output to a heavier athlete is ridiculous. The amount of energy output I have to expend in comparison to a lifter who weighs 205 lbs is exponentially higher.
Imagine what would happen in a competition if all the athletes had to lift a weight adjusted by the Sinclair coefficient. I think the competition would suddenly look very different, don't you?
I have actually heard someone justify the lack of adjustments for body weight at the Crossfit games by saying it's easier for lighter lifters to do body weight exercises. That is so preposterous I refuse to even retort.
I am not suggesting that Crossfit have 8 body weight categories. I do however think that they have got to the stage where they have the numbers world wide to include at least a lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight division at the Crossfit Games. There would be so much more interest and participation from those of us that are not big guys, the 135-165 lbs group. The Crossfit Games have always been geared towards heavier athletes, leaving us lighter guys little or no chance of competing. I personally think it is time they did something about it. I am just throwing that out there to the powers that be, use it, don't use it.
For more info on the Sinclair Coefficient Click Here
To work out a Sinclair Coefficient Click Here
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