• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

Breaking Muscle

  • Fitness
  • Workouts
    • Best Shoulder Workouts
    • Best Chest Workouts
    • Best Leg Workouts
    • Best Leg Exercises
    • Best Biceps Exercises
    • Best Kettlebell Exercises
    • Best Back Workouts
    • Best HIIT Workouts
    • Best Triceps Exercises
    • Best Arm Workouts
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Best Pre-Workout
      • Best BCAAs
      • Best Testosterone Boosters
      • Best Bodybuilding Supplements
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Supplements for Weight Loss
      • Best Multivitamins
      • Best Collagen Supplement
      • Best Probiotic
      • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workout
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Magnesium Supplements
    • Protein
      • Best Protein Powder
      • Best Whey Protein
      • Best Protein Powders for Muscle Gain
      • Best Tasting Protein Powder
      • Best Vegan Protein
      • Best Mass Gainer
      • Best Protein Shakes
      • Best Organic Protein Powder
      • Best Pea Protein Powder
      • Best Protein Bars
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Home Gym Equipment
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Weightlifting Belts
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Functional Trainers
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Trap Bars
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Cardio Machines
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Weighted Vests
      • Concept2 RowErg Review
      • Hydrow Wave Review
      • Best Jump Ropes
  • News
  • Exercise Guides
    • Legs
      • Back Squat
      • Bulgarian Split Squat
      • Goblet Squat
      • Zercher Squat
      • Standing Calf Raise
      • Hack Squat
    • Chest
      • Bench Press
      • Dumbbell Bench Press
      • Close-Grip Bench Press
      • Incline Bench Press
    • Shoulders
      • Overhead Dumbbell Press
      • Lateral Raise
    • Arms
      • Chin-Up
      • Weighted Pull-Up
      • Triceps Pushdown
    • Back
      • Deadlift
      • Trap Bar Deadlift
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Inverted Row
      • Bent-Over Barbell Row
      • Single-Arm Dumbbell Row
      • Pendlay Row
News

The Lifting Game: Weightlifters Versus CrossFit Athletes

Two different types of athletes but how different?

douglasperrybio

Written by Douglas Perry Last updated on Nov 22, 2021

Watching Seb Ostrowics over at Weightlifting House on YouTube is one of my guilty pleasures. A bowl of Frosted Flakes, ice cold milk, and the droopy, sonorous musings of a weightlifting nerd are all it takes to reduce my cholesterol and keep me away from Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Watching Seb Ostrowics over at Weightlifting House on YouTube is one of my guilty pleasures. A bowl of Frosted Flakes, ice cold milk, and the droopy, sonorous musings of a weightlifting nerd are all it takes to reduce my cholesterol and keep me away from Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Ostrowics’ Just How Much Better Are Weightlifters Than CrossFitters is a little erudite, a little respectful, and a lot of geeky lifting love.

Let’s start with the basics, according to Ostrowics in the video below, Naim Suleymanoglu, known as the Pocket Hercules, and probably the best lifter, pound-for-pound, of all time, had a 142.5 kg snatch but Matt Fraser, one of CrossFit’s greatest competitors, and probably its best weightlifter, had a best snatch of 143 kg.

It’s just that Sulemanoglu weighed about 45% less than Fraser and was a teenager when he did his lift.

Ostrowics goes on to compare lifts by various CrossFit competitors, including the 200 lb snatches by Tia-Clare Toomey and Annie Thorosdottir at this year’s CrossFit Games, with those of weightlifting competitors.

So, the gist of it goes something like this, CrossFitters lift big but the comparable lifts, often bigger, by weightlifters, are by men and women who are half the size of the CrossFitters.

But, the CrossFitters, while not in the same class as compettive, elite lifters, make every other wannabe lifter look lame. CrossFit weightlifting isn’t ever going to be Olympic level weightlifting but the numbers ain’t bad.

As for form, well, Guilherme Malheiros looked pretty awesome at the CrossFit Games 2021. Toomey, too, but there are plenty of examples of straining and groaning and bending at weird angles for other competitors.

I guess weightlifters would run afoul of the same form issues if they ever kipped. Just watch Ostrowics, it’s not a trite treatise.

Just How Much Better Are Weightlifters Than CrossFitters? Fraser vs Lu Xiaojun
douglasperrybio

About Douglas Perry

Douglas Perry is a journalist who turned his passion for technology into his profession more than 20 years ago. Since then, he followed, reviewed, and wrote about trends and products that define our mobile lifestyle today. He helped create several technology publications in Europe as well as the US in the past; these days, Douglas earns his living as a technology product and content strategist.

Three teenage athletes at home keep him busy during his free time, but have allowed him to get just enough training time in to remain competitive in road cycling and swimming. Less frequently than he would want to, Douglas manages to squeeze a Criterium ride in his schedule, and occasionally a casual bike race and a 5K with his kids.

View All Articles

Related Posts

Mitchell Hooper performing preacher curls.
Mitchell Hooper Tackles Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Brutal Back and Biceps Workout
Team USA and Team UK take a photo together after competing in the 2023 Giants Live World's Strongest Nation competition.
Team USA Topples Team UK for 2023 World’s Strongest Nation Title
Samson Dauda celebrates winning the Men's Open division title at the 2023 EVLS Prague Pro show.
2023 EVLS Prague Pro Results: Samson Dauda Dominates Second Straight European Show 
World's Strongest Man Mitchell Hooper performs an 800-pound deadlift.
Mitchell Hooper Attempts 3 of Ronnie Coleman’s Heaviest Lifts Ever

Primary Sidebar

Latest Articles

New Year’s Fitness Sales (2025)

XWERKS Motion BCAA Review (2025): A Registered Dietitian’s Honest Thoughts

Assault Fitness AssaultBike Pro X Review (2025): Assault’s Best Bike Yet?

13 Best Exercise Bikes for Home Gyms (2025)

Transparent Labs BCAA Glutamine Review (2025): The Key to Post-Workout Recovery?

Latest Reviews

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt

Element 26 Hybrid Leather Weightlifting Belt Review (2025)

Omre NMN + Resveratrol, Lifeforce Peak NMN, and partiQlar NMN on a red background

Best NMN Supplement: Fountain of Youth in a Bottle? (2025)

The Titan Series Adjustable Bench on a red background

Titan Series Adjustable Bench Review (2025)

A photo of the NordicTrack Select-a-Weight Dumbbells on a red background

NordicTrack Adjustable Dumbbell Review (2025): Are These Value Dumbbells Worth It?

woman lifting barbell

Be the smartest person in your gym

The Breaking Muscle newsletter is everything you need to know about strength in a 3 minute read.

I WANT IN!

Breaking Muscle is the fitness world’s preeminent destination for timely, high-quality information on exercise, fitness, health, and nutrition. Our audience encompasses the entire spectrum of the fitness community: consumers, aficionados, fitness professionals, and business owners. We seek to inform, educate and advocate for this community.

  • Reviews
  • Healthy Eating
  • Workouts
  • Fitness
  • News

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS Feed

© 2025 · Breaking Muscle · Terms of Use · Privacy Policy · Affiliate Disclaimer · Accessibility · About