WEIGHT LIFTING

sport in which barbells are lifted competitively or as an exercise. Weight lifting has a lengthy history. For many prehistoric tribes, the traditional test of manhood was the lifting of a special rock. Such manhood stones, some with the name of the first lifter incised, exist in Greece and in Scottish castles. The competitive lifting of stones still persists locally in Germany, Switzerland, the highlands of Montenegro, and the Basque region of Spain. In many such events the consecutive number of lifts within a given time period is used to declare a winner. For other activities using weights but distinct from weight lifting, see weight training, body building, and powerlifting.