The purpose of this study was to determine how weightlifters control and regulate ground reaction forces (GRF) as they perform the snatch and clean. GRF were recorded as six skilled weightlifters participated in a weightlifting competition. Statistical parametric mapping was used to compare the vertical GRF, horizontal GRF, and GRF angle time-series data from both lifts. The results highlight tight control of horizontal GRF, which did not differ between lifts. The vertical GRF during the snatch and clean differed significantly during the first 35% of the entire pull-phase, likely due to the mass difference (~20kg) between the lifts. The GRF angle time-series differed only slightly between lifts. Regulating only the vertical GRF may provide an advantage in that weightlifters can use the same coordination patterns and simple scaling of muscle activations for the lifts