Article: What You Should Know About Powerlifting

I'm not sure Mr. Staley has considered that many serious athletes involved in powerlifting WANT to be in the Olympics. Perhaps many lifters want to be able to use whatever drugs/anabolics they please to be as strong as possible, to use the strongest gear allowed by their class to lift as much weight as possible, or to have so many federations so there's always more options if you don't like the rules in your current fed. I don't think many advanced powerlifters at all care to be integrated into something so regulated & drug-tested as the Olympics.

If you want less gear, compete in fed or class in one of dozens of feds that suits you. If you want to compete drug-free against mostly clean competition, pick a drug-free meet in a fed known for strict testing/enforcement. And if you expect every competitor to look good, you need to be in bodybuilding or physique competitions. Guys like Dan Green look great, & I strive to always keep my physique pushing more towards that than Andy Bolton's - but at the end of the day, when Bolton gets on that platform, it's his numbers that count - nobody gives a damn about how fat he is. They care that he's set world records in the deadlift, & he's highly respected because he's great at what he does.

Just some thoughts I felt like sharing...
 
I would tend to agree with you Hyde. In powerlifting, it all depends on what the competitor is looking to get out if the sport, as well as what circles they tend to run with. Many power lifters could care less how they look in the mirror, it's strictly about how much weight can I push. Others want to look good doing it, regardless if the weight may not be comparable to what others may put up. To each his own. No need to put any of them down.
 
ATLmonster said:
I would tend to agree with you Hyde. In powerlifting, it all depends on what the competitor is looking to get out if the sport, as well as what circles they tend to run with. Many power lifters could care less how they look in the mirror, it's strictly about how much weight can I push. Others want to look good doing it, regardless if the weight may not be comparable to what others may put up. To each his own. No need to put any of them down.
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Exactly. I want to be strong, & I want to look pretty decent doing it. I want to look like I lift a barbell more often than I lift a slice of pizza to my mouth. But when I'm on the platform, my physique doesn't mean crap to the judges. And who am I to say a lifter needs to be within X% bf to be worthy? Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if you're not the strongest nobody who competes is going to pay you 2 seconds of attention. Haters will hate, but when it's time to lift the iron doesn't lie.
 
USMC8422 said:
What is your best DL in comp?
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Pulled 523 for my 2nd attempt few months back. Followed it up with 567 for my final but the judge said I had a slight hitch. I did lock it out though, as a point of pride. Planning on 530-545ish for my final attempt in 3wks depending on how I feel, since I know it'll be clean. There's a vid of both pulls in my started thread logging brawn & halo x towards the end.
 
Personally I think all the assistance gear is a joke. It's like benching 200kg with 2 mates lifting either end of the bar so your really only lifting 130kg, but then go around shouting "yeah I lifted 200kg"!! No you didn't, your mates did it for you! Its the same with lifting suits and shirts etc! Get some balls and self respect and lift raw! I'd feel like a fraud if I used all that assistance gear.
 
Hyde said:
Pulled 523 for my 2nd attempt few months back. Followed it up with 567 for my final but the judge said I had a slight hitch. I did lock it out though, as a point of pride. Planning on 530-545ish for my final attempt in 3wks depending on how I feel, since I know it'll be clean. There's a vid of both pulls in my started thread logging brawn & halo x towards the end.
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Awesome!! At 6'1, 197?! Super impressive
 
The guy couldn't even set his own hands in place to grab the bar that vest was so tight.

By what I have read even European power lifters think American powerlifting is a joke. Most rely to heavily on support equipment. My personnel belief is you shouldn't even be using a belt till you start hitting 400 on squats or deads. How are you ever going to strengthen your core.
 
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