Re: Re: 13-Year-Old Girl Becomes Powerlifting World-Record Holde

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Yes, I'm quite aware of USAPL and IPF and the grudging acceptance finally of raw

lifting with IPF. I competed open IPF worlds and have some IPF World Masters

titles, and I have still have most of my state and national USAPL records. I

held an IPF World Master Record. I can even explain privately why I quit USAPL

if you want to hear the tale. (In retrospect, one of the IPF rules that started

right after I left actually might have prevented my departure....lol.) It's hard

to get a quality meet to do any more and you have to both search many feds and

expect to travel, at least when you live in Colorado. Experienced lifters also

need a bit more lead time for training program turnaround plus if you want to

keep your job, you do have to plan ahead quite a bit any more...sigh.

AAU has been doing raw longer than anybody else - but again, all the records and

titles have become so diluted that one has to search over many feds to get a

realistic picture. the Powerlifting Watch rankings too are not always complete,

but better than PLUSA of late.

The definition of " raw " varies from belt only allowed all the way to full knee

wraps...<shrug> so again, the variance is hard to compare the apples together,

before we begin to account for " enhancement " of the lifter chemically or the

variance in depth requirements (in the squat) or the pause/lack of one in the

bench. There is even a fed out there that allows straps in the deadlift

<disgusted look>.

Something for everyone, literally, and an attitude that if someone doesn't like

what's going on, they " take their ball and go home " rather than sorting things

out and well, not leading to more fracture in our sport.

Lastly, the continuing snow jobs regarding getting this sport into IOC muddy the

water some more, changing of weight classes, trying to pretend the big people

don't exist magically if you cut the weight classes in number and allowed

size...<shrug> People will go where they are accommodated, and shoehorning both

men and women who are tending to get larger into smaller groups with fewer slots

at the higher levels will cause migrations. <stepping off soapbox>

the Phantom

aka Schaefer, CMT/RMT, competing powerlifter

Denver, Colorado, USA

Re: 13-Year-Old Girl Becomes Powerlifting World-Record

Holde

Hi ,

I don't know if you've been following USAPL much, but they have had a Raw

Nationals since 2008 and IPF will be offering a World Championship in 2013 (I

believe). Also, the Arnold has had a Raw Challenge for at least 2-3 years now.

USAPL/IPF allows belt, knee sleeves (slip-on only without straps to tighten),

and wrist wraps.

I agree with you that a lifter needs to be strong before using gear.

Unfortunately, I don't see many of the top equipped lifters entering the Raw

categories: they pretty much figure " if it ain't broke, don't fix (change) it " .

JMHO.

Merrick

Bellevue, NE

>

> Perhaps - and there's the simple fact that raw lifting has not drawn the same

lifters that equipped has so far.

>

>

> Sure, there are some good raw lifts - but equipment only makes up part of the

picture, you must be strong before you put it on. Folks like Sioux-Z Hartwig

(formerly a 97 lb'er) are good for considerably more than 2 plates raw. The Raw

lifting in question also allows some assist in the knees - and a belt. The

federation at the time Sioux-Z (just as a comparison) did not recognize RAW

lifting - and therefore she did not put in a full strength effort officially at

a meet, raw. That's just one of many smaller athletes who likely would have done

pretty well. That 10 yo is strong though, and I hope she sticks with the sport.

Who can say.

>

> Simply put, the best lifters overall and likely true owners of some of the

" raw " records still haven't bothered to come forward and well, shatter what's

there at present. Plus RUM is just 1 meet, it's a non federation meet - AAU (for

example) has had raw lifting for the longest time of all feds - I'd look at

their lifts to make some comparison, then start looking at feds with a lot of

members and their raw meets.

>

> As I've said before, there are too many feds, too many so called WR holders. I

don't bother to count mine any more - what I register is my lifetime PR's and

how they increase if possible. Sure, I'm a master, but I also competed at the

Olympia Invitational, which was only for those top ranked and literally by

invitation only. Just like the Arnold invitational meets.

>

> It's too bad. It's part of the " everybody has to finish first " thing that has

taken over. If you don't run from real competition, you won't always win. But

you'll also know you really competed...instead of the sham of 1st all the time.

Too many feds, too many divisions, have divided my sport. I compete the open in

protest, and folks don't generally want to be in the open against even an old

lady like me.

>

> Sigh.

>

> For me, PL is now about having fun. Challenging myself.

>

> I hope the little girls in the articles continue on and enjoy the sport for

life. Lift and be strong.

>

> the Phantom

> aka Schaefer, CMT/RMT, competing powerlifter

> Denver, Colorado, USA

>

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