Dear Vet
Kind regards
He is a competitive powerlifter.
He competed at the British championships this past weekend in Maidstone, Kent, Uk.
Yours thankfully
John
Ok, thank you.
I personally don't mind the suits simply because I'm a fan of the mega numbers that are out there. I don't like double or triple layers, and to be honest, I've never once even put on this type of suit, but I think heavy denim or canvass are OK. We all know the 1000+ lb bench presses and 1200+ lb squats are a farce, but its entertaining to watch them. At the same time I respect the hell out of powerlifters such as Brian Siders, Donnie Tompson, Mike Miller, and Scott Mendleson who aren't afraid to get out of the suit and lift in just a belt and wraps. Those guys have the gumption to prove themselves both ways.
I personally do the majority of my training without any gear other than a belt and older knee wraps (as I get older, my knees are bothering me. The wraps really seem to help with the aches) and a pair of relatively loose briefs (which I feel help to protect my hips to a degree).
I really think the best approach is to have the "suited" and the "raw" contests. Let people show their numbers in the way they like to. If someone is bragging about their 240Kg squat--which lets be serious for a minute, unless this person is a lightweight or a middleweight, really isn't that much weight in the first place---you can always ask them if it was "raw". That gives you a degree of satisfaction if they say no.
JK