The Worst of Powerlifting

[MisterMagoo]

you make a good example, Vet, but photos don't tell the whole story, plus you have to watch from both angles.

not to mention (and this is the most important part to me), for a world record the judges shouldn't be hedging their bets. they shouldn't allow a shallow lift or a weak lockout because it's a WR. when it comes time to setting an all new squat record or whatever, the judge should be 110% positive he cracked parallel, and in BOTH videos we got of donnie it's questionable.

of course, for me personally, i'm still annoyed that the negative part of the squat seems to be harder than the squat. it just stings to watch some dude fight and push with all he's got just to make it TO parallel. at least when donnie cut his squat high at NERBs (which i disagreed with, hedge, it looked legit in the vid) it was because he just estimated poorly, as opposed to physically being unable to go any deeper.

[BM OUT]

Newsflash - A lifter won't get bonus inches to his squat depth for simply being very strong.

You need to - this may come as a surprise to you - actually hit good depth.

It's funny when you're mentioning Donnie Thompson's achievments, you bring up a lift that was turned down for being - that's right - high.

Well,I did say he squatted over 800 which was a good lift with Eddy Coan judging.He got turned down two to one on his biggest attempt[870 or 880]but it was close enough that he got one white light.

Also,a lifter does not get bonus points for dropping a certain level below parallel,which you seem to post on here often,commenting on some IPF guy.Again,the ones who are responsible are the judges.I lift at a meet and let the judges call it good or bad.Like it or not,thats the sport.

I tell you this.I much prefer a crappy call then the IPF rule of a lift being judged then going to another pannel of judges that judge the judges.Thats a crock of crap.

[rccs]

Here's the video of Donnie Thompson's sham powerlifting (the new claimed biggest powerlifting total.)

http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/node/9775#new

A lifter intentionally signs up for Gene Rychlak's federation's meets because they know that their high squats, belly benches and pseudo locked out deadlifts are gonna pass.

So, it is the lifter's fault. Donnie and his sponsors want him to have a claim to the "all time" numbers record and they know that a show like this is the place to be able to get just about anything passed. A 2,200 raw total turns into a 2,900 techo total.

It's a free country but that isn't POWERlifting. It's sports apparel based stunt lifting.

Shame on Donnie Thompson, shame on the IPA judges, shame on Gene Rychlak for continuing to promote powerlifting garbage and shame on Chris Mason and AtLarge Nutrition for sponsoring and endorsing this kind of circus.

Completely ridiculous, no matter what you guys say... not even one of his movs should be validated... that benchpress WTF??? Lifted his head and the movement is not continous... 100% belly press... powerlifting is going on the wrong direction. The deadlift? I almost fell of my chair laughing WTF was that?

[BM OUT]

Completely ridiculous, no matter what you guys say... not even one of his movs should be validated... that benchpress WTF??? Lifted his head and the movement is not continous... 100% belly press... powerlifting is going on the wrong direction. The deadlift? I almost fell of my chair laughing WTF was that?

Ummm,we are allowed to lift our heads,this isnt the sorry ass USAPL.We are allowed to bench to our bellys,this isnt the sorry ass USAPL.I laugh as well when I see the silly ass fool feds using a "start" command at the start of a bench.WTF is that?Who made that a rule?I also laugh when I see a lift passed at a meet overturned by a seperate judging panel.WTF is that?I also giggle my ass off when I see touch and go benches with no press command at meets WTF is that?Your right,powerlifting is going in the wrong direction.

[MisterMagoo]

here's the big question: which is worse, bad lifts getting white lights or good lifts getting reds? would you rather a guy get a world record with a squat he cut high, or a guy denied a world record despite going deep enough?

both have their problems with the records being legit. in the former case it's because the new record isn't legit since it was a bad squat. in the latter case people will say the standing record isn't legit because X, Y, and Z broke it but the dumbass judges didn't pass the lifts.

however, overly-strict judging leads to inarguable lifts, and that's what we need.

[Vet]

here's the big question: which is worse, bad lifts getting white lights or good lifts getting reds? would you rather a guy get a world record with a squat he cut high, or a guy denied a world record despite going deep enough?

both have their problems with the records being legit. in the former case it's because the new record isn't legit since it was a bad squat. in the latter case people will say the standing record isn't legit because X, Y, and Z broke it but the dumbass judges didn't pass the lifts.

however, overly-strict judging leads to inarguable lifts, and that's what we need.

Sometimes.  Overly strict judging also leads to pissed off lifters and no one competing in that federation. 


Heres an example: my last meet I benched 585.  All three judges told me that I had a clean, 585 bench.  The thing is as I was lowering the weight, my right arm dipped.  The spotter (who is also an official and a judge for the federation) thought I was getting ready to dump the bar and reached for it to be there to grab it so I didn't get hurt.  He did the right thing in my mind.  The problem is I powered out of the bottom and benched the weight right into his hands (which he jerked out of the way, too slow) and then I went on to lock out.   Unfortunately because of the spottter touching the bar, it was ruled a no lift....

So what do you do?  I paused the weight, I benched it without any help, I locked the weight out, but I had a spotter touch the bar on the way to lockout, negating the lift? 

I personally think the right thing was done.  I was given a 4th attempt, in which case, i was too out of gas and I missed my 585 bench.  I had to settle for 545 for that meet.  I personally wouldn't have taken the lift if they'd tried to count it.  At the same time, I would have gotten pissed if I hadn't gotten that 4th attempt. 


I see similar things happening with ultrastrict judging of lifts.  Its going to result in pissed off lifters.  Say you have a big bowlegged lifter who doesn't quite look like he's locked his knees on the deadlift, but who gets his hips forward and shoulders back?    Is he locked or not?  What about a bench with a difference in elbow ROM?  Now please dont' get me wrong. I don't think judging should be ultraloose either. 

The bottom line in my mind is no matter what, someone somewhere is going to bitch and bitch and bitch about any given lift from a big meet.  Hell I'm almost to the point where I'd rather there were never any videos of lifts posted online, even though I consider them a great motivation.  That way only the people who were there at the meet, those who actually saw it, can bitch so much about it.   We eliminate the online judging from shitty camera angles and the armchair know it alls completely. 


I know that won't happen, but I'm dreaming for my ideal world right now....... 

[BM OUT]

here's the big question: which is worse, bad lifts getting white lights or good lifts getting reds? would you rather a guy get a world record with a squat he cut high, or a guy denied a world record despite going deep enough?

both have their problems with the records being legit. in the former case it's because the new record isn't legit since it was a bad squat. in the latter case people will say the standing record isn't legit because X, Y, and Z broke it but the dumbass judges didn't pass the lifts.

however, overly-strict judging leads to inarguable lifts, and that's what we need.

In a perfect world your probably right.However,when you get judges in the chairs with nicknames like "redlight" thats no good either.It kills the meet.No doubt things get out of hand at the big multi-ply meets,especially when the heavy guys lift,BUT its really exciting to watch.The crowd is nuts.Ive lifted in and been to many big meets in the strict feds and the place is a morgue.NO ONE CARES.So,for the lifter and the crowd,passed bad lifts is better.For the integrity of the sport,strict is probably better.Im a lifter guy so I go with loose judging.

[Polish Power]

Kaz definately is low enough!!

[Stubborn]

The speed on Kaz's deadlifts are unparalleled!