Has PowerLifting Gone Down Hill

[Special Ed]

You guys need to give Lori a break. She is putting up 185 raw, so she's really not getting a ton of assistance to put up 225. Frankly, I think we all agree that her 185 raw lift is the more impressive of the two, but if she's competing in feds that allow the shirt, should she lose out on 1st place to prove a point? To whom?

Also, if she can set some records using the shirt and make a name for herself (like several Inzer-ized men have done), who can begrudge her that?

Team STEEL

[wisconsinBB]

Oh i'm just giving her shit cuz she happens to be the one discussing it on this particular thread.  I have always hated bench shirts.  I had a friend who did a show and he had the same problem as a guy in a story on this thread: his shirt was so tight he couldnt get the bar all the way down.  Thats just lame.

[Rearden Metal]

It's OK, you're not hating on me...you're just demonstrating how little you actually know about bench pressing. 

I know it tore my pec. That's about all I need to know imo.

[ripitupbaby]

Big hole in logic. The problem is that the unshirted BP record has barely changed in 10-20 years, while the shirted one has skyrocketed up and past 1,000 and will only continue as more and more technology is used. See that logic?

Not really...my only point was that it's incorrect to think that you just throw a shirt on, and VOILA, your bench press just increases by leaps and bounds.  Some people seem to have this perception.  You have to train specifically to use a shirt, and it's more than just putting the shirt on.  Getting the bar all the way down is another part of the challenge.  

Once again, the bottom line is that equipped lifting is DIFFERENT...not worse, not better, just different.  

(Thanks Ed )

[No Patience]

You guys need to give Lori a break. She is putting up 185 raw, so she's really not getting a ton of assistance to put up 225. Frankly, I think we all agree that her 185 raw lift is the more impressive of the two, but if she's competing in feds that allow the shirt, should she lose out on 1st place to prove a point? To whom?

Also, if she can set some records using the shirt and make a name for herself (like several Inzer-ized men have done), who can begrudge her that?

Team STEEL

185 raw vs 225 shirted is a 22% increase..."not getting a ton of assistance"

that would mean a guy benching 405 raw would get 495 shirted....yeah, not much assistance there

she is very strong, i give her credit, but i am not and never will be impressed by assisted lifting

[Rearden Metal]

You guys need to give Lori a break. She is putting up 185 raw, so she's really not getting a ton of assistance to put up 225. Frankly, I think we all agree that her 185 raw lift is the more impressive of the two, but if she's competing in feds that allow the shirt, should she lose out on 1st place to prove a point? To whom?

Also, if she can set some records using the shirt and make a name for herself (like several Inzer-ized men have done), who can begrudge her that?

Team STEEL

That's nearly a 25% increase. Significant, I think.

Lori, please educate me on the intricacies of the bench press, since you're an expert.

[No Patience]

also, when doing bench press with your back arched like that makes it a decline press, it is not
even close to bench press....it is a powerlifting technique used to cheat the ROM in order to
appear to move more weight

[ripitupbaby]

185 raw vs 225 shirted is a 22% increase..."not getting a ton of assistance"

that would mean a guy benching 405 raw would get 495 shirted....yeah, not much assistance there

she is very strong, i give her credit, but i am not and never will be impressed by assisted lifting

That's nearly a 25% increase. Significant, I think.

Lori, please educate me on the intricacies of the bench press, since you're an expert.

In that video clip, it was actually 235 in the shirt, and I am fairly certain I can do a lot more.   


I'm no expert, but thanks so much for the compliments.

[jaejonna]

also, when doing bench press with your back arched like that makes it a decline press, it is not even close to bench press....it is a powerlifting technique used to cheat the ROM in order to appear to move more weight

Maybe 'he' lilkes to hold 'his' cock up high when lifting heavy weights ?

[kcballer]

I've argued this point a few times in the past and what it always comes down to is that regardless of the artificial weight lifted it is more entertaining for the pl crowds to see a man bench 900lbs than it is 600lbs....the shirt is of no consequence to fans or competitors....all that matters is the huge weight lifted.   

i don't believe that for a second, why do you think world strongest man, oylmpic lifting etc are so popular? because it's unassisted, they don't wear shirts lifting atlas stones, nor do they wear some sort of assistance when doing oylmpic lifting, yet it's still a followed and exciting sport to see.  Why? because it's man vs weight.  That's like saying basketball would be better on trampolines cause they would jump higher, cause you know it's all about the vertical! People want to see athletes perform with as little assistance as possible hence the public outrage over performance enhancing drugs.  

[No Patience]

i once lifted the front of my mustang GT off the ground and held it there for an hour.....it
weighed 3400lbs and i lifted it like nothing....i used a floor jack but that's just "equipment"
right!!???!?

[Special Ed]

That's nearly a 25% increase. Significant, I think.

Okay, a 25% is statistically significant and I think close to the low average for a shirt-benefit, but certainly there are cheat techniques used by raw benchers every day in the gym (raising their butts and bouncing) and in competition (ridiculous arching and monster wide gripping).

Like Lori says, there are two classes of competition. You could say that bodybuilding does also (natural vs. open) and I don't see you guys bashing Pros for juicing. Why? For the same reason. People don't want to pay to see the 'ordinary' -- they want 'FREAKS' and I guess Jeremy Hoornstra's 675 raw just isn't as "FREAKY" as Gene Rychlak's shirted 1015.

[Rearden Metal]

In that video clip, it was actually 235 in the shirt, and I am fairly certain I can do a lot more.   


I'm no expert, but thanks so much for the compliments.

But you're clearly so much more knowledgable than I am, since you can assert that I know so little, DUCY???

235 without a shirt would bury you. 185 is a damn fine bench as it is, so don't get too upset about it.

[Rearden Metal]

Okay, a 25% is statistically significant and I think close to the low average for a shirt-benefit, but certainly there are cheat techniques used by raw benchers every day in the gym (raising their butts and bouncing) and in competition (ridiculous arching and monster wide gripping).

Like Lori says, there are two classes of competition. You could say that bodybuilding does also (natural vs. open) and I don't see you guys bashing Pros for juicing. Why? For the same reason. People don't want to pay to see the 'ordinary' -- they want 'FREAKS' and I guess Jeremy Hoornstra's 675 raw just isn't as "FREAKY" as Gene Rychlak's shirted 1015.

There's nothing freaky about benching with a shirt. Raw benching a serious weight is freaky, though.

[The Squadfather]

But you're clearly so much more knowledgable than I am, since you can assert that I know so little, DUCY???

235 without a shirt would bury you. 185 is a damn fine bench as it is, so don't get too upset about it.

Rip has accomplished a lot, it's not very often in any gym that you see a 125 pound woman benching 225.

[Rearden Metal]

There's nothing freaky about benching with a shirt. Raw benching a serious weight is freaky, though.

I saw this skinny black guy bench 405 x 12 or 13. He'd do it every 3 or 4 days, then do weighted pullups, and leave. That freaked me out cuz he was maaaaybe 160lbs.

[The Squadfather]

I saw this skinny black guy bench 405 x 12 or 13. He'd do it every 3 or 4 days, then do weighted pullups, and leave. That freaked me out cuz he was maaaaybe 160lbs.

bullshit.

[Rearden Metal]

Rip has accomplished a lot, it's not very often in any gym that you see a 125 pound woman benching 225.

No, it's not. That's a crazy lift.

[Rearden Metal]

bullshit.

Well I didn't weigh the guy but he looked like Candidizzle's size.

[The Squadfather]

Well I didn't weigh the guy but he looked like Candidizzle's size.

still gotta call bullshit wothout proof, sorry.

[Rearden Metal]

still gotta call bullshit wothout proof, sorry.

Cool. I'm not going back there like, ever, so you'll have to not believe me...but this guy was retarded strong. Sounded like Mike Tyson too and liked to give the one armed man hug and say "my brutha...", even to us white guys.

[wisconsinBB]

Rips arguments for shirts is that its two different division. FUCKING RETARDED.  The point of powerlifting is to see how much a person can lift, right?  So why have a division that includes mechanical assistance when the whole fucking point of the sport is to see how much a person can lift?  Rip, do you think highjumpers should be allowed to wear spring loaded shoes, and they should have a spring loaded and non-spring loaded division.  Thats how ridiculous bench shirts are.

[No Patience]

i once lifted the front of my mustang GT off the ground and held it there for an hour.....it
weighed 3400lbs and i lifted it like nothing....i used a floor jack but that's just "equipment"
right!!???!?

bullshit

[Rearden Metal]

Rips arguments for shirts is that its two different division. FUCKING RETARDED.  The point of powerlifting is to see how much a person can lift, right?  So why have a division that includes mechanical assistance when the whole fucking point of the sport is to see how much a person can lift?  Rip, do you think highjumpers should be allowed to wear spring loaded shoes, and they should have a spring loaded and non-spring loaded division.  Thats how ridiculous bench shirts are.

Thank god you're here to agree with me. I can't fight this alone!

[wisconsinBB]

bullshit

I believe this completely.  My stepfather accomplished the same feat of strength with his Yukon.  Don't worry about the jack though, it was still really impressive.  He could've lifted a smaller car without the jack had he wanted to.