Would Powerlifting be more widely accepted with one Federation?

[vince anello]

It seems that Powerlifting has lost some of its Status especially with all these Federations!!!How can we make Powerlifting more popular?I remember Powerlifting in 70s on WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS with Bob Kaustus and Brian Gumble(spelling?)When you think about it is a  Heavy Squat or Bench any less of an Athletic Feat than a Slam Dunk??? or Bodybuilding What takes more disipline to get in Top Shape for a Bodybuilding Show or the British Open Golf? A golfer makes How Many Millions?I am not downing any of these Sports but I quess it boills down to Popularity by The Masses!!!!

Great Discussion However!!!!!!


www.americanstrengthlege nds.com

[QuakerOats]

It seems that Powerlifting has lost some of its Status especially with all these Federations!!!How can we make Powerlifting more popular?I remember Powerlifting in 70s on WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS with Bob Kaustus and Brian Gumble(spelling?)When you think about it is a  Heavy Squat or Bench any less of an Athletic Feat than a Slam Dunk??? or Bodybuilding What takes more disipline to get in Top Shape for a Bodybuilding Show or the British Open Golf? A golfer makes How Many Millions?I am not downing any of these Sports but I quess it boills down to Popularity by The Masses!!!!

Great Discussion However!!!!!!


www.americanstrengthlege nds.com

i honestly think powerlifting could be as popular today as irt was in the 70's when it was on national TV from time to time but they'd have to get rid of all the crazy antics and behavoir like the 10 guys onstage with guys squatting, the face slapping, the crazy psych ups, the suits, shirts, Monolifts, heavy metal music blaring, etc. just have one guy on the platform doing a lift with nothing but the audience making noise, one hand off man for the bench press and no one but the lifter onstage squatting, have one or two guys in the backround in case something happens.

[mac33]

QuakerOats hit the nail on the head - too much drama, weird behaviour and unnecessary equipment (shirts that are replacing lifters strength) instead of good ol` lifting the weight with everything you got. If powerlifting had one organization with some actual credibility the sport could maybe one day get it to the olympics. But they just want the numbers regardless of the form and assistance from the shirts, suits...

It got to the point where powerlifting is comparable with bodybuilding which is - lets be honest - in the eye of the public considered as a negative thing. There is no competitive bodybuilding without drugs, powerlifting is meant for everybody. That is powerlifting in a true sense of the word - testing ones mind and body strength.

[Stubborn]

Take away all the "hoopla" and you're left with Olympic lifting, in a sense. One guy, no gear, and complete concentration. I agree though, I would much rather watch that.


Do you guys think if it came to that then people would also want them to be "naturals"? Would drug testing be a necessity like in Oly lifting?

[Geo]

Do you guys think if it came to that then people would also want them to be "naturals"? Would drug testing be a necessity like in Oly lifting?

exactly,the general public will never be tolerant of steriod use,and bodybuilding and powerlifting are billboards for steroid use ....

being in the gym consistantly is also one thing that the general public has a hard time with, let alone being there and overly determined to drive your numbers up while your there,so I would imagine theres a point of alienation there too....

a lack of appreciation for what powerlifters do because they'll just pawn it all off to roids and to a certain extent they'll have a point if you tried to argue

[Vet]

i honestly think powerlifting could be as popular today as irt was in the 70's when it was on national TV from time to time but they'd have to get rid of all the crazy antics and behavoir like the 10 guys onstage with guys squatting, the face slapping, the crazy psych ups, the suits, shirts, Monolifts, heavy metal music blaring, etc. just have one guy on the platform doing a lift with nothing but the audience making noise, one hand off man for the bench press and no one but the lifter onstage squatting, have one or two guys in the backround in case something happens.

I disagree with that.  The people who watch powerlifting are going to watch it because something catches their eye.  Powerlifting meets can be painfully slow if you aren't competing or watching a specific lifter.  Olympic lifting sure as hell isn't mainstream in the US for that same reason.   There has to be a "show" with it.  These details have the potential to give that show quality.  Hell, look at the soap opera NASCAR has become.  15 years ago it was a bunch of gearheads driving in a circle.  Now days there are websites reporting the brand of underwear the drivers are wearing for a race.  People eat that shit up.  Powerlifting has the potential to have it too.  The problem is the lifters themselves. 

You want to make powerlifting mainstream?  The first step is to stop the online bullshit, swallow their egos, and get the lifters to support each other again.  Donnie Thompsons total is a great example.  There was a question on the depth of his squat.  It set off an online tirade thats still going on.  A video of a squat can't be posted without 25 "experts"---many of who I honestly think have never stepped on a platform beyond a local gym meet---are all over it on how this is wrong, that is wrong, blah blah.    You've got the RAW (only wearing a jockstrap and a belt) extremists vs the megagear heads.   Its not that the lifters are training hard and working to move as much weight as they can.  NASCAR drivers are all NASCAR drivers.  They all race and live to race and they tell the public that.  The fans see that unification as a central point and then go for the details.  Powerlifters are a bunch of big, whiney, underground meatheads.  Or thats the perception that those out of the circles seem to have.  Shut up the online bullshit and get the lifters to support each other by stopping the bickering and you'll see positive changes for the sport.  Until you do that, you aren't going to do anything to change the sport. 

[Hedgehog]

The whole argument about how you have to be able to lift x amount of lbs in order to have an opinion on a lifter or a lift doesn't make sense.

Nobody is asking football analysists on Monday Night Football to back up their opinions with action on the field.

Perhaps you should ask yourself why lifters like Donnie Thompson gets questioned.
And why nobody ever ridicules Brad Gillingham or Siders for their lifting.

Passing bogus lifts doesn't help powerlifting prosper IMHO.

[jon cole]

yes.
but breaking the parallel in squat, locking deadlift and not belly bench pressing too hard for many people.  

[vince anello]

Are You THE JON COLE THE POWERLIFTING LEGEND?

[Bossa]

In addition to whats been posted I would say that to become mainstream the squat should be eliminated - with so many questions on depth these days that wouldn't even be an issue.  I think if it was bench/DL, limited gear and more professional and less carnival then yes it could be popular again

[Vet]

In addition to whats been posted I would say that to become mainstream the squat should be eliminated - with so many questions on depth these days that wouldn't even be an issue.  I think if it was bench/DL, limited gear and more professional and less carnival then yes it could be popular again

That would pretty much be the end of me competing then.  I'd quit if they got rid of the squat. 

[11venthhour]

i competed at my first meet with friends and family and they were throughly bored. but they made comments on things they liked and things they didn't.

- they did not like the bench shirts they all thought it was cheating
- they loved all the lifter who put on the big show, all the antics
- they did not like the disorganization, they all thought there could have been more than one platform (which i understand that at the national level it may be better, but it starts at the state level)
- they all wished that they would announce why the lift was no good, it seemed there was a lot of interaction between the lift and the crowd
- the geared and the raw lifters should be separated, this was my one buddy who seemed very against the gear lifts

these are from people who have never been to this type of thing or really seen this type of thing before.

for me there should be 2 federations tested and not tested. within those federations there would 2 divisions raw and geared. it would be nice to see consistant judging across the board, i see different squat depths being accepted in different federations, and different pause times on the bottom of the bench, some seem like a touch and go bench and above parallel squat.

[Bossa]

That would pretty much be the end of me competing then.  I'd quit if they got rid of the squat. 

getting rid of the press wasn't popular with everyone in OL but, like squats, it was becoming too hard to judge

[Hedgehog]

i competed at my first meet with friends and family and they were throughly bored. but they made comments on things they liked and things they didn't.

- they did not like the bench shirts they all thought it was cheating
- they loved all the lifter who put on the big show, all the antics
- they did not like the disorganization, they all thought there could have been more than one platform (which i understand that at the national level it may be better, but it starts at the state level)
- they all wished that they would announce why the lift was no good, it seemed there was a lot of interaction between the lift and the crowd
- the geared and the raw lifters should be separated, this was my one buddy who seemed very against the gear lifts

these are from people who have never been to this type of thing or really seen this type of thing before.

for me there should be 2 federations tested and not tested. within those federations there would 2 divisions raw and geared. it would be nice to see consistant judging across the board, i see different squat depths being accepted in different federations, and different pause times on the bottom of the bench, some seem like a touch and go bench and above parallel squat.

Good post.

Always good to get input from people like that.

In the best of worlds, we would be lifting with belts only, and some wrist wraps.

Squat depths would be like they were in the 70's and early 80's.

The only issues discussed would be tested or non tested and minor rule issues with the benchpress.

[11venthhour]

definitely with the squat depth. because i was doing around 4 something on my own but at the meet i couldn't get 385 cleared at the proper depth, i am sure it would make more of a difference with experienced lifters at much larger weights.

i am all about belt only. if let wrist wraps in then people will say something about knee sleeves and then progressively you end up where it is today, where there are some many little odds and ends judges don't even check.

test the winners in the tested division and turn a blind eye to the untested division!