I thought Ano totaled elite before he jumped to the WPO and part of the reason he jumped was because of that triceps tear and to market his clothing/gear...... .but I may be wrong.
Hedge, why not just make your statement by lifting with the gear you want to? If you don't like gear, then lift in a federation that doesn't allow it. Find competitions that only allow belts if thats what you want to do. Thats what I think is really the good thing about how powerlifting is set up right now with multiple federations and different degrees of gear that is allowed. (I know, I'm sorta grasping for straws with that statement, but bear with me). You can lift RAW, you can lift in single layer poly gear, or you can go all out and go for the canvass super-gear. Then you walk away knowing that you've done the best that you can do with the gear/equipment you have chosen to use. You've got that choice. I personally have never used more than a single layer pair of briefs and a poly suit and a single layer denim shirt (which I don't like so I'm switching back to poly). Why? Because its the choice I've made with the equipment I want to use.
The "fat pieces of shit" attitude is all wrong if you ask me too. No matter how you put it, fat doesn't lift the weight, muscle does. When have 275 lb and above powerlifters ever been considered "skinny"?
To me the bottom line is that the lifts meet legitimacy for technique---ie that squat of Justins was too high in my opinion. It shouldn't have counted. Thats the real point of argument, not the fact he had on a canvass suit. He was following the rules of the federation he was lifting in in terms of gear used. You can't fault him for that. Fault the judges for white lighting a lift that shouldn't have passed.
I see your point, I really do.
The main problem is that these feds that guys like Graalfs lift in allow higher squats to begin with.
USPF (not drug tested) and USAPL (drug tested) both requires below parallell squat depth.
Why change that?
Maybe shot put should be done with a 2 lbs lighter shot in some liberal federation? I'm sure you'd see lots of world records there then.
To me, Graalf's squat in itself is just a sign of the times. Something is wrong with powerlifting.
I am happy to see the recent support that RAW and single-ply contests has gained.
Also, let me clarify my statement regarding Ano somewhat: He's a good lifter no doubt. But not great.
As far as lifting gear goes, he's probably the best in the business today. METAL is easily the best lifting gear IMO.
I don't agree with lifting in a non-tested federation though. But that's a different issue.
Let me also address the fat piece of shit thing: I am of the belief that a guy with high bodyfat percentage gets more out of lifting gear than someone with low bodyfat.
I remember a few years ago, Westside had a fat kid they called "Tilt". He was obese like hell, weighed over 440 lbs, but with a lifting suit and benchpress shirt he was able to produce some big squats and benchpresses.
If the lifting gear was prohibited, or at least very limited, obesity wouldn't be favored, supported.
Powerlifting would be more athletic.
In short: More Kazmeiers - less Jeff Lewises.
-Hedge