A sorta kinda daily open thread to use as an alternative to posting on the main board. You should post here for:

• PRs
• Formchecks
• Rudimentary discussion or questions
• General conversation with other users
• Memes, funnies, and general bollocks not appropriate to the main board
• If you have suggestions for the subreddit, let us know!
• This thread now defaults to "new" sorting.

For the purpose of fairness across timezones this thread works on a 68hr cycle.

I am floored at what I saw during the ABS Canada meet yesterday. The squat judging was horrendous. Numerous bomb outs - and IMHO, unwarranted. While I understand ABS touts “The highest standard in the sport” - the red lights being thrown on beyond depth lifts was embarrassing. Where did they get these referees? The Tim Horton’s Drive thru? “I’ll have a double double of obnoxious judging staff”. Justin Zottl, Joe Leighton, and Sal Christopher buried squats and were given no lifts. I am pretty sure the right side judge didn’t give one white light on squats the entire men’s pro am flight. Watching these judges lay on the floor is ridiculous - judging is about holding a standard - not finding ways for people to fail. Did anyone else see this?

Do you have a question and are:

• A novice and basically clueless by default?
• Completely incapable of using google?
• Just feeling plain stupid today and need shit explained like you're 5?

Then this is the thread FOR YOU! Don't take up valuable space on the front page and annoy the mods, ASK IT HERE and one of our resident "experts" will try and answer it. As long as it's somehow related to powerlifting then nothing is too generic, too stupid, too awful, too obvious or too repetitive. And don't be shy, we don't bite (unless we're hungry), and no one will judge you because everyone had to start somewhere and we're more than happy to help newbie lifters out.

SO FIRE AWAY WITH YOUR DUMBNESS!!!

Do you like having 2-3 sweaty men shoe-horn you into polyester, canvas or denim bondage gear.

Do you like having your joints wrapped so tightly they bruise and bleed?

Do you like having your blood pressure turned up to 11 and being compressed so much that you think your head might explode?

Do you get off on enduring pain and suffering, and watching others endure it too?

Do you have a deathwish every time you get under the bar?

Yes?

THEN WELCOME TO THE FORTNIGHTLY EQUIPPED LIFTING THREAD!!!

I'm thinking about dipping my toes into equipped lifting for bench only, but I want to make sure I'm still maximising my classic SBD lifts.

Does anyone have any insight into whether training equipped bench once a week or so would impact classic lifting (probably mainly classic bench)? Or would there possibly be a net positive impact?

How would you add this to your program?

I have been wanting to buy sort of an entire kit of powerlifting gear. I am confused between A7 and SBD. I own sbd knee sleeve and wrist wraps but people have been telling me A7’s are better. Please give some genuine advice🙏🏻

Since I lift at home, I can deadlift barefoot, which usually isn’t an option in a public gym. So if barefoot deadlifting is available to me, is there any real reason to buy deadlift shoes?

Would deadlift slippers/shoes help with anything meaningful compared to barefoot, or would you recommend just sticking with barefoot deadlifts?

I was considering buying a cheap pair on Amazon, something like MANUEKLEAR deadlift shoes, but I’m not sure if it's even necessary.

Thanks.

A sorta kinda daily open thread to use as an alternative to posting on the main board. You should post here for:

• PRs
• Formchecks
• Rudimentary discussion or questions
• General conversation with other users
• Memes, funnies, and general bollocks not appropriate to the main board
• If you have suggestions for the subreddit, let us know!
• This thread now defaults to "new" sorting.

For the purpose of fairness across timezones this thread works on a 44hr cycle.

Bench Worlds seems to have flown under the radar here, so creating this thread to share some of the world record bench presses which took place in the championship.

305kg World Record in the 74kg category from Kosei Yokoyama. He also won Men's Best Lifter

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZCbfaaqVNK/

362.5kg World Record in the 93kg category from Kostiantyn Musiienko. This is even more impressive given that Musiienko is also an elite full power athlete and he outbenched the 105kg and the 120kg. Tbh, he should have won Best Lifter. The GL formula definitely needs a refresh.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZCcV_1KI-n/

356.5kg World Record in the 105kg category from Askar Shokhanov. This was an insane session in which all podium finishers were above the world record leading into the championship!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZCdvZOqLr5/

Is there any data about the mean percentage a person can increase his lifts in some given time (1 year, 5 years, 10 years or whatever) based on the first ever 1 RM he dose? Because if there is some data about it and the standard deviation is pretty low that means that the first one rep max someone dose maters a lot because it can actualy predicts, more or less, where you will find yourself in the progression in some given time. Unless the standard deviation is very large, making the data unreliable as a reference, it can be used to estimate future progress. For example using some random numbers for easy calculations, if your current bench press 1RM is 100 kg, and data show that people within one standard deviation of the mean (68.3% of the population) increase their bench press 1RM by 60% over two years, with a standard deviation of 5%, then you could reasonably expect your 1RM to reach around 160 kg ± 5 kg after two years of consistent training. I searched but couldn't find any evidence of something like that but is not that hard to do you just need a bunch of phd guys, a big group of people training powerlifting and some years of data so must already exist something like that, maybe some of you know where to find the info?

Belts, shoes, wraps, softsuits, anything training gear related can be asked and discussed here.

• What new training gear is on the market?
• Ask for training gear recommendations or reviews before you buy.
• Post your own training gear reviews.
• Post links for sales or discounts.
• Post your gym bag contents.

I’ve been in powerlifting for a short time, came from a few years of weight loss and bodybuilding. Spent most of my adult life with body image issues. I’m not here to complain. Just something I’ve noticed.

There was a time when more of us cared about the community than about federations, numbers, or brands. I’m not seeing as much of that now.

I see national singlet-wearing athletes pushing the same stuff that poisoned bodybuilding spaces, mocking people for how they look, treating medals as a license to be cruel. I see big events desperate for volunteers, and the response is “not my fed, not my problem.”

I see “have you competed yet?” used as a weapon, not a genuine question. And when you have competed? The goalposts move. Regionals. Nationals. Worlds. Always something else.

You don’t need a podium finish to have an opinion.

The other day I saw someone say “no excuse for a powerlifter not to be jacked.” As if heavier weight classes don’t exist. As if some of our strongest lifters don’t look different from a wellness competitor.

Here’s the truth: no one gives a shit what you look like under the singlet. Your value isn’t aesthetics.

A lot of us got into strength sports because we needed to be our own parents, our own best friends, our own supporters. Different backgrounds. Same reason. Yet we spend more time picking fights online than showing up when the community needs us.

I’ve been at two major meets; once as a spot loader, once watching. We all sweat the same. We all grind the same. From those who have much to give, much is expected.

Just turn up for other lifters as much as you turn up for yourself. Applaud other people’s efforts. There will always be people better than you, and always people who look up to you.

Mai runga te hapai.

Mai raro te pana.

From above, we lift. From below, we push.

Agata, the best women's powerlifter of all time, is banned by her federation. Rondel, one of the best men's powerlifters, was also banned. Now, Gustav over nonsense. Others too (Wahyu Surya, etc).

In response, a lot of top athletes will just be in the comment sections of these IG posts saying "damn, that sucks" ... and that's it.

At what point do these top athletes decide to actually demand change and make a stand for their fellow athletes by boycotting Worlds or Sheffield?

I know there's an argument to say what can Perkins really do as an American lifter when the Polish federation has made a decision. Sure, somewhat true. But I think shortsighted when considering the effect that many top athletes acting in unison can have.

As an example, in 1973 80+ men boycotted Wimbledon over an athlete being banned due to national federation nonsense. It worked, ATP was new and gained more momentum and ultimately led to greater power for athletes over national federations.

This isn't to single out Perkins, but he's the best men's lifter. It feels frustrating that all he seemingly (maybe more behind the scenes, I'm happy to be proven wrong) has done is reply to an Agata post saying "damn that sucks". In other sports we could expect more, I think.

Perhaps I'm being too idealistic and/or socialist.

What the actual fuck! I’m sorry but banning an athlete from competing because he wore a competitors singlet at a photo shoot, not even in competition, is insane.

IF that’s in their terms of the contract with A7 then I’ll be very pissed off with A7 for having a clause like that in.

I feel so bad for him. Federations should be there to support the athlete!

** Monthly Meet at the Meets thread

* Share your competition schedule or find/offer a meet handler

It feels like every fed has a "big and best" national event and it just all feels so uselessly diluted for such a small sport.

I can understand having a tested and untested fed, equipped and unequipped etc... but the rest is just... unnecessary.

How do you approach training under unfavorable conditions?

I’ve been having sleep issues since I graduated about a year ago and trying to get in a work/life balance. Most nights I sleep fine, getting 7-8 hours. But once a week normally before my early morning lifts I can’t fall asleep. Last night I slept about 5 hours and just layed there the other 2 to 3. Initially I was going to skip today and make it up the next day, but I woke up at my normal time and felt like normal so I went and told myself if it feels too bad just cut it short. Managed to hit all my lifts at the prescribed weights/rpe. Back downs felt harder but manageable. Skipped all accessories today though.

I have the underlying issue pinned to a few things. None in particular order.

1. Anxiety/brain still active at bed time. As I’m trying to fall asleep some nights my brain just doesn’t want to shut off and I’m constantly thinking about whatever.

2. Zig zag sleep schedule. 2 days out of the week I have to get up at 4am to give myself time. So naturally that means I’m in bed between 7:30 and 8. Other nights I don’t have to be in bed so early so I won’t go to bed till about 10. I think the zig zag sleep schedule might play into it.

If you have any tips to get those squared away I’m open to hear them.

Im a 20M weighing around 185lbs right now. Im back from my university gym and my new gym has a Rogue Ohio Deadlift bar that I’m trying to use. My atpr is 545, I’ve hit 525 at my current weight.

Im wondering if there are any nuisances to deadlift bar vs a regular power bar. Ive only trained with powerbar up until now but since I’m going on a cut and not really planning to join a comp anytime soon, I want to try and chase Pr’s on the deadlift bar.

Any tips or insight is appreciated, thx

A sorta kinda daily open thread to use as an alternative to posting on the main board. You should post here for:

• PRs
• Formchecks
• Rudimentary discussion or questions
• General conversation with other users
• Memes, funnies, and general bollocks not appropriate to the main board
• If you have suggestions for the subreddit, let us know!
• This thread now defaults to "new" sorting.

For the purpose of fairness across timezones this thread works on a 44hr cycle.