RAW vs. Equipped Powerlifting

[wesleyinman]

You're right...not trying to lump everyone into the same category. I just feel like it's pointless to talk about my training here when I see a lot of people shitting on it.
That 3 miles was an edit..it was 2000 meters. I wasn't sure on the conversion and wrote 3 at the time but double checked and it's 1.25 (felt like 3!).

EDIT - fixed and addressed his post, soley. I see your point.

Hey CTJ It's funny I had a huge issue years ago with "crossfit" but really the ONLY issue I had is that alot of the athletes were acting super arrogant at the gyms, etc..I'd have guys half my strength approach me and say, "i think I can beat you in Strongman" meanwhile they never have even touched an event. I would just yell at them and tell them how dumb they sounded. But then I had to admit, this is a small population of crossfitters that are morons. Truthfully Bodybuilding was no worse IMO. I competed solely in BBing initially for 9 years and I have met 50% amazing people, and 50% assholes.

I have no issue w crossfit and I have many friends who do this. I in fact can appreciate your training now. I for one couldn't complete a 10 minute set of ANY weight LOL. I doubt I could complete one of the conditioning events in Crossfit. Not one. Meanwhile, I doubt a crossfitter could ever complete one of our true weighted events, like a 1000lb tire for 10 flips. I will argue until I am blue in the face it is all in how you train your body. And each sport has it's advantages and disadvantages IMO.

Also, alot of people say the stuff you guys do is dumb and dangerous..event wise. Well, in Strongman I hear it all the time too. We do some pretty "dumb" and "dangerous" stuff as well but I love it nonetheless and wouldn't change it for anything.

Now the geared vs raw versus steroids debate is interesting. I have good friends that I used to argue with...but you know what, I will give my view and then get out, not argue it, just say where I stand. I have a friend named Vincenzo Dicenzo..he's an Elite Fitness PL. Guy has a 600+ raw bench..He also competes in suited and has an even bigger number. Recently he competed in an open division of a Strongman comp with me...He did well on some events and ok on others. Meanwhile there was no one in the building that could press remotely near him. I have utmost respect for him and his training style, and it makes him happy, so be it.

Different athletes, different strengths.

Crossfit, I do count as a sport. I am earning more and more respect for it. I personally would go to a Crossfit event to watch well before I went to a 3-py suit PL meet. CTJ, the way you conduct yourself in this forum makes me think higher of your sport. I'm happy to be on this forum with a Crossfitter

 

[gunslinger]

I get what you're saying. I mean I can bench 600 (when healthy) raw. If I took the time to learn the shirt! I may be a 900 lbs. bencher. Part of the problem is the general public looks at us all as mutants and were basically 1% of the fitness industry. The public is informed. I would say that if one was an equipped lifter, ethically it would be up to them to attempt to clarify what their 900 lbs bench means but first I highly doubt the common person would get it and most are not going to waste their time. It is what it is, but cheating I disagree with an equipped lifter being labelled that.

Exactly. The only way it would be "cheating" is if they were competing against each other and were not supposed to use any equipment. It should not be hard to clarify to the average lifter or gym rat that "I can bench 600 without special equipment and with a bench shirt add another 300 to that" Its pretty simple actually. If you know how to use it the equipment adds a hell of a lot to the lift.


Using the drag racing example that seems so popular with some. Telling someone you bench 900 without telling them its with special equipment is like driving around in a stock mustang and telling them you can go over 200 MPH, without clarifying you can only do that in your funny car thats at home.

 

[C T J]

.

Thanks, Wes. Much respect to you as well. I've only been doing it for 2.5 months now.
Crossover from bodybuilding/powerlifting. I still do those style of workouts during open
gym but I'll do the crossfit stuff at night (body willing) You can't get on an elite crossfit level by
just doing crossfit unless you have unreal genetics. You have to still build for size and strength
with hypertrophy rep schemes and strength rep schemes. Strongman would be cool to try as well but
those weights might be a bit heavy for me at the moment, haha.

You're right, there's arrogant douches in every sport. Some juiced guys at the gym are super
chill and others walk around like the best thing since sliced bread.

In regards to raw vs equipped, I can't really say. I said last week that the suits are not just
about what the person can do but also the equipment. However, I've never tried it so it's
hard for me to go one way or the other. Right now, I just use a belt, chalk and wraps
but it would be interesting to see down the road what I could do in a suit.

I live for the weight and the muscle first and foremost and I'm sure we can all agree with that one.
Whether you do it in a suit or raw, our mentalities are still the same. Go big or go home.

 

[porky little keg]

Raw guys just jealous that I bench 800..... LOL.... Expecting someone to explain their choice in competing to everyone they meet is like asking the pro drag racer how fast he goes and him replying with the numbers his Cadillac puts up instead of the car he competes in. Most guys I know don't have that much of an ego though. I've learned to just answer "not enough". I don't care enough about what strangers think of me to want to talk about it.


CTJ - The top crossfitters are badasses, no doubt. Most of the hate you guys catch is just the result of some really bad coaches out there pushing really horrible form and pushing athletes until they break down- either from metabolic issues or from injury.
For years I've spent one day a week doing fast-paced conditioning work. Kind of like a crossfit training session. It's really helped my powerlifting a lot. After a 12 hour meet I'm still fresh enough to pull a 3rd deadlift.
I even tried joining a crossfit gym that's walking distance from my house but the guys there were stuck up and rude. Never mind not wanting to pay $100 a month fora warehouse gym with some monkey bars in it....

But still - like I said about the raw vs. geared thing. Compete how you want to.
I prefer a belt, squat suit, and wraps, a bench shirt, and a deadlift suit.
RAAAAAWdogs prefer just a belt and maybe wraps.
You prefer to do all three lifts without rest and while sprinting from one to the other.
If that's what you like, then good for you. It's still just as valid as any other way to compete.

 

[aperry580]

ive gotta admit those huge equipped numbers are tempting but ive never used anything. I love raw to each there own but I think personally I would feel like I didn't lift the weight. its all lifting tho so its all good