RAW vs. Equipped Powerlifting
- Thread starter Mike Singletary
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- equipped powerlifting raw vs.
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MikeSki
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- Mar 15, 2011
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I started lifting in the 70's nothing but raw and competed in the late 70's. I tried shirts in the 80's did not like them and besides that had no crew to help or teach me, or internet, so with little help I went back to raw and belt. Then in the 2008 I got some real suits and shirt and tried it again, big difference but raw was still an option and I competed in raw comps for a couple of years.
Now I have a crew and these guys only did geared lifting in none the less multiply! So out to buy $300 shirt and $300 suit, $200 briefs and better wraps for knees and wrist. Been training in gear (multiply) for over 2 years and plan to have my FIRST multiply meet in a couple of weeks. It is hard in gear, and you just don't put it on and do 200lbs more in each lift. It is special form special technique and if you are not doing it that way it is over.
I continue to train raw and competed and I know my gear lifting has helped me in raw squats. Since I've used gear I have competed raw in a few meet. My raw squat has increased 120lbs in competition lifts and I'm over 50 at 240lbs and I'm not talking 300lb squat to 420lb squat more like over 500lb to over 600lbs.
So do I think there should be more raw comps? I don't think there is a federation out there that does not have a raw division so that is a mute question.
Shoud geared lifting (single and multiply) be forgotten? No, it has its place and this should still be a division for those who have crews and want to feel the heavy weight.
Geared lifting is special, you need a crew, good squat racks or a mono lift, competition bench, power racks to name a few of the special equipment to lift on.
Lifting raw you can do at almost any commercial and you can pretty much train by yourself. I am not saying you should just that you can.
Geared/Raw, you will always have a debate but each has its place in powerlifting but I feel that each helps the other.
Now I have a crew and these guys only did geared lifting in none the less multiply! So out to buy $300 shirt and $300 suit, $200 briefs and better wraps for knees and wrist. Been training in gear (multiply) for over 2 years and plan to have my FIRST multiply meet in a couple of weeks. It is hard in gear, and you just don't put it on and do 200lbs more in each lift. It is special form special technique and if you are not doing it that way it is over.
I continue to train raw and competed and I know my gear lifting has helped me in raw squats. Since I've used gear I have competed raw in a few meet. My raw squat has increased 120lbs in competition lifts and I'm over 50 at 240lbs and I'm not talking 300lb squat to 420lb squat more like over 500lb to over 600lbs.
So do I think there should be more raw comps? I don't think there is a federation out there that does not have a raw division so that is a mute question.
Shoud geared lifting (single and multiply) be forgotten? No, it has its place and this should still be a division for those who have crews and want to feel the heavy weight.
Geared lifting is special, you need a crew, good squat racks or a mono lift, competition bench, power racks to name a few of the special equipment to lift on.
Lifting raw you can do at almost any commercial and you can pretty much train by yourself. I am not saying you should just that you can.
Geared/Raw, you will always have a debate but each has its place in powerlifting but I feel that each helps the other.
Like_a_Weed
MuscleHead
- Jan 25, 2011
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schultz1
Bangs Raiden's mom VIP
- Jan 3, 2011
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I think raw would bring more attention to it and, get the number of participants up. When joe public asks a guy what he benches and lifter replies " with or without a shirt ". Joe public becomes confused. I also agree with you about the training aspect. I know a lot of strong guys who lift for the fun of it. These guys wont do meets because of shirts or suits etc. It would bring these guys out in droves imo. Great topic.
porky little keg
MuscleHead
- May 21, 2011
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There's merit to both.... I compete equipped most of the time, but have competed raw.
Raw lifting is nice because it is hassle free, but there is a lot more technique involved in geared competition. Gear is a whole new set of challenges to work through, that's fun for me.
That's why there are so many federations. If Joe Rawballs wants to lift with no belt, knee wraps, or clothes then there's a fed for it. If you want no squat suits but you do want knee wraps there's a fed for that. If you want single ply, multi-ply, 40-ply with pneumatic robot arms.... there's a fed for that. Go lift where you want.
Raw lifting is nice because it is hassle free, but there is a lot more technique involved in geared competition. Gear is a whole new set of challenges to work through, that's fun for me.
That's why there are so many federations. If Joe Rawballs wants to lift with no belt, knee wraps, or clothes then there's a fed for it. If you want no squat suits but you do want knee wraps there's a fed for that. If you want single ply, multi-ply, 40-ply with pneumatic robot arms.... there's a fed for that. Go lift where you want.
BlueDevil
MuscleHead
- Jul 9, 2011
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BUMP...
I think the OP nailed it on the head for me. I've only competed a few times and would like to do so more in the future but the equipped lifting is just too complicated in many ways for me. I do appreciate it and understand that in some ways the gear offers some added safety but learning proper form and technique with a bench shirt/squat suit takes time and a partner. One of my best friends started training for equipped PLing and because he had no one to help him most of the time I would drive to the gym just to help him put his bench shirt on and then peel it off of him when he was done (we trained at different times of the day). That's annoying and makes it hard for someone new to get into. Plus all that gear costs money. Bench shirts aren't cheap and then when you go to get one you then find out that all shirts aren't the same, that makes it more confusing.
It's awesome to see guys like Mendy and Kennelly pushing 1000lbs in a shirt, but for the average PLer I don't really see the point, especially with the new/younger guys. I've been to meets where you have 165lbs guys in a shirt struggling to push 300lbs and that just seems silly to me. I guess in a way it's like AAS. Build a base first, then add the gear.
I would love to see a shift towards more raw lifting.
I think the OP nailed it on the head for me. I've only competed a few times and would like to do so more in the future but the equipped lifting is just too complicated in many ways for me. I do appreciate it and understand that in some ways the gear offers some added safety but learning proper form and technique with a bench shirt/squat suit takes time and a partner. One of my best friends started training for equipped PLing and because he had no one to help him most of the time I would drive to the gym just to help him put his bench shirt on and then peel it off of him when he was done (we trained at different times of the day). That's annoying and makes it hard for someone new to get into. Plus all that gear costs money. Bench shirts aren't cheap and then when you go to get one you then find out that all shirts aren't the same, that makes it more confusing.
It's awesome to see guys like Mendy and Kennelly pushing 1000lbs in a shirt, but for the average PLer I don't really see the point, especially with the new/younger guys. I've been to meets where you have 165lbs guys in a shirt struggling to push 300lbs and that just seems silly to me. I guess in a way it's like AAS. Build a base first, then add the gear.
I would love to see a shift towards more raw lifting.
porky little keg
MuscleHead
- May 21, 2011
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exactly
I don't get how people can be so polarized on this topic.... it's all about moving heavy weight. Most people who would call equipped lifting cheating have never seen, let alone tried to use a squat suit or bench shirt. Everyone wants to believe that their way is the right way, but in the end it's all about moving heavy-ass weight.
SHINE
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