Input Needed for BB vs. PL Strength Contest

[big_byrd52]

Ronnie Coleman Powerlifting Meet!!

Now that i have your attention! Yes there will be a powerlifting meet at the Ronnie Coleman Classic and Branch Warren Show in Texas this year. Now i need your input on something so please read and help me out.

Hey Guys, hows everyone been? I have been really busy lately and havent been over here in a long time. I have been working my ass off to get a huge Powerfest Strength Series off the ground and everything is now falling into place.

Here is the deal, as some of you know, i am a powerlifter, but i am so sick of all the BS equipment like bench shirts. The gear issue is getting out of hand. I love the sport but hate the gear! So i have put together the Raw Powerfest ( www.rawpowerfest.com ) to help grow the sport of powerlifting and strength sports. Basically it will be a series of qualifier meets with bench only, and full power (squat,bench, deadlift for total) divisions. The way it is set up is so that there is prize money at each qualifier for the winners, and has $15,000 in cash and prizes for the finals, so far.

All lifting will be done just like one would do in the gym, ie just a belt and wrist wraps.

The thing is, this issue is very controversial in the powerlifting circles, so i wanted to step outside that and come here, to bodybuilders and athletes who i hope will learn to love the sport, what you think about an issue.

The issue is knee wraps for squats. What do you think? Would anyone consider lifting in a powerlifting meet where there is no worry about bench shirts and all that crap? Does it really matter to you if you are only allowed to wear knee sleeves and not knee wraps?

another big question is : Does this idea appea to any of you? would anyone compete?

 

[big_byrd52]

ttt

 

[dolf]

i'd deffinitly be interested in competing. as far as knee wraps go... i use them when i'm doing heavy singles just for the safety factor. my right knee gives me trouble sometimes and the added support really helps. i think of them more as a safety measure than gear to add weight to your lift. when is the georgia meet?

 

[glenihan]

IMHO .. i think knee wraps are OK .. i don't see them giving the added strength of a suit or briefs but can really serve to protect ones knees

i'm nowhere near strong enough to compete but i think its a fantastic idea and really hope it works out .. best of luck!!!

 

[edge250]

wouldnt compete, cause i'd get crushed BUT i'd much rather watch a meet like this than one with 2-ply squat suits and denim bench shirts, squat briefs, deadlift suits, etc. nothing like watching a guy take 600 and cant even get it to his chest

also i think they should use normal squat stands, not the thing where it moves for you. i think just knee wraps, wrist wraps and a belt thats it no other equiptment.

hey byrd my dad has a couple state records. i think one of them is a 600 or 650 squat at 198lbs masters division 50 and over.

have you ever heard of a guy named luke iams?? world class powerlifter in the 70's-80's???

 

[WARLORD_123]

I like the idea, as true power is measured in RAW unassisted (refering to mechanical assistance) manner. I find a 500 pound plus bare chested Conan style bench press to be fuckin awesome. If I was stateside during the contest I would definatally compete.

 

[littlemack]

I wouldn't compete, but I'd love to attend and watch. When are these shows in Texas? Edge, I think you would do VERY well! And ask those old timers if they knew a guy named Paul Barbie from that era. He set a lot of records back in the day and is from my area. I remember him training athletes about 15 years ago and used to slap those guys in the faces all the time. They'd sniff those things and get all psyched. Crazy stuff.
Cheers!

 

[alan1973]

If I did not use knee wraps, I would be in pain over 350.
I just did 450 for 2 yesterday and wore knee wraps, and as soon as the wraps came off, I was hurting. maybe for you superman types that never get hurt can get away with not using wraps, but I am a 34 year old that has a lot of mileage, I would need the wraps. Sleeves do nothing when it comes to weights. Leave those for the ball players.
BB52, by the way, at 235lbs, is 450x2 decent? I would not know since I stopped powerlifting in '98.

 

[KillerStack]

If I did not use knee wraps, I would be in pain over 350.
I just did 450 for 2 yesterday and wore knee wraps, and as soon as the wraps came off, I was hurting. maybe for you superman types that never get hurt can get away with not using wraps, but I am a 34 year old that has a lot of mileage, I would need the wraps. Sleeves do nothing when it comes to weights. Leave those for the ball players.
BB52, by the way, at 235lbs, is 450x2 decent? I would not know since I stopped powerlifting in '98.

I'm the same way, squats hurt without wraps but the question is do they actually protect you in any way? I mean like you say you feel the pain when the wraps come off. Do they just mask the pain when doing your sets?

 

[Dave_19]

It sounds cool, I was a powerlifter before I got into bodybuilding. If it wasn't in TX, and a bench only competition I would do it, not sure how good I would do, but it would be fun. As for the knee wraps for squats, I say no, not for a raw bench fest, many even would argue the wrist wraps although I use wraps on every thing.

 

[Kahn]

I think the same way about PL meets. No shirts, knee sleeves are OK and so are wrist wraps. I'd even have the guys lift the bar out of the rack and back into it by themselves. I always think control the weight the entire time you have it. It seems to me you could wrap a knee to help strength and depending on the material of the wrap, you could get more out of a wrap than a sleeve. I'd love to compete but I suck at bodybuilding so sucking at two sports would be too much for this guy.

 

[big_byrd52]

Alan, knee wraps do hurt. they do help protect knee stability, but the added weight is added stress. There are some good sleeves out there now. Rehband sleeves work really well to keep the knees warm and lubed and provide side to side stability without giving added weight like wraps. My knees feel so much better after squatting using sleeves than without, and i squat 2-3 times a week.

I have bad knees too, but the sleeves help far more than wraps at keeping them from getting sore.


And these responses im getting about being to weak and all that shit... thats what im talking about! The gear has distorted the 'true' strength of the athletes so much that guys who are really stronger than these guys are scared to compete because the numbers are so inflated! You want the truth about powerlifting numbers? Take the numbers you see fore the topp 100 list, and subtract 150-200 pounds from the bench and you have the true bench. Take 250-300 off the squat and you have a true raw squat with no wraps.

As a general rule for most meets:

bench- 1.5 x bdywgt is pretty good, 2 Xs is great, and over 2Xs u wont have much competition, 2.3-2.5 is all time world record weights!

Squats (to parallel!)- 2 Xs is decent, 2.5Xs is pretty good, 3 Xs is great, over 3 not much competiton, and 3.5 or so is world record calibur.

of course these numbers skew a lill for the super light and heavier classes. i would this is about right for 165-275

 

[big_byrd52]

Also Dave, the meets are not just in texas! We will be having 12-16 meets all over the country, so there is sure to be one close by! check out the site www.rawpowerfest.com for the meet locations we have so far.

 

[Kahn]

I'm in Michigan or I'd be there to watch. I think you'll have a great turnout for the show. I'd think your idea will spread. I'm surprised with the number of people I talk to that never heard of a shirt or a suit to assist your lift.

 

[DOGMA]

Hey Byrd. Where in Texas will it be? I would love to see the meet as stated before I wont compete as I would get crushed.

But to answer your question I think sleeves would place everyone on the same level, I use sleeves when I squat for max but that's it. I think they work just as well as avg wraps. Now I have seen some 9 ft wraps that are thick as hell and in my opinion the work just like a suit because they do assist in the lift.

 

[big_byrd52]

In texas its at the DFW Hilton for the ronnie coleman classic BB show, and Branch Warren BB shows.

 

[HELLA SWOLE]

I think this would be cool as hell to watch. And as far as wraps go...don't they come in different thicknesses? LIke double-ply, triple-ply etc.? This would yiled more/less help and not an even standard across the board, so my say would be to jsut use knee sleeves instead. I don't see a problem with belt and wrist wraps either. I can't see either of them helping anybody on their lifts much at all, and even if they do, at least everyone will be on the same level.

 

[bluto]

Wraps

Perhaps only allow one brand of kneew wraps?

I train with these old worn out wraps that really dont add any poundage to my lifts but they definitly still protect my patella tendons. I wont squat ova 300mg without some kinda wrap. I use knee sleeves alot of the time just to keep my knees warm too.

I wouldnt allow some knee wraps- the super long ones that take a truck to stretch and crush your knee caps- they add 50pnds to a 1RM squat.

If its for bodybuilders too are you gona have a strongest arm lift?? Biggest bicep curl and biggest skullcrusher????