ITT we post our dream fed

PA age divisions don't bother me really. Unless you're setting WRs nobody really cares that much about the junior or masters records, its the opens that count. Junior and subjunior records help encourage younger lifters into the sport and masters records allow older lifters to hang around and still have some competitive standards.

You can go overboard though, I'm not totally sure about GPC but CAPO has far too many age divisions including senior and open mens and sub masters...

yes, i dont see much difference from age 21 to 39.

As for masters, i like every 5 years as there are physiological differences between say a 52 year old and say a 59 year old and probably more so as you hit 60's. However, would not really bother me if ten year period like PA.

BTW, how did below ever happen, illogical. Here i was stating that no weight division has ever been won by score.


'At states Ron birch (67) totaled 520kg. Tim totaled. 715, zach (19) around 830.

Zach came 2nd to Ron, totaling 300kg more'.

Scores should only be useful where there are few older lifters that need to be sorted, as i suggest and you are now doing with a trophy. And when defining best lifter for all divisions

Sticky said:

At states Ron birch (67) totaled 520kg. Tim totaled. 715, zach (19) around 830.

Zach came 2nd to Ron, totaling 300kg more.

Nobody in the crowed could fathom how that happened. How can you get people into the sport if you can't even get them to understand how to win.

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If that does not represent the true winner, then the problem lies with the glossbrenner coefficients used. Presumably the number of lifters of that age is smaller; hence the coefficient is more able to be skewed from a long-term mean by a systemic bias in the population of lifters that formed the basis of the coefficient at that time. If there is not already a mechanism in place for periodic recalibration, then perhaps there should be.

On another note, I think it would be madness to do away with age categories, if you're genuine about growing the sport. I could not imagine a greater disincentive to older people wanting to take up powerlifting as a competitive sport

IPF rules

IPF weight classes, but get rid of the 59kg division - if you look at the numbers, the under 59 guys are lifting just as much as the 66kg guys. This makes it 7 weight classes, one less than IWF. 8 is too many. 4 too few. 5-7 is about right. I don't mind ProRaw weight classes, but I think a minimum 80 is too high. One of the best things about powerlifting is its inclusiveness. Guys like Fedosienko and Michael Kuhns wouldn't get a run in any other sport. 65 / 80/ 95/ 110 / 110+ might be a good compromise. You can take a purely numerical approach to determining weight classes by examining results from world and regional championships. This is pretty much what the IPF technical committee did when they changed the weight classes a few years ago. Side note: I found it ironic that it was so such a controversy at the time and yet pretty much everyone here agrees there are too many weight classes.

Age classes - Youth (under 21), Open, Masters (over 45)

Age classes should exist for records, separate age comps and qualification purposes only. There should be no age coefficient to determine an overall winner by formula across age divisions, that is ridiculous. Wilks is not an age coefficient. Best lifter is best lifter. You can have a separate junior/masters best lifter trophy if the level of competition justifies it, just like we sometimes award most improved etc. IPF has the numbers to run a separate junior worlds and masters world. We don't currently have the numbers in Australia to justify separate nationals, but if we eventually do, separate age based events have merit, which is why they have them in just about every serious sport.

yes, concur with strong enough. My previous comments based on lack of competitors in Aust.

In aths, we have seperate age groups for masters and have masters only events; and performance alone decides winner and medals.

But can you believe it, they now have 30-34 and 35-39 years, which i find an absolute joke.

Do you think powerlifting will ever have a broad appeal?

I think contestants need to be better groomed,hold less adipose tissue, wear tight shorts and wear club guernseys.

it may one day, but doubt whether it has enough appeal beyond those more interested in just pure strength.

Will we see, as sport in Australia now has a number of people making considerable effort to see sport grow.

Probably near 700-800 registered lifters when you include PA, CAPO and GPC.

Goosey, I don't think broad appeal is necessary. But it has much more potential than many other non-team/non-ball sports because just about every male has done a bench press at some time in their life. People are rediscovering the barbell and the sport is growing at an alarming rate as a result.

There are already more participants in powerlifting than olympic weightlifting and I think 5,000 registered adult competitors across the major feds is a realistic goal within 5 years.

strong enough? said:

Goosey, I don't think broad appeal is necessary. But it has much more potential than many other non-team/non-ball sports because just about every male has done a bench press at some time in their life. People are rediscovering the barbell and the sport is growing at an alarming rate as a result.

There are already more participants in powerlifting than olympic weightlifting and I think 5,000 registered adult competitors across the major feds is a realistic goal within 5 years.

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Do you think crossfit has helped or hindered strong?

It seems to have been a conduit, same in the sense you rent factory space buy some barbells.

The only difference is there is too much of a risk factor with crossfit

PS on sumo deadlift, this is a hard call. On the one hand, there is maximum mandated bench press grip. On the other hand, we don't tell people what squat stance they can use. On balance, history and tradition demands that the sumo deadlift stays.

Goosey said:

Do you think crossfit has helped or hindered strong?

It seems to have been a conduit, same in the sense you rent factory space buy some barbells.

The only difference is there is too much of a risk factor with crossfit

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Crossfit is getting people to the bars, especially the girls. I've already got one female CFer to try her hand at PL and she is now ranked 6th in PA due to her unreal deadlift. I'm now working on another 2 who would have junior and open lift records in their sights.

Unfortunately, possibly Rob Downton (3rd place in 105s at ASM, former number 2 ranked CFer) aside, CF seems to be a more limiting factor for men. The excessive reps and cardio keeps them out of contention for strength competitiong.

Goosey said:

Do you think crossfit has helped or hindered strong?

It seems to have been a conduit, same in the sense you rent factory space buy some barbells.

The only difference is there is too much of a risk factor with crossfit

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I think thats a very good point. The awareness Crossfit has brought has acted as a conduit for getting people involved in powerlifting. PA has had a heap of lifters join from CrossFit.

The difference is Crossfit is fucking expensive to participate in and to run a Crossfit box you have to pay ridiculously expensive licence fees. Powerlifting is simple. Its a very basic sport in its pure raw form.

You look at the Crossfit Games in the US and the fact it is on TV etc. I may be biased but I can't help but wonder if Crossfit can attract so much interest, why can't powerlifting. Powerlifting used to be live on TV but it was PEDs that brought it down - networks didn't want to touch a dirty sport. That kind of exposure can be rediscovered. What really hit it off was raw, which made the sport much more accessible and easier to appreciate.

strong enough? said:

PS on sumo deadlift, this is a hard call. On the one hand, there is maximum mandated bench press grip. On the other hand, we don't tell people what squat stance they can use. On balance, history and tradition demands that the sumo deadlift stays.

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Sumo hate is stupid IMO. Despite the fact it shortens ROM it also limits a lifter's power production. If sumo was so easy for everybody then everybody would do it but they don't. Its pretty much only used by shorter lifters and women and even then it isn't a majority.

Also, those who are wanting to rid the world of bench handouts should try unracking a really heavy bar with rotator cuff problems then get back to me...

yes, some of crossfit girls also good at olympic lifting.

Both strength sports will get a few that will do well in strength sports and hence move, but I suspect most enjoy all round fitness element of crossfit and its variety.

That is the impression i get at my gym when i discuss with girls, including some better built and suited for powerlifting.

spartacus said:

yes, some of crossfit girls also good at olympic lifting.

Both strength sports will get a few that will do well in strength sports and hence move, but I suspect most enjoy all round fitness element of crossfit and its variety.

That is the impression i get at my gym when i discuss with girls, including some better built and suited for powerlifting.

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Just wave australian record potential under their nose, that changes things. CFers are all about bragging rights and elitism...

yes, a few lost interest when i showed them records.

spartacus said:

yes, a few lost interest when i showed them records.

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Lol. Pick your battles better then, only show the records to those who have a chance...

yep, you have to lead them on a bit.

If only i had that approach when younger, would have pulled more of them.

NAPARM said:

No testing
No equipped division
Raw only (proper raw - no knee wraps)
Proper judging
No age classes
Only 4 or 5 weight classes
Qualifying standard for Nats - minimum 400 gloss
Qualifying standard for Worlds - minimum 450 gloss
No sumo deadlifts

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