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Eric Spoto 327.5kg (722lbs) Bench Press World Record

That is the SPF rulebook which is the fed Spoto set this record in
All these different rules confuse me tbh, they seem very subjective and often ignored which is why I try and lift as "legit" as possible so I'm not caught out. I see a fair bit of benching with the bar touching below the sternum in GPC meets for example but am paranoid of being red lighted if I tried it lol
 
That is the SPF rulebook which is the fed Spoto set this record in
All these different rules confuse me tbh, they seem very subjective and often ignored which is why I try and lift as "legit" as possible so I'm not caught out. I see a fair bit of benching with the bar touching below the sternum in GPC meets for example but am paranoid of being red lighted if I tried it lol

If you don't have a belt, in GPC you can touch as low as your nuts
 
If you don't have a belt, in GPC you can touch as low as your nuts

Bar can't touch lower than the sternum, which is fairly subjective.

[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]A[/FONT][FONT=&quot]fter receiving the bar at arm’s length, the lifter shall lower the bar to the chest (not below the sternum) and await the head referee’s signal.[/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
 
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That has since change Liam.

Now that we are multi, you will be at to touch lower. It's just not updated yet.
 
You can touch the abdomen in the IPF now too - it just can't touch the belt, so easy, don't wear one. Apparently it was too hard to judge where someone's chest is because every person's sternum differs. The only real difference between IPF and other feds is head on bench and heels on floor.

And Sticky is right. There is no "pause" rule. The bar must be motionless before the ref gives the press call.

I do think this was touch and go but I've seen the similarly generous calls in the IPF. It happens. Lifter's luck.
 
You can touch the abdomen in the IPF now too - it just can't touch the belt, so easy, don't wear one. Apparently it was too hard to judge where someone's chest is because every person's sternum differs. The only real difference between IPF and other feds is head on bench and heels on floor.

And Sticky is right. There is no "pause" rule. The bar must be motionless before the ref gives the press call.

I do think this was touch and go but I've seen the similarly generous calls in the IPF. It happens. Lifter's luck.

As I explained to Scott yesterday, the motionless rule does effectively mean a pause, and this bench was pretty damn close to touch and go in my books.
 
Was the bar motionless in this bench?

Having watched that last vid that 0ni posted I think that the bar could have been considered motionless by the smallest of margins. Spoto definitely did not jump the call like it seemed in a different vid. The call was just very fast. I would have loved that ref if I was benching but not if I was a side ref trying to judge. I'm sure that ref would have had Pam in his ear telling him to slow his roll just a little.
 
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Doesn't the bar technically have to be motionless in order to change direction? (nitpicking I know but if the rule book says 'motionless' it's probably relevant)
 
Doesn't the bar technically have to be motionless in order to change direction? (nitpicking I know but if the rule book says 'motionless' it's probably relevant)

It has to be motionless before the ref makes the call and it is allowed to change direction, so by definition that is a pause. The bar must stop.
 
Doesn't the bar technically have to be motionless in order to change direction? (nitpicking I know but if the rule book says 'motionless' it's probably relevant)

Yeah but the moment of time can be 'infinitely small'. Like accelerating from 40km/hr to 80km/hr you are at 60km/hr for a brief instant. Getting into physics here which is probably a bit irrelevant :p

So I believe "motionless" is just anything perceivable. I guess that's why they have a press call, and its up to the judge.
 
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