Shit going down in the USA

[Iron Alliance]

I think they'd axe the Bench. Telegenics wise, it's the least of the 3. Comparatively it looks the least impressive, to the untrained eye. Though everyone does know it.

It just "looks" as if you do more in the squat/dead to the general public. That's if it ever did make it to the Olympics and for some strange reason they DID axe a lift.

 

[PTC]

Pretty much every sport I can think of is drug-prone.

Many of the sports at the Olympics are not telegenic, are boring as batsh1t to watch and are played by very few people. Lifting weights on the other hand is a very popular sport.

Many Olympics sports are hard to judge as well. Some are even completely subjective.

Lifting is weights is possibly the least participated sport in Australia. Look at the figures from State and National comp.

Lifting weights for most Aussies is a hobby.

CAPO and PA have had less than 10 lifters participate at State Titles. Name another sport that can claim that lol

The recent National Bench comp in QLD had 8 lifters I think. National event, 8 lifters. Still think its a popular sport?

 

[Oli]

I think they'd axe the Bench. Telegenics wise, it's the least of the 3. Comparatively it looks the least impressive, to the untrained eye. Though everyone does know it.

It just "looks" as if you do more in the squat/dead to the general public. That's if it ever did make it to the Olympics and for some strange reason they DID axe a lift.

Nah. The bench is probably the most classic lift on the face of the planet. Its a pretty good measure of upper body strength and without a suit its a difficult exercise to cheat.

The squat on the other hand is seen as dangerous by a lot of people and everyone hates doing it. Equipment and style is complex, not to mention there's a greater need for spotters. Note how big push pull comps are getting.

 

[Oli]

Lifting is weights is possibly the least participated sport in Australia. Look at the figures from State and National comp.

Lifting weights for most Aussies is a hobby.

CAPO and PA have had less than 10 lifters participate at State Titles. Name another sport that can claim that lol

The recent National Bench comp in QLD had 8 lifters I think. National event, 8 lifters. Still think its a popular sport?

Australia is so fucking backwards though. In america any local paper will be full of ads to sell olympic barbells, plates and power racks second hand. How long was it until you found a decent rack? 2009?

With the amount of rugby players out there powerlifting should be much bigger than it is. Its pretty much the perfect off season training for a forward. Theres just no resources out there apart from yourself. A lot of big guys i know get into bodybuilding or increasingly crossfit to get the job done, not needed.

 

[Dancelot]

Lifting is weights is possibly the least participated sport in Australia. Look at the figures from State and National comp.

Lifting weights for most Aussies is a hobby.

CAPO and PA have had less than 10 lifters participate at State Titles. Name another sport that can claim that lol

The recent National Bench comp in QLD had 8 lifters I think. National event, 8 lifters. Still think its a popular sport?

For most people who participate in any given sport, it is just a hobby. Few ever compete.

I don't equate lifting weights with powerlifting. If you look at gyms around the country, plenty of people are lifting weights. Sure they may lift incorrectly and have no idea how powerlifters train, but they'd understand powerlifting when they see it, better than many of the obscure Olympic sports.

How many people you see doing, say, shot put, as a hobby? Or synchronised diving? Some of the bizarre winter Olympic sports would have maybe just over 100 participants around the world. It's just dumb that those sports are in the Olympics and a real sport (who lifts the most weights wins) isn't.

 

[PTC]

Go to any track on a weekend morning and you will see more kids shotputting than lifters competing at State titles.

Lifting weights IS NOT popular in Australian Sports, period.

Forget about who lifts weights, were talking about sport, its practically non existent. Weightlifting is a little better, maybe because its in the Olympics.

Politics and equipment has not helped our sport, no question about that. It was much bigger in the 80's, it was huge.

 

[dave]

Few ever compete.

I would say that is not true. There are about 5 different grades of basketball in most melbourne suburbs containing about 6 or more teams in each grade. Similar thing with football. Most compete in sport as it is a team sport and you have to play against other teams. So a higher percentage compete in other sports than just play as a hobby.

Individuals sports are different. Most people don't take up javelin as a hobby but lifting weights is the opposite most people take it up as a hobby or a way to change their body. They do not do it as a sport the percentage is the other way around.

 

[Mahoney]

Weightlifting is a little better, maybe because its in the Olympics.

This is also so in recent years because the AWF got off their backsides and did something about it. The vast majority of newcomers in the last decade have come through talent ID. PA had some half assed attempt at a high school bench comp.

 

[haz]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E27sf8btio0&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - Hitler is Pissed about Powerlifting[/ame]

 

[amac38]

LOL haz, you post the best stuff from youtube

 

[JDizzle]

nice haz

"now we'll see icecream truckdrivers on youtube bragging about their 2 inch 10 ply 1000lb squats."

hahahaha