how many think that 100% Raw powerlifting should mean just that? i.e. no knee wraps, no wrist straps, no special shirts, no special squat suits, and NO BELTS.
currently the RAW federation does allow belts.
would you support it? do you squat and dead wihout a belt?
I feel belts are fine even in raw powerlifting, in my opinion it’s all the other ‘aids’ that make a mockery of power lifting as a serious sport, give me strong man anyday!
Belt and wrist wraps.
WDFPA (to my knowledge the only international fed that has unequipped powerlifting) uses the above. So does British Weightlifters Association (IPF fed) thats runs many national level unequipped comps.
I use both in unequipped competition. I’d lift without a belt, or with knee wraps but would rather not do either.
good grief. There’s nothing wrong with a little safety dude. Every sport in the world has equipment of some sort that protects and aids the player. I can understand being against PL suits and shirts because of the huge potential for carryover, but the debate over the belt/no belt is getting out of hand.
I think it should be just a belt…but then again I have back issues 
Belts, knee wraps, and wrist wraps are all primarily for safety and support. I support them in any form. I compare it to something like taping a wrist/ankle/knee in any other sport. It’s done all the time and no one bats an eye or calls anyone else a cheater.
All said, I haven’t used knee wraps and only use a belt for squatting so whatever. Of course, I have nothing against those who use gear either - I just prefer not to.
[quote]JamFly wrote:
I feel belts are fine even in raw powerlifting, in my opinion it’s all the other ‘aids’ that make a mockery of power lifting as a serious sport, give me strong man anyday![/quote]
Yeah, cos we all the know the guy wearing the gear aren’t strong…
Anyway I’d say a belt and wrist wraps are fair enough. Not a massive amount of support out of either of them.
Knee wraps on the other hand, I wouldn’t be a fan of in “raw” comp.
Belt and wrist wraps! Belt for safety and wrist wraps for healthy wrists. Besides the wrist wraps doesn’t even help the performance.
I don’t see any problem with belt or wrist wrap usage. I agree with knee wraps not being allowed though.
You just can’t have knee wraps in RAW powerlifting, it’s elastic…it’s adding on muscle around your knee. Taping your ankle or wrist does not make them stronger.
The strongest lifters are in fully-equipped competitions. I think that’s the way it’s headed.
Why can’t this topic die. If you want to lift completely raw then do it. No is stopping you.
Put my vote in for allowing belts and wrist wraps. But then I’m bias as I have never used gear or knee wraps.
[quote]Wordwreckin wrote:
Taping your ankle or wrist does not make them stronger.[/quote]
really? then why wrap them…
[quote]robo1 wrote:
Wordwreckin wrote:
Taping your ankle or wrist does not make them stronger.
really? then why wrap them…
[/quote]
prevents possible injury by giving more support. i have not found that wrist wraps added anything to my lifts, but i did feel more comfortable when i had an injured wrist wearing them
I consider RAW to be belt and wraps. I honestly don’t understand why anybody gets in a twist over knee wraps.
This debate is just old and tired, though.
It will be interesting to see how the new USAPL division pans out. Interestingly, we have already discovered that even allowing something as basic as knee sleeves is problematic.
Did you catch the ghey?
[quote]robo1 wrote:
Wordwreckin wrote:
Taping your ankle or wrist does not make them stronger.
really? then why wrap them…
[/quote]
Because I have arthritis in my left wrist and benching anything over 135 without them causes pain.
The difference between a wrist wrap and a knee wrap is that the wrist is not a fulcrum in the bench press. The wrist angle essentially stays the same throughout the entire movement.
The knee joint is a major fulcrum in the squat and the angle dramatically changes.
Either way, who gives a shit? Compete how you want to compete and set PRs, anything else doesn’t really matter. That being said, competing raw for me is in a belt and wrist wraps.
-Matt
[quote]Matt McGorry wrote:
Because I have arthritis in my left wrist and benching anything over 135 without them causes pain.
-Matt[/quote]
that’s my point. it makes it more confortable and thus easier to bench. it’s an assistance aid. im just tryin to point out how ridculous it is to make these sort of generalizations.
OK looks like I’m losing, seems clear that you all have no prob with RAW being defined as with belt.
but some of you commented as this debate being so old, honestly I haven not ever seen it discussed, especially whether or not to allow wearing belts in “RAW” meets. So that’s why I started this thread.