Well normally choose to stay out of these Gear vs Raw discussions due to the fact they normally just turn into pissing matches and nothing is solved. While nothing will most likely come from this one either its actually a damn good discussion.
My take plain and simple on the gear etc… I have NO problem with those who choose to wear gear. I dont and just dont have the desire I find more satisfaction out on me lifting the weight my self. If I cant get a projected weight I want. SHIT its my fault in to damn weak or something in ME was not right its not that my shirt was applied wrong, my briefs were riding up etc…
I honestly had no interest in even taking part in the sport until very recent. I respected it for what it is, and kind of felt sorry for what it has become. That awesome records are falling that were set with minimal to no gear. Just plain busting ass to force ones body to limits that no one feels possible (not that many of todays PLr’s dont bust ass).
I think to many this has turned them away from the sport. The weights are amazing yes but a certain area of respect is gone with the addition of “he did it in gear,” not just simply John Doe came out and benched or squated some odd LBS in a damn singlet and belt. Why because people can relate to this feet. I dont care who they are they know that putting that many hundred lbs on your back and doing it is a task to be looked up upon. That said lifter has worked his tail to the bone to reach that.
They, I simply cant relate to the gear. Why do they wear it. How much carry over does it have, do they get. How many people does it take to put that silly looking contraction on and hell the damn thing wont even close in the back. Why not just find your limits etc always press to beat ones self, if its to much weight FIND a way, adapt, get stronger, get faster, get physically and mentally tougher, get bigger.
Yhea yhea then ppl scream its for safety/ longevity. BULLSHIT!!! maybe thats where it started but its WELL beyond that realm now. You know its a truely sad state when you can read in MULTIPLE training and competition logs everyday things like this: (pulled from a competition log from the 06 Senior National in Vegas, leavinjg the lifter Anonymous)[quote] My warm-up with 395lbs came about an inch from touching my chest, so I knew 407lbs, my opener, would touch. [/quote] Now come the hell on this is way past safety. You can get near 4 friggin plates to touch your chest. WTF. That and everyone has seen a video or two of shirted benchers lifting a weight well the hell out of their raw capability only to have their equipment fail and Bam all hell breaks loose MAJOR injury.
You cant tell me the ability to think you can attempt lifts hundreds of lbs over your natural un equipped ability is safer. Hell and injury its prevention, overcoming the pain. Thats what half this shits about. Who the hell can endure the physical and mental strain to be or beat the best. Who has the shit it takes to grind through, to get smart no when to back off and when you just got to push the envelope.
This and like stated earlier the lift standards are why many people cant, or dont watch enjoy, or hell even respect the sport today. There needs to be a standard all the way around or differing classes / records. Yes in a sense segregation but in this case its warranted where talking about two different animals here all together thats how far this stuff has gone.
Its more marketing than lifting. More technology than shear strength and will power. Its, I hate to say it, becoming the lazy mans way to become elite. To brag and say I did that. I reached the pinnacle. To a standard set years ago, BUT it was done with this and this and this and this, in half the time and much less work.
I mean hell I feel I have a LONG ways to go. I aim to compete. I have a strong desire to get my elite status. It burns at me every day that hell I may be able to get that today if I give in buy the gear. Vest some time into not getting stronger, but learning the gear, Id be at or DAMN close to elite if I got some reasonable carry over. It sucks it suck me having to set goals. saying i want to lift in this fed with these standards, where years ago this lifter hoisted this much weight. That I have to aim not at being the BEST, not at being # friggin 1 but to settle for being elite.
Settle I say like thats a bad thing but in ways it is but hell its my choice as well. Thats where I go back to I have nothing against geared lifters I know a ton of guys who are great lifters, great ppl and use gear. I could choose to join them to buy the gear, learn it, change my lifting technique, etc but no I choose not to. IMO I want to do this on my own.
Hell I hadnt put on a belt in over ten years until two weeks ago. Man that felt good. But it hasnt stopped me from lifting some damn fine (for me) weight in the mean time. It has led to me having a strong core, which has also led IMO to me being injury free for the most part. I havent had more than a few days away from training in years and mainly those due to choice more than forced to stop.
OK sorry this is very un thought out and kind of a blabb. What im getting at is. Until there is a standard set. Until there are either multiple classes and lift standards. The good thing is I can go. I can lift aside geared and non geared lifters alike. No one is stopping you. We can all go, put our shit on the table. Give it our all, and try to consistently add that extra LB to beat Your own limitations. gear or none.
Largely its a self competition and if we stop trying to piss on one anothers post toasties about this gear crap and Lift some damn weight. Bust ass, chear the others on for having the drive and determination to do something instead of sit by and watch.
Same goes for powerlifters vs BBer’s, vs strongman, vs highland games. Hell anyone who enjoys lifting heavy shit or pushing their physical limits. Doesnt look for the easy way out and stand Idle until they think they found it. They have a goal go after it with intensity and drive.
Why the hate between things that are so closely related. Sure they have different goals, different ends to a means, but when the hell did it all change. The sports as a whole would be MUCH stronger if everyone could “JUST GET ALONG” Hell we can prob learn something from one another. I have lifted for aesthetics, for sport and well just for the love of it and due so with Groups of people who have an array of goals. I dont limit myself to just those interested like myself in Powerlifting/strongman. I go will lift with anyone that has that fire that determination to drive themselves to that next level and we can all feed off that drive. Gyms today are just FUCKED there is NO passion, no commitment, no community, its all im better than you are. Who gives a shit Im better than I was and am doing everything to be better than I am. If you have the same drive come here get under the damn bar Ill spot you and we can share a beer and brawt after, or you can have a green tea and skinless chicken breast if that fits your goal I respect that.
OK large rant that went way the hell of gear/equipment but i think its all tied in and hopefully some of it makes some sense. In short. Gear use fine great we need multiple classes and records. Gear for safety as its sole purpose BULLSHIT!!! its way past that. Its now marketing, big business, and all about MORE weight beyond ones physical means, once again NOT all in all a bad thing just realize it is DIFFERENT ands needs a different standard. You like gear FINE lift with gear, You dont like gear FINE lift Raw. Your a BBer, a strongman, a PLer, a discus thrower, a football player, etc etc. FINE to all the above just dont try and push your agenda on me, I have my own goals. Now if you want to train hard, need a spot, etc… lets get it on. Show me what you got. We can talk shop and what gets us to our goals without the twisted BS of trying to PUSH our crap, our views, our opinions on oneanother. If we unite and inform instead of fight and moan we may all learn form one another. Largely by Getting in there putting the time in UNDER the bar, pushing ourselves and one another to the limit. Busting ass and having a good time doing it in a lifting community instead of the constant bitching and pissing matches.
Time for me to wake up and go try and push the limits yet again.
Phill
