Now you’re opening a new door. “how would you determine who won a squat contest if one competitor did 1/4 squat, another did a parallel squat, and the third competitor did an ass-to-grass squat”
Contests have differing standards amongst each other. So while you preach about “standards” the standards of a different contest may be different. Judges don’t agree with one another, federations don’t agree with one another.
It definitely is. Everybody who is doing squats/bench/deadlift in a strength focused manner are powerlifters in your definition. I think that’s ridiculous.
But it has external validation, by those who define powerlifting training.
Me. Not in the meet prep, but me.
There was another example already. I’m sure we have plenty of more if we wait a little.
Here’s a powerlifter doing a 32 myo-rep squat set.
Do you want to bring this back to your original topic, or is this the discussion you intended to have?
No, not everyone doing the big 3 are powerlifters in my definition.
it’s those who do the big 3 with the intent of improving 1RM and using periodization and accessory work to get there. Big difference
I appreciate how I got no response
You are so far out of your lane that you are in the wrong stadium.
The rules are the same within each federation.
Judges don’t agree with each other. That is why there are three judges. At least two will agree regardless. DUH!
Aaa! And this is not arbitrary at all. 
What if somebody does not use periodization? Or accessory work?
What if somebody is doing program like 5/3/1, which does not aim for 1RM increase?
Too many questions.
In my definition there’s one question: do you compete?
I should have rephrased the demand for a powerlifter using 20 rep squats to train. I meant using it as a staple at the expense of doing doubles and triples.
Take it up with the powerlifting coaches then. I’m only repeating what powerlifting coaches say.
Not nearly all powerlifters train the 1-3 rep range regularly.
SepCalla it seems that we found the issue. Your issue is not with me, it’s with the powerlifting coaches. Because when I mentioned the big 3 for 1RM with periodization and accessory work for that purpose, I quoted those coaches. So you need to tell them they are wrong
So powerlifting training is just “whatever”?
I see now why you only stick to competition as a benchmark. You don’t have a framework for what powerlifting training is or a set of fundamentals that defines it. That’s why it’s so blurry for you
What coaches?
More importantly what’s makes a coach a coach? If they have a second job, are they a coach?
If I plan and intend to coach, am I a coach?
Which coaches definition we are going to use to define powerlifting?
Those things sounds like a powerlifting style training, which is often hard to separate from general strength training.
I actually like @simo74 s approach most currently.
Maybe we should preserve the terms powerlifter, weightlifter, bodybuilder etc. for people who are competing in a very high/professional level.
Us hobbyists are just people who lift and occasionally do meets or competitions? Fuck with the identity plays.
Blockquote
You claimed that you use competition as a benchmark for identity because it’s “clear” whereas methodology is not. That’s an admission that you’re unable to define powerlifting methodology or any other kind of methodology.
And where we differ is that I’m saying it is possible to make methodology something that’s clear-cut.
Yeah. I’ve been trying to say that over and over again.
There’s strength training which has principles, and it is more or less specific to powerlifting. The specificity depends on million things.
I know a lot about powerlifting training and I don’t see any clear universal methodology.
I think you’re using that as an excuse in all honesty. Sure there’s a bunch of things but at the same time we can condense it down.
Your approach defeats the entire purpose of powerlifting programs. I’m saying you can do a meta-analysis of powerlifting programs and you can find commonalities in them which defines the methodology. It’s not as blurry as you think
When are we talking coaches?
You’re admitting you don’t know how to train like a powerlifter because it’s all so blurry to you. That’s really the quiet part out loud. Prove me wrong
Also, evidence-based training is another benchmark. Singles and doubles are proven to be terrible for hypertrophy for example.
I don’t disagree on this.
But I see powerlifting as a sport, and you need to do the sport (which is the meet, however you train up to that meet is up to you) to be a powerlifter.
We can disagree on this and it’s okay. I’m actually intrigued now to limit the word “powerlifter” only to someone who is a fully dedicated to the sport for a long period of time.
Bryce Krawzcyk is a powerlifter, I’m just a dude who does PL training and goes to the meets now and then.