Im a raw lifter. But, I dont see why people get so wound up about gear. I think that point has been made pretty well in this thread.
I want to use gear, but I also want to get some respectable numbers raw first.
Lifting more weight geared to me just sounds awesome. If I can squat 200raw, but then hit 250 geared, good on me. I can’t wait to hit bigger numbers. I can’t wait to do it raw and geared when the time comes.
[quote]scottkoscielniak wrote:
I lift raw so I compete raw. It is my preference. Some people like to lift in gear. Its a different challenge all together. Some people like variety. This argument is always brought up by raw lifters. Gear lifters see a good raw lift and can appreciate it. Why the fuck cant we be happy for someone who has the balls to get under 1000lbs squat suit or not.
My questions are, why care? are you envious of the attention that gear lifters get? does it make you upset they have a higher total? Are you comparing yourself to geared lifters? Do you even compete?
I lift raw in the 275’s so I compare myself to others who lift raw 275. I have no hatred toward gear lifters.
In fact I respect the way they compete and push the envelope. Is gear lifting for me? No, but in 7 years who knows maybe it will be.
Just know this, if you are an elite lifter, gear or no gear, you worked your ass off to get there. And to knock someones preference because its not for you is stupid. Especially when if you even compete, you are not being compared to them.
And if you think its easy or cheating, prove it. Get some gear and get under the bar and beat them.
I respect your opinion of wanting to lift raw. But this is powerlifting and like it or not there will always be a gear category. In fact that is where all the money is.
and before anyone asks, yes I am mad bro[/quote]
I think you nailed it.
[quote]Caltene wrote:
I think geared lifters look ridiculous. It’s like taking steroids; if you can’t lift it yourself, why bother?[/quote]
You must be new here.
Mastering the gear is a skill that takes far more time than I’m willing (or able) to spend at this point, that’s why I lift raw. That is also one reason why I have a lot of respect for the geared lifters I train with. I doubt that many of those who rage against gear have spent any considerable ammount of time training around any decent geared lifters, I find it hard not to feel respect when you see how much they put into their training.
In answer to the OP: Why would you want to use gear? Well, first of all it’s part of the sport. Second and maybe more importantly, it adds another element of skill and another dimension to the lifting and some people seem to enjoy that. At least that’s what I’ve gathered from others, since I lift raw I can’t speak from experience.
I like using my multiply stuff because it is harder and requires more skill/strength than raw lifting.
[quote]frankjl wrote:
Geared lifting is much more difficult than raw lifting. The margin for error is essentially nothing.
I don’t know why raw lifters are so opposed to geared lifting. To me, it’s simply the next progression in your power lifting career. By the way, do you notice that a lot of times when geared lifters take their gear off they are strong raw too? All of my RAW lifts have gone up since using gear.[/quote]
I would disagree that it is the next step in someone’s powerlifting career, it is simply a parallel path. I agree with the other stuff you said though.
I actually remember hearing a little study done one time about the benefits on muscle growth and strength when trained under compression (i.e. gear), and there was some evidence there that raw lifters could benefit from doing some geared training simply for the growth and strength benefits.
I think what the OP is really asking is why does the sport of geared lifting even exist in the first place. It’s probably just from people’s natural drive to push the envelope and lift as much weight as possible under any circumstances and a whole sport evolved out of it.
[quote]Caltene wrote:
I think geared lifters look ridiculous. It’s like taking steroids; if you can’t lift it yourself, why bother?[/quote]
i use gear at times for the same reason i use wrist straps and a belt. it makes me feel better. i dont hurt as much. therefore i can train more and train harder and get stronger. sounds legit to me.
ohh, and i compete raw.
[quote]csulli wrote:
I think what the OP is really asking is why does the sport of geared lifting even exist in the first place.[/quote]
Bingo. I think this IS a reasonable question one might ask. To phrase it slightly differently:
Why have single-ply lifting when you can do raw lifting?
Why have multi-ply lifting when you can do single-ply?
Most arguments presented during such discussions fall short in actually addressing the fundamental question. For example, to say that you lift more weight with gear (single or multi) doesn’t seem to be a strong argument.
What makes it worse is that this issue is heavily mixed with people’s (rightful) resentment about lax enforcement of rules (sky high squats, soft hand-outs, etc.) and hence a debasement of the achievements of others. For example, multi-ply lifting has a pretty bad reputation because of unprofessional judging, not because it is BY ITSELF bad.
Why wear gear? To lift more. I can squat more in wraps and a belt, so I wear the fucking wraps and a belt. Why is it you never see a multi-ply guy get on a board and start calling all the raw guys weak pussies, or someething like that. Its always a raw guy running his head about gear, its getting fucking old and ive only been involved with this great hobby for a few years.
[quote]BigRedMachine87 wrote:
Explain to me why you would ever want to lift any way other than raw? I know that this thread will be pretty ugly. But maybe someone will give a good answer and help me understand.
A few weeks ago I was ready to hit a new Pr. When I did it, guy filming it for me said “that’s a good lift”. I watched the video. I wasn’t convinced. I thought that it might be a little high, but I really couldn’t tell. I got home, put it on my computer, paused at the lowest point. It was a inch high. I was aggravated. I tried to tell myself, eh, close enough. But it didn’t work at all. When I woke up, before I even got out of bed, I was aggravated about my lift. Went back to the gym, did the lift again, hit parallel. There was no satisfaction in the lift when it was high, no sense of accomplishment, because it wasn’t correct.
I kind of apply the same thought process to a geared lift. You can get really strong raw. And that is a great thing. Why would you want to wear gear? Why not just train and do the same weight raw? If you can’t lift the weight, then you don’t need to be lifting the weight.
[/quote]
Hmmm…Have you ever competed?
[quote]infinite_shore wrote:
[quote]csulli wrote:
I think what the OP is really asking is why does the sport of geared lifting even exist in the first place.[/quote]
Why have single-ply lifting when you can do raw lifting?
Why have multi-ply lifting when you can do single-ply?
[/quote]
Because enough people like singl-ply and multi-ply lifting for it to be a sport.
I don’t get why this is so hard for people to grasp. People do things that they like to do. If you don’t like it, don’t do it, but it’s in no way your job to ensure that everyone else stops doing the things you don’t like to do.
I don’t like NASCAR, but I understand why it exists.
i like how OP is comparing squatting high to using gear
Why wear pants when you lift? Real RAW lifters squat naked. #fact
OP was owned in this thread. #otherfact
I bet OP plays golf with a wooden driver. Because it’s not a real drive if you don’t use actual wooden woods. Metal drivers just hit the ball farther automatically, playing ancient clubs makes you REALLY strong. #thirdfact
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
[quote]infinite_shore wrote:
[quote]csulli wrote:
I think what the OP is really asking is why does the sport of geared lifting even exist in the first place.[/quote]
Why have single-ply lifting when you can do raw lifting?
Why have multi-ply lifting when you can do single-ply?
[/quote]
Because enough people like singl-ply and multi-ply lifting for it to be a sport.
I don’t get why this is so hard for people to grasp. People do things that they like to do. If you don’t like it, don’t do it, but it’s in no way your job to ensure that everyone else stops doing the things you don’t like to do.
I don’t like NASCAR, but I understand why it exists.
[/quote]
But that is not really a good argument I think.
For example, I think it hurts the “sport” of powerlifting that the TALENT POOL is spread across so many different variations of the “same sport”.
As far as I know no other serious sport suffers from this problem.
[quote]critietaeta wrote:
i like how OP is comparing squatting high to using gear[/quote]
Nice avi.
[quote]infinite_shore wrote:
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
[quote]infinite_shore wrote:
[quote]csulli wrote:
I think what the OP is really asking is why does the sport of geared lifting even exist in the first place.[/quote]
Why have single-ply lifting when you can do raw lifting?
Why have multi-ply lifting when you can do single-ply?
[/quote]
Because enough people like singl-ply and multi-ply lifting for it to be a sport.
I don’t get why this is so hard for people to grasp. People do things that they like to do. If you don’t like it, don’t do it, but it’s in no way your job to ensure that everyone else stops doing the things you don’t like to do.
I don’t like NASCAR, but I understand why it exists.
[/quote]
But that is not really a good argument I think.
For example, I think it hurts the “sport” of powerlifting that the TALENT POOL is spread across so many different variations of the “same sport”.
As far as I know no other serious sport suffers from this problem.
[/quote]
PL is a tiny sport…the overall # of lifters is a much bigger issue than their spread.
[quote]infinite_shore wrote:
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
[quote]infinite_shore wrote:
[quote]csulli wrote:
I think what the OP is really asking is why does the sport of geared lifting even exist in the first place.[/quote]
Why have single-ply lifting when you can do raw lifting?
Why have multi-ply lifting when you can do single-ply?
[/quote]
Because enough people like singl-ply and multi-ply lifting for it to be a sport.
I don’t get why this is so hard for people to grasp. People do things that they like to do. If you don’t like it, don’t do it, but it’s in no way your job to ensure that everyone else stops doing the things you don’t like to do.
I don’t like NASCAR, but I understand why it exists.
[/quote]
But that is not really a good argument I think.
For example, I think it hurts the “sport” of powerlifting that the TALENT POOL is spread across so many different variations of the “same sport”.
As far as I know no other serious sport suffers from this problem.
[/quote]
I am unconcerned with if you think it is a good argument or not, because it’s the truth.
[quote]infinite_shore wrote:
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
[quote]infinite_shore wrote:
[quote]csulli wrote:
I think what the OP is really asking is why does the sport of geared lifting even exist in the first place.[/quote]
Why have single-ply lifting when you can do raw lifting?
Why have multi-ply lifting when you can do single-ply?
[/quote]
Because enough people like singl-ply and multi-ply lifting for it to be a sport.
I don’t get why this is so hard for people to grasp. People do things that they like to do. If you don’t like it, don’t do it, but it’s in no way your job to ensure that everyone else stops doing the things you don’t like to do.
I don’t like NASCAR, but I understand why it exists.
[/quote]
But that is not really a good argument I think.
For example, I think it hurts the “sport” of powerlifting that the TALENT POOL is spread across so many different variations of the “same sport”.
As far as I know no other serious sport suffers from this problem.
[/quote]
Canadian Football, Arena Football, European football, American football. a bunch of variations on football, different rules, different size fields… The NFL’s still making ends meet.
I compete raw but bought a squat suit. Just cause I want the challenge. I love raw, but that suits my goals. I love watching people use gear and crush what seems possible. DO what you like. It’s THAT EASY.
[quote]infinite_shore wrote:
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
[quote]infinite_shore wrote:
[quote]csulli wrote:
I think what the OP is really asking is why does the sport of geared lifting even exist in the first place.[/quote]
Why have single-ply lifting when you can do raw lifting?
Why have multi-ply lifting when you can do single-ply?
[/quote]
Because enough people like singl-ply and multi-ply lifting for it to be a sport.
I don’t get why this is so hard for people to grasp. People do things that they like to do. If you don’t like it, don’t do it, but it’s in no way your job to ensure that everyone else stops doing the things you don’t like to do.
I don’t like NASCAR, but I understand why it exists.
[/quote]
But that is not really a good argument I think.
For example, I think it hurts the “sport” of powerlifting that the TALENT POOL is spread across so many different variations of the “same sport”.
As far as I know no other serious sport suffers from this problem.
[/quote]
Auto racing has this. NASCAR, Indy, F1 etc.
Running has this, as the talent pool is spread out over many different distances.
Ditto for swimming.