GBPF British seniors powerlifting championships 17th to 18th July

JC said:
John is wrong then!
The IPF have strict rules
Squats should meet these strict rules no matter what level of competition
Best way to prepare out athletes for Worlds

"First, let me explain my understanding of the new squat standard. On paper, the standard appears not to have changed. In reality, it is very different. This likely comes from the people in the IPF who establish the standard and are responsible for you getting your squats passed. Virtually all the IPF referrees in Europe, and many in other countries are old Olympic lifters. In fact, powerlifting is controlled by the weightlifting federations of many countries. The referees who call powerlifting meets also officiate weightlifting meets. For those of you who haven't watched an Olympic lifter do squat cleans (where he or she picks the weight up to the shoulders, squatting under it), they drop down so that their butt almost touches the floor. They are probably 4-8 inches below parallel, depending on their size. If they don't get down that low, they can't get under the weight. That is what the weightlifting coaches see attempt after attempt. Besides that, most of the powerlifters in Eastern Europe are converted Olympic lifters as well, so they still squat that deep. The landmark for a weightlifting referee is seeing you drop well below parallel and to see your hips pivot around your knee, which serves as hinge for your squats. If the pivot and drop are not present, dipping slightly below parallel and/or feeling for the bottom is not going to work. Unfortunately, with the higher standard in America over the past two decades, and all the organizations with high standards, our referees have let the subjective pivot point in the hip take precedence. American referees watch your hips, those from other parts of the world will not."

Those who have lifted in international rarely have problems with depth when they get back. They come home and modify their training to build strength at the bottom of the squat, and devote themselves to technical precision. Watch for them in meets at home. The difference is noticeable. They are the people who NEVER get red lights for depth.



L.J. Maile, Ph.D.
Chair, Coaches Committee

Steve said:
As you say strict refereeing at Nationals is the best way to prepare lifters for International competitions.

tz1127 said:I was there as a spectator. Because the platform was elevated compared to where most spectators were seated, most of the borderline high squats will "look" deep enough from the front. Personally I think the judging was fair although some mistakes were made. I'm pretty sure I saw a 125 competitor got given whites for his deadlift even when his grip gave in at the top. Also was it me or Dean was getting extremely quick calls (see the vids on youtube) ?

JC said:
WTF! You are not listening...there is no such thing a 'strict' reffing
Squats either adhere to the rules, as printed in the IPF handbook, or they do not. Its as simple as that!

Steve said:
Your squats maybe absolutely perfect according the the IPF rule book but if you don't get white lights from the refs they don't count.

IainKendrick said:There need be no benift of the doubt for a lifter. If you watch a squat and it dosn't appear to break parallel then it didn't! Surely if there was doubt then it was not in?

For me the lifter needs to have clearly met the requirments for the lift. No judge can be expected to give a lift if it is a matter of 'mm' in or out.

Having said that (and continuing to use sqaut depth as an example) the refs should not expect a lifter to go excessivly deep. No need to make lifter squat -3" just to satisfy a grump ref? lol

JC said:
I would argue they are reffing in an incorrect manner then
If you dont squat to the rule book guidelines, then waht do you squat too?

JC said:
WTF! You are not listening...there is no such thing a 'strict' reffing
Squats either adhere to the rules, as printed in the IPF handbook, or they do not. Its as simple as that!

Rick said:
And there is ALWAYS some doubt. Even if we went over to attaching tiny transmitters to the measurement points of each lifter, they only have a finite level of resolution, and there would be arguments over exactly where to attach them. As it is, different angles and perspectives can make the same borderline squat look very very different.

JC said:
Surely the onus is on the competitor to ensure there is no level of doubt whatsoeva

MarkClegg said:Hey - Have they missed Tom Martin off the results sheet or am i going daft ?