Knee wraps = Equipped or Unequipped

what is everybodies opinion ?

is it written in stone on here already ?

if a squat is performed with just knee wraps and a belt, are you still classed as unequipped or not ?

am i right in assuming that a deadlift performed with a belt and straps is classed as equipped ?

just seen some things in peoples gym videos and then the powerlifting league stats that have confused, my poor little brain.

I'd say
Raw - nothing
Unequipped - belt (straps and belt - unequipped with straps)
Equipped - suits, bench shirt, wraps.

Equipped - they add to the weight that can be lifted in a way that is not done merely to avoid injury a la belt and wrist wraps. Having said that, everyone (other than Mark Clegg and his weighlifitng brethren) seems to add a fair bit of weight to squats, deads and OH presses with a belt.

If they're not allowed at the Raw Unity Meet and they automatically place you in the single ply category of the IPA I think it can be taken as read they are not a raw lifting device.

Lets not get Wayne Cowdrey started on this...

As for straps, they are the sole preserve of strongman (where geared lifting is quite often allowed in the squat and especially the deadlift). No powerlifting federation allows straps for deadlifts.

i thought unequipped was just was no knee wraps.

unequipped still included a belt, and straps were never allowed in powerlifting.

in regards to the league I'm not sure if its so strict.

Hello Mike,

Basically most sensible folk use the following

Unequipped = Belt and wrist wraps (not straps) only for all 3 big lifts

Equipped = Belt, Squat Suit, knee wraps and wrist wraps for squat, Belt Bench Shirt and wrist wraps for bench and Belt, Deadlift suit and wrist wraps (not straps) for deadlift

Using knee wraps is generally considered equipped, but some feds class using knee wraps only as 'Raw' lifting.

Strongman = It's up to the comp organiser as to what they allow

The charts on here are supposed to be completely unequipped lifts for the unequipped totals, but a lot of people are counting knee wrapped squats, elbow sleeved benches and strapped up deadlifts (I'm guessing that they don't feel 'equipped' as they aren't using suits)

Simples eh?

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considering its about -20 where you live id say brave

on the chart here it seems more like suited or not suited i recon as Macca has said

Wrist wraps on deadlifts? How does that help?

Not sure however Ive seen people (myself included) use them on farmers walks.
However I dont know why...

Depends what you use it for and also what fed!

Some feds allow wraps as uneq ...

I squat wraps and deadlift in straps but I ain't putting eq for that! Ifs how I lift and track progress .. If i put eq may aswell put my shirted bench and suited deadlift but I hardly do those !

The idea is that you cant fully open your hand with tight wraps on, which is true but I find it just makes my grip worse.

To be fair the numbers under my photo, although very mediocore for a 94kg male, 185kg squat was in knee sleaves. My 105kg bench was in elbow sleaves.
Deadlift was strapless and belt although I used to list my PB deadlift as 260 that was with straps so reduced it.

Clear as mud?

EDIT the 250 dead was in a Santa Suit.......

Who honestly gives a s**t it's to track progress if you constantly deadlift in straps why take them off to get aproval to change your sugden number

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