So I plan on competing in another meet sometime in the spring and I found one that has perfect timing. It’s an SPF meet on March 16. I’ve competed in the USPF before and it was great. However, I’ve heard a lot of flack regarding the SPF and their judging. This meet is pretty much the only meet I would be able to compete in before I go away to college. Has anyone competed raw in the SPF? If so, how was the judging?
CS
It really depends on the judges for the most part. That being said, powerlifting isn’t a unified sport so it helps to know people. I think it’s safe to say that if your gym or company is a large sponsor you may get special treatment.
That being said, not everyone has many options when it comes to federations. Compete in what you can, if judges are letting high squats slide then squat high, unless you have an ego or have something to prove. Nobody is going to red light you for squatting deeper than what the judges are calling.
Edit: Is that the Pro/Am in Ohio? I plan on competing there in multiply for my first multiply meet.
Edit 2: Looks there are two SPF Pro/Ams. One is the Ironman Classic on March 2-3 which is what I plan on doing, and the SPF Midwest Raw on March 16-17. I’m guessing your talking about the latter since it’s in IL.
[quote]GruntOrama wrote:
It really depends on the judges for the most part. That being said, powerlifting isn’t a unified sport so it helps to know people. I think it’s safe to say that if your gym or company is a large sponsor you may get special treatment.
That being said, not everyone has many options when it comes to federations. Compete in what you can, if judges are letting high squats slide then squat high, unless you have an ego or have something to prove. Nobody is going to red light you for squatting deeper than what the judges are calling.
Edit: Is that the Pro/Am in Ohio? I plan on competing there in multiply for my first multiply meet.
Edit 2: Looks there are two SPF Pro/Ams. One is the Ironman Classic on March 2-3 which is what I plan on doing, and the SPF Midwest Raw on March 16-17. I’m guessing your talking about the latter since it’s in IL.[/quote]
Thanks for the response - I see what you’re saying. And it’s the Pro/Am on the 16th - I just edited it.
CS
No problem man. You’ll get the feel for how the meet is run once you get there. Just set some PRs and try not to bomb out. Good Luck!
[quote]GruntOrama wrote:
No problem man. You’ll get the feel for how the meet is run once you get there. Just set some PRs and try not to bomb out. Good Luck![/quote]
Haha thanks! I went 8/9 at my first meet, so I’d like to go 9/9 this time around.
CS
Better than I did. I went 7/9. Almost bombed out on the bench press. Threw 248 up so fast I almost slammed it into the rack. Then I got stuck half way up with 280 twice.
I haven’t but why do you care? Just squat deep, pause the bench, and lock everything out properly. And get it on vid.
Or do you think you will get a red-lighted for going too deep? ha
I have competed in many different federations. Most of it really depends on the meet director more than the federation. Lift to your standards and have fun. Best of luck to you.
[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:
[quote]GruntOrama wrote:
No problem man. You’ll get the feel for how the meet is run once you get there. Just set some PRs and try not to bomb out. Good Luck![/quote]
Haha thanks! I went 8/9 at my first meet, so I’d like to go 9/9 this time around.
CS[/quote]
Why oh why would you want to go 9/9, that generally means you were too cautious on your weights and left some on the platform. Especially if this is your last meet for awhile, I say go for broke!
[quote]UAphenix wrote:
[quote]CSEagles1694 wrote:
[quote]GruntOrama wrote:
No problem man. You’ll get the feel for how the meet is run once you get there. Just set some PRs and try not to bomb out. Good Luck![/quote]
Haha thanks! I went 8/9 at my first meet, so I’d like to go 9/9 this time around.
CS[/quote]
Why oh why would you want to go 9/9, that generally means you were too cautious on your weights and left some on the platform. Especially if this is your last meet for awhile, I say go for broke![/quote]
The goal is to go 9/9 and make your third attempts the biggest possible PR’s you can. If you only get your second attempts, you’re probably leaving a shit load of weight on the platform. He lifts with Ed Coan, who said something like “There is no excuse for missing a lift at a meet”. So he is training with that mentality and with those goals.
The SPF meets I go to all judge fairly, including the Cincinnati Pro/Am in August. I assume it’ll be a similar judging crew. They make you break parallel, if only by a quarter inch, but that’s what the rulebook states. No one is stopping you from going deeper or pausing longer or benching flat-footed or however else you prefer lifting. Just go hit some PRs and have a good time.
I have been competing the in SPF for the past 3 years RAW. I would actually go as far as saying that they judge raw lifters harder then they do geared. Thats my opinion though. I compete in the SPF because I love the atmosphere and its FUN. Breaking 90 is breaking 90, I know as far as I go as a powerliter I know what good depth is so I hit it no matter what.
I have actually bombed out in the squat as a raw lifter in the SPF do to DEPTH so. Any fed, anywhere you go it depends on the judges just like referees sometimes they make bad calls. But I love the SPF and now this year they have started RAW Pro/Ams which is great for RAW Pro guys wanting to get in on some cash prizes another reason I like competing in the SPF.
[quote]John198220 wrote:
I have been competing the in SPF for the past 3 years RAW. I would actually go as far as saying that they judge raw lifters harder then they do geared. Thats my opinion though. I compete in the SPF because I love the atmosphere and its FUN. Breaking 90 is breaking 90, I know as far as I go as a powerliter I know what good depth is so I hit it no matter what.
I have actually bombed out in the squat as a raw lifter in the SPF do to DEPTH so. Any fed, anywhere you go it depends on the judges just like referees sometimes they make bad calls. But I love the SPF and now this year they have started RAW Pro/Ams which is great for RAW Pro guys wanting to get in on some cash prizes another reason I like competing in the SPF.[/quote]
Why do you write “raw” in all caps? Are you yelling it?
[quote]T3hPwnisher wrote:
Why do you write “raw” in all caps? Are you yelling it?[/quote]
Lol, I like the idea that he is yelling it. In reality though, there is a PL federation actually named “RAW”, and they obviously hold raw meets. I have noticed a lot of people actually do refer to raw lifting as “RAW lifting” though which is a mistake.
raw = unequipped lifting
RAW = powerlifting federation
I wrote RAW because thats how you usually see it labeled on entry forms. Thats why I wrote RAW, raw, whatever who cares? Does it really matter if its RAW or raw? I thought we were helping this guy out, not commenting on the word RAW. Nice post guy
[quote]John198220 wrote:
I wrote RAW because thats how you usually see it labeled on entry forms. Thats why I wrote RAW, raw, whatever who cares? Does it really matter if its RAW or raw? I thought we were helping this guy out, not commenting on the word RAW. Nice post guy[/quote]
Well in your original post you used “RAW” correctly anyhow lol
[quote]John198220 wrote:
I have been competing the in SPF for the past 3 years RAW. I would actually go as far as saying that they judge raw lifters harder then they do geared. Thats my opinion though. I compete in the SPF because I love the atmosphere and its FUN. Breaking 90 is breaking 90, I know as far as I go as a powerliter I know what good depth is so I hit it no matter what.
I have actually bombed out in the squat as a raw lifter in the SPF do to DEPTH so. Any fed, anywhere you go it depends on the judges just like referees sometimes they make bad calls. But I love the SPF and now this year they have started RAW Pro/Ams which is great for RAW Pro guys wanting to get in on some cash prizes another reason I like competing in the SPF.[/quote]
In most federations that judge both, raw will be held to stricter guidelines for depth. Stance is normally narrower when squatting raw and it’s harder to get down wearing a suit, so equipped lifters typically can get away with squatting parallel. Plus a lot of equipped lifters use that trick with knee wraps to make their kneecaps look higher than they are.
[quote]John198220 wrote:
I wrote RAW because thats how you usually see it labeled on entry forms. Thats why I wrote RAW, raw, whatever who cares? Does it really matter if its RAW or raw? I thought we were helping this guy out, not commenting on the word RAW. Nice post guy[/quote]
Just curious why you did it dude. No need to get defensive.
If it’s the only meet you can compete in, just go and compete regardless of what you hear. Yes, there are some incredibly crappy examples of judging (particularly on squat depth), but that doesn’t make every lifter a “cheater” or whatever you want to call them. Powerlifting is about competing against yourself anyway.
[quote]UAphenix wrote:
Why oh why would you want to go 9/9, that generally means you were too cautious on your weights and left some on the platform. Especially if this is your last meet for awhile, I say go for broke![/quote]
Why would you want to miss a lift? A missed attempt helps your total by exactly zero pounds. I’d rather go for a “measly” 5lb PR and make it, then be a macho man and go for a 20lb PR and miss it.