I’m kind of using this as an intro/hello post, as I’ve been reading for a few weeks and haven’t posted anything. I’ve competed in USAPL a few times, but haven’t competed since COVID.
What kind of trends do you think are going on in Powerlifting right now? Is USPA the most popular now that it’s the IPF feeder? Is Raw Powerlifting still gaining momentum and popularity? I’m also curious as to what you think the most attended and fan-friendly area is in powerlifting. My local meets have had good attendance, but it’s just friends, family, and friendly lifters.
Also, do you think untested powerlifting competitions are more popular, as with the bodybuilding world?
No not really. As you said, it is people that know the people lifting that attend. There isn’t much as far as unrelated (family or friend) spectators in powerlifting. It’s too boring haha.
It seems so from my perspective. Lots of new powerlifters in my gym. They are annoying lol. Mostly young folks that think they are the shit. Doing dangerous stuff. I’ve had to rescue one that refuses to use safeties while squatting. He was rescued by someone else the same month doing the exact same thing. Lots of not using collars during squats. They seem to use the calibrated plates for every lift (even stuff like EZ bar curls), and record every single set it seems.
IDK, it just seems this new crowd thinks they are very hardcore. They seem to have T-shirts that have messages about how tough they are. The old guard jokes about the negative correlation between these shirts and lifting performance.
There also seems to be a correlation in which the ones who do completely raw lifting (no wraps, no deadlift bar…) and being more annoying.
I suppose I am the old man yelling at the clouds here.
