Stephenson: No more Reds for Moderate Unevenness

In the latest Technical Committee Newsletter, IPF Technical Committee Chair John Stephenson expresses his frustration in seeing referees throw red lights for benches which have some unevenness in the lockout. Stephenson, "At this point in time Juries should remind Referees that some " leeway " must be allowed in cases of un-even extension. To see the blue card repeatedly raised for the slightest un-evenness is not acceptable."

By his comments, it would appear that he will propose a change to the wording of the rules of performance of the bench press, "The most pressing ( excuse the pun ) and talked about rule in the bench press is that which says - the bar may be pressed with moderate un-even extension. The ambiguity attached to this rule by the word moderate must be eliminated, and the rule returned to even extension as formerly, or un-even extension. As simple as that!... Apart from this " major flaw " it is felt that the rules of performance are pretty well complete and should need little or no further tampering with."