The APF Is Going Raw

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Create: 11/17/2006 - 06:47
Author: admin
Mike Sweeney announces that the APF/WPC and its tested divisions AAPF/AWPC are moving closer toward offering full raw lifting. In the past, meet directors were allowed to offer raw lifting at meets but records were not kept. Their new policy gives state chairmen the go ahead to create raw divisions and keep raw state records if they choose. Sweeney characterizes the move a test and suggests that if interest develops, raw lifting will become a larger part of the federation, although without moving from its core of equipped lifting.

Comments

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
That's a good decision. A move in the direction of offering equipped and unequipped in equal quantities creates more choice for lifters. I'm not one to complain about more choice.

Submitted by Ryan (not verified) on
I'm an APF lifter and a real gear whore, but I think it's a good idea. I might even try that division down the road.

This is a great move. My whole gym competes in APF for the most part, and there are several guys that have been asking about raw lifting. I just did IPA Nationals raw and man oh man it is so much less stressful, but holy crap do you get beat up! This is definitely a move in the right direction for the APF

Submitted by Johnny Obvious (not verified) on
Sweet! Get ready for a whole slew of "Not Walked out All-Time Nosebleed High RAW "squat" records." I, for one, can't wait!! So much for RAW being the purest form of the sport.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
[quote=Johnny Obvious]Sweet! Get ready for a whole slew of "Not Walked out All-Time Nosebleed High RAW "squat" records." I, for one, can't wait!! So much for RAW being the purest form of the sport.[/quote] Why does it bother you so much? If you don't like it, don't lift in it. I am a raw lifter that thinks it is a great idea. The APF environment is what I am excited about, the Raw feds don't get as fired up as these guys do at meets and I like to get fired up before I lift. For instance, go to a NASA meet and then go check out an APF meet, the atmosphere is a lot different. I am not saying one is better than the other, but I would rather be in the rowdy one. It is a personal preference. If you want the 100% purest form, lift in 100% Raw or AAU. There is nothing wrong with what APF is doing. If you aren't competing it, in why do you care?

Submitted by mike witmer (not verified) on
You guys are never happy....whine about equipment, then feds are starting to make the raw movement, then you find something else to whine about. Just quite the sport if you don't like it that much!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
i think a belt and wraps only division would be cool... i'd be sure to compete geared and with just wraps and a belt.... sounds cool... and for them to keep track of records and stuff would give som raw apf lifters something to aim for and maybe they could have a raw national in th apf....

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
Would make no sense whatsoever to allow wraps, I know lifters that can get around 100lbs out of a pair of ungodly tight long wraps.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
[quote=Anonymous]Would make no sense whatsoever to allow wraps, I know lifters that can get around 100lbs out of a pair of ungodly tight long wraps. [/quote] This could possibly be the dumbest thing ever said on this board!

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
i think belt only would be suitable or knee sleeves, wraps give a lifter to much to me called raw....its sweet though that there is a raw division in the apf now, i think raw is becoming more popular.....and to Mike Whitners post, i think it funny to about how some people always complain no matter what, i guess you can never make everyone happy

Submitted by mike witmer (not verified) on
I definetly think the raw stuff is a big movement. Don't get me wrong fellas. I have been in this sport for 21 years now. And i'm not an old spouting geezer saying, "back in my days" LOL I'm 41 years old. But back when there was only the uspf and adfpa, and limited gear, powerlifting was great! I lift with gear myself, and love it, and see nothing wrong with it. I will continue to lift in gear. But, sometimes it gets old to buy a new shirt, it doesnt fit, send it back, same with suit and briefs. It would be nice to just throw on a singlet and go! It will definetly give credibility to the sport. The raw whiners need to quite though. Now that they have raw divisions, just lift in that and be happy.

Submitted by bigbill (not verified) on
Great news, I didn't know if I was going to do the Jersey Iron meet in January raw or try equiptment. This made my decsision easy.

Submitted by Johnny Obvious (not verified) on
I guess the main point I would raise is that APF/WPO/WPC have already completely fucked up the lifting standards of geared lifting, to the point that their own lifters were/are being very vocal about the state of things and all the "records" coming from their fed are suspect at best. Now Sweiney is announcing this foray into RAW lifting when they can't even get their primary market right. How about getting your shit together in your primary endeavor before taking on another. In my opinion this is just a feeble attempt to grab publicity and make a show at grabbing market share, which in the case of RAW probably does not really exist beyond the legion of internet warriors, when their focus should be on getting it right in the their charter market of strength entertainment. Kidder and Sweiney would do well to take even a High School level business course although at this point this that would be tatamount to posting tomorrow with a redesigned hull for the the Titanic.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
The hull design was not the problem. It was the contaminated metal used in the bolts which made them weak. According to a special on the Discovery Channel. That and boasting not even God could sink that ship. Opening the option for an unequipped class is a good move. And keeping records for unequipped lifters is a smart. With this move, it fills voids that none of the other "raw" federations have filled for many lifters. IPF doesn't keep raw records (and probably never will) because they are exclusively an equipped organization. So arguably, they may have very well boxed themselves in. USAPL has a raw division, but it doesn't lead to the IPF Worlds unless you can outlift the equipped lifters at Nationals (good luck). And the recent proposal of 100% RAW having an untested division has been rejected; there was some interest but the idea just didn't fly. An APF Raw division would be untested while an AAPF Raw division would of course be tested, so that would fill in a void where 100% RAW would not. By the way, wrist wraps should be allowed in all RAW lifting. The IPA Amateur Raw division has been an option for some. If you know anyone who just competed at their nationals, talk to them. The way I feel about it, if you want to lift equipped go all the way and lift equipped with the full technology available that you are able to handle, and accept that the technology will advance while some learn and master it better than the rest. If you choose to lift unequipped and base your performance on pure strength and technique without the equipment, it's good to see the raw option is available. Time will tell how well this will do in the APF; but regardless it's good to have the option knowing that at least records will be kept. Most APF/AAPF lifters currently enjoy equipped lifting but some may also occasionally decide to lift raw. As mentioned, they're going to test it out, which leaves a door open for powerlifting's future to see which direction and how far we the lifters will choose to take it. Its destiny is being placed in our hands for us to determine. That's what's cool about it.

Submitted by Johnny Obvious (not verified) on
I can't really find anything to argue with in that post. Well stated. FWIW I actually saw that special. Thanks for pointing out the fault in my analogy. Hopefully, the point was not lost. [quote=Anonymous]The hull design was not the problem. It was the contaminated metal used in the bolts which made them weak. According to a special on the Discovery Channel. That and boasting not even God could sink that ship. Opening the option for an unequipped class is a good move. And keeping records for unequipped lifters is a smart. With this move, it fills voids that none of the other "raw" federations have filled for many lifters. IPF doesn't keep raw records (and probably never will) because they are exclusively an equipped organization. So arguably, they may have very well boxed themselves in. USAPL has a raw division, but it doesn't lead to the IPF Worlds unless you can outlift the equipped lifters at Nationals (good luck). And the recent proposal of 100% RAW having an untested division has been rejected; there was some interest but the idea just didn't fly. An APF Raw division would be untested while an AAPF Raw division would of course be tested, so that would fill in a void where 100% RAW would not. By the way, wrist wraps should be allowed in all RAW lifting. The IPA Amateur Raw division has been an option for some. If you know anyone who just competed at their nationals, talk to them. The way I feel about it, if you want to lift equipped go all the way and lift equipped with the full technology available that you are able to handle, and accept that the technology will advance while some learn and master it better than the rest. If you choose to lift unequipped and base your performance on pure strength and technique without the equipment, it's good to see the raw option is available. Time will tell how well this will do in the APF; but regardless it's good to have the option knowing that at least records will be kept. Most APF/AAPF lifters currently enjoy equipped lifting but some may also occasionally decide to lift raw. As mentioned, they're going to test it out, which leaves a door open for powerlifting's future to see which direction and how far we the lifters will choose to take it. Its destiny is being placed in our hands for us to determine. That's what's cool about it.[/quote]

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
I like this idea as much as everyone else. Its too bad people bitch about the small things like knee wraps and so on. If there was a multi-federation RAW standard, then people could just be quiet and there'd be less bitching or at least a different kind. I would like to see a single ply APF division, although I doubt that'll ever happen.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
[quote=Greg Stott]There are Unified RAW Classification Standards. For more info visit: www.RawClassificationStandards.info It would be great for the sport, if the APF would follow the lead of the other 3 Federations that now endorse the RAW Lifting Standards in place.[/quote] I never knew that there were unified standards for raw lifting. Pretty cool. Thanks for sharing that link.

Submitted by TheGymMuse on
[quote=Greg Stott]There are Unified RAW Classification Standards. For more info visit: www.RawClassificationStandards.info It would be great for the sport, if the APF would follow the lead of the other 3 Federations that now endorse the RAW Lifting Standards in place.[/quote] Would you consider extending the same invite to the APA I think both are offering raw divisions that are similar. Jim

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
There were many different comments on the subject of, raw lifting. There were some very good points. Some comments, not dumb, but slightly exagerated were basically true. Everyone's idea of raw is a little different. My idea of raw is, no wraps, suits, belts, or steroids. Now that's raw. Now what level of raw lifters are willing to compete at, is another story. Do your best and if possible, keep smiling.