Topic: "gear" or "equipement" used in Oly lifting

[Matt Erdman]

Its not them (the choaches) but companies that see where they can make supportive equipment that is legal in competition. the supportive equipment would help the lifters in terms of injuries, add some weight to their lifts, etc. The fact that it is in the Olympics will not deter the companies, it might actually make it more of a profitable business as there would be more competitors world wide that would buy it. Imagine all the masters that wish to continue lifting, and have all these nagging injuries.

So how are they kept out? Its not just the honor of the Olympics. That is a romantic view of it. If that was the case there would not be steroids disgracing the athletes, their countries they represent, and the sport as a whole.

BTW, I am dead set against gear companies, and do not want them in. I am just curious how they did not get into Olympic lifting, and would like to know how. Powerlifting could use some advice from this.

I believe my answer is valid. Powerlifting is not that big of a sport. So these companies you are referring to are not that big. We are not talking oil here.

There is no parallel to drugs. Drugs are still cheating. Some choose to cheat and get away with it. You can't exactly get away with walking on to the platform with a double ply squat suit.

[Paul LaDuke]

If you look at the gear for powerlifting you will notice that the gear limits range of motion.  Those silly looking bench shirts don't allow the wearer to put his arms at his sides.  Some of the guys wrap their knees so tight that their legs barely bend until there is several hundred pounds pushing the lifter down to the floor.  The squat suits are harder to bend over in.

Now analyze the movements of Olympic lifting.  Both lifts require a pull and a push.  No shirt can aid in both movements as they oppose each other.  Such a shirt would cancel itself out.  Also, lifters must be able to start in a full squat under their own body weight.  Strapping the knees too tight would hinder the setup.    Belts can get in the way as the bar passes it.  I know I have hit my belt several times on a clean.  High top boots used to be used but have become extinct due to the restriction of the range of motion.  If you look at many of the historical pictures of the great lifters of the past in high top shoes, you may notice many of them have them tied as a low top leaving the top open to allow for greater range of motion.

So gear companies would love to get into the Olympic lifting scene, but there is nothing that would really aid the lifter in a sport that requires such extremes in range of motion and opposing movements (pull and push). 

As Chris already said in the end it is just you vs. the bar and bumpers.  It is a beautifully simple sport!

[DAVE PETERSON]

              I made a quick "exit" out of powerlifting in the 70's after the super suits had only been around 2-3 years. I did try lifting in one of them in two separate contests and that changed my mind about the whole sport. It's not too comfortable or normal walking around like a robot !! Quite a few people over the last twenty years or more have asked me,Fred Lowe and other lifters just why powerlifting isn't in the Olympics ?! As Fred would answer to that:How many federations do you think the IOC would deal or talk to ? As the rest of you have remarked and I fully agree, its not very athletic seeing a "human robot" with all his gear on stiffly coming out to the platform to his gear-assisted lifts. Oh yes, I can see how a belt can get in the way when you're lifting and especially in the snatch that requires the bar to close to the body. There a few lifters I've seen that do wear a belt when snatching,but do seem to get away with it because they've always do the lift wearing it. Every once in a while you'll see a lifter wearing super-wraps on his or her knees,but
the tension has to be exact or its not easy to get down to a full position.    Regards, Dave Peterson

[Ryan Lapadat]

If you look at the gear for powerlifting you will notice that the gear limits range of motion.  Those silly looking bench shirts don't allow the wearer to put his arms at his sides.  Some of the guys wrap their knees so tight that their legs barely bend until there is several hundred pounds pushing the lifter down to the floor.  The squat suits are harder to bend over in.

Now analyze the movements of Olympic lifting.  Both lifts require a pull and a push.  No shirt can aid in both movements as they oppose each other.  Such a shirt would cancel itself out.  Also, lifters must be able to start in a full squat under their own body weight.  Strapping the knees too tight would hinder the setup.    Belts can get in the way as the bar passes it.  I know I have hit my belt several times on a clean.  High top boots used to be used but have become extinct due to the restriction of the range of motion.  If you look at many of the historical pictures of the great lifters of the past in high top shoes, you may notice many of them have them tied as a low top leaving the top open to allow for greater range of motion.

So gear companies would love to get into the Olympic lifting scene, but there is nothing that would really aid the lifter in a sport that requires such extremes in range of motion and opposing movements (pull and push). 

As Chris already said in the end it is just you vs. the bar and bumpers.  It is a beautifully simple sport!

I think that is the answer right there.

These companies would if they could, but there is no room for it. Agility and speed are crucial in these lifts, and thank god they are. Cause these greedy companies can ruin a sport.

[Matt Foreman]

As stated above, there aren't really any types of gear that could give you an advantage in Weightlifting.  Powerlifting movements are short, one-stroke type movements, so loading up with slingshot canvas triple-ply body armor will add 200 lbs on a squat or a bench.  Olympic Lifts are so complex and athletic, any type of restrictive equipment would hinder the lifter, not help him.  I was a powerlifter for two years before I became an Olympic Lifter, and I hated the equipment.  I used some of it, loosely, but I still knew what a crock it was.  Olympic Weightlifting is a pure test of athlete vs. barbell.  You've got no suits or shirts to help you.

[Ryan Lapadat]

  Olympic Weightlifting is a pure test of athlete vs. barbell.  You've got no suits or shirts to help you.

And right there you have why Olympic weight lifting is a several steps above powerlifting, and will be an Olympic event while powerlifting will never be.