Topic: Question about arm lock

[Walter Bailey]

My friend and I are a disagreement about the arm lock rule, so I thought I would ask you guys for clarification (the IWF site seems to be down for the moment, and I don't really feel like looking through the official rules at the now even if they were up). Here is the senario:

Say that I am not anatomically able to fully lock my arms, and prior to my lift I show the judges.  I do a lift, and my arms are not locked, but I am fully extended to my capabilities, so it is given a good lift.  Now, for my second lift, if I do the lift, and my arms are bent more than usual (so I'm not fully locked out TO MY CAPABILITIES), but I don't press the weight, is it a good lift or no?  I always thought that the rule was that I must fully lock out my arms, to what is anatomically possible for me.  I say that my second lift should be turned down, but my friend disagrees with me.  Which is it?

Walter

[John Way]

it depends on the referees, but as a referee (Int. Category II), if a lifter with an anatomical problem, changes the way they lift the bar (in a significant way), I have to think it due to the increase in the weight of the bar and therefore I would say NO LIFT! Otherwise you invite the lifter to a situation where the technique will decrease, possibly leading to injury of said lifter.

[Walter Bailey]

Thanks for the reply Mr. Way. 

I checked the rules on the iwf website, and the only rules I could find regarding the arms were:

2.3.4 A competitor, who cannot fully extend the elbow due to an anatomical
deformation, must report this fact to the three referees and the Jury before
the start of the competition.

2.4.3 Uneven or incomplete extension of the arms, at the finish of the lift.

I would interpret these rules to say that I am correct over my friend.  However, the rules are not very clear.  Does this mean that it is up to the referees?  I can't imagine the international federation leaving it up to the referees...

[Jack Dluzen]

SOUNDS LIKE A QUESTION FOR A REFEREE WALTER, MAYBE THERES ONE  ON THE FORUM WHO WILL ANSWER THIS , OR YOU COULD TRY THE OTHER  FORUM ,  :grin:IVE SAW THIS IN A  FEW MEETS THAT THE LIFTER SHOWED THE OFFICALS BEFORE LIFTING,,THEN WENY ON TO DO THE LIFT

[John Way]

Walter,

as you have stated "so I'm not fully locked out TO MY CAPABILITIES), but I don't press the weight, is it a good lift or no?  I always thought that the rule was that I must fully lock out my arms, to what is anatomically possible for me. "
I believe common sense would dictate that when the referees are told there is an anatomical problem, they ask to see the arm outscretched in the snatch or jerk position to verify the problem, some lifters do this prior to each lift (and tap the elbow) to remind the older referees. So if lock-out problem increases it can only be because of lack of technique or effort.