Topic: Lockout rule & release rule

[QuinKroschinski]

i find the droppign the weight rule really dumb ive been called on it a few times in the clean and jerk only but yet u see alot of international lifters doing it and getting 3 white lights soo i sometimes want to argue it because if it passes at the international level in the worst case why wouldnt it pass at the provincial level

[Mike Wittmer]

I understand and certainly agree that it is not consistently enforced, but if I have been called on it I would keep my hands on the bar, just rest them over the top of the bar if you prefer, and let the bar fall.  You are not holding on to the bar, just touching it as it falls.  Once it reaches the waist level you can pull them away.  Unless you are blacking out or somehow losing control of the weight once overhead there is no reason you can't do this.  It's no way to lose a lift, but easily prevented.

[igorheren]

I think I have said before that I see nothing productive whatsoever in the press-out rule. Our sport needs to become more fan friendly- faster, with far more action and far less deadtime. The press out rule alienates the crowd and is totally pointless in my opinion. I think the refs have to have a bunch of rules (whether necessary or not) to justify their existence, their trips to meets, their importance, their status, etc.

I like the rules as is as far as dropping the weight but agree with Shaun about better phrasing "not let it drop deliberately".

I agree apsolutely!

[Paul LaDuke]

I just treated an athlete yesterday with a pretty good thumb sprain because of a poor decision on a dropped clean.  He kept his hands on the bar too long and the load bounced back up and bent his thumb back the wrong way spraining the MP joint on the medial side.  The point is to teach your athletes to let go of the bar at or above waist level trying to keep the bar even to the ground and safely stay away.

I agree with Chris on the lock out rule.  Many spectators are really dumbfounded on red lighted lifts because of a pressout.  The slow pressouts are obvious and should be redlighted but many of the slight bobbles and adjustments that occur as the upper body absorbes 100-200kgs overhead should be allowed.  The idea that the rule is protecting from injury has no merit in my opinion.  Most of the shoulder and elbow injuries seem to occur in the snatch because of the extremely wide grip of the lightweight lifters placing too much strain on the elbow ligaments.  This may happen in the jerk with the newer style of a wide regrip of the bar during the jerk, but I haven't seen it happen in my limited exposure and watching online.  I don't see the rule preventing any injuries, the mechanism of injury on a pressout just isn't there.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

I view the arguments for the press out rule to be very weak. People press out weights regardless of the rule against it, not because its advantageous but because the weight forces the error. If it causes injuries, it makes no sense to me to say that making a rule is going to prevent these injuries when people aren't even doing it intentionally. I also do not lend any credence to the theory that allowing press-out will encourage it. Those with the best technique, who don't press out, will improve and/or win while those who press-out will flounder. This is motivation enough for lifters to learn correct technique without mandating it.

Peace

[Shaun Le Conte]

What's the next step? How are IWF rules modified, and can national federations such as the USAW adopt rules that differ from the rules of the International Weightlifting Federation?

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

I don't see it ever happening unfortunately. It is the refs that set the rules pretty much and a vote to eliminate the press-out rule would only serve to diminish their influence, their importance, and their status- which I think would be wonderful.

I'd like to see the elbow touch rule, another useless interference by the refs in my opinion, go the way of the dinosaur as well, by the way.

[Shaun Le Conte]

I appreciate the time that our referees put into the sport and the vast majority of them do it for the love of weightlifting, and that's all they get out of it. Under our current system we need them and cannot do without.

That being said, I already believe that weightlifting is one of the easiest sports to officiate, and if not for the pressout rule and elbow touch, refereeing would be completely trivial. Just having three referees is enough under the most challenging conditions - a jury is just completely over the top.