silly/inexplicable powerlifting federation rules?

[dcurrin]

I competed at 198 lbs in the USAPL Richmond Open this past Saturday and I squatted with an open grip like Rip teaches.

Ditto. My judges didn't seem to care. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iyHD6HILIQ&t=20s

[Mark Rippetoe]

One rule that I was warned about didn't make much sense. (not that this matters in the long run, because rules are rules). Apparently in USAPL you must have your thumbs wrapped around the bar while squatting. Now since I've been squatting with my hands atop the bar like Rip teaches for almost 4 years, this was a difficult adjustment to make on meet day, and the less than ideal position affected my ability to lift my heaviest. Not to mention it really does hurt to have your wrists in that position, and I have the radiating soreness in the forearms to prove it.

Apparently the USAPL does a poor job with judging certification too.

[Michael Wolf]

I just checked the USAPL lifter's handbook and there is no mention of thumbs being wrapped around the bar. The lifter in the picture even appears to be using an open grip.
http://usapowerlifting.com/lifterscorner/index.shtml

Agree, Ryan. I found the rules here, and the text and picture both indicate a thumbs over the bar grip is Just Fine.

[Carlos Daniel]

This isn't the first time I've heard this, which is pretty surprising given that I'm Brazilian and therefore have nothing to do the USAPL. Next time a judge tells you that, you tell him he's full of shit and ask him to show you where in the rule book there's such a thing, simple enough. If he doesn't back down, make a huge fuss about it.

[Ryan Long]

Ditto. My judges didn't seem to care. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iyHD6HILIQ&t=20s

It was good meeting you at the meet Dave. You looked really good on the platform, have fun at the seminar next month.

[Beau Bryant]

This happened last year at the Maryland state championships. Our lifters were warned about the thumb not being in contact with the bar. I had a discussion with one of the judges, we went to a bar in the warm-up area and resolved the matter. We used the same thumbless grip but just made sure the thumb wasn't sticking up in the air. The entire matter turned out to be much about nothing.

[AusPEteach]

This happened to me in my first IPF meet, it was painful to the point that I checked the rules and there was no such rule regarding thumbs and squatting. There is a rule for thumbs on bench press and I figure that is the source of the confusion. Some people even resort to wrist wraps but that is just a painful/expensive band aid.

[dcurrin]

It was good meeting you at the meet Dave. You looked really good on the platform, have fun at the seminar next month.

Thanks Ryan, nice to meet you too.

[MylesKantor]

There is no mention of having to wrap the thumb around the bar.

Also no mention of having to squat two inches below parallel, but in more than a few cases: http://articles.elitefts.com/trainin...fe-and-unfair/

[elVarouza]

Also no mention of having to squat two inches below parallel, but in more than a few cases: http://articles.elitefts.com/trainin...fe-and-unfair/

Bad judging goes both ways though. Some deep squats are turned down and some high squats are given white lights. Either one is BS, but sometimes mistakes happen.