For that matter, what the hell is the purpose of a football game? Make them illegal, I say.
Hello Rip,
What's the purpose of a powerlifting meet?
Everybody already has a good idea what they can lift going in, and it's very easy to compare numbers to other lifters. If you have zero chance of winning or placing what is the point?
I don't see any difference in maxing out in a garage or in front of a few people - unless someone was 180 pounds with a 500 pound bench press.
Thanks,
Matt
For that matter, what the hell is the purpose of a football game? Make them illegal, I say.
3 judges watching your every move for errors that disqualify the lift.
Often less than optimal conditions that require you to lift optimally.
Someone else's time schedule and being forced to make a perfect effort in spite of that (Probably a subsection of the above). But warrants its own mention.
Competing, for the sake of competing. Or competing against yourself in a strict competitive environment.
Camaraderie. Making friends. Hanging out in a tight singlet.
Kill them all, burn their bodies to dust, stir the dust into the sea.
For most people, signing up and paying money to compete will produce greater results than if they had just lifted on their own at their own pace
Same as running a 10K or Marathon. You likely have zero chance of coming anywhere near the top 10, but it's fun to challenge yourself, meet like-minded folks, just have fun in a group.
Evil promoters attempting to make a profit at the expense of victims: the lifters and those paying to watch.
Another reason to outlaw meets.