About

Unequipped or “raw” (often styled as RAW) or classic powerlifting has been codified in response to the proliferation and advancement of bench shirts and squat/deadlift suits. The AAU first began its raw division in 1994 and the term “raw” was coined by Al Siegal who later formed the ADAU in 1996. The 100% RAW federation was founded in 1999; within a decade, many established federations came to recognize “raw” divisions in addition to their traditional (open) divisions permitting single-ply or multi-ply equipment. RAW during this time frame however was looked upon as a beginner’s stage by the elite lifters in powerlifting. In January 2008 the Raw Unity Meet (simply known as “RUM”) was formed by Eric Talmant and Johnny Vasquez. This contest became the turning point in raw lifting. It was a crucial contest that gathered the best lifters under one roof regardless of gear worn to compete without equipment. Brian Schwab, Amy Weisberger, Beau Moore, Tony Conyers, Arnold Coleman and Dave Ricks were among the first Elite lifters to remove their equipment and compete raw. RUM spearheaded raw lifting into what it has become today. United Powerlifting Association (UPA) established a standard for raw powerlifting in 2008 and USAPL held the first Raw Nationals in the same year. Eventually, IPF recognized raw lifting with the sanction of a “Classic ‘Unequipped’ World Cup” in 2012, and published its own set of standards for raw lifting. By this time, the popularity of raw lifting has surged to the point where raw lifters came to predominate over equipped lifters in local meets. Note that the IPF’s use of the word ‘classic’ to describe raw powerlifting is differentiated from most other powerlifting federations’ use of the word to differentiate between ‘classic raw’ and ‘modern raw’: classic raw is still unequipped but allows the use of knee wraps while modern raw allows knee sleeves at most. The IPF does not allow knee wraps in its unequipped competitions and would thus be considered ‘modern raw’ but the IPF does not recognize the word ‘raw.’

The use of knee sleeves in unequipped powerlifting has brought about much debate as to whether certain neoprene knee sleeves can actually assist a lifter during the squat. Some lifters purposely wear knee sleeves which are excessively tight and have been known to use plastic bags and have others to assist them get their knee sleeves on. This led to the IPF mandating that lifters put on their knee sleeves unassisted.

Equipped lifters compete separately from raw lifters. Equipped lifters will wear a squat suit, knee wraps, a bench shirt, and a deadlift suit. These four things are what separate equipped lifters and raw lifters. A squat suit is made of an elastic-like material, and a single-ply polyester layer. This allows a competitor to spring out of the bottom of a squat (called “pop out of the hole” in Powerlifting circles) by maintaining rigidity, keeping him or her upright and encouraging their hips to remain parallel with the floor. This allows lifters to lift more weight than would normally be possible without the suit. There are also multi-ply suits giving the lifter even more rigidity, like that of a traditional canvas suit, with the same pop as a single-ply suit or briefs.[36] During the squat, lifters also tend to wear knee wraps. Even though knee wraps will be a sub-classification of raw lifting it will still be worn by equipped lifters. A raw lifter who would squat in knee wraps will have the weight lifted noted as “in wraps” to distinguish this from the other raw lifters. Knee wraps are made out of the same, or very similar, elastic material as wrist wraps are made out of. They are wrapped around the lifter’s knees very tightly with the lifter usually not being able to do it himself and needing someone to assist them in doing so. The knee wraps are wrapped in a spiral or diagonal method. The knee wraps build elastic energy during the eccentric part of the squat and once the lifter has hit proper depth the lifter will start the concentric part of the movement releasing this elastic energy and using it to help them move the weight upwards. It gives the lifter more spring, or pop out of the hole of the squat resulting in a heavier and faster squat.

For the bench press, there are also single-ply and multi-ply bench shirts that work similarly to a squat suit. It acts as artificial pectoral muscles and shoulder muscles for the lifter. It resists the movement of the bench press by compressing and building elastic energy. When the bar is still and the official gives the command to press the compression and elastic energy of the suit aids in the speed of the lift, and support of the weight that the lifter would not be able to provide for himself without the bench shirt. In order to achieve proper tightness and fitting the lifter must be assisted when putting the bench shirt on for it is not possible to be done alone.

For the deadlift suit, there is single-ply and multi-ply as well. The elastic energy is built when the lifter goes down to set up and place their grip on the bar before lifting even starts. The deadlift suit aids in getting the weight off the floor, considered to be the first part of the movement, but not very helpful on the lockout portion of the deadlift, known as the second part of the movement.

Men: Up to 53 kg (Sub-Junior/Junior), 59 kg, 66 kg, 74 kg, 83 kg, 93 kg, 105 kg, 120 kg, 120 kg+

Women: Up to 43 kg (Sub-Junior/Junior), 47 kg, 52 kg, 57 kg, 63 kg, 72 kg, 84 kg, 84 kg+