Virtualmeet.net

This thread is to sign-up for the 29 Nov - 4 Dec 2011 Military bench press meet (max rep) only. Questions and comments concerning this meet should be posted in the discussion thread (http://virtualmeet.net/community/forum/meet-talk/425/0/).

Registration details

Registration is open until Sunday 4 December at noon lifter's local time (the last meet day). While it is possible to register very late, lifters are encouraged to register as early as convenient in order to get the video upload details well before the meet ends.

To register for the meet, just post a short reply to this message. This implies that you:

• HAVE READ AND ACCEPTED THE RULES (http://virtualmeet.net/meets/rules/) (the LATEST version of the rules!)
• AFFIRM YOUR DRUG-FREE STATUS (again, see the rules)
• REALLY AIM AT DOING THE MEET, not just thinking about it. Of course, injuries and life can happen, so you are naturally free to cancel your entry if needed.

** Lift on any of these days: Tuesday 29th, Wednesday 30th, Thursday 1st, Friday 2nd, Saturday 3th, Sunday 4th.

Those who wish to judge should also sign-up in this thread.

To make sure that you don't forget anything essential, we highly recommend using the checklist (http://virtualmeet.net/docs/meet_checklist.pdf) as a supplement to the rules (http://virtualmeet.net/meets/rules/).

Wishing all lifters a strong meet!

I have read the and accept the rules, I am drug free (2 times WADA tested 2011), I will do the meet on Thursday the 1st.
 
BR Juha "penkkikone" (Bench Machine)

I want to do the meet on Friday. I am drug free and have read and accepted the rules.

This meet is still missing judges. Any takers? I'll take one seat.

I'll fill a seat

Thanks Jeff! Still missing one volunteer. :)

I will push this out for you Jeff within the next couple of days so we can at least get to 66% done.

The meet is with the judges, just did my part. One judging seat is still welcomingly empty (nudge wink wink)... :)

I'd volunteer to judge, but no experience with it. 

Can one gain the needed knowledge on the net?

James, I would be honored to offer you what I hope will be the last opportunity to experience judging using the current judging interface. If you know what to look for in a powerlifting bench press, you should not have any problems judging the military bench event. The main difference is that the feet must be held in the air during the lift. You also have the opportunity to replay each attempt for as many times as you want before you cast your vote.

Take a peek at the rules here (http://virtualmeet.net/meets/rules/) and then let me know if you'd like to give it a shot.

Looked at the rules and I'd like to give it a try.  I may not get through them until this weekend.

Thanks!

This meet is already severely late so the weekend is more than fine. I will e-mail you the access details and further instructions. Thanks a lot in advance!

Found this video on YouTube and wondered if I could get your comments.

Judging the Bench Press (IPF)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4ZlAIy3Rdw&feature=fvsr

Virtualmeet rules say bar must touch above upper abs (doesn't mention sternum) so it sounds like the rule is not as strict as this IPF video?  The picture in the video that is labeled Below Sternum Not Legal doesn't look all that low to me, would it be legal by Virtualmeet rules?

Some of the pictures labeled as not legal due to buttocks also seem really close.  Probably won't be an issue since this meet is military.  Would they also be illegal by Virtualmeet rules?

With military, feet need to be in the air above the bench the whole time? (also not allowed to place feet on the bench, right)?

Last difference I noticed (doesn't apply in this meet) is that IPF requires feet flat on the floor.  Virtualmeet allows either flat or on balls of feet, as long as they don't move much or switch from one position to the other.  Is that right?

Thanks!

All very correct observations James. The first version of the Virtualmeet rules were drawn up before the IPF banned heels up benching and took a stricter stance on the arch and buttocks placement. But even then our rules allowed a few things the IPF did not, for example touching the bar lower and using a reverse grip. The goal behind the Virtualmeet rules has always been to be strict regarding execution (squat depth, proper pauses on the bench press and so on) but to allow those lifting techniques which are commonly legal in the major federations in order to provide an avenue where lifters will feel welcome regardless of background.

For example, I don't see us following the feet flat rule change because that would force many coming from non-IPF backgrounds to change their benching style in our meets. As anyone who ever switched between these two styles knows, it takes quite a lot of time and practice to get back up to previous weights with the new style. Extreme arching has so far very rarely been seen in our meets. Personally, I do feel that extremely limited motion bench presses which amount to little more than partials go against the spirit of competition and in that respect I for one would be more than happy to discuss whether we would want to cap the most extreme forms without going as far as banning heels up benching.

As a side-note, the virtual format also necessitates more lenient lifting equipment rules. For example to allow one to compete in most any garage gym we obviously cannot require competition line bars or plates nor should we outlaw the use of safety measures which makes lifting alone safer (the IPF has been moving in this direction of late too by mandating the use of safety stands in all bench press events). Nor does everyone have a singlet hanging around. Here our rules are lenient regarding what you lift with but strict about what you lift in (belt only, no wraps).

In the end, juggling between providing a warm home for lifters from all walks of life while still keeping the line tight enough to provide credible meets on the Internet is not always easy and there is no set of rules which would please everyone. I will continue to make adjustments when it is clear that they are largely wanted, but I think that in general the current approach has worked quite well.


Seems like this video was made based on the official IPF example document posted ahead of the rule change: www.powerlifting-ipf.com/fileadmin/data/Technical_Rules/Examples_to_the_new_Bench_Press_rules.pdf


Definitively legal here. It is still above the upper abs.


The male lifters' positioning would all be ok both here and, I believe, under the older IPF rules. But the female lifter is already in a gray area. Personally I think her buttocks are not fully in touch with the bench and I would flag her down for that reason.


Correct. The feet may be on the bench during the setup and unracking of the bar, but once the bar starts to descend towards the chest they must be up as specified in the rules:



Thank you for taking the time to ask these questions. :) In terms of the military bench meet judging, it is also never wrong to take a peek at previous meets, for example this (http://virtualmeet.net/meets/201003mb/) and this (http://virtualmeet.net/meets/200805mb/). For the full list of held meets, please see the meet index (http://virtualmeet.net/meets/). If you have any more questions or any suggestion, don't hesitate to bring them forward. :)

If anyone is interested in a deeper comparison, here is the link to the official IPF rules: http://www.powerlifting-ipf.com/50.html

Thanks for the useful info!  Looking forward to judging on the weekend.

Thanks a million James for pushing this meet into harbor! Tomorrow will be a busy day, but I should be able to push the results out late Wednesday GMT time.

The meet is out! (http://virtualmeet.net/meets/201112mb/)