News

[Hawkpeter]

Not for the first time, the problems of the sport are leadership.

[brian.degennaro]

I don't agree on the biomechanics.

The press-out is an additional movement strategy that allows a lifter to complete a lift with a less effective leg drive and shoulder lock. Yes, it's more load on the upper body, but more load on one area is not necessarily tougher across the whole body. Ultimately, it happens when it's heavy because it facilitates lifting heavy weights. Efficient or not, it is efficacious.

The reason why I'll believe it when I see it is because of the TC and executive board. There are some particular members of the technical committee who are self serving, and the inconsistency around things like elbow rules creates the necessity of their jury positions. There are also other TC members who are not self serving but just kind of annoying and idealistic.

I think everyone keeps missing the practical aspect of my point rather than the theoretical: pressouts to save near maximum and maximum weights are more fatiguing on the muscles, nervous system, and mind. If I have a somewhat rough first or second attempt, I am less likely to make the following attempt(s). This is from experience as an athlete and a coach.

[strapping]

I don't agree on the biomechanics.

The press-out is an additional movement strategy that allows a lifter to complete a lift with a less effective leg drive and shoulder lock. Yes, it's more load on the upper body, but more load on one area is not necessarily tougher across the whole body. Ultimately, it happens when it's heavy because it facilitates lifting heavy weights. Efficient or not, it is efficacious.

The reason why I'll believe it when I see it is because of the TC and executive board. There are some particular members of the technical committee who are self serving, and the inconsistency around things like elbow rules creates the necessity of their jury positions. There are also other TC members who are not self serving but just kind of annoying and idealistic.

I think everyone keeps missing the practical aspect of my point rather than the theoretical: pressouts to save near maximum and maximum weights are more fatiguing on the muscles, nervous system, and mind. If I have a somewhat rough first or second attempt, I am less likely to make the following attempt(s). This is from experience as an athlete and a coach.

I agree that it is fatiguing to the upper body. However, a made lift is still a made lift that contributes to your total.

No one trains to press out, but if it becomes allowable, people will spend more time increasing their strength and work capacity in their triceps to enable it as a movement option. Conversely, leg and shoulder strength is more important right now but could become less important.

[brian.degennaro]

Ironically, I think if a little more emphasis on upperbody strength was implemented we may not see the pressout as much but we are still just talking hypotheticals.

[Hawkpeter]

I would at least conjecture that a change in the rules would encourage greater upper body development in training.The question of whether that was effective would be another story.

[strapping]

https://iwf.sport/wp-content/uploads/do ... 092026.pdf

The Licensing Fee for the four-year period is of US$ 20’000, payable on an annual basis of US$ 5’000 per year

Cringe.

[Hawkpeter]

Is everyone ready for 3 hour weigh in's? Because they're coming.

[Hawkpeter]

And here it is. Changes to the Referee/Jury video playback system and 3 hour weigh ins.

https://iwf.sport/2026/10/19/iwf-update ... -for-2026/

[Elle]

I don’t think I fully grasp the change regarding the VPT. Will there be 3 platform referees and 7 members of an Adjudication Panel (consisting of 4 jury members and 3 other referees?)?

At the end of a lift, all 10 of them cast a vote.

Let’s assume the lift is ruled valid by the platform referees.

If 4 out of the 7 panel members vote for an "invalid" (no-lift) decision, a video review is triggered. Those 7 members then decide, by majority vote, whether the lift is valid or not.

Is that correct?

[strapping]

I don’t think I fully grasp the change regarding the VPT. Will there be 3 platform referees and 7 members of an Adjudication Panel (consisting of 4 jury members and 3 other referees?)?

At the end of a lift, all 10 of them cast a vote.

Let’s assume the lift is ruled valid by the platform referees.

If 4 out of the 7 panel members vote for an "invalid" (no-lift) decision, a video review is triggered. Those 7 members then decide, by majority vote, whether the lift is valid or not.

Is that correct?

These changes have been floating around for the last year or maybe year and a half.

Previously, there were provisions for a 3 member jury or 5 member jury, with up to 2 reserve jury members. The jury would vote separately from the referees on a final decision, coming to their own conclusion.

Under the new rules, this adjudication panel will combine the votes of the jury and referees. The adjudication panel consists of the 3 competition referees, and 4 jury members. There is also a provision for a reserve jury member and reserve referee. 10 could split into 5-5 which would nullify a vote.

Functionally, this makes little difference other than reducing operating costs a bit over the previous system.

I don't understand the political rationale (physiology is irrelevant to the IWF) for 3 hour weigh ins.