Just as equipment related to most sports has evolved, Powerlifting gear has come a long way. Along with the increases in technology, so has the cost of gear increased. Some of the girls have asked me about purchasing their own equipment. While LHS does supply equipment, there are constraints due to budget and the fact that one size does not necessarily fit all. If your athlete has asked to purchase equipment or someone would like to buy some for them, I would like to offer a guide to equipment. I have seen parents in the past purchase things that were just not right or worse were illegal for Texas High School Powerlifting.

Lets start with the squat/deadlift suit. Although manufacturers will tell you that a squat suit and deadlift suit are different and provide support specific to each lift, most lifters wear the same suit for both lifts. LHS has many squat suits, most of them are the ChampionLinks to an external site. and Z-suitLinks to an external site. made by Inzer. Both proven suits that will provide support for years. We also have some HardcoreLinks to an external site. and MaxDeadliftLinks to an external site. suits. These are made of a thicker material and really do not stretch much at all. Many girls find these quite uncomfortable. We have these suits and there is no reason to buy them unless you want a suit that has not been used and therefore will provide the best support. If you are really into powerlifting and want the best suit for you, a custom suit is the way to go. The manufacturer builds a suit for you based on specific body measurements which you provide. The cost of a custom suit is comparable to the Hardcore and MaxDL. I would suggest the Custom Superior Squat SuitLinks to an external site. or the Custom Spartan Squat SuitLinks to an external site.. Both of these are made by Titan.

The bench shirt has probably evolved more than the squat suit. LHS is moving towards the Rage bench shirt from Inzer. I feel they are quite effective for high school. Custom shirts can be made. When ordering a bench shirt or squat suit, it is important to know that Texas High School does not allow double ply or canvas suits, these do exist and we will let the organizations that like to inflate their lifts use them. I have used the RageLinks to an external site. and others sold by Inzer and Titan. Later I will give the links to the most popular manufacturers of Powerlifting gear. There are so many bench shirts that it is hard to choose one. 

We have a lot of knee wraps at LHS. Knee wraps do get worn and semi ineffective fairly quickly, especially when so many different kids are using them.  Iron Wraps ZLinks to an external site. by Inzer are the most used wraps in Powerlifting. Based on price and performance, they are the best, and quite a step up from what we used in the 1980's.

The item that I feel is the most important to have as your own is the belt. When a lifter gets their own belt, from the first day they use it the belt is conforming to the lifters body. A belt can also be used beyond HS Powerlifting. I would suggest the Inzer Forever Lever BeltLinks to an external site.. I have had one for around twenty years, it fits me like it was made for me and is still just as supportive as the day it was made. They are easy to use, the lifter can attain maximum tightness without help from others. Titan carries the Toro Lever BeltLinks to an external site., which is comparable to the Inzer belt.

As far as shoes are concerned, a lifter can spend over $200 dollars on lifting shoes. This is not necessary, any sport shoe will work for the three lifts. For the squat, I suggest a shoe that does not have a spongy sole, you want a nice hard surface under your feet so that unwanted movement is kept to a minimum. Any shoe works for the bench press. In the deadlift, you want a shoe that has a very thin sole. The closer you are to the ground, the less distance the bar has to travel. Titan sells deadlift slippers. Many lifters use wrestling shoes. Some of the girls have purchased slip-on shoes which do not have a high sole, as with any shoe comfort is also important, any unwanted discomfort from equipment can affect a lifter's concentration.

So, now that I have given some information on equipment, let me tell you how I really feel. After lifting with gear for over twenty years, About 7 years ago I started competing in the "Raw" or "Unequipped" division. In "Raw" lifting, the only supportive gear allowed is a belt and wrist wraps. Following those years of suits and shirts that take your skin off and are very uncomfortable, lifting in a wrestling singlet and t-shirt is a lot of fun. I have suggested to Texas High School Powerlifting that we get rid of the equipment. While many other people share my view, it will not happen soon. So, until then, to be competitive, LHS lifters must use equipment like everyone else. 

The two most popular manufacturers of Powerlifting equipment are:

InzerLinks to an external site. and TitanLinks to an external site.. 

If thinking about making a purchase and you have questions, email me.