As a long time fan of the Iron Game (30+ years now) I'm as aware of the next guy of the history of our sport. We are as prone to exaggeration as any field. However, in the age when you can video stuff on your mobile and with the click of a button post it to a youtube account there is no more need for the 'claimed but no burden of proof' lifts we are still burdened with.
I'm fortunate in that a few of the fans of our beloved hobby know my name. Not everyone but a few. Because of that I can. on occasion, prod people into honesty or have them prod me right back if need be, so as to be more upfront and forthright when they claim a lift. I can say 'I know you and I hope you know me. Stop playing silly buggers with those that know bugger all and be honest'.
So, as has been the case, if I am aware of someone tampering with an Ironmind coC 3 gripper then, rather naughtily, placing a video of a claimed 'CCS 3 close' on youtube I can then remind them I'm aware that they are up to no good. Said video strangely disappears from view.
Equally doing an honest lift but failing to provide sufficient evidence of the same is also not much cop as we Brits say. A five minute history lesson shows the amount of exaggeration and outright untruths that took place many years ago. What is gained now? 9/10 we're not talking about some photo shoot with the 'wooden wheels' used in Flex magazine shoots but some typical Joe making a living from a normal job but looking, it seems, to make a grand claim.
Sure one can puff up the ego and feel good for a 1/2 hour. But, as I've often pointed out, these are genuinely strong guys who one day, if patient, will make the lift for real. It's as though they yearn to be part of some imagined elite so badly they are prepared to falsify their 'club membership' as it were. I've remind the same that they have come a long way in a short time and have some way to go. To ruin their rep early on means no one will take them seriously when they actually make their mark.
Don't screw it up guys.
Here's an example of a fake lift using wooden plates (done, I suspect for a laugh). The title says 735lbs when 6 plates a side is less and the guy does 15 reps...
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I saw them at the Arnold Steve - they were works of art - beautiful plates that could fool anyone. But the cool thing was that the booth that had them were being right up front with them - it's just the yoyo's using them like they were real who were funny.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt to tell their buds 'hey this one time I did some big numbers...'
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