Hopefully this doesn't piss off any of the competitors but I must give my opinion on the APF Seniors Squat judging (Sunday PM flights). Let me start of by saying that I was a national ref for the ADFPA/USAPL. I've judged and performed many squats in my time.
The judging at the Seniors was excellent from a depth standpoint. The head judge left a little to be desired, but the side judges got it right on depth. My opinion is based on the Squat on Sunday PM flights. Now I know a few of you here competed and may have a difference of opinion, but I stress to you that by the rules of the APF the judging was right on. I sat from a good vantage point on the side and had as good a look at depth as anyone there.
Speaking to some of the competitors, I was told that they weren't judging fairly because at most of the local and state meets, the judging criteria is more lax and they let pass high squats. Not sure how to comment on this but given the fact that this is a national meet...and after the first 14 out of 17 (not sure exactly) got red lights on depth, it would be my coach's job to tell me "We may want to think about dropping an extra 2, 3 and in some cases 6 inches".
One issue I think has been the problem is that the people we train with, myself included in the past, tend not to want to tell out training partners that their depth is off...or in some cases don't have a good idea of what a legal squat is. Case in point: during at least 3 separate lifts, as the lifter was squatting down, his coach was yelling "down...down...down..etc..." and then "UP!". The problem was, the up came when the lifter was 2 inches above parallel. Red lights abound.
I had a problem a few years back with depth and it was resolved after watching some videotape and training fairly heavy without equipment just to get a feel for depth. And, once the suit went back on, videotaping each lift and making sure I was legit. At the time my training partner was saying my depth was fine...when in reality I was above parallel but I couldn't feel it with the suit on. The tape helped both me and my training partner because we realized why I was getting red lights and that he didn't know jack about depth.
I didn't get to see the squats in the morning or on Saturday, but on Sunday they judged it well. Feel free to barrage me with death threats and complaints
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Originally Posted by barbndr
