Editing Powerlifting (section)

===Raw powerlifting===
Raw powerlifting, also called classic or unequipped powerlifting has been codified in response to the proliferation and advancement of bench shirts and squat/deadlift suits. The 100% RAW federation was founded in 1999;<ref>{{cite web |title=100% Raw Powerlifting Federation |url=http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/federations/raw |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003135925/https://www.powerliftingwatch.com/federations/raw |archive-date=October 3, 2023 |access-date=2014-02-22 |publisher=Powerlifting Watch}}</ref> within a decade, many established federations came to recognize "raw" divisions, in addition to their traditional (open) divisions permitting single-ply or multi-ply equipment. United Powerlifting Association (UPA) established a standard for raw powerlifting in 2008,<ref>{{cite web |title=UPA Finalizes Definition of Raw |url=http://www.powerliftingwatch.com/node/8821 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210920041421/https://www.powerliftingwatch.com/node/8821 |archive-date=September 20, 2021 |access-date=2014-02-22 |publisher=Powerlifting Watch}}</ref> and USAPL held the first Raw Nationals in the same year.<ref>{{cite web |title=2008 Raw Nationals - USA Powerlifting |url=http://www.usaplnationals.com/2008rawNationals/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140308113234/https://www.usaplnationals.com/2008rawNationals/ |archive-date=March 8, 2014 |access-date=2014-02-22 |website=Usaplnationals.com}}</ref> Eventually, IPF recognized raw lifting with the sanction of a "Classic Unequipped World Cup" in 2012 and published its own set of standards for raw lifting.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.powerlifting-ipf.com/fileadmin/data/Championships/IPF_CLASSIC-Rules.pdf |title=IPF Classic "unequipped" World Cup 2012 |access-date=6 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130903235519/http://powerlifting-ipf.com/fileadmin/data/Championships/IPF_CLASSIC-Rules.pdf |archive-date=3 September 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> By this time, the popularity of raw lifting had surged to the point where raw lifters came to predominate over equipped lifters in local meets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://startingstrength.com/articles/powerlifting_resurrection_gallagher.pdf|author=Marty Gallagher|title=Is Powerlifting Undergoing a Resurrection? |website=Startingstrength.com|access-date=15 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401084236/http://startingstrength.com/articles/powerlifting_resurrection_gallagher.pdf|archive-date=1 April 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.usapowerlifting.com/ngb/2012/2012_NGB_Minutes.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=19 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022075838/http://www.usapowerlifting.com/ngb/2012/2012_NGB_Minutes.pdf |archive-date=22 October 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The use of knee sleeves in unequipped powerlifting has brought about much debate as to whether certain neoprene knee sleeves can assist a lifter during the squat.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Machek |first1=Steven B. |last2=Cardaci |first2=Thomas D. |last3=Wilburn |first3=Dylan T. |last4=Cholewinski |first4=Mitchell C. |last5=Latt |first5=Scarlett Lin |last6=Harris |first6=Dillon R. |last7=Willoughby |first7=Darryn S. |date=2021-02-01 |title=Neoprene Knee Sleeves of Varying Tightness Augment Barbell Squat One Repetition Maximum Performance Without Improving Other Indices of Muscular Strength, Power, or Endurance |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33201154/ |journal=Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research |volume=35 |issue=Suppl 1 |pages=S6–S15 |doi=10.1519/JSC.0000000000003869 |issn=1533-4287 |pmid=33201154}}</ref> Some lifters purposely wear knee sleeves that are excessively tight and have been known to use plastic bags and have others to assist them get their knee sleeves on.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pilon |first=Roc |title=How To Put On Knee Sleeves Properly (According To Expert) |url=https://www.gymreapers.com/blogs/news/how-to-put-on-knee-sleeves |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=GYMREAPERS |language=en}}</ref> This led to the IPF mandating that lifters put on their knee sleeves unassisted.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.andersonpowerlifting.com/knee-wraps-vs-sleeves-key-pros-cons/|title=Powerlifting Knee Sleeves|work=PowerliftingToWin|date=5 September 2022 }}</ref>