SPF or NASA Powerlifting organizations

[storm1507]

Anyone have any experience w/ these?

I hope to compete in a meet this spring. SPF has a meet in April and NASA had one in May...both about 2.5 hrs from here.


Pros/cons of either would be appreiciated.

[BendtheBar]

I have not heard anything about the SPF. Up here NASA is one of the few organizations that have state meets and I avoid them simply because I don't care for the NASA executive committee member Job Hou-Seye.

Job Hou-Seye has a history of putting down the depth of lifters on Powerlifting Watch. I simply don't care for the way he handles himself on that site.

I have also seem lifters leave the NASA because of drug-testing controversy, including Jesse Israel who frequented the MAB forum before his passing:

Terry Tucker Leaves NASA Over Drug Testing Dispute | Powerlifting Watch

Take my comments with a grain of salt as I have never personally spoken to a NASA lifter. I merely wanted to pass along several things I have witnessed about the NASA over the years.

[J_Byrd]

I will add my two cents here.

NASA: I lifted there a few times as a teenager and in the Jounior divisions. Never really much competiton there, but I think they have good size meets in the midwest. Equipment was ok, they use squat stands, no monolift at the ones I went to. The people in their organization tend to mock people in other ones. The same guy BTB refernces above wanted to mock my squats, and how that they wouldnt pass in NASA. Guess he didnt know that I was the American Record holder in NASA for 3 years in the squat haha! They are a drug tested organization, although between Honeycutt and myself we broke 4 american records and were never tested. This is my beef with drug testing feds, and part of the reason why I dont lift in them anymore unless its a big time meet.

SPF: Great equipment, by far the best I have ever used at a meet. People are friendly, and supportive. They have a bad name for some questionable calls on squat depth, but I have seen them redlight many close squats. This is a non drug tested organization, but they offer raw, single, and mulitply at pretty much all their meets. I saw some great raw lifting at the last one I did in Myrtle Beach. For my money the SPF is the way to go, but each person is different. I am doing another SPF meet next month, that will be bench only.

[BendtheBar]

He mocked my squats too. I sent him a pic and he posted it on several forums mocking me. I was hesitant to mention this at first, but there you have it.

[Mr.Silverback]

I would say SPF...we dont have many down here in Tx that I am aware of, but of them all I would try SPF out. As JB said alot of the people there are super friendly and willing to help out!

@ BTB, thats pretty sad about that guy doing that...poor excuse for a man

[storm1507]

Thanks guys.

[muscle_g]

I also competed at the SPF meet that J_Byrd competed at. And it was one of the best meets that I have been to by far!!

[Hail Caesar]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

He mocked my squats too. I sent him a pic and he posted it on several forums mocking me. I was hesitant to mention this at first, but there you have it.

Yeah, I remember that. And when you called him on it he said that he didn't do it and it must have been someone that got on one of the 6 computers in his house without his knowledge.

[Davis]

I don't know Job personally, but he did ref my first meet last May here in KY. He seemed a bit of an elitist, but I don't have much to back that up.

I don't know much about NASA other than what I've done. The teen division isn't large or competitive nationwide. However, I think their small meets are fun and worth doing if you haven't done anything else. Be wary, though. The rules are a bit tight. It doesn't impact me much though.

[Johnny Unreliable]

Hey guys, brand new to the forum but I've had some experience with NASA.

I've competed in a few state meets with them and enjoyed them very much. Being a newer lifter at the time (a NASA state meet in AZ was my introduction to the sport). The majority of the lifters are extremely helpful and really went out of there way to be welcoming and are there to have fun. Overall the meets are well run, the equipment is decent as long as you don't mind the lack of a monolift, and they actually make an effort to start on time unlike quite a few other meets =P

One point of contention I could see many lifters having is the judging. Depending on whose judging at the actual event it can range from mildly strict to strict. One of the last I went to the bench pauses were having to be held for near 2-3 seconds to get a white light in a raw meet, lets just say not many bench PR's were set that day that's for sure.

I can't really say much on the drama issue that was mentioned above I stay clear of all that as best I can. But overall I'd recommend NASA.