Transitioning to equipped lifting isn't as simple as throwing on a pair of briefs or a bench shirt when you suddenly feel like it some weekend. It takes time to learn gear properly and a good equipped lifter relies on his gear for feedback, support, and carryover. To the same point, if you suddenly take away the gear from an experienced equipped lifter, the feedback loop involving the gear is now gone, and it can be like learning to walk again for the first time. Simply put, trying to jump in and out of gear between meets is going to hold you back from performing your best at both the equipped meets and the raw meets.

WATCH: Table Talk — Sticking Points and Longevity for Raw vs Gear

This is the topic of today's edition of Table Talk. In this video, Dave Tate and Maliek Derstine discuss the details of transitioning in and out of equipped powerlifting. They break down the specific skills and training methods that influence the success of a powerlifter in either category, and explain why "putting on a bench shirt" requires a lot more skill than simply putting on a bench shirt.

Dave and Maliek also discuss the qualities of a great powerlifting coach. Most importantly,  Dave points out that sometimes a coach can try to help too much or help in the wrong ways, resulting in a client's lack of growth or progress.

WATCH: Maliek Derstine Visits elitefts