Monthly Archives: May 2011

USAWA Nationals: The AWARDS

Special awards for the USAWA Nationals for 2011 (purchased at pjtool.com)

by Thom Van Vleck

The USAWA Nationals for this year will have a unique award for the participants.  The Jackson Weightlifting Club (JWC) had long been defined by Grandpa Jackson’s Anvil.  For the last few years I have used these real anvils for awards.  Each award will come with a CUSTOMIZED plaque engraved by a Jim Spalding (Jim’s Gems) who is a local jeweler and also happens to be a 6 time Masters World Champion in Highland Games.   When the results are tabulated, we will write down you address and send you an engraved plate that will fit on the award with your placing and name.  How many personalized awards do you have in you trophy case?  I bet not many!  There will also be an 11lb Anvil for the overall best lifter.  Again, it’s a REAL anvil.

The “Original” JWC anvil will be present as well and used in the strongman show at the awards banquet.  We will take it outside and give anyone who wants a crack at lifting the anvil like Grandpa Jackson used to from the ground to overhead.  It is a 150lb Anvil and it’s very “doable”!  The real challenge is to lift it by the horn with one hand, pinch grip it by top or lift it by the neck.

Grandpa Jackson's Anvil - The Centerpiece of the Jackson Weightlifting Club

I will also have a 300lb anvil present….This is the MONSTER that so far has defied all who have tried to lift it overhead.  I want to see someone put that thing overhead!  But at the least, We will have the Whiskey Barrel there and the challenge is to lift the anvil onto the whiskey barrel.   Come on out, the USAWA Nationals will be more than just lifting weights…..we will try and make some history!

THE IRON MISTRESS

BY DAVE GLASGOW

DAVE GLASGOW SPENDING A LITTLE PLAY TIME WITH HIS "IRON MISTRESS"

I ALWAYS ENJOY MY TRIPS TO INDIANA.  IT NEVER FAILS TO CHARGE MY BATTERY JUST SPENDING TIME WITH MY BUDDY, LARRY (FLOYD) TRAUB.  DURING MY RECENT TRIP TO OFFICIATE THE USAWA SANCTIONED POWER MEET THERE, LARRY MADE A COMMENT THAT I CHEWED ON ALL THE WAY HOME.  HERE IS SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT COMMENT.

I MADE MENTION OF THE COMMENT ON LARRY’S ‘CREAKING’ SHOULDER (SEE ‘POWER IN SOUTHERN INDIANA’ ON THIS WEB PAGE).  ONE OF THE KIDS ASKED HIM IF HIS SHOULDER HURT WHEN HE BENCHED, TO WHICH HE SIMPLY SAID, “YES.” A LITTLE WHILE LATER, I SAID TO HIM, “DAMN IT, FLOYD, I TOLD YOU YEARS AGO TO QUIT BENCHIN’.” HE GRINNED, SHRUGGED HIS SHOULDERS AND SAID, “IT’S WHAT I DO!”

EXACTLY RIGHT.  IT’S WHAT HE, AND ALL OF US “DO”.  I UNDERSTOOD INSTANTLY WHAT HE WAS SAYING. PAIN, INJURY, INCONVENIENCE, … YOU NAME IT. WE FIND A WAY TO GET AROUND IT. BECAUSE ‘NOT’ LIFTING IS NEVER AN OPTION.  IT’S A LOT LIKE THAT GIRL YOU USED TO GO OUT WITH. YOU KNOW THAT SHE’S NO GOOD FOR YOU, AND SHE WILL EVENTUALLY BREAK YOUR HEART. HOWEVER, YOU CONTINUE TO SPEND TIME WITH, AND MONEY ON, HER. TRY AS YOU MAY, YOU CAN NEVER END THE ONE WAY AFFAIR.  THERE IS NOT ONE OF US THAT HAS NOT MADE CONCESSIONS SO THAT WE COULD CONTINUE TO DO THE THINGS WE LOVE. IT’S AN INDESCRIBABLE PULL, URGE, CALL IT WHAT YOU WILL. BUT, IT JUST WILL NOT GO AWAY.  I AM NOT SURE IT SHOULD EVER GO AWAY.

WELL, GOTTA GO. THE MISTRESS IS CALLING. HEY, IT’S WHAT I DO, TOO!!

USAWA Nationals: UPDATE

 by Thom Van Vleck

Private room at the Dukum Inn. This is where the banquet will happen after Nationals

Just an update on the USAWA Nationals.  I have ordered shirts.  They are POLO type shirts –  so better than your standard meet t-shirt!  They will have a stitched USAWA Nationals 2011 patch on them.  I have also ordered the awards.  These are like none you have ever received and I will be putting up a photo at a later time showing them.  Al Myer’s will be bringing his top notch equipment for the meet supplemented by my own.  If you ever wanted to lift on a set of York Hub plates or Jackson International Barbell plates, we will be using them in the meet!

I have recently confirmed reservations at the Armory and the Dukum Inn.  I recently attended a private party there and I was more than pleased.  The bar in the private room was built in 1938 and was the original bar that used to be downstairs.  There is a stage area opposite the bar that will offer a really nice podium for our awards ceremony.  You can see a big screen behind the bar and during the banquet we will scroll pictures of past and present USAWA meets and legends.  I highly recommend the onion rings at the Dukum….they are the best!

Outdoor Lifting: Time for Fresh AIR!

Phil Jackson lifting outdoors at the old JWC club

by Thom Van Vleck

I have a photo album full of old photos of the Jackson Weightlifting club in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s.  Many of the photos, maybe even more than half, are taken outdoors.  Back then, there was a very practical reason for lifting outside in the summer time….NO AIR CONDITIONING!  My Uncle’s told me they built a platform outdoors so they could get some fresh air and keep cool.  The JWC gym moved around several times and often was in an old unairconditioned building.  One of the favorite places of my Uncle Wayne of gym locations was on Jefferson Street near the old Kirksville  Railroad Depot.  Wayne said they rented an old store and they would lift in the store front during the winter.  There were large plate glass windows open to the street with a potbelly wood stove for heat and in the summer they would move the weights out back and lift right under the down town Water Tower.  The Water tower is still there but the store is long gone.  Sadly, not a single picture exists of the gym from that time.  Just the many great stories….including one of how my Aunt Linda would walk by there every day going home from work and see Wayne lifting…..and now they have been together for over 40 years!  She would stop and watch them workout with other girls…..she must have been impressed.

My Uncle Phil told me that lifting outside was also a benefit in other ways besides a cool breeze.  The bright sunshine helped get rid of the winter blues come spring and the fact that girls might walk by just motivated them to lift a little harder!   It might be a hassle to move the weights outdoors, but I think you’ll find a little lifting on a sunshiny day will boost your motivation and be a nice change of pace.

The Blob

by Al Myers

Scott "THE ENFORCER" Tully demonstates a pinch grip lift of two 50 pound blobs, one in each hand!!

A very popular gripping device that originated in the mid 1990’s was the Blob.  Initially, the term “the blob” referred to only the 50 pound end of a  York 100 lb. dumbbell (the heaviest dumbbell from the casting), but since then has been applied to all weights of these York dumbbell ends.  The dumbbell in question is the York Dumbbell design from the 1970’s where the ends are round with sloping sides – a shape much like a hockey puck.  The preferred method of lifting a blob is to use a one hand pinch grip. The sloping sides add to the difficulty of maintaining a hold.  In the Dino Gym, we have a “complete set” of York Blobs – from 20 pounds to 50 pounds in 2.5 pound intervals. Often, challenges arise and we will start with the smaller ones and work our way up.  I’m usually in “this game” until we get to the 40-42,5 pounder, and then I have to bow out.  Darren and Scott always win,  as both have picked up the 50 pound blob many times.  One hand pinch lifting a 50# blob is considered the ultimate accomplishment.  It takes someone with an exceptional pinch grip to be able to accomplish this.  The “pure way” of lifting them is without chalk – and using tacky is forbidden!!

Around 2005, York discountined the production of this dumbbell style for awhile.   It made those that had York Blobs worth alot!  I remember watching ebay and seeing some of the prices paid for York Blobs.  For a while, one of these York Dumbbells was worth more as two blobs than an intact dumbbell!! You gotta say the grip guys can be quite the fanatics!  I know lots of  hard-core weightlifting collectors didn’t like to see a collector dumbbell like these getting cut up into two pieces!!  It wasn’t long after this and these dumbbells were manufactured again using the original foundry casting, and in return, the value of blobs came back down to an affordable rate.  They are now sold under the “Legacy Line” of York products.

Link to York Barbell Website – www.yorkbarbell.com

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