Author Archives: Al Myers

New Official – Judy Habecker

by Al Myers

Judy Habecker performing a Ciavattone Grip Deadlift at the 2010 Gold Cup in Walpole, MA.

I just received word from the USAWA Official’s Director Joe Garcia that Judy Habecker has passed the USAWA Rules Exam and is now a Level 1 Test Qualified USAWA Official.   I just placed Judy’s name on our ever growing list of officials.   I now feel sorry for the lifters in Habeckers Gym, because with Judy in the chair there won’t be any “shoddy” lifts passed. When I was sitting by Judy at our past USAWA Nationals (I was the announcer and she was the scorekeeper), it was obvious to me that Judy had a keen sense of the rules.  She ALWAYS KNEW what the infraction was when a lift wasn’t passed.  A few times she felt that certain shouldn’t have been passed!  (and a couple of times it was when her husband Denny was lifting! haha).  Like I said already, I now feel sorry for the lifters in Habeckers Gym!    I know Judy will make a great judge, and all I can say is IT IS ABOUT TIME she became an USAWA official!  There has been some confusion in the past with the thinking you must be a competitive lifter to be an official.  This is just not true.  There is NOTHING in our rules or bylaws saying this must be the case.  I’m not inferring that Judy is not a competitive lifter either – she often makes a least one appearance to the platform every year. She has USAWA records dating back to 2001, and is the holder of 30 USAWA Records.  She is most proud of her 304 pound 12″ base deadlift done at the 2005 Gold Cup in Hawaii. 

Congratulations Judy!

Welcome to the Century Club Chad and Rudy!

by Al Myers

Chad Ullom "in action" at the Ledaig Record Breakers last weekend. Chad is the only lifter in the Century Club that has done ALL of his USAWA records in the Senior Division.

I predicted this would happen this summer as Chad Ullom and Rudy Bletscher have been “knocking on the door” of joining the Century Club.  The Century Club is a club that recognizes the elite group of USAWA  lifters that CURRENTLY hold over 100 USAWA Records.  However, it didn’t happen exactly as I thought it would.  I predicted it would take place last weekend at Dave’s Ledaig Record Breaker.  This was the case for Chad but not for Rudy.  Rudy was not able to attend.   At the time, I thought it would take another day for him to make this milestone accomplishment (and a little more effort after watching Rudy’s nemesis Mike Murdock take down a couple of Rudy’s records at the Ledaig Record Breaker), but I forgot at the time that at the 2011 Annual General Meeting of the USAWA in June it was voted and passed by the membership to retroactively implement the records set at the 2011 Dino Gym Old-Time Strongman Challenge since the lifts in that competition were approved as new USAWA lifts at the meeting.  So Rudy is IN on his prior performances!  Chad knocked down several new records at the Ledaig Record Breakers putting him in as well.  We celebrated this accomplishment after he broke the USAWA Record in the Snatch on the Knees with a lift of 135 pounds. Coincidentally, both these lifters now stand at 107  USAWA records, which put them at a tie at the number 19 spot out of 21 lifters in the club.  Chad is the only lifter on the list that has done ALL of his records competing in the Senior Division (which makes him only eligible for OVERALL RECORDS).  This makes his accomplishment all that more impressive.  If you are in the Junior Division or Masters Division you have the opportunity to “double dip” on records, which means you may set or break an age group record and an overall record with the same lift.  This helps tremendously with “padding” your record count number.  I counted back through the USAWA Record list and Chad’s sits NUMBER TWO in OVERALL RECORDS (not age group records)  with his 107 (and all I will say about the guy at number 1 is that he has 141 overall records, and Chad knows him quite well as he is his training partner! ). 

There are several other lifters close to joining the Century Club that I’m keeping an eye on.  But just because you get in the club doesn’t mean that you can “sit back” and revel in your accomplishment, and spend too much time “patting yourself on the back”, because if others break enough of your records you can fall out of it.  This has happened (and it bothers me to see it) to a couple of legendary lifters in the USAWA recently, so you must keep up your involvement in the USAWA to “maintain your spot” in the Century Club.  Congratulations to Rudy and Chad – I’m very proud of both of you two, and you deserve this recognition.

Glute Ham Machine

by Al Myers

Dino Gym member Bryce Meuli performing a Glute Ham Raise.

After my recent Daily News stories on the Roman Chair, I alluded to a similar (but much different) machine called the Glute Ham Machine (or also Glute Ham Developer, or the old name of Calf-Ham-Glute Machine).   There is often confusion between the Roman Chair and the GH Machine, and I have heard lifters interchange the naming of these two distinct different apparatuses.  First of all to me, they look NOTHING the same.  And secondly, the muscles they work are completely different.  The internet is loaded with information on  GH Machines.  There are many manufacturers of them – some better than others.  The price tag for a good GH Machine runs from around $300 to over $1000.  (there’s another difference – Roman Chairs are MUCH CHEAPER!).  Most commercial gyms have a GH Machine, and the new age fitness crowd loves them.  They are very popular with powerlifters and Olympic lifters as well.  Dave Tate and Louie Simmons of Westside Barbell have done their part in promoting the GH Machine, embracing the many strength benefits the GH Machine offers.

The Dino Gym's homemade Glute Ham Machine.

As I said, the GH Machine works entirely different muscles than the Roman Chair.  The Roman Chair primarily focuses on the abdominal muscles and the lower back, whereas the GH Machine focuses on the “posterior chain” muscles, ie the calves, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles.  I really feel the hamstrings are the most undertrained muscle in most strength athletes training program.  Competitive lifters place most of their training emphasis on the front quads (in form of squats) and neglect the ever important opposing hamstring muscles.   In my early days of training I thought just doing a few high rep sets of leg curls at the end of my leg workout would suffice, but I learned the hard lesson with suffering a few hamstring muscle tears as a result of heavy deadlifts which proved to me that my hamstrings where indeed not trained adequately, and lagged in opposing strength.  The hamstring muscles are a fast twitch muscle and needs to be trained with low reps, not high reps.  Plus leg curls neglect the upper hamstrings which serve as a primary hip extensor.  Louie Simmons knew this before anyone else, and that is why his “secret training programs” always included hamstring exercises like the GH Raises (as well as other things like Reverse Hyper exercises and weighted drags) to strengthen this typical “weak spot” in competitive lifters.  The most common exercise done on a GH Machine is the Glute Ham Raise.  I don’t have enough time in this story to describe how to do this exercise – just do an internet search and you will find TONS of descriptions on how to do this exercise as well as YouTube Videos demonstrating the GH Raise. 

Bryce performs a Back Extension on the Glute Ham Machine. The Back Extension is an Official USAWA Lift.

There is one detail in a good GH Machine that needs mentioned.  It should contain a knee pad that keeps the knees from “dropping” at the top end of the GH Raise. I have seen several commercial GH machines that don’t have this on them.   Also make sure the GH Machine adjusts adequately so each lifter can get the right settings to allow for  a GH Raise to be done correctly.   Another very important distinction between a GH Machine and a Hyperextension Machine is that the “pivot” should be at the knees for a GH Raise, instead of the waist as when using a Hyperextension Machine.  The body should remain straight from the knees up when performing a GH Raise.  My GH Machine can adjust so it can also be used to do Back Hyperextensions.  The Back Extension is an Official USAWA lift, but this lift has not been contested very often.  It is a tremendous lower back exercise.  The main difference between a GH Raise and a Back Extension is that you bend at the waist when performing Back Extensions, and the stress of the exercise is on the lower back.  

GH Raises are a difficult exercise for heavier lifters who carry alot of weight in their upper body.  I use my harness “walker” as a safety device in front of me when I do GH Raises.  I do this so if I have problems on my last reps, I can push off the walker with my arms to finish the rep.  GH Raises are one of my THREE FAVORITE hamstring exercises (and leg curls is not on my list!).   You will feel the entire range of the hamstring muscle engaged (from the  knees to the hips) with GH Raises, and afterwards you will feel the effects of your training in your ENTIRE hamstring.  I also want to mention that  GH Raises are a great exercise for young lifters who want to increase their vertical leap.  The muscles of the hamstrings and calves are the biggest players in leaping ability, and this exercise focuses intently on these important leaping muscles.   I don’t normally use added resistance when doing GH Raises, but it can be done easily with holding a plate on the chest.  I feel the best rep ranges are between 5 and 8 repetitions with the GH Raise.  If you have access to a GH Machine, give this exercise a try!

Hand & Thigh Club

by Al Myers

Only three USAWA members have lifted over 1500 pounds in the Hand and Thigh in official competition. (left to right): Joe Garcia, Frank Ciavattone, and Al Myers

After posting that picture last week of Joe Garcia and his 1400# Hand and Thigh Lift at the 2011 Heavy Lift Nationals, I got to thinking.  Just how many USAWA lifters have  lifted over 1400 pounds in the Hand and Thigh in official competition?  I have seen Joe lift over 1400 several times myself, so to me that is not an unusual or rare thing to see that much weight lifted in the Hand and Thigh.  But then again, Joe is the MASTER of the Hand and Thigh (WR and All-Time Record holder with a lift of 1910 pounds) and without a doubt more times over 1400 than any other lifter ever.  This “mark” of 1400 pounds seems like the “goal of excellence” in the H&T, and I “guessed” beforehand that probably not over a dozen USAWA lifters had ever achieved it. However, after I did my research I found the list much shorter than this, with only three lifters over 1500 pounds, and another 5 lifters over 1400 pounds.  Only one IAWA(UK) lifter has exceeded the 1400# mark, and that was Steve Angell with his H&T lift of 1500 pounds at the 1995 World Championships. 

USAWA Lifters in the 1400 H&T Club

Rank Lifter Age BWT Pounds Event
1 Joe Garcia 43 240 1910 1997 Zercher
2 Frank Ciavattone  40  260 1610 1995 NE Strongest Man
3 Al Myers 43 251 1505 2010 Deanna
4 Eric Todd 27 261 1475 2002 Deanna
5 Jim Malloy 53 244 1400 1995  Worlds
6 John Carter 38 225 1400 1996 Zercher
7 Steve Schmidt 49 220 1400 2004 Backbreaker
8 Sam Huff 23 266 1400 2005 Deanna

Ledaig Record Breaker

BY DAVE GLASGOW

LEDAIG HEAVY ATHLETICS WEEKEND AND RECORD BREAKER DAY

Group picture of participants in the 2011 Ledaig Record Breakers. (front left to right): Amber Glasgow, Molly Myers, Mike Murdock (back left to right): Dave Glasgow, Al Myers, Thom Van Vleck, Chad Ullom

SUNDAY, 31 JULY-2011 SAW SEVEN STRENGTH AFICIONADOS CONVERGE ON THE GLASGOW HOMESTEAD TO TEST THEIR ENDURANCE AGAINST THE WEIGHTS, AS WELL AS THE HEAT.  THIS RECORD BREAKERS DAY HAS BECOME KNOWN AS THE ANNUAL “SWEAT FEST” FOR GOOD REASON.  TEMPERATURES IN JULY CAN BE BRUTAL IN SOUTHERN KANSAS AND THIS DAY WAS NO DIFFERENT.

IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT FOUR OF THESE ATHLETES PARTICIPATED IN THE LEDAIG HIGHLAND GAMES THE DAY PRIOR.  NINE EVENTS IN LESS THAN SEVEN HOURS DRAINED A LOT OF ENERGY BUT NOT WILLPOWER FROM THOSE THAT WERE ‘DOUBLE DIPPING’.   AT 71 YEARS OLD, MIKE MURDOCK, WHO IS A STAPLE AT THE LEDAIG FACILITY, IS THE OLDEST OF OUR PARTICIPANTS.  YOU KNOW HE HAD TO HAVE SLEPT WELL THAT NIGHT!!   CHAD ULLOM, THOM VAN VLECK AND AMBER GLASGOW WERE THE OTHERS WHO SAW ACTION BOTH DAYS.  BELIEVE ME, IT’S TAKES SOMETHING EXTRA TO MOTIVATE YOURSELF TO DO THIS EVENT BOTH DAYS.  ROUNDING OUT THE CROWD WERE AL AND MOLLY MYERS, AS WELL AS EVENT COORDINATOR, DAVE GLASGOW.

FOLLOWING ARE THE TOTAL RECORDS BROKEN BY THE COMBATANTS:

                        AL MYERS  – 9
                        AMBER GLASGOW  – 8
                        CHAD ULLOM – 6
                        MOLLY MYERS  – 6
                        MIKE MURDOCK  – 5
                        THOM VAN VLECK  – 4
                        DAVE GLASGOW – 3

                        TOTAL  RECORDS – 41

GRACIOUS HOSTS ‘UNC’ KENNY GLASGOW AND AUNT JO GLASGOW PROVIDED THE VENUE AS WELL AS A FINE MEAL FOLLOWING THE EVENT.  WE WERE TREATED TO ANOTHER PULLED PORK LUNCH WITH ALL THE FIXIN’S AND GIVEN HONORED SEATS AT THE MAIN TABLE.  THIS WAS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED BY ALL PARTICIPANTS!!

WE WILL DO IT AGAIN NEXT YEAR.  PLAN FOR IT IN JULY!!   AFTER ALL, IT WOULDN’T BE THE ‘SWEAT FEST’, WERE IT NOT IN JULY!!

SLAINTE!

MEET RESULTS

Meet Director:  Dave Glasgow, and the Ledaig Heavy Athletics Club
Lifts: Record Day
Date:  July 31st, 2011
Location:  Rainbow Bend, Kansas

Officials (3 official used): Al Myers, Chad Ullom, Mike Murdock, Thom Van Vleck, Dave Glasgow

Molly Myers – Age 12, BWT 156 pounds
(Womens 12-13 Age Group, 75 KG Weight Class)

Deadlift – 12″ Base:  135#
Deadlift – Heels Together: 135#
Deadlift – Ciavattone Grip: 135#
Deadlift – Dumbbell, Right Arm: 75#
Deadlift – Dumbbell, Left Arm: 75#
Deadlift – 2 Dumbbells: 150#

Amber Glasgow – Age 32, BWT 141 pounds
(Womens 20-39 Age Group, 65 KG Weight Class)

Curl – Strict: 50#
Two Hands Anyhow: 70#
Press – From Rack: 70#
Curl – Dumbbell, Cheat, Right Arm: 35#
Curl – Dumbbell, Cheat, Left Arm: 35#
Gardner – Half: 45#
Deadlift – No Thumb, Right Arm: 95#
Deadlift – No Thumb, Left Arm: 85#

Chad Ullom – Age 39, BWT 250 pounds
(Mens 20-39 Age Group, 115 KG Weight Class)

Curl – Dumbbell, Cheat, Left Arm: 105#
Curl – Dumbbell, Cheat, Right Arm: 105#
Gardner – Half: 105#
Snatch – On Knees: 135#
Arthur Lift: 265#
Hack Lift – Left Arm: 200#

Al Myers – Age 44, BWT 253 pounds
(Mens 40-44 Age Group, 115 KG Weight Class)

Deadlift – Fulton Dumbbell, Right Arm: 165#
Deadlift – Fulton Dumbbell, Left Arm:  155#
Deadlift – 2 Fulton Dumbbells: 290#
Clean and Jerk – 2 Dumbbells: 150#
Clean and Jerk – Dumbbell, Left Arm: 100#
Clean and Jerk – Dumbbell, Right Arm: 120#
Snatch – 2 Dumbbells: 150#
Zercher – Left Arm: 200#
Zercher – Right Arm: 200#

Thom Van Vleck – Age 47, BWT 296 pounds
(Mens 45-49 Age Group, 125+ KG Weight Class)

Snatch – Left Arm: 115#
Snatch – Rigth Arm: 115#
Deadlift – Stiff Legged: 300#
Continental to Belt: 375#

Dave Glasgow – Age 58, BWT 249 pounds
(Mens 55-59 Age Group, 115 KG Weight Class)

Deadlift – Left Arm: 185#
Snatch – Dumbbell, Left Arm: 95#
Deadlift – 2 Bars: 370#

Mike Murdock – Age 71, BWT 231 pounds
(Mens 70-74 Age Group, 105 KG Weight Class)

Bent Over Row: 185#
Rectangular Fix: 75#
Reflex  Clean and Push Press: 105#
Crucifix: 60#
Squat – Front: 155#

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