Dates: Between June 1st and June 30th, 2011
Entry form must be postmarked by July 5th, 2011
Must be a current USAWA member to be eligible for competition
Entry Fee: None
Official USAWA rules apply as outlined in the Rule Book
Lifts:
Clean and Press – Reverse Grip
Curl – Dumbbell, Cheat, One Arm
Continental to Chest and Jerk
For an entry form – Middle Atlantic Open Postal Entry
by Al Myers
After the story I did on the Dumbbell Walk the other day I got to thinking how “unavailable” this special dumbbell handle is. It is a shame that a great all-round lift like the Dumbbell Walk is not performed more often just due to the fact that most lifters don’t have the implement. We are fortunate in the Dino Gym to have the equipment to do ALL the all-round lifts in the USAWA Rulebook, and sometimes I take that for granted.
So it’s time for another writing competition!!! I received such a good response from the last one (on training tips or the use of a special training implement) that I’m going to do another one. This time the GRAND PRIZE will be a Dumbbell Walk Handle. But to make this competition even more interesting, I’m going to expand it. I am going to award SIX WINNERS, each receiving a Dumbbell Walk Handle. This way the odds are much better you will be a winner (because we all know how difficult it is to compete in writing contests with such notable writers as John McKean and Thom Van Vleck. That’s like taking on Steve Schmidt in a Teeth Lifting Competition!).
Since this unique gripping tool is at stake, this writing contest will be over a training program or exercise that you use to train your grip. Nearly everyone does some type of grip training in their training programs, so I think nearly everyone will have something that applies. I want this to be about a grip training idea or technique that really has helped your grip strength. The more original the better.
I plan to run these stories over a course of one week in the USAWA Daily News. The first day I plan to write a story about one of my secret grip exercises that has really helped my hand strength. But not to worry, I am not eligible. You will know if you are one of the winners when you see your story printed. That will build the suspense!! I have secured a judge for these stories that is impartial. This person is not very familiar with any of you, so “favoritism” will not be a factor.
It is VERY IMPORTANT to follow the rules of the competition for this one, because if you don’t your story may be rejected by the judge. Please send your story to me at amyers@usawa.com . I will send you an email response indicating that I received your story submission.
Now I expect after this the Dumbbell Walk will become a HOTLY contested USAWA lift next year. Hopefully, several new USAWA records will fall next year in the Dumbbell Walk!!
RULES FOR COMPETITION:
1. Stories are to be between 500-1000 words.
2. A picture demonstrating the exercise must be included.
3. The DEADLINE for submission is March 16th, by midnight.
4. Stories must be grip training related and original.
ART’S
BIRTHDAY BASH
2011
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2011
AMBRIDGE V.F.W. BBC GYM
1098 DUSS AVENUE
AMBRIDGE, PA 15003
SANCTIONED BY: U.S.A.W.A.
ENTRY FEE: Donations to help pay for insurance
LIFTS: Your choice of FIVE. SET or BREAK existing records
WEIGH IN: 8:00 AM
LIFTS SET TO A MAX OF FIVE
Click here for a pdf entry form – Art’s Birthday Bash Entry
by Al Myers
John Conner, of the Dino Gym, performing a Medley which consisted of a sled drag using live weight!
I REALLY like the big training days at the Dino Gym! The enthusiasm is high, motivation is at its peak, and the gym is filled with energy! You HAVE TO have a good workout on these days or you feel like you let down your training partners. Everyone at the Dino Gym is training partners – we all train with and help each other out at different times. Sure, some of us have different training objectives and might be on different training programs, but when it comes time for a lifter to put out a max effort in attempting a big lift or a personal record, we all come together to support each other. This is what I like the most about our gym – we are a family. Everyone supports the other in helping achieve progress or a just a good workout.
The big problem for me is trying to be part of all the action, and at the same time still get a good workout in for myself. The older I get the more satisfaction I get from seeing other gym members improve. This brings me to the story of the day. Medley training has always been a big part of our strongman training. It is a perfect way to end a workout because medleys will take you to the limit of exhaustion. For those of you not familiar with Medley Training – let me explain. It is called a medley because multiple events are done in sequence, one immediately following the other. It may just be a couple of events, or as many as you want! Any combination may be used, with different weights or different implements. Examples of events are drags, carries, or walks. The combination of events is endless, and a different “challenge” may be brought to the training table every training session. Medleys are a great way to get in a little extra cardio training at the same time as building functional strength. We try to set up our medleys to last between 30 seconds and a couple of minutes. It is a guarantee that you will be in a “pile” after finishing a difficult medley, and if you aren’t you didn’t put out enough effort and the boys will make you do it again. That’s just how it is at the Dino Gym! Peer pressure CAN be a good thing!
Last Saturday I witnessed Big John Conner perform one of the most entertaining medleys that I have seen yet. It was a carry-drag medley, with Big John first carrying a 300 pound keg 75 feet, followed by a sled drag of 75 feet with Colby being the added weight. Colby tops the scale at 325 pounds, so John didn’t pick a “light weight” for his drag. The sled weighs 135 pounds, so it was a total weight of 460 pounds. On top of this, he used my tire sled that is by far the most difficult sled around. It consists of a metal sled with a car tire bolted on the bottom of it. Talk about friction on concrete!!!! I swear I could smell burning rubber as John dragged Colby across the finish line! There was a point when I thought John wasn’t going to make the entire drag, but he gutted it out and finally got across the line. On top of John performing one of the most intense workouts I had seen in a while, Colby seemed to enjoy himself with the free ride. Since this seems hard to believe, I have included a YouTube Video of it just for your entertainment!
by Al Myers
Darren Barnhart, of the Dino Gym, performing the Dumbbell Walk last Saturday at the Dino Gym.
Often in the Dino Gym when the workouts are over, different odd training toys get pulled out for impromptu challenges. This happened the other day in the gym with an official USAWA lift, the Dumbbell Walk. The Dumbbell Walk is one of the most unique and strange lifts in the USAWA Rulebook. Years ago when I first read the rules on it, I thought “now there’s an odd one”. This lift is surrounded with mystery. How did it come about? I took a little time and looked through all my collection of back Strength Journals, books, and other mostly irrelevant strength information. I could not find one single bit of research on it! Who came up with it? It was one of the original lifts in the USAWA, meaning it was part of the group of lifts that got “adopted” with the first rules were adopted. It is an official IAWA lift as well as is included in the IAWA(UK) Rulebook.
The rules for the Dumbbell Walk are as follows from the USAWA Rulebook:
A distance of 10 feet will be marked out on a surface before the walk. The dumbbell and lifter must be behind the line at the start. The handle of the dumbbell must be 3 ½ inches in diameter. The lifter must hold the dumbbell with one hand only. The lift begins at the lifter’s discretion. It is recommended to straddle the dumbbell during the walk, however, the lifter may carry it to the side. Once the lifter lifts the dumbbell and begins the walk, the dumbbell must not touch the walking surface before the finish line or it will be a disqualification. The dumbbell may be lifted to any height during the walk, but it must always be hanging at arm’s length downwards. The lifter must put the dumbbell down under control completely past the finish line for the walk to be complete. The non-lifting hand must not touch the dumbbell or lifting hand and arm during the walk. The non-lifting hand may be placed on other parts of the body. It is acceptable for the dumbbell to accidentally touch the legs or body during the walk, provided it does not aid in the walk.
This is the 3.5" dumbbell handle that must be used for the Dumbbell Walk.
This is one of only two USAWA lifts where a distance must be covered in the execution of the lift (can you name the other?). It has been contested only once in USAWA competition – at the 2010 Dino Gym Record Day. Only myself and training partner Darren Barnhart have a USAWA Record in the Dumbbell Walk. At this record day a Challenge ensued between us and Darren edged me out, 100 pounds to 95 pounds. I’m pretty sure the reason the Dumbbell Walk has not been contested more often in competition is due to the special dumbbell required, with the 3.5″ diameter.
This is an outstanding grip exercise. I think I might even put it in next year’s Grip Challenge at the Dino Gym. It is also one of those grip exercises where when you add just a little bit more, say only 5 pounds, and the exercise goes from easy to impossible!
This is a YouTube Video of Darren performing the Dumbbell Walk with 100 pounds at the 2010 Dino Gym Record Day.