Tag Archives: ARWLWA

Peter Phillips – The Australian Superman

By Al Myers

Peter Phillips lifting the 1500 pound challenge train wheels at the Dino Gym.

Peter Phillips lifting the 1500 pound challenge train wheels at the Dino Gym.

I have known Peter Phillips from Australia for many years.  We have competed with each other many times in IAWA world competitions, with the first being at the 2007 IAWA World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand. At that World Championships we had an epic battle on the platform.  Peter lifted unbelievable, winning the overall best lifter award.  I was behind him in second place in the overall standings which I felt great about, as he lifted like superman.

Peter has been a major leader, contributer,  and competitor in the ARWLWA, centered out of the Belmont Club in Perth, Australia. Peter has been involved with all round weightlifting for many years, both with the “old group” and the new generation of all rounders in Perth.  He’s currently serving as President of the ARWLWA. He’s also a major leader in IAWA – serving as a past meet promoter, IAWA Vice President representing Australia, and serving on the IAWA Technical Committee. He’s competed in many IAWA Championship events through the years, with overseas trips to England, Scotland, New Zealand, and the USA.

Peter and myself a few years back!

Peter and myself a few years back!

However, on his trip to the USA to take part in the 2016 World Championships, Art’s Birthday Bash, and the Gold Cup, I got to know him much better than ever before.  At Lebanon we both stayed at the same hotel and we went out to eat several times together (along with having a few beers!), and at the Gold Cup Peter stayed at my house.  We really got to know each other “off the platform” during this hectic month of IAWA competitions.  In getting equipment ready for the Gold Cup I don’t know what I would have done without his assistance. He helped me get everything ready, loaded on the trailer, set up at the meet, and even unloading everything once I got it back to the gym! Plus his insight as a meet promoter helped me identify things that was needed for the meet.  While he was here I introduced him to a few country past-times of mine  – fishing, shooting trap, riding 4-wheelers, and a relaxing afternoon drive in one of our native grass pastures enjoying the peace and quiet of nature.

We even took time to relax and go fishing!

We even took time to relax and go fishing!

After the Gold Cup we had time to catch a few workouts in together at the Dino Gym.  Our training styles  and training philosophies are very similiar. We spent alot of time discussing training, specifically how it applies to all round weightlifting.  Peter is a great training partner – but the logistics of living 10,500 miles apart will hinder our training together!  I introduced him to the Neck Lift, as well as doing some harness lifting.  Peter’s a natural at this type of lifting.  I have a challenge lift at the Dino Gym which consists of a two huge train wheels connected with a heavy bar.  The preset loaded weight of this challenge is 1500 pounds (actually a few pounds more, I rounded down).  These train wheels sit by the front door of the Dino Gym and most people just look at them as they come into the gym.  Only a few have actually lifted them throughout the years.  After getting done with a harness lifting session I challenged Peter to take them on.  Of course Peter is not one to back down from a challenge!  Now I want to mention that these Train Wheels are very tippy, and it’s more difficult than lifting on a regular heavy bar. Peter lifted them with ease.  I even had him do it a second time so I could get a good picture!

We had such a good time I hated to see him leave. I know we will be lifelong friends.

John Patterson – The Sequel

by Al Myers

John Patterson (left) and myself at the 2015 IAWA Gold Cup in Perth, Australia.

John Patterson (left) and myself at the 2015 IAWA Gold Cup in Perth, Australia.

At the 2015 IAWA Gold Cup in Perth, Western Australia I was reunited with the legendary Australian weightlifter John Patterson.  I had met John previously at the 2011 IAWA World Championships in Perth were we immediately struck up a friendship. After that Worlds, I wrote a short piece in the USAWA Daily News about John, his weightlifting career, and his life.  Now today I would like to expand on that story with this sequel! I did a better job taking notes this time. I’ll start at the beginning.

John Patterson spent many years training by himself in the Australian Outback.

John Patterson spent many years training by himself in the Australian Outback.

John was born in 1944 in Auckland, New Zealand. He worked various jobs as a young man – on the wharf, as a farmer, and in the flour mill.  In 1970 he emigrated to Australia and took a job as a wardsman in the Royal Brisbane Hospital.  The next year he took a job at the Royal Perth Hospital as a nursing technician. It was in Perth that he enrolled in Murdock University and got exposed to his future passion that would change his life and career. John assisted on a historical survey of the Dampier Archipelago in 1978.  This included studying maritime archaeology which was a great interest to him.  During this study, John was intrigued by the Aboriginal rock carvings and artwork. He sent a list of his findings to the Aboriginal Sites Development  and this lead  him to a future job as a Museum Ranger at Woodstock and Abydos in the Northern Pilbara region.  He was in charge of the protection of Aboriginal Heritage. His work included finding new Aboriginal historical sites. He had a talent for finding new Aboriginal rock carvings.   He would document and photograph these historical areas.  Photography is John’s other passion as well as weightlifting.  He shared with me many fantastic photographs that he has taken over the years.  I was quite impressed! His territory included over 1000 square miles.  He lived in this primitive and isolated area for close to 10 years.

John Patterson focused much of his training in the power rack.   Here John is pulling a 750 pound People's Deadlift!

John Patterson focused much of his training in the power rack. Here John is pulling a 750 pound People’s Deadlift!

During this time John continued to lift weights and compete. He competed in powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting and won several championships. During our conversations I enjoyed most the discussions of his training during this time.  He was faced with the hardest environment for training – yet he kept with a program that he made significant gains on. Most would not even bother training in his circumstance!  This was all done with the simplest of equipment – bar and some plates (some homemade out of concrete) – and the focal point of John’s training, his power rack.  John believes in training in the power rack to overcome sticking points. As he put it, he would work “down the rack”. I will simplify his program for this article, but John had many little nuances in training philosophy that he developed over time with trial and error. He found a program that worked for him! This is how his program went.  Say for example your top deadlift is 500 pounds. Your first set would be 500 pounds from mid-thigh for six reps.  You would then lower the pins in the rack to around 2-3″ below the knees and then pull 500 for 3 reps.  Then take the bar to the floor and pull a single at 500 pounds.  The next workout you would increase the weight.  He did this program for his squat and bench press as well. John felt this program allowed you to use your top poundages for repetitions, thus overcoming any mental boundaries you may have with your max.  It worked for John as he maintained a max squat and deadlift over 600 pounds for many years.  I should also mention that John trained outside at night under the stars, as it was too hot to train during the day in the Australian Outback. John kept his focus on primary lifting movements like the squat, bench, deadlift, snatch, clean and jerk, high pulls, and push press.  He kept his training abbreviated to the important movements. I should also mention that John did all of his training by himself without the help or assistance of training partners!

John Patterson performing a 200 pound dumbbell Bent Press.  John has always been an All Round Weightlifter!

John Patterson performing a 200 pound dumbbell Bent Press. John has always been an All Round Weightlifter!

John has just recently had a physical setback with having heart surgery.  But that hasn’t slowed him down much – as he told me he just pulled over 300 pounds!  He seems very excited to get back to heavy training!  I have no doubt that he will. He was not cleared by the doctor to compete in the Gold Cup so he spent the entire weekend helping out, officiating, and encouraging the lifters.  His enthusiam for all round weightlifting was evident.

I love success stories like John’s.  Many people think they don’t have the time to train, or the proper place to train so they don’t. They make excuses.  John Patterson had all the reasons in the world to make an excuse – but he didn’t!  He overcame his obstacles and had a successful weightlifting career. That’s inspiration for everyone!

I want to conclude this story with some simple wisdom that John shared with me on training.  John said, “Keep it short. Keep it heavy. Train as though every rep will be your last.”

Those are words to live by.

The Australian Newsletter

by Al Myers

Australian allrounder John Mahon was featured in a promotional ad in a previous ARWLWA newsletter promoting the 2011 IAWA World Championships in Perth, Australia. John and Sam Trew are making plans to attend the 2012 IAWA Worlds in the US next October.

The ARWLWA (All-Round Weightlifting of Western Australia) just put out a copy of their newsletter, The All-Round Strength Athlete.  This past year or so they have been including a copy of this newsletter on their website so everyone in the World  interested in All Round Lifting can read it.  I am glad of this as I like to keep up on the news about all round weightlifting in Australia.  I recommend everyone go to their website and take a look at their newsletter: http://www.arwlwa.com/   I know I talked alot about this following the very successful IAWA World Championships the Australians hosted last November, but I was extremely impressed with the lifters and facilities at the Belmont Sports Club.   I am also very excited about their resurgent activity in the IAWA.   News has came to me that two Australians have already committed to the 2012 IAWA World Championships in the US (they have already bought the expensive plane tickets, so that qualifies them as committed!!!).  These two lifters are John Mahon and Sam Trew.  I met both of these guys at the last World Championships in Perth, and they are great guys and superb lifters. I will be looking forward to showing them the Kansas hospitality we have to offer here in the host state of next year’s IAWA Championships.  Actually, Kansas and Western Australia are very similar in terrain and landscape (both are flat and trees are scarce!).  We do have one favorable environmental factor over the Aussies – LOT LESS FLIES!!

Australian All-Round Website

by Al Myers

ARWLWA President Peter Phillips was the Overall Best Lifter at the 2007 IAWA World Championships in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Recently the All-Round Weightlifting of Western Australia has launched a new website.   It has their up to date schedule, meet results, photos and even some preliminary details of the 2011 World All-Round Weightlifting Championships, which they will be hosting on November 19th and 20th, 2011 in Perth.

Website for All-Round Weightlifting Western Australia Incorporated

The current officers of the ARWLWA are:

President:  Peter Phillips

Secretary:  Justine Martin

Vice President:  Samuel Trew

Treasurer:  Robin Lukosius

Registrar:  Samuel Trew