USAWA

IAWA.UK and the All-Round Weightlifting Federation of Australia (AWFA) have both adopted the IAWA Rulebook. USAWA maintains a separate rulebook. I decided to do some investigating and now understand why.

USAWA rulebook has 196 lifts (154 of which are common to the IAWA rulebook).

USAWA unique lifts

1. Clean & Press, 12” Base
2. Two Hand Clean & Press, Heels Together
3. Jackson Press
4. James Lift
5. Press – From Rack
6. Reflex Bench Press
7. Reg Park Bench Press
8. Seated Press – From Rack
9. Deadlift – 12” Base
10. Deadlift – Heels Together
11. Deadlift – No Thumbs, Overhand Grip
12. Deadlift – Reeves
13. Squat – 12” Base
14. Piper Squat
15. Curl – Cheat, Reverse Grip
16. Lano Lift
17. Pullover – Bent Arm
18. Scott Lift
19. Clean and Press – 2 Dumbbells, Heels Together
20. Clean and Push Press – 2 Dumbbells
21. Clean and Seated Press – 2 Dumbbells
22. Curl – 2 Dumbbells, Cheat
23. Side Press – Dumbbell
24. Van Dam Lift
25. Bench Press – 2 Dumbbells
26. Bench Press – Fulton Bar
27. Continental to Chest – Fulton Bar
28. Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Ciavattone Grip
29. Maxey Press
30. Rectangular Fix, Fulton Bar
31. Bearhug
32. Carter Lift
33. Chin Up
34. Deadlift – 3” Bar
35. Deadlift – Two Inch Dumbbells
36. Deana Lift
37. Foot Press
38. Phumchaona Lift
39. Pinch Grip – Strict
40. Pinch Grip – Strict, One Hand
41. Pull-Up
42. Weaver Stick Backwards

IAWA Has Some Unique Lifts that USAWA Does NOT Contest

1. One Hand Bent Press (specification on how to get bar to starting position)
2. Middle Fingers Hacklift
3. Index Fingers Hacklift
4. Little Fingers Hacklift
5. Ring Fingers Hacklift
6. Bent Arm Pullover (Bench)
7. Reverse Rim Lift
8. Domaal Squat
9. One Hand Deadlift – Cambered Bar
10. One Hand Pinch Grip Clean and Press
11. Duck Walk
12. Seated Dumbbells Press
13. Two Hands Anyhow with Dumbbells
14. One Hand Dumbbell Strict Curl
15. Inch Dumbbell Press
16. Patterson Deadlift – Peoples Deadlift with 2 Inch Bar
17. Deadlift
18. Squat
19. Bench Press
20. Snatch
21. Clean & Jerk
22. One Hand Wrist Curl

Among Common Lifts There are some slight rule differences

1. Continental Snatch – in UK, from belt, must be proper snatch
2. Continental Clean and Jerk – UK allows multiple attempts on jerk
3. Snatch From Hang – USAWA requires bar to go below knees
4. Deadlift, No Thumbs, One Arm – UK says thumb cannot touch bar at all
5. Strict Curl – UK still requires piece of paper
6. Vertical Bars – UK allows a maximum 30 inch length
7. Weaver Stick – UK has different specification for stick

USAWA  allows any lift to be done for reps or as a team lift.  IAWA only allows (12) lifts for repetitions and (11) lifts for team lifts.

IAWA Repetition Lifts

1. Cleans with Bodyweight
2. Snatches with Bodyweight
3. Presses with Bodyweight
4. Clean & Jerk with Bodyweight
5. Jerks with Bodyweight
6. Bodyweight Deadlifts
7. Abdominal Raises
8. Leg Press – Unsupported
9. Roman Chair Sit Up
10. Back Lift
11. Hip Lift
12. Harness Lift

IAWA Team Lifts

1. Two Person Clean and Snatch
2. Team Press
3. Team Snatch
4. Team Clean & Jerk
5. Team Hacklift
6. Team Straddle Deadlift
7. Team Deadlift
8. Team One Hand Deadlift
9. Team Curl
10. Team Cheat Curl
11. Team Turkish Get Up

Further IAWA specifies Seated Disabled Class Lifts and Standing Disabled Class Lifts

Beyond the Lifts, there are other rules in IAWA.UK that are not in USAWA:

• Drug Testing and lifetime ban
• Rule 4.6, IAWA  UK also recognizes the MX division for lifters not identifying as Male or Female
• Rule 4.10, Longer process for new lifts
• Rule 5.1, Knee wraps for Back Squat and Front Squat
• Rule 5.10.A, IAWA UK only allows 20 kg (44 lbs) bar
• Rule 5.10.F, IAWA UK knurling required at center for one hand lifts
• Rule 5.12, Plastic or Spring collar can be used, but will not have weight recognition
• Rule 5.13, Minimum hand spacing called out for dumbbell
• Rule 5.14, Allows 4 inch raised platform
• Rule 5.17, Scale Certification
• Rule 6.2, Three Officials for all competition
• Rule 6.2.B, Protest board for rules interpretation
• Rule 6.6.A, One year probationary period for officials
• Rule 6.6B, Fully qualified must demonstrate competency every 2 years
• Rule 6.8, Weigh In begins 2 hours prior and lasts for 1.5 hours
• Rule 9.A, Females can weigh in with undergarments and suit and subtract 1 pound
• Rule 13.L, Demonstration of lockout
• Rule 8.G, The Blindt Formula
• Rule 9, Pool of Lifts for International Competition plus Chain Lift Challenge

Finally IAWA rulebook has to specify rules for International Competition

• World Championship
• Gold Cup
• World ‘Postal’ Championship
• Old Time Strongman’ World Championships – One venue per nation

USAWA rulebook spends a lot of time on the rules for the National Championship and has a different process for approving new lifts.

IAWA.UK, AWFA and USAWA all have unique processes and criteria for certifying officials for competition.

USAWA allows one official for USAWA records.

Please share your thoughts on the Forum. Should USAWA adopt the IAWA Rulebook? Are the (42) unique USAWA lifts aligned with our mission statement? Are the (22) unique IAWA lifts contrary to our mission statement?