USAWA

Dan –

Hopefully, this will answer your questions.

The USAWA rules will be followed for the Pinch Grip Lift, which does allow front hang with any amount you want.

We will use two old style York 45’s as the pinching plates, with a 2″ VB in the center (of 18″ length).

Front Hang is definitely an advantage to lifting more weight. I have expermented with this quite a bit, and feel that, if loaded correctly, it gives an advantage of 25%-50% over that of a balanced center load. I won’t go into the mechanics why – because I know you know why. However, if you go excessive with fronthang, or load to far in front (like that picture of Scott’s, which I believe limited his max weight lifted. I know his grip and he is capable of WAY MORE than 180 if loaded right with fronthang, in this picture if he would have loaded farther back on the VB it would have enhanced the amount lifted) you will lift less weight. What I’m saying here with all this ramble is that the front hang has to be the perfect amount, loaded to the perfect distance, to maximize the amount you can lift. This applies to the plates used, their weight, and their thickness.

Now is this in the “spirit of pinchgripping” in my opinion – HECK NO!!!! But that’s the way the USAWA has been doing it. Al

That’s right Dan – but it won’t take all that long because I will be standing there telling everyone what the optimum fronthang should be for them!!! haha

But good point. Wait till you see the dumbbell swing in action in a meet if you want to see a loading “nightmare”. Up to 10 kgs front or backhang is allowed, which amount can be chosen by the lifter. So even if the same weight is selected to be lifted on the dumbbell, there are many different combinations of loads depending on the amount of backhang/fronthang picked by a lifter. One lifter might want the 10kgs, the next 5 kgs, the next a balanced dumbbell!!!! Usually lots of “headscratching” is done by the loaders to get the dumbbell loaded correctly!!! This lift’s loading is minor compared to that!! Al