USAWA

An assistant may be used to place a foot against the end of the bar when it is lifted and lowered to keep the bar from sliding on the platform. However, the assistant must not aid in the lifting or lowering of the bar in any other manner.

Not sure if this is how the rule has always been stated (will have to check my old rule book) but I dont note that Denny is helping Al lift or lower the bar in that pic.
ET

By the way, that is Andy Tomlin in that picture.

I KNEW that was too tall to be you!
ET

Tom – There is no rule directly stating that the Steinborn Lift can not have spotters on the platform to spot it. What you are referring to is a “Bill Rule” – one in which he required but was not a written one. The rules state the rules of the squat apply to the squat portion of the Steinborn. Of course with that rule written in – the use of spotters could be taken as a definite use, as they are with any squat attempt in competition.

However, there are meet differences in when spotters are used on the Steinborn. On our hometurf (USAWA meets), spotters are NEVER used, but overseas in IAWA meets they have been used on each occassion the Steinborn was contested. I have mixed feelings on whether they are helpful, and can create a dangerous situation for the spotters. I have seen a couple of spotter injuries happen (including a broken wrist of a spotter trying to catch a bar that lost control).

And of course when spotters are used, if they assist in any way besides the foot stabilization, the lift is not good.

Random Bill Fellows story I’ll tell since Tom mentioned him: I had a buddy that managed a Pizza place in Columbia. He said he has this “70 year old weightlifter” working delivering for him part time and somebody tried to steal the pizza’s he was delivering by grabbing them away. My friend said the old lifter hung on and then threw the would be thief thru a nearby window!!!!! This was in the late 80’s….I asked what the guys name was…Bill Fellows.

Good story Thom.

I will say that if I was attempting a Steinborne, I would prefer no one tries to spot me. If I am going to miss it I would prefer to get away from harm then to have someone there trying to “spot ” me-probably mostly getting in the way.

Speaking of the Steinborne, does anyone else remember at one of the early Dino Days a–round meets (might have even been the first one, I would have to check) when Burtzloff was doing the steinborne where he took it to one shoulder then spun it around and he almost killed Clark? And Clark did not budhe from that head judge chair-did not even blink I dont think.

ET

ET, I remember that quite clearly!!! It happened when Bob was returning the bar to the platform and it got away from him. The bar slammed down less than 12 inches from Bill’s side and he never flinched. When he was asked afterwards, he said he knew it wasn’t going to hit him. He’s got “nerves of steel” to not even move – and he didn’t even move an inch!!!

And Tom – as I’ve said I got mixed feelings on spotters for the Steinborn. I’ve also seen older lifters lose balance and the spotters grabbed the bar to prevent it from taking the lifter to the platform, which could have caused injury to the lifter. The problem arises when lifters are doing “big weight” and there is no way the spotters can adequately spot an “out of control” bar. In these cases, it is MUCH BETTER if the lifter is left alone on the platform to dump the bar if needed. Al