USAWA

[b]Quote from dinoman on December 14, 2011, 09:25[/b]
I hope that the USAWA Grip Championships gets a good turnout again this year. I tried to pick lifts that would make a good event, and represent all areas of hand strength within the USAWA.

Speaking of grip strength, a couple of gym grip records fell last night in the Dino Gym. Mark Mitchell did a 200# block bar deadlift and Scott Tully did a 80# Bomb Lift. Both of these are outstanding marks! I should also mention that Scott picked up the York Blob with one hand and then closed the number 2 COC gripper with his other! I was quite impressed! Al

Great timing Al! I was just thinking (liteally) yesterday that I should e-mail you and see if you had finalized the grip champ events.

Looks like a great overall test of hand strength on the lineup.

Great work on those gym grip records guys!

I know what the block bar deadlift is – the pinch barbell, right?

Is the Bomb lift one of the FBBC Bombs? If so I pulled on that years ago at one of John Beatty’s (pro strongman and been on America’s Got Talent) grip contests. It was a unique lift. Hard to judge and easy to cheat though if that makes sense. Not saying that anyone cheated at your place Al – but a judge has to be very watchful because a subtle movement of the hand can add 20 pounds or more to a lift. And change it from being grip-dependent to something entirely different.

I’ll announce this contest on the Gripboard and the other grip forums I frequent too.

You guys might consider joining the Ironmind forum too. There is a well populated grip section and Dr. Strossen himself posts frequently. And as you know, he’s definitely a fan of grip strength. Plus, it would put some attention on the USAWA in general. Not just the grip contest in February. I’ve mentioned the USAWA several times in various posts on that forum and had a few guys contact me regarding USAWA.

Still the biggest reason why most of the strong grip guys I know don’t enter the USAWA grip contest is because of the scoring method. I’m not knocking the method of scoring. I like it. I understand it. I don’t benefit from it much or at all. But I don’t really care about losing if it gives me the ability to compete on equal terms with all ages, genders, and bodyweights.