Author Archives: Al Myers

My Gyms

by Eric Todd

I expect everyone has an aptitude for something. Everyone else in my immediate family has an aptitude for art or music. About as far as my aptitude for anything artistic goes, however, is listening to songs on the radio in my truck. I always leaned more to the physical side of things. It is not that I was a dummy. When in elementary, I was selected for our school’s gifted program…twice. Yep, that’s right, I may have been the only two time quitter of Parkview Elementary’s “independent Study”. It was supposed to be challenging, yes? No, it was boring and caused me to miss recess and PE. So I quit. However, they saw the intellectual giant that I was, and made the exception to try and get me back in a couple years later. My parents thought maybe being a bit older would help, so I was back in. Still boring, and I was still missing PE and recess. On top of that, it was in an old turn of the century school with dim lighting and lockers and desks that smelled of old bologna sandwiches. After I quit again, they said I could not return. OK by me!

Through the years I have trained in a number of environments. Some, just on a visit, and some played the role as “my” gym for a while. I started off at home. At three, I started to run with my dad. I saw him take off, and did not want to be left behind. I put on my mud boots and took chase. I think that day, he ran about a mile. I ran about a third of that. Mom and Dad were impressed, and I kept on chasing him, day after day. My distances would increase, and my speed would improve. Why was I doing it though? I guess because my dad was, and maybe I was just born with something that made it appeal to me.

For whatever reason, I always had a love for strength. I was always asking my dad to flex for me. I would assume it got tiresome to him. I remember going to see The Shepherd of the Hills play in Branson, MO. In the story, “Young Matt” lifted a steam engine so his dad could work on it. We would visit the site during the daytime, and I would try and lift the steam engine. I think I gave it my first try at 5 years old. I never was able to get that thing off the ground. But, I was lifting everything else: the edges of furniture, rocks, logs, etc. One time Grandpa cut a couple old locust trees that were out past the old outhouse near our home. I spent hours pretending the cut branches were weights and I was a weightlifter.

I grew up wrestling with dad. I was a rough and tumble boy, and I liked it when dad would get on the floor to tussle with me. I started probably about as young as when I could walk, and we would grapple often. When I was nine, we were talking to this guy at church. He was a custodian at a nearby school. He told us of a small fry wrestling club that practiced there. I had no idea that it was something you could do competitively against people your own age, and I was immediately in love with the idea. It was about the time I started wrestling, that dad got me lifting. At first, he just made me a 10# dumbbell out of some old sand weights and showed me a one arm curl and a one arm standing press. I added these to my regiment of pushups, sit-ups and running. I did this routine almost every night. After I had started getting a bit of a foundation, I started working out in the milkbarn with dad. This was my first “gym” We had a concrete weight set that we would do curls, military presses, and floor presses on the concrete milking floor. That is, until I was at a junk sale at the salebarn. There was a weightlifting bench at it, and I had the winning bid of $1.75. From then on, we benched in style. After seeing Rocky IV, I filled a gunny sack with rocks and sand and hung it from one of the pulleys on the ceiling. I had my first lat pull machine.

When I was in high school, I would lift both at home and at the school. The school gym came in two forms. There was an old universal ,a “good girl” machine, a “bad girl” machine, and an old apparatus called a leaper that was like a squat machine for improving your vertical leap. These items were in the boys locker room at the school. Then down the road at the field house, there was a better weight room with power racks, benches, bumper plates, etc.

When I want to college at Missouri Valley, their weightroom was unimpressive. I was able to get OK workouts there, but they would only let you do “safety squats”. I mean actual safety squats where you hold onto the rack and use your arms and upper back to help pull yourself back up into an upright position. Their selling point when they first showed me the weightroom was 4 “back tracks”. They said there were five of them in the nation, and MO Valley had four of them, with Bo Jackson owning the other. Just so you know, that if there are only five of such a groundbreaking piece of equipment out there, and no other colleges have jumped on the bandwagon, there is probably a reason why. They were an absolute piece of crap , and doing them was an absolute waste of time.

After my fourth year of wrestling I was out of eligibility, but I had to go a fifth year to complete my degree. Well, for individuals who were not on sports teams, you could normally get a workout in in the school weightroom at around midnight. As I usually enjoy sleeping at that hour, I went to get a membership at the local YMCA. Since I had no money, it was only like $10 a month. And since my wrestling career at Valley was over, I had lots of free time. So, I spent most of it lifting at the Y.

During the summers, me and my brother would get a membership at “Camelot Fun and Fitness” in Cameron to work out together. The only place in town, it was as lame as it sounds. The weights were right there with the cardio equipment. There was a Metallica cassette tape in a tape deck, but as soon as you turned it on, the old ladies on the treadmill turned up Oprah a little louder. You would turn up Metallica just so you could hear it, but they would soon poke at the remote until Oprah drowned it out. Not exactly a place to get hardcore. So we started using membership fees to buy bits and pieces of equipment at a time.

Upon graduation, I got a teaching and coaching gig at Excelsior Springs. They had a decent weightroom there, and I spent lots of time after school and/or practice in there. While I still enjoyed lifting, something was missing. I was going through the motions. Why was I lifting? Was it just cause I always had? I had always lifted to get strong so I could excel at wrestling, I felt. Well, I was done wrestling. I needed something new. I found strongman. This was something that came rather naturally to me. Meanwhile I took a position at Kearney School District. While they had a nice weightroom, I soon decided I would be better served just taking my workouts at home. I had been accumulating equipment for a number of years, and had a decent setup in my basement. So, for I time I split where I was training. One day, however, I was in the school weightroom after track practice. I was going for a top end overhead press. Unfortunately, there was a group of high school kids from another sports team in there jacking about. Their coach was in there with them and in on the fun, so I did not feel it was my place to reprimand them. After 4 or 5 misses, I was fed up. I couldn’t perform in that atmosphere. So I left, and never looked back.

I went back to my home gym full time. Eventually, I built my tin can barn and moved all my strongman stuff (as well as some weightlifting stuff) out there. So, now I have two gyms! I take most of my weekday gym workouts in my basement gym, and my weekend workouts take place in the barn. So, I guess I kinda came full circle. I started off my weightlifting career about a mile from where I train now. I have been lots of different places, and weight is weight. I have loved lifting it everywhere, in whatever form, from sand filled to iron, to stone. It has become a part of me. I still cannot paint a picture. I still cannot play an instrument (well, I do play a mean “Old Suzanna” on the mouth harp). And though I enjoy eating a bologna sandwich as much as the next guy, the smell of those lockers still haunt me. But I can lift me some weights!

Gold Cup

by Steve Gardner

James Gardner won the overall Gold Cup Award, the Prechtel Memorial Award, with this amazing lift in the Shoulder Drop of 92.5 kilograms!

The Gold Cup took place at the Burton Powerhouse All Round Weightlifting Academy in Burton on Trent on Saturday 25th October. In short…it was a fantastic day! We had 56 lifters entered for the day, the biggest turnout in IAWA’s 28 year history for an International event, with 6 Nations represented (Unfortunately Kim and Graham Alway had to leave before the event started due to a death in the family and our deepest sympathy goes out to them) but it was still a massive event.

I was so proud to be there on the day with so many great people and to witness them performing so many outstanding lifts. Thanks to all the overseas lifters who brought the International Flare. Every lifter brought new energy to the platform and we saw about 50 different lifts performed to exceptional standard, I wish I could mention them all in this report but there are just too many.  There were several records on the day that were the ‘heaviest ever performed’ in IAWA. I know big Mark Haydock had two….one in the 2 Inch Bar Deadlift and one in the Alternate Grip Clean and Press. James Gardner also with a massive 92.5 kilos in the Shoulder Drop, and Neil Keddy too with the French Press I think. James’s lift earned him the ‘Howard Prechtel Memorial Award’ which was presented to him by last years winner  Al Myers’ and Neil Keddys exceptional 60k French Press saw him in the Runners Up spot. The lifting was just ‘Outstanding’ and Frank Ciavattone hit big numbers in the Ciavattone Deadlift. It was great for me to see my 8 year old Grandson Dominic perform a lift to earn a Gold Cup, and my heart melted when I heard he asked his Mum if the cups were real Gold. So proud to have lifted on the same platform as my Wife, and my two Sons: John and James and also my Grandson..three generations! I am so very pleased with the tremendous help from my team members at our Burton Club as they helped load all the lifts for the other loaders. Everyone helped everyone else, and that is what enabled us to get through at least 275 record attempts. The final showdown between Al Myers and his Dad Laverne brought the house down as they went head to head in the struggle for supremacy in the One Hand 2 inch Dumbbell Deadlift, Laverne winning out over Al in the finish. It was most refreshing to have 12 female competitors really leading the way for the Ladies..well done girls, and 8 Junior lifters as well, from young Dominic at 8 yrs, Elena De La Mata at 9yrs through to Matt Jones at 18yrs and Maddie Ell at 19 yrs, well done young ones you are the future of our sport. Our Masters division was really well represented too with 78 yrs old Gerry Davidson our most Senior lifter on the day.

Steve Gardner (right) was presented this new gym sign by IAWA President Al Myers (left) for all his hard work in promoting the IAWA Gold Cup on behalf of the IAWA membership.

It was just so great to have so many people from the IAWA family with me, and the evening Dinner and Presentation was also tremendous. As well as the Gold Cup presentation, I was knocked out by the super present given to me by Al Myers..the stunning Gym sign to hang in the Burton Powerhouse, thanks again big Al. And then later in the evening, well how could anyone forget Nick Swain and his mate Ben performing as ‘ The King Elvis’s..Lol! Just Priceless.Thanks again to everyone, and I mean everyone who helped me to make the day a great success…..Long Live IAWA!

MEET RESULTS:

2014 IAWA Gold Cup
Burton Powerhouse Gym
Burton, England
October 25th, 2014

Meet Promoter:  Steve Gardner

Announcer: Steve Gardner

Recorder: Judy Habecker

Record Keeper: Chris Bass

Loaders: All members from Powerhouse Gym

Officials:  Several IAWA Officials in attendance

Results (PDF) – Gold Cup 2014 Results

Art’s Birthday Bash

by John McKean

Group picture from Art's Birthday Bash 2014.

Since it’s impossible to drive to Ambridge from any direction without going through beautiful wooded hills and dense forest lands, our visitors this year were treated to this Fall’s most spectacular leaf colors, on a perfect bluebird sky day! It was almost a shame to have to go indoors to lift weights! HOWEVER, that was immediately corrected as we all left the gym to go OUTDOORS to watch newcomer Steve Freides perform an Inman Mile(!!!) at the high school parking lot across the street!! Of course ,Steve didn’t go a mile (nobody ever has!) but did waddle back & forth with 243# on his back for 114 meters!I teased Steve by saying his efforts cost me 50 bucks-that I’d bet Art he would die if he tried the whole mile!

Back in the gym, Art & I were treated to watch another newcomer to our meets, Stephen Santangelo, perform a terrific Reeves deadlift with 235 pounds! Art & I agreed that neither of us can even reach the plates to perform this dynamic lift!

Denny Habecker, and long time veteran lifter, 82 year old Dick Durante, had a gorgeous drive through the mountains across state to show us their typical strong lifting and always smiling faces!

Of course, in this year’s group of all MASTER competitors, good ole Denmis Mitchell and wife Flossy drove in from Cleveland to charm us with their usual cheerful personalities, and Denny’s well perfected lifting.

Star of the show, birthday boy Art Montini (87) performed 5 world records in fantastic style, and was the usual gracious host to his guests. In an amazing coincidence, the figure on Art’s meet shirt was the comic character Popeye (with Art’ face imposed!) -seems both Art & the famous Popeye were created in the same year!!(and both were sailors!). Art’s only challenge this year was in the donut eating challence where my grandson Draes (just turned 9) may have bested him (we’re never sure as Art gobbles the donuts in hiding!).

It was so great to have always smiling,joke telling Bob Geib and his gal,Susan, attending! Both lifted great and are healthy and happy, soon with a new house to move to. Funny thing,Bob was trying to explain to me where this small town is that he’s been residing at for several years(a mile from his new place), and I had to laugh out loud -it is the vacation town on Lake Erie that our family travels to many time each year and I’ve been going to all my life! I woulda ’bout croaked to run into Bob up there during a morning fishing expedition! Bob brought with him a beautiful plaque that the late,great Howard Prechtel was awarded as a new inductee to the Cleveland Hall of Fame. Howard had passed on his skillful chiropractic maneuvers, which he utilized to tremendous effect on my 35 year old son Rob,who’s had a presistant neck/shoulder pinch (Rob felt so good afterward,that we couldn’t cooerce him into doing any lifts! Thanks,Bob!!).

Even yours truly got into the act- I’d promised Al earlier that if he got the Kennedy lift approved I’d unretire just to do that old “health Lift” ! And figgered ,since I was there, to finally get off my butt and set enough to records to take me over the 300 mark.

As usual, a day well spent with good friends! Onward to training for Art’s 88th!

MEET RESULTS

Art’s Birthday Bash 2014
Oct 12, 2014
Ambridge VFW Barbell Club Ambridge, PA

USAWA officials: Denny Habecker, Art Montini, Dennis Mitchell,  (3 officials used on all record lifts)

SUSAN SEES female age 57 weight 219# div: 55+ F 100K
Deadlift Fulton Ciavattone 160 pounds
Deadlift Fulton bar 170#
Deadlift thumbless 180#
Dumbbell Deadlift right 95#
Dumbbell Deadlift left 95#

DENNIS MITCHELL age 81 weight151# div: 80+ 70K
Thumbless deadlift 170#
One Hand Dumbbell deadlift left 130#
One Hand Dumbbell deadlift right 130#
Seated press behind neck 40#

STEVE FREIDES age 59 weight 152.8# div: 55+ 70K
Steinborn 80 K
Inman Mile 113.79 meters
Hip Lift 1020#
Jefferson 315#
Jefferson Fulton bar 280#
Kennedy lift 405#

ART MONTINI age 87 weight 172# div: 85+ 80K
2″ Vertical Bar lift left 59#
Middle finger deadlift  110#
Ring Finger deadlift     99#
Index finger deadlift   85#
Dumbbell deadlift left 75#

JOHN McKEAN age 68 weight 173.5# div:65+ 80K
Kennedy lift 405#
People’s Deadlift 315#
One arm Dumbbell Ciavattone deadlift right 173#
Fulton bar Ciavattone Deadlift 200#
Strict Curl 55#
Dumbbell Walk 26#
1″ Vertical bar lift right 85#
1″ Vertical bar lift left 85#
1″ Vertical bar lift 2 bars 170#
2 Dumbbell Cheat Curl 70#
right Dumbbell Cheat Curl 35#
Left Dumbbell Cheat Curl 35#
Right arm Fulton Dumbbell deadlift 58#
Left Arm Fulton Bar Deadlift 58#
2 Arm Fulton Dumbbell Deadlift 116#

STEPHEN SANTANGELO  age 62 weight 174# div: 60+ 80K
Reeves Deadlift 235#
One arm Dumbbell deadlift left 170#
One arm Dumbbell Deadlift right 210#
Dumbbell Walk 56#
Kennedy Lift 325#

RICHARD DURANTE  age 82 weight 175# div: 80+ 80K
One arm Deadlift left 95#
One arm Deadlift right 95#
Fulton Bar Deadlift 170#
Strict Curl 55#
Kennedy Lift 225#

DENNY HABECKER age 72 weight 194# div: 70+ 90K
Kennedy Lift 225#
Stiff Leg Deadlift 270 #
Reverse Grip Cheat Curl 119#
Thumbless Grip Deadlift 270#
Dumbbell Press left 50#
Strict Curl 75#

BOB GEIB age 71 weight 219# div: 70+ 100K
Fulton Deadlift Ciavattone 170#
Fulton Deadlift 180#
Thumbless Deadlift 200#
Dumbbell Deadlift right 130#
Dumbbell Deadlift left 130#

Lifter of the Month: Frank Ciavattone

by Al Myers

Frank Ciavattone in action at the 2014 IAWA World Championships.

Congrats goes to Frank Ciavattone for being selected as the Lifter of the Month for the month of September. Frank is definitely deserving of this award after the unbelievable contributions he made to the USAWA during the past month. Frank not only promoted the IAWA World Championships, but competed and won his 20th IAWA World Championships. He also was recognized by the IAWA with the IAWA Presidential Award of Merit, the highest honor given out by the IAWA.

Frank Ciavattone –  the USAWA LIFTER OF THE MONTH FOR SEPTEMBER!

Update on the OTSM Championships

by Al Myers

***NEWS FLASH***

It has recently been decided that this year’s USAWA Old Time Strongman Championships will be held in conjunction with Eric Todd’s “Battle in the Barn.” Eric has promoted several OTSM competitions over the past few years, and his facility will make the perfect venue for our OTSM Championships.

If you haven’t decided to attend ET’s meet yet – NOW IS THE TIME!  Let’s make  a great turnout this year for the USAWA Old Time Strongman Championships!

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