Author Archives: Al Myers

Delaware Postal Meet

by Al Myers

MEET RESULTS

2012 DELAWARE VALLEY OPEN POSTAL MEET

Barry Bryan is making his comeback in the USAWA. This picture was taken at the Presidential Cup in August, before Barry's BEST LIFTER win in the Delaware Valley Open Postal Meet.

The third leg of the USAWA Postal Meet Series has been completed.  Ten lifters competed.  The BEST LIFTERS are:

WOMEN – GABBY JOBE

MEN – BARRY BRYAN

MEET RESULTS

Delaware Valley Open Postal Meet
USAWA Postal Meet
September 1st-30th, 2012

Meet Director: John Wilmot

Lifts: Clean and Press – Heels Together, Snatch – 2 Dumbbells, Deadlift – Ciavattone Grip

Lifters with USAWA Certified Official:
Gabby Jobe – Official Jesse Jobe
Barry Bryan – Official Denny Habecker
Tim Songster – Official Jesse Jobe
Denny Habecker – Official Barry Bryan
Chad Ullom – Official Al Myers

Lifters using a judge who IS NOT a USAWA Certified Official:
Marcus Synder – Judge Les Cramer
Les Cramer – Judge Monica Cook
Samuel Rogers – Judge Orie Barnett
John Wilmot – Judge Kay Wilmot
Orie Barnett – Judge Sam Rogers

WOMENS DIVISION

LIFTER AGE BWT C&P Snt DL TOT PTS
Gabby Jobe 9 101 45 30 100 175 336.8

MENS DIVISION

LIFTER AGE BWT C&P Snt DL TOT PTS
Barry Bryan 54 194 181 132 374 688 720.1
Orie Barnett 51 228 192 125 400 717 668.3
Chad Ullom 40 250 209 160 452 821 658.0
Les Cramer 70 187 130 110 300 540 656.0
Marcus Synder 23 185 160 120 420 700 654.2
Tim Songster 45 198 177 120 385 682 649.7
Sam Rogers 49 206 181 115 343 639 617.6
Denny Habecker 69 189 137 88 286 512 614.5
John Wilmot 65 220 105 100 310 515 550.3

NOTES:  AGE is age in years.  BWT is bodyweight in pounds.  All lifts recorded in pounds.  TOT is total pounds lifted.  PTS are adjusted points for bodyweight and age allowance.

Frank Ciavattone GRAND BEST LIFTER

by Al Myers

Frank Ciavattone (middle) being awarded the GRAND BEST LIFTER of the USAWA. Presenters included USAWA Vice President Chad Ullom (left) and USAWA Secretary Al Myers (right).

One of the really important awards presented at the 2012 IAWA World Championships went to Frank Ciavattone. Frank was awarded the GRAND BEST LIFTER of the 25 year history of the USAWA.  This awarded was intended to be presented to Frank at the USAWA Nationals, but since he was unable to attend that meet I waited till Worlds to bestow him the recognition that he has rightly earned.  This award was based on Franks competition history at past USAWA National Championships. Frank has competed at the USAWA Nationals since the practical beginning, and in that time has acquired more National Records than anyone else!  To date he has 45 National Records!!!  That’s alot!!!  It will take someone of longterm persistence and great ability to overtake this record count of Franks. 

Congratulations Frank!  It was my honor to be part of this presentation.

New England RD

by Al Myers

MEET ANNOUNCEMENT

NEW ENGLAND ALL-ROUND RECORD DAY

Frank Ciavattone "setting up" to pull a big Jefferson Lift at the 2012 IAWA World Championships.

Date: December 1st

Meet Promoter: Frank Ciavattone

Location: Frank’s Barbell Club, Walpole, Massachusetts

World Meet Videos

by Al Myers

Dan Wagman performing a IAWA World Record of 112.5 KG in the Pullover and Press at the 2012 IAWA World Championships.

Dan Wagman, the 2012 IAWA World Championships’  OVERALL BEST LIFTER,  has video recorded the Championships and has made this video available to everyone. But first let me say a few things about Dan.  I met Dan several years ago when he lived in Lawrence, Kansas getting his PhD from the University of Kansas.  At that time he came to my place to train a few times.  He has competed in the USAWA before, but it has been a few years (2006 Nationals), so he is no newcomer to All Round Weightlifting.   Dan has a VERY DEEP RESUME of lifting accomplishments.  It would take several pages to give an overview of everything he has achieved.  For those that don’t know this – Dan is the Publisher/Editor in Chief of the Journal of Pure Power.  It is a MUST READ for all strength athletes.  It is an online magazine that covers the scientific knowledge of weightlifting and sports training.  It gives just the FACTS that have been proven in research – not opinions and general ideas like most all other magazines. Dan’s journalistic efforts have been published in several other magazines throughout the years. 

I recommend that everyone “check out” the trial issue of Pure Power.  I am sure that you will be impressed.   I also recommend that you get a subscription so that you will be “up to date” on all the latest strength research.  It is one of the few magazines worth reading now a days.  Details of this are contained within this link to the videos from the World Championships.  

LINK TO WORLD MEET VIDEOS:

http://www.jopp.us/2012iawa.html

Art’s Birthday Bash

by John McKean  

(WEBMASTERS NOTE: This little email came to me Monday morning from John McKean regarding the festivities at Art’s Birthday Bash over the weekend. It started my day off with a laugh, so I want to share it with everyone.)

Hi Al, Great meet yesterday! I’ll do a write up ,later, but wanted you to have these records right away! Funny thing , before guys arrived  Art had 3 boxes of donuts ready, one of our VFW trainees (not a competitor) teased Art and said ,”those are bad for you,ya know”. To which Art sternly replied ” I NEVER eat donuts!”. Yet less than a minute later, even I was speechless as Art washed a big gooey donut down with thick black coffee! The young trainee blurted out, “Art, ya just told me you never eat donuts!” Art just growled back, “Well, I have to have BREAKFAST!” OK, here’s the lifts! JOHN

MEET REPORT

On a perfect Fall day with hazy morning sun, a slight nip to the air, and truly outstanding tree colors, Art’s Birthday Bash had competitors from Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia , Alaska, Aliquippa, Pittsburgh, and Lebanon (PA). We’d worried early in the morning that few would show with the World meet just the week before, another USAWA contest out West, and other conflicting scheduling that seem to crowd Art’s long standing, well established meet date. But no worries, as Art’s family alone took up the slack with sons Rob and Paul & their wives attending, plus grandson Chris, and great grandson Benson!

First to arrive, tho, was hardy ole Dale Friesz bouncing in on his one good leg and his steel “pogo stick” calf on the other.Yep, drove all the way up on his own from Virginia ,too! He did those one finger deadlifts like a maniac, and unlike other years I MADE him name the lift on his card ,rather than stick me with a bunch on abbreviations to try to figure out what finger was what. Well, he said he was more than happy to give me the finger multiple times, but I did notice on several of my lifts that he judged, the down signal seemed several minutes, rather than seconds!

It was so neat to acquire 3 new USAWA registrations this late in the year, but Art’s family has expanded our population! This may be the first meet ever with 4 generations competing at once! In fact, with a photo to prove it (coming later) we established the first 4 generation deadlift record ever! This was,of course, the closing lift of the meet and really left all departing with the great spirits of this popular annual event!

Cleveland had a huge showing with Dennis & Flossy Mitchell, Scott and Kathy Schmidt, Jim Malloy, and John Kurtz. They were all buoyed up by the terrific weather and smooth drive over, and lifted great! Of course Denny & Judy Habecker traveled an equal distance thru breathtaking mountains and matched the enthusiasm of the Ohio gang!

Old, now 85 years worth, Art was still the “wonder kid” of this whole affair. Obviously everything he touched was a new world record (his motto: if ya can’t outlift them early, outLIVE em!!), but the veteran ironman actually performed an easy hand & thigh of 430 and a 701 pound hip lift! His boundless energy is inspirational to all, and I can foresee having to draw those damn meet shirt logos for the next 40 or 50 years!!

As usual, an ambitious schedule is planned already throughout the USAWA for next year! But plan on coming to Art’s 86th birthday party in October for some genuine iron gaming thrills!

MEET RESULTS

Art’s Birthday Bash
Ambridge VFW Barbell Club 
Ambridge PA  Sunday
Oct. 14, 2012

Meet Director: Art Montini

Officials (3 official System used): Art Montini, John McKean, Dennis Mitchell, Scott Schmidt, Denny Habecker, Dale Friesz, Jim Malloy

Benson Montini – BWT 44 Kg, age 8 years
Crucifix   10 pounds
Finger Lift – Right Middle Finger  27 pounds
Deadlift – Trap Bar 135 pounds
Deadlift – Right Leg 20 KG
Deadlift – No Thumbs, Overhand Grip 74 pounds

Dennis Mitchell –   BWT  153 3/4 pounds, age  80 years
Deadlift – Stiff Legged 85 KG
French  Press 37.5 pounds
Deadlift – Left Arm 60 KG
Deadlift – Right Arm  60 KG
ate 95 donuts (beating Art’s record,barely!)

Kathy Schmidt  – BWT 165 pounds, age 55 years
Deadlift – Trap Bar 77.5 KG
Jefferson Lift 60 KG
Deadlift – Ciavattone Grip  70 KG

Dale Friesz – BWT 75KG,  age 72 years
Deadlift – Fingers, Middle 75.5 KG
Finger Lift – Right Ring Finger 50.5 KG
Finger Lift – Right Index Finger 101.1 pounds
Finger Lift – Left Ring Finger 50.5 KG

John McKean – BWT 75KG, age 66 years
French Press   45 pounds
Curl – Reverse Grip  70 pounds
Hack Lift 274 pounds
Zercher Lift 224 pounds
Anderson Squat 315 pounds
Bench Press – Hands Together  115 pounds
Hack Lift – Right Arm  204 pounds

Art Montini – BWT 79 KG, age 85 years
Zercher Lift 70 KG
Deadlift – Fulton Bar 165 pounds
Deadlift – Trap Bar 200 pounds
Hand and Thigh Lift  430 pounds
Hip Lift 701 pounds

Denny Habecker – BWT 188.25 pounds,  age 70 years
Arthur Lift 143.3 pounds
Bench Press – Alternate Grip  175 pounds
Bench Press – Feet in Air 195 pounds
Bench Press – Reverse Grip 175 pounds
Clean and Jerk – Dumbbell, Right Arm 65 pounds

Rob Montini – BWT 225.25 pounds,  age 64 years
Snatch – From Hang  50 KG
Bench Press (feet on floor) 205 pounds
Jerk – From Rack, Behind Neck 135 pounds

Scott Schmidt – BWT  239 pounds, age 57 years 
Vertical Bar Deadlift – 1 Bar, 2″, Right Hand 92.5 KG
Vertical Bar Deadlift – 1 Bar, 2″, Left Hand 87.5 KG
Clean and Press – Behind Neck  60 KG
Curl – Reverse Grip   47.5 KG

Jim Malloy – BWT 262 pounds, age 71 years
Vertical Bar Deadlift – 1 Bar, 2″, Right Hand 145 pounds
Vertical Bar Deadlift – 1 bar, 2″, Left Hand 135 pounds
Curl – Reverse Grip 95 pounds
Curl – Cheat, Reverse Grip 135 pounds

Christopher Montini – BWT 137 KG,  age 34 years
Good Morning 75 KG
Lateral Raise – Lying  50 pounds
Lateral Raise – Standing  50 pounds
Jerk – From Rack, Behind Neck  70 KG
Teeth Lift  78 pounds

1 176 177 178 179 180 321