Author Archives: Al Myers

Team Nationals

2010 USAWA TEAM NATIONALS

by Al Myers

Group picture from the 2010 USAWA Team Nationals. Front row left to right: Rudy Bletscher, and Mike Murdock. Back row left to right: Mark Mitchell, Scott Tully, Al Myers, and Chad Ullom.

Chad and I were able to successfully defend our title of  USAWA Team National Champions, but not without serious competition this year.  This, without a doubt, has to be the most successful Team Nationals to date in terms of competitors and quality of competition.  I haven’t counted the records set yet, but I am willing to bet that more USAWA Team Records were set in this meet compared to any other meet in USAWA history.  Fellow Dino Gym members Mark Mitchell and Scott Tully formed a team, along with a pair of very strong 70 plus year olds, Mike Murdock and Rudy Bletscher.  It is interesting to note that all the teams had team members that were very comparable in size and strength to each other.  Having  team partners that are compatible in strength, lifting style, and body size is essential in order for a team to perform optimally.

Mark Mitchell and Scott Tully with their 450 pound Team Maxey Press.

The first lift of the day was the Maxey Press, done in honor and remembrance of Bob Maxey, who was a founding member of the Dino Gym and who this lift is named after.  The Maxey Press is a strict press from the rack using the Fulton Bar. Mark and Scott stole the show here as they got an easy 450#, and then called for 500#.  Truly a huge team press!  They missed it by inches at lockout.  Both of these guys are 250-300# strict pressers, but just had their timing off a little lifting together.  The next lift was the Hands Together Bench Press.  This lift is tricky when performing it alone, but as a Team Lift  really provides a challenge.  Mark and Scott ended with 570#, but had more in them.  They just ran out of attempts.  The next lift was the Team Rectangular Fix.  Mike and Rudy showed true grit in this one, as they did a lift of 160 pounds.  When tabulating the points, I realized that these two scored the most points in this lift of all the teams.  They had adjusted points in the Rectangular Fix of 173 points, compared to 157 points for Chad and me, and 152 points for Mark and Scott.  That is something they should be proud of!

Rudy Bletscher and Mike Murdock - A pair of very strong lifters over the age of 70 years.

The last lift of the day was the Team Trap Bar Deadlift.  I had made a custom-designed Trap Bar for this occasion to accommodate this lift.  I told the guys whoever lifted the most would probably have a World Record since I doubt this lift has ever been contested before, anywhere.  The comp was very close at this point, with Mark and Scott leading Chad and me by only 10 points.  So this Team Nationals came down to the LAST EVENT to be decided!  Chad and I opened with 915 pounds while Mark and Scott decided to break the 1000 pound barrier on their opener with 1005 pounds.  This put them in the drivers seat over us.  Chad and I then matched them with a 1005 pound pull.  They decided to call for 1100 pounds to really put the pressure on us, so Chad and I were forced to do the same.  They missed it ever so close, and then  Chad and I pulled it for the win. A dramatic finish!

This was a great day for the USAWA.  I want to thank Darren Barnhart for officiating, and for my Dad LaVerne and old-time Olympic Weightlifting champ Dave Hahn for showing up to watch this ordeal.  Team Nationals is a very unique competition that I am surprised not more lifters want to take part in.   It challenges you in different ways than typical solo lifting competitions.  Even though next year’s Team Nationals is a year away, I invite everyone now  to take part in this event next year.

Al Myers and Chad Ullom with a 1100 pound Team Trap Bar Deadlift.

RESULTS:

Teams:

1. Al Myers (253# & 44 years old) and Chad Ullom (245# & 38 years old)  – 115 kg Class & Open Division

2. Mark Mitchell (357# & 49 years old) and Scott Tully (344# & 34 years old) – 125+ kg Class & Open Division

3. Mike Murdock (230# & 70 years old) and Rudy Bletscher (216# & 74 years old) – 105 kg Class & 70-74 Age Division

Official (one official system used):  Darren Barnhart

Team Lifts:  Maxey Press, Bench Press – Hands Together, Rectangular Fix, and Trap Bar Deadlift

Lifters Maxey Bench Rec Fix Trap DL Total Points
Al Myers

Chad Ullom

 400 500 200 1100 2200 1734.92
Mark Mitchell

Scott Tully

 450 570 215 1005 2240 1592.42
Mike Murdock

Rudy Bletscher

 200 210 160 585 1155 1252.96

Notes: All lifts recorded in pounds.  Total is total weight in pounds lifted.   Points are adjusted points for bodyweight and age correction.

Dino Days Are Coming Up!

MEET REMINDER

by Al Myers

2009 USAWA Team National Champions, Al Myers and Chad Ullom, with a 2-Man Jefferson Lift of 1000 pounds. Team JWC, Thom Van Vleck and John O'Brien (in the background) were second overall.

This upcoming weekend is the Dino Gym’s annual Dino Days Weekend.  Two competitions will be held – a Highlander Games on Saturday (Sanctioned by the North American Highlander Association)  and the USAWA Team Nationals on Sunday.  Scott Tully is the meet director for the Dino Gym Highlander and I’m the meet director for the Team Nationals.  Entry forms and meet information for the Highlander Games can be found here – Dino Gym Highlander Entry Form .  Team Nationals entry forms and meet information  are available on this website, under “Future Events”.  It is NOT too late to enter either one of these competitions!

Make sure to plan to hang around Saturday night for the evening festivities. There will be lots of good BBQ, as much fluids that you would like to consume, and great camaraderie.   Even if you don’t compete,  I invite you to just show up and be part of the fun times!

Ken McClain – An All-Round Pioneer

by Al Myers

Ken McClain performing a Clean and Jerk with 162.5 Kilograms in 1989.

As I was checking over the USAWA Record List to see what records were broken in the JWC Straight Weight Postal Challenge, I noticed that John O’Brien, of the JWC, broke a record that was held by Ken McClain.  John did a 335 pound Continental to Chest in the 40 age group, unlimited weight class breaking the record of 320 pounds held by Ken McClain, which he established  in the FIRST YEAR of the USAWA, in 1987.  Everyone that has been around for several years in the lifting game in the midwest has heard of Ken McClain.  He is a legendary Olympic Lifter (multiple World Championships and several times Mo Valley lifter of the year) , and he competed in the very beginning of the USAWA  preceded by a lengthy All-Round Weightlifting career in the Mo Valley.  He is  indeed an All-Round Weightlifting Pioneer!

It is quite a honor for John to break a record held by Ken McClain that has been around this long in the USAWA Record List.   John deserves a “pat on the back” for this accomplishment, but at the same time it is pretty obvious this lift was MUCH under Kenny’s abilities.  After all,  at the time this record was set  he was STILL performing Clean and Jerks in Olympic Meets close to 400 pounds.  This lift was listed in the record list as being performed in Wichita, Kansas. I know the meets in Wichita at that time were performed in Sailor’s Gym, which had the reputation of being the most hardcore gym in the city.  Also,  many of the meets contested there  were 25 lift marathon meets, under the direction of Bill Clark.  Bob Burtzloff competed in several of these meets, and when telling me about them, explained that you had to “pace yourself” to have enough energy and strength left to finish the meet.  Most of the time the lifters didn’t really even warm up for the next lift, and only took  a couple of attempts with the last one being 90-95% of your max so you could conserve your energy in order to get a lift in all the events.  Bob said it wasn’t uncommon for half the entrants to have dropped out by the end of the day!!

Just out of curiosity, I checked the USAWA Record List to see how many records are still “on the books” from the first year of USAWA record keeping in 1987.  I counted 37 records.  That isn’t much considered the record list is over 9000 records long now!  The good news is that Ken McClain still has some records from 1987.  These records are a 240# Clean and Press with Dumbbells – Heels Together, a 353# Jerk from the Racks, and a 165# One Arm Snatch (Right).  These were done in this same meet in Wichita on the same date, and in the Masters 40 age group, unlimited weight class.  Truly very impressive lifts!!!  These are the only USAWA Records that Ken McClain has, as he retired from All-Round Weightlifting after that. But when you look back in the old Region IV  All-Round Record List (which I consider the fore-runner of the USAWA), you will see the name Ken McClain splattered all throughout it!  He “had” the Military Press record at 300# which he set  in 1968!  This was done in the 242# class. Only the SHW record was higher. (By the JWC lifting legend, Wayne Jackson at 330#).  How ’bout a 350# middle fingers deadlift?? A lift like that would turn heads today.  Kenny did that for record in 1984.  In 1981, he did a Pinch Grip with 185 pounds.  In 1984, he did a one handed Dumbbell Clean and Jerk with 150 pounds. Plus many more from a period of close to 20 years.

Guys like Ken McClain need to be remembered by the USAWA.  Just due to timing, their participation may have been limited in our organization (or for others not at all)  but their  contributions they made to the sport of All-Round Weightlifting  in the United States is great.  As I’ve said many times before, these PIONEERS  “paved the way” for the formation of the USAWA, which gives us an organized place to compete  in All-Round Weightlifting Meets today.

Clark’s Gym Meet Schedule

by Al Myers

Bill Clark has promoted over 100 USAWA competitions. This is a record no other USAWA Meet Director is even remotely close to approaching. (photo credit: National Masters Weightlifting Newsletter, 1989)

Bill Clark has just revealed the dates for the five sanctioned USAWA Events during the upcoming lifting season in Clark’s Gym.  All of this will begin with a gym record day on October 24th, and ending with the annual Deanna Springs Memorial Meet on March 27th.  In between these two events will be the long standing Zercher Strength Classic (January 29th) and the prestigious Hermann Goerner Deadlift Dozen plus One ( December 4th).  Bill Clark has received the 2010 sanction from the USAWA Executive Board to host this year’s Heavy Lift National Championships, which will be held in conjunction with the Steve Schmidt’s Backbreaker on November 6th.

As per tradition of events directed by Bill Clark, no entry fee is charged to enter, and all competitions will be held in Clark’s Gym in Columbia, Missouri.  What a deal!  There is not many things you get for free in today’s World,  so plan on making at least one of the competitions on the Clark’s Gym Meet Schedule.  You will get your money’s worth!!  Bill has put on more events than any other meet director in the history of the USAWA, and Clark’s Gym has been a USAWA Club Member since the inception of the USAWA.

Clark’s Gym Meet Schedule

October 24th, 2010 – Record Day.

November 6th, 2010 – USAWA Heavy Lift National Championships and Schmidt’s Backbreaker.

December 4th, 2010 – Hermann Goerner Deadlift Dozen plus One.

January 29th, 2011 – Zercher Strength Classic.

March 27th, 2011 – Deanna Springs Memorial Meet.

No entry forms are available for these competitions, but YOU MUST send a confirmation to Bill Clark prior to attendance. The deadline is the Tuesday before the event.  Bill may be reached by telephone: 573-474-4510, Fax: 573-474-1449, or mail: Bill Clark, 3906 Grace Ellen Drive, Columbia, Missouri, 65202.  It is very important to contact  Bill prior to attending so he can adequately plan for the competition day-  and it is the LEAST you can do for a meet director that is promoting a meet without charge.

All of these events are listed in the USAWA Future  Events Calendar on the website, where more detailed information about each meet can be found.

USAWA Discussion Forum

by Al Myers

We now have over 100 registered members for the USAWA Website that have access to the USAWA Discussion Forum.  If you are not a  website member yet (which has NOTHING to do with USAWA membership) take the time to join.  All you got to do is follow the instructions given on the website to register, and after I “approve” your registration you are issued a password to “login”.  And this is FREE!!!  By being a registered member of the website, you will have access to the USAWA Discussion Forum, which is the ONLY forum on the internet dedicated to ONLY All-Round Weightlifting.

A few words of advice for the less computer savvy lifters out there.  The password that is issued to you is computer generated by the software of the website.  I do not know what it is – so please don’t lose it.  Once you login with it, you can change it to something that you can remember easier.  Also, if you register and don’t think you received your password, check your spam filter.  This “computer email” will often get lost by the spam filter.  The password has to be used EXACTLY as it is sent to you – so use capitals where indicated and don’t mess up 1’s for i”s.  If you do, it will not let you in.  The easiest thing to do is “copy and paste” it into your login.  And of course if you have any questions, just email me and I’ll help you through it.  I have had to do that for others so don’t worry about it being an imposition on me!

But – all of this “hassle” will be worth it.  The USAWA Discussion Forum contains information about the USAWA and All-Round Weightlifting that is BEYOND what is found in the USAWA Daily News.  You can ask questions if you want, or just read the information available.  Your level of involvement is left up to you.  Often, discussions involve the latest Daily News story,  more detailed information about upcoming meets, or just general talk about training.   I have “loosened” the requirements for the forum compared to what I had previous – now you do not need to post with your real name if you want to remain anonymous,  registration is more visible, and I do not require full disclosure in identity when registering like I did previous.  I am hoping this will encourage new interest.  Of course,  bad behavior will not be tolerated on this forum!

Register now  and join the USAWA Discussion Forum, so you will be “in the know” on the latest news involving All-Round Weightlifting!

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