Author Archives: Al Myers

New Lift – the Turkish Get-Up

The starting position for the Turkish Get-Up.

by Al Myers

This is the only new USAWA lift approved at Nationals that I haven’t highlighted yet with a story.   It is a very unique lift in many ways.   The Turkish Get-Up  is NOT really a new lift as it was a favorite with old-time strongmen, and has been around forever.  It at times was called the “One Arm Get-Up”, and often trained by lifters that also specialized in wrestling, gymnastics or hand-balancing. Guys like Sig Klein loved it.  I first heard of the Turkish Get-Up several years ago when I read Brooks Kubik’s book Dinosaur Training.  In it he described the benefits of this exercise – how it strengthens the stabilizer muscles, improves flexibility, and  increases core strength.  The book mentions the old-time strongman Otto Arco and how he could do a Turkish Get-Up with MORE than his own bodyweight.  That is impressive!

During the rise from the platform, the lifting arm must remain straight.

We have two similar USAWA lifts to the Turkish Get Up – the Half Gardner and Full Gardner.  However, the Turkish Get-Up is a different lift in a couple of ways.  The TGU starts on the floor – the Gardner lifts start standing.  The TGU requires the use of a dumbbell or kettlebell – the Gardner lifts require use of a bar.  It is the “missing link” to the Gardner Lifts. I have mentioned this before but I am going to repeat it again.  This formula “sums” up these three lifts:

Full Gardner = Half Gardner + Turkish Get-Up

Last weekend at the Ledaig Record Day, several of us got to be the first ones to put a Turkish Get-Up record in the USAWA Record List.  This included  Dave Glasgow, Amber Glasgow, Chad Ullom and myself.  The TGU is a very popular exercise for trainees outside of the All-Round crowd.  Just “goggle” Turkish Get-Up and you will see what I am talking about.  The Cross-Fit trainees love this exercise!  But now since the TGU is an official lift of the USAWA, we are the ONLY weightlifting organization that maintains records for it.

Chad Ullom demonstrating the steps of a Turkish Get-Up with a 70 pound kettlebell at the Ledaig Record Day.

The Rules for the Turkish Get-Up

A dumbbell or kettlebell is used for this lift. The lift begins with the lifter lying on his/her back on the platform holding the implement in one hand above the body with a straight arm perpendicular to the platform. Once in this position, an official will give the command to start the lift. The lifter must rise to a standing position, holding the implement overhead with a straight arm throughout. The lifting arm must stay perpendicular to the lifting platform. The lifter may use the free hand to brace against the body or the platform during the execution of the lift, but must not touch the implement or the lifting arm. The implement may rotate in any direction. Once standing with the implement overhead, the implement motionless and the lifter’s feet in line with the body, an official will give a command to end the lift.

The Turkish Get-Up will be included in the updated USAWA Rulebook coming the first of August!

A New Lift – The Foot Press

by Al Myers

Dave Glasgow, Newcomer of the Year for the USAWA, performing a Foot Press with 1050 pounds at the 2010 Dino Gym Challenge.

Last January at the 2010 Dino Gym Challenge, I presented a meet in Arthur Saxon’s memory which I called the Arthur Saxon Pentathlon.  The meet contained five of Arthur’s favorite lifts.  Only one of the lifts in this meet was not an official lift of the USAWA – the Foot Press. This lift was popular with other Old Time Strongmen such as Hermann Goerner, Warren Lincoln Travis, and Milo Steinborn.  It was often performed in their Strongman Shows, usually with people from the crowd sitting on a plank resting on their feet to provide the weight needed to complete the stage act.  The USAWA does not have a lift similar to it.  I would consider  the Foot Press as the “Heavy Lift” version of the Leg Press.  This lift can be done in pretty much any gym that has a Vertical Leg Press or Back Lift Apparatus.  It was a “big hit” at the Dino Challenge as an Exhibition Lift, and because of that I presented it to the USAWA to be approved as a new official  lift. I was glad the membership approved it at the National Meeting.

Our mission statement states, “The USAWA was formed to continue the long standing tradition of old-time weightlifters like Eugen Sandow, Louis Cyr, Arthur Saxon, Hermann Goerner, Warren Lincoln Travis, and many others. We strive to preserve the history of the original forms of weightlifting, which in the past has been referred to as “odd lifting”. Many of the lifts we perform are based on stage acts or challenge lifts of old-time strongmen.”  The Foot Press is an excellent example of a lift that fits our mission statement!!

Rules for the Foot Press

An apparatus is used in which weight is loaded onto the feet only while the lifter is laying on his/her back on the floor/platform with the legs vertical and perpendicular to the floor. The apparatus used must allow the weight to rise without providing any leverage to the lift, but may be guided in a tract. It is also acceptable to use a plank resting on support platforms. The lift starts at the lifter’s discretion. Hands may be placed on the legs or any part of the apparatus, but must not be used to push directly against the weight being lifted. The hands may remain on the legs throughout the lift, and upon the finish of it. The weight lifted must clear the supports and be held motionless, at which time an official will give a command to end the lift.

The Foot Press will be included in the 4th Edition of the USAWA Rulebook that will become effective August 1st, 2010.

Trivia on the Foot Press: Arthur Saxon best reported Foot Press was 3200 pounds.

Newcomer of the Year – Dave Glasgow

by Al Myers

Dave Glasgow (on left) receiving the USAWA Newcomer of the Year Award from Al Myers (on right) at the Ledaig Record Day.

I was very glad to see Dave Glasgow promote his first USAWA event, the Ledaig Record Day, this past weekend.  It also gave me the opportunity to “officially” award him the USAWA Newcomer of the Year Award, which was announced at the USAWA National Meeting last month.  I have known Dave a long time through the Highland Games.  He has attended several competitions (both Highland Games and All-Round Events) held at my place throughout  the past years.  And now, I FINALLY got the chance to make it to his place for a competition.  I now know where Rainbow Bend is located  (but don’t expect a GPS to get you there! ). Dave hosted a weekend affair, with a Highland Game competition on Saturday and the Record Day on Sunday.  Both days were a huge success. The Record Day had 7 competitors, which is the highest attendance at a record day since February of 2009.  Dave and the Ledaig Heavy Athletics Club are a great addition to the USAWA.

Middle Atlantic Postal Meet

RESULTS OF THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC POSTAL MEET

by Al Myers

Mark Mitchell, of the Dino Gym, performing a 220 pound Reverse Grip Curl in the Middle Atlantic Postal Meet. This is the top ALL-TIME Reverse Grip Curl in the USAWA Record List.

Meet Director: John Wilmot

Ending Date: June 30th, 2010

Lifts: Jerk – from Rack, Curl – Reverse Grip, and Hack Lift – One Arm

Lifters using certified officials:

Al Myers:  Officiated by Mark Mitchell, Darren Barnhart, Scott Tully

Scott Tully:  Officiated by Al Myers, Darren Barnhart, Mark Mitchell

Darren Barnhart:  Officiated by Al Myers, Scott Tully, Mark Mitchell

Mark Mitchell:  Officiated by Al Myers, Darren Barnhart, Scott Tully

Kohl Hess:  Officiated by Denny Habecker

Lifters using an official who is NOT certified:

John Wilmot:  Officiated by Kay Wilmot

Denny Habecker:  Officiated by Kohl Hess

Results:

Lifter Age BWT BWT Class Jerk Curl Hack Total Points
Al Myers 43 254 120 kg 300 200 352 – R 852 697.52
Scott Tully 34 341 125+ kg 300 176 264 – R 740 526.07
Denny Habecker 67 185 85 kg 175 75 200 – R 430 514.35
Mark Mitchell 49 365 125+ kg 240 220 135 – R 595 465.28
Darren Barnhart 42 295 125+ kg 210 132 264 – R 606 456.71
John Wilmot 63 213 100 kg 145 125 130 – R 400 428.10
Kohl Hess 15 288 125+ kg 185 75 200 – R 460 391.46

BWT is bodyweight in pounds.  Total is total pounds lifted.  Points are total points adjusted for bodyweight and age.

BEST OVERALL  LIFTER – Al Myers

BEST MASTER LIFTER – Al Myers

BEST JUNIOR LIFTER – Kohl Hess

New Lift – Bent Over Row

by Al Myers

Al Myers training the Bent Over Row.

Another new lift that was approved at the 2010 National Meeting by the membership was the Bent Over Row.  This lift was proposed by John McKean of the Ambridge VFW Barbell Club.  The Bent Over Row  is an ole’ fashioned training exercise that has been part of training programs for years – but NOW is an official USAWA lift so it can now be done in competition and contested for records.  I was glad to see John propose rules for it that are consistent with how the lift is usually done in training.  The Bent Over Row is a tremendous upper back exercise.  John had this to say about the Bent Over Row when he proposed it as a lift to the USAWA, “This lift uses a combination of legs, hips and back.  It is a true all-round movement! This is an absolutely GREAT exercise certainly deserving its due as a very heavy weight, total body, competition lift.”

We do not have a lift even similar to the Bent Over Row in our extensive list of Official Lifts. I like to see lifts like this get approved – lifts which are basic movements and not just some “trick lift”, “gimmick lift”,  or a lift with a slight deviation of another official  lift (which isn’t really anything new).

The Rules for the Bent Over Row

The lift will start at the lifter’s discretion with the bar placed on the platform in front of the lifter. The lifter will grip the bar with an overhand grip with the palms of the hands facing the lifter. The width of grip spacing and feet placement is of the lifter’s choosing, but the feet must be in line with the bar. The body must be in a bent over position at the waist. The upper body must not straighten past 45 degrees parallel to the platform at any time during the lift or it is a disqualification. The legs may be bent during the lift and upon the completion of the lift. The bar is lifted to touch the abdomen or torso by bending the arms. The bar must touch the abdomen higher than the belt, or the navel if a belt is not worn. It is a disqualification if the belt supports the bar at the abdomen upon the finish of the lift. The lift ends by an official’s command when the bar is held motionless at the abdomen or chest.

I will definitely be doing the Bent Over Row at the Ledaig Record Day this weekend, and hope to be the FIRST one to set an official USAWA Record with it.  The Bent Over Row will be included in the updated USAWA Rulebook which will be available the first of August.

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