USAWA

By Eric Todd

Over the past few months, we have had 3 now “officials in training” pass their officials exam.  Abe Smith, Clint Poore, and Beth Skwarecki have all passed the test, and are now just 3 practical training sessions away from becoming Level 1 officials in the USAWA.  These are all very exciting, but particularly Clint Poore, as he could potentially open up a new territory of exposure for the USAWA.  Good job guys; I looks forward to seeing your contribution to the USAWA officials program!

By Clint Poore

Clint Poor breaks the ALL-TIME Hackenschmidt Floor Press once held by Dan Wagman.

In football there is a saying, “On Any Given Sunday, any team can beat any other team”.

September 11, 2021 was one of those kind of days, I attended the 2021 Old Time Strongman National Championships in Turney, Missouri competing against strongman National and World Champions from across the nation. The heavy favorite was meet director Eric Todd, 2-time Old Time Strongman Champion, but unfortunately he injured his hamstring on the second lift. The lifts that were contested were the Cyr Dumbbell Press, Habecker lift, Hackenschmidt Floor Press & the Kennedy Deadlift. I had not thought about the overall title, because my goal was to set the All-Time Record in the Hackenschmidt Floor Press, but sometimes destiny has other plans.

The meet began with the Cyr Dumbbell Press. I have struggled pressing dumbbell’s overhead since my rotator cuff & bicep surgery in 2017, but the Cyr dumbbell press went well this day and I managed to press 104 lbs. This was good enough for a second place tie in the discipline.

Next was the Habecker lift, which is a Zercher lift from 1/3 your body height. I did exceptionally well in the Habecker, setting 2 National Records with a lift of 325 lbs. I was very pleased to do so well in the is lift and set records in the overall and my age group of 45-49. To my surprise I had achieved the heaviest Habecker lift of the day and first place in the discipline.

Clint’s Habecker lift

The third lift was the Hackenschmidt Floor Press, it was the reason I attended the competition, because I wanted to break the All Time Record. I opened up with an easy 410 lbs, then followed with a lift of 440 lbs, and on my final lift I successfully pressed 450 lbs which set the All Time Record for Heaviest lift ever in the Hackenschmidt Floor Press and again, placing first in this discipline. I was extremely pumped and excited to get this record and hope to increase it in the future.

The final lift of the day was the Kennedy Deadlift, a straddle deadlift from 18 inch blocks. By this time I knew I might be in the running for the overall title, but I thought it was still out of reach because a big deadlifter and previous Old Time Strongman World & National Champion, Greg Cook,  had yet to lift. I managed a personal best on the Kennedy lift with 385 lbs and Greg was after me. Greg opened with a 695 lb Kennedy lift and felt something give in his hamstring and decided to call it a day without making a deadlift. I didn’t realize Greg hadn’t got a deadlift in until the awards were announced, when Greg was called out in fifth place overall.  Upon hearing Greg’s finishing place, my eyes lit up as I realized I may have won the overall title. When the meet director announced the final results, I was caught by complete surprise and very thankful to be only the 8^th man ever to earn the title of Old Time Strongman National Champion. It was an awesome competition and I performed very well, exceeding my expectations going into the event. Consistency was the key to victory and to rephrase the previous quote, I realized that the saying is true, that “ On Any Given Day Anyone Can Win!”

The Old Time Strongman Championships features lifts performed by famous strongmen of the past like Paul Anderson, Arthur Saxon, Louis Cyr, George Hackenschmidt and others.