USAWA

By Sanjiv Gupta

Beth Skwarecki, Kim Van Wagner and Sanjiv Gupta had a chance to compete in the 11^th Annual International King Kong Grip Challenge (October 28, 2023).  This is an international competition hosted at multiple venues around the world and included 182 male and 40 female competitors.  Beth competed in Pittsburgh, PA; Kim and Sanjiv competed in Carbondale, CO.  This year’s implements included: 

• 2.25 inch Crusher (Fat Bastard Barbell Company (FBBC)) 
• Pinch Block (IronMind) 
• Finnish Ball (Otevoima) 
• 2.5” Jug (FBBC) 

The implements allowed athletes to showcase grip strength in the spirit of all-round weightlifting with a combination of technique, specific training and raw strength.  A big burly athlete may struggle to understand how to lift an implement that a showman with excellent technique can lift with ease.  The Crusher has often been compared to the Thomas Inch Dumbbell in difficulty as it wants to roll out of your hand.  Some notable lifts include Beth with a 40.82 kg lift on the Crusher, Kim with a 19.50 kg lift on the Finnish Ball and Sanjiv with a 21.90 lift on the Pinch Block. 

Beth finished 8^th among 72kg women, Kim finished 3^rd among 57 kg women and Sanjiv finished 19^th among 93 kg men. 

Dino Gym has hosted the USAWA Grip Championships since 2011 with some impressive USAWA lifts.  In 2023 Frank’s Barbell Club hosted the New England Grip Classic.  There are some very challenging USAWA lifts that are limited by the athlete’s grip strength. 

Apologies if you participated in the King Kong Grip Challenge and your results were not included, please contact Sanjiv Gupta to be included in a revised write-up. 

This year’s World Council meeting was held in Australia in conjunction with the World Championship. Below are the minutes from this meeting:

Submitted by Bill Clark

LETTER FROM NICK FRIEDERS

Good morning Bill, and happy Sunday. I apologize for the lack of correspondence these last couple months, but I have been working through an extremely transitional period in my life. In summary, since graduating I have done the following:

Traveled to Wyoming with my father to hike the Tetons,

Traveled to Gulfport, Mississippi, with my childhood friends to celebrate our college graduations.

I returned to my old beer distribution job in Aurora to save money,

I landed a different beer distribution job as a relief salesman on the North side of Chicago.

Now, as of this month, I have moved to the northwest neighborhood of Albany Park in Chicago (I’m sure you ran a training camp here no doubt) and I have been training with the sales team in preparation for taking over my own sales route in the city.

Throughout all of the transition I am sure you would be happy to hear, that I am still lifting heavy and am currently looking for opportunities to compete in weightlifting up here.

I have not yet forgot about the USAWA and I hope to return for the deadlift dozen so I may defend my title.

Again, I apologize for my absence these last few months, I have had a lot of life to live following graduation. I hope you and your wife are doing well, and I look forward to coming back to visit soon. Be sure to catch me up on the happenings of the USAWA. How has participation been these last couple postals? Is membership continuing to climb? I look forward to hearing about it.

Best wishes to you,

Nick

By Eric Todd

The member of the month of July is Sanjiv Gupta.  Though Sanjiv is a relatively new member, he is an enthusiastic one.  Having just competed in Nationals in June, Sanjiv participated in the Colorado record day in July, and set or broke five USAWA records.  This is certainly not where his contribution ends, though.  He was an active participant in the discussion at the national meeting where a few changes were made.  He is serving on the advisory committee, which was newly formed after the national meeting.  Perhaps his most daunting challenge, though, is assisting Scottish Johnny in the capacity of Records Director.  Scottish Johnny has told me that having Sanjiv on board has been a game changer.  His contributions in just his first member as a member of the USAWA have been impressive to say the least.  Congrats Sanjiv!  Well deserved!

By Eric Todd

I have grown bored.  For quite some time, we have seen the same names come up over and over for lifter of the month.  I received more of these accolades than I probably deserved.  While the top lifters are the face of our organization, they are not necessarily the backbone.  From very back in my days in strongman, I knew it was much more favorable to be a lifter than a promoter, a judge or a spotter/loader.  With that being said, I have decided to change this designation from athlete of the month to member of the month.  It may be a lifter who has shined, but it may be for any of a number of other contributions as well.  The lifters will always be recognized with trophies and medals at local meets, championships, national and worlds meets.  It is time to start recognizing the unsung heroes as well.  The member of the month of June 2023 goes to Clint Poore.  I am choosing him not only due to his win at the Hackendinnie classic, but due to his being an ambassador for the organization.  He traveled from Kentucky to Missouri and Kansas in order to complete his practical training sessions on the way to becoming a certified official.  Not only did he sanction a meet in an unsettled territory, he had a great turnout and is on way to making Kentucky a hotbed of USAWA activity.  He has been a huge contributor to our increased membership.  Clint may very well be part of the future of the USAWA, and is well deserving of the title Member of the Month of June.  Congrats!