Category Archives: USAWA Daily News

Round 1 – Yesterday versus Today

Yesterday’s 148# Class and Below versus Today’s 70K Class and Below
by Al Myers


Results:

Lift Yesterday Today Winner
Deadlift – One Arm
 319# – Randy Joe Holden (1985)
 369# – John McKean (1993)
 Today
Deadlift – Heels Together
 500# – Glen Terry (1985)
 452# – Bob Hirsh (2004)
 Yesterday
Deadlift – Middle Fingers
 255# – Art Tarwater (1961)
 245# – Colby Howard (1999)
 Yesterday
Deadlift – One Leg
 215# – Robbie Porter (1983)
 235# – Bob Hirsh (2004)
 Today
Hack Lift
 550# – Glenn Terry (1986)
 550# – Bob Hirsh (1991)
 TIE
Jefferson Lift
 540# – Edwin Stitt (1986)
 634# – Bob Hirsh (1994)
 Today
Hand and Thigh Lift
 850# – Glenn Terry (1986)
 1108# – Roger Lynch (1991)
 Today
Neck Lift
 405# – Jim Borwick (1987)
 600# – John Monk (2000)
 Today
Harness Lift
 1800# – Glenn Terry (1986)
 1805# – John Monk (2000)
 Today
Hip Lift
 1200# – Edwin Stitt (1986)
 1640# – Bob Hirsh (1993)
 Today
Back Lift
 800# – Larry Blatt (1986)
 1305# – John Monk (2000)
 Today
Deadlift – 2 Dumbbells
 440# – Robbie Porter (1984)
 377# – John Monk (2005)
 Yesterday
Clean and Press
 220# – Guy Gronniger (1967)
 176# – Chris Waterman (1997)
 Yesterday
Clean and Seated Press
 165# – Fred Yeargood (1977)
 165# – John Monk (2000)
 TIE
French Press
 125# – Fred Yeargood (1974)
 77# – Chris Waterman (2001)
 Yesterday
Bent Press
 80# – Fred Yeargood (1985)
 72# – Dennis Mitchell (1998)
 Yesterday
Bench Press – Feet in Air
 290# – Glenn Terry (1985)
 270# – James Longo (1990)
 Yesterday
Bench Press – Hands Together
 155# – Robert Johnson (1984)
 240# – John Monk (1999)
 Today
Front Squat
 308# – Brent Pierce (1984)
 315# – George James (2006)
 Today
Snatch – One Arm
 150# – Gordon Strain (1931)
 127# – Chris Waterman (1991)
 Yesterday
Continental to Chest
 308# – Brent Pierce (1987)
 325# – Chris Waterman (1996)
 Today
Jerk – From Rack
 260# – Willie Wells (1958)
 281# – Chris Waterman (1997)
 Today
Clean and Jerk – One Arm
 170# – Gordon Strain (1931)
 132# – Pete Zaremba (1997)
 Yesterday
Swing – One Dumbbell
 135# – Gordon Strain (1927)
 90# – Pete Zaremba (1996)
 Yesterday
Zercher Lift
 430# – Edwin Stitt (1986)
 408# – Bob Hirsh (1993)
 Yesterday
Steinborn Lift
 250# – Glenn Terry (1985)
 325# – John Monk (2002)
 Today
Cheat Curl
 160# – Fred Yeargood (1974)
 180# – Jason Groves (2002)
 Today
Pinch Grip
 115# – Wayne Smith (1980)
 100# – Colby Howard (1999)
 Yesterday
Crucifix 70# – William Nicholson (1982)
 90# – John Monk (2001)
 Today
Pullover – Straight Arm
 90# – Dick Hamilton (1963)
 100# – John Monk (2004)
 Today
Pullover and Push
 264# – Randy Joe Holden (1987)
 297# – John Monk (2006)
 Today
Clean and Press – Behind Neck
 165# – Fred Yeargood (1977)
 183# – Bob Hirsh (1992)
 Today
Clean and Press – Heels Together
 176# – Robbie Porter (1984)
 182# – Chris Waterman (1991)
 Today
Clean and Press – Dumbbells
 160# – Robbie Porter (1984)
 155# – John Monk (2006)
 Yesterday
Pullover and Press
 135# – Art Tarwater (1962)
 265# – John Monk (2005)
 Today
Bench Press – Roman Chair
 150# – Glenn Terry (1995)
 135# – Kyle Achenbach (2006)
 Yesterday

Today’s lifters win over Yesterday’s lifters!!


The final score is:  Today 20 wins, Yesterday 14 wins, 2 ties

At times it seemed close, but due to John Monk (9 wins), Bob Hirsh (4 wins) and Chris Waterman (3 wins), this trio beat the Yesterday lifters by themselves.  Today’s dominance in the Heavy Lifts appeared to be a big factor in the win.  I’m not sure why Gordon Strain’s records were in the record list (before the Mo Valley listed started), but they were so I used them in this comparison.  Gordon Strain’s lifts would be great compared to Heavyweight lifters!!

Tomorrow will be round 2 of this epic battle.  It will be Yesterdays 165# Class and 181# Class versus Today’s 75 K, 80 K, and 85 K Classes. Yesterday lifters include a lineup of big names such as  Ray Webb, Sid Littleton, and Joe Southard versus Today’s lifters of Bob Hirsh, Abe Smith, and Barry Bryan.

Will Yesterday’s lifters tie up the score?  Or will Today’s lifters win another one?  Tune in tomorrow to the USAWA Daily News to find out…..

Are Today’s Lifters Stronger than Yesterday’s Lifters?

by Al Myers

That is a question worth finding an answer to!!  But how do you “really know”?  Rule changes, drug use and today’s equipment allowances make it near impossible to answer this question using Powerlifting Records.  In today’s “geared” Powerlifting it is as important to learn how to maximize your equipment to it’s potential as to get stronger.  That is an art in itself that has nothing to do with actually getting stronger.  New advanced bars and rule changes have definitely helped Olympic Lifters today – so it is hard to use Olympic Lifting as your model.

I am going to undertake this challenge of answering this question using All-Round Weightlifting as my data source.  After all, not much has changed in All-Round Weightlifting over the last 50 years.  We have never allowed any gear besides a lifting belt, no one can say we are drug users as we test regularly and more than any other organization at meets, and our rules have not really changed any.  Sure – some may say the “judging was more strict in the old days”, but I have watched old videos and I feel not much has really changed with officiating. After all,  Bill Clark was judging THEN and is judging NOW!!

Thanks to Frank Ciavattone for providing me with the old Region IV Missouri Valley Odd Lift record List so I have something to compare today’s lifts with.  This Record List covered the States of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri.  This was also the Region that Odd Lifting was most contested in – under the direction of Bill Clark.  This Record List was established in 1961 and went to 1987, at which time the USAWA was formed and the USAWA Record List started.  So we got 26 years on the Old Record List and 22 years on the New Record List.  Sounds like a good matchup to me!   There are some difficulties in setting up this comparison however – as in the “Old Days” weight classes were in pounds and today they are in Kilograms.   But I have devised a plan for comparison and it goes like this:

Group 1.  Compare best record mark in the “Old” 148# Class and below to today’s 70 K Class and  below.
Group 2.  Compare best mark in the “Old” 165# and 181# Class to today’s best record in the 75 K and 80 K Classes.
Group 3.  Compare the best record in the “Old” 198# and 220# Classes to today’s best record in the 85 K, 90 K, and 100 K classes.
Group 4.  Compare the “Old” 242# Class and HVY Class records to the best record in today’s 105 K, 110 K, 115 K, 120 K, 125 K, and 125+ K classes.

This give 4 body weight groups to compare in rounds.  I will pick lifts that were done in the “Old Days” as some of the newer lifts we have today were not done then.  All together – I have come up with 36 lifts to compare so this will be an extensive study. So come back tomorrow to the USAWA Daily News for the First Round of this Comparison!!  I’ll see if I can answer that age-old question, “Are today’s lifters stronger than yesterday’s lifters?”

Dale Harder’s Strength & Speed Newsletter

by Al Myers

Dale Harder's Strength & Speed Newsletter

Are you like me and get NOTHING out of reading today’s muscle mags?  Most of the information in them I don’t believe anyhow – usually an article about one of TODAY’S top bodybuilders and his “secret program”. Somehow I doubt this bodybuilder would actually tell his competition his “secret program” in a magazine thus giving his competition an edge over him. I also get tired of the rampant commercialism in these magazines about all the special supplements that a lifter should be taking. How healthy is taking handfuls of pills everyday if they are not medically needed?  If you got rid of all the BS in these pump-up mags, they would be reduced to one page of useful information.

However, there are still some GREAT newsletters and magazines available for the hard core strength athlete.  One of these is Dale Harder’s Strength and Speed Newsletter.  This is a MUST READ for any lifter.  Dale is an amazing strength historian and writer, and produces an information-packed Newsletter every two months.  In it you find every page is interesting, and it contains no ads trying to sell you the latest nutritional gimmick. Dale has covered numerous All-Round Weightlifting Events and All-Round Lifters in the past in his Newsletter.  Also, in his Newsletter you will find coverage of Olympic Lifting, Powerlifting, Strongman Competitions, Highland Games and even interesting strength trivia.  Dale loves statistics and it shows in his Newsletter.  You often get rankings and comparisons of different strength feats. Plus, Dale has written several strength books that are a MUST BUY.  I have always considered The Super Athletes by David Willoughby as the book that contains the  greatest accumulation of strength history (which was published in 1970). Well, Dale Harder is the modern day David Willoughby and if you put all of his writings together in one publication it would surpass Willoughby’s book.

Take the time today to give yourself a Christmas Present and subscribe to Dale’s Strength and Speed Newsletter. Better yet – buy a couple of his books at the same time.  I guarantee that you will not be disappointed!

Matt Graham – The USAWA’s Grip Sensation

by Al Myers

Matt Graham pinch gripping Two York 45's in one hand and lifting the Inch Dumbbell with the other.

Roger Davis inquired last week on the USAWA Discussion Forum about the Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Ciavattone Grip.  There has been some differences in “the name” of this lift between the USAWA and the IAWA(UK).  This has lead to some records that have been put in the IAWA Record List that probably shouldn’t be there. I am not going to go into detail here regarding that discussion (check out the USAWA Discussion Forum if you are interested in this).  But the discussion lead to the phenomenal lifting of Matt Graham, of Liberal, Kansas, and his great 540# Deadlift on the Fulton Bar, done with a overhand grip at the 2001 SuperGrip Challenge, hosted by Kevin Fulton.  This is a remarkable lift, and possibly could be the highest of All-Time done in this fashion.  Matt hasn’t competed recently in any USAWA meet, but I would like to take today to highlight some of his amazing grip feats.  Several of his grip lifts done in the USAWA are the tops in the USAWA Record List.  I had the opportunity to train with Matt a few times, and he competed in my Dino Gym Challenge several times.  Matt is trained by an USAWA lifting legend, and a great grip master himself, Bob Burtzloff.  I have witnessed Matt doing several grip feats that just left me shaking my head in disbelief!!  I have seen him “snatch” the 50# Blob with one hand, close the #3 COC gripper three times in a row, and pinch grip two 45# plates and lift them high enough to place them on top of a tall barrel.

Matt is built to be a great grip lifter.  He is 6’7″ and weighed around 325# at one time (now he’s a little lighter).   He has very long fingers, and an even larger thumb in proportion. His fingers are long enough that he can Hook Grip a 2″ bar!  Not many people can do that!  Several of his grip feats are well-documented.  He competed several years at Kevin Fulton’s SuperGrip Challenge in Litchfield, Nebraska and won many of them – and he was judged by a couple of very qualified officials – Kevin Fulton and Bill Clark.  Matt is indeed the “real deal” when it comes to grip power!!

Matt Graham’s USAWA Grip Records

600# – Deadlift – 3″ Bar
455# – Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Ciavattone Grip
540# – Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Overhand Grip (with Hook)
225# – Deadlift – No Thumb, Left Arm
344# – Deadlift – Two “Inch” Dumbbells
200# – Pinch Grip

Still not convinced that Matt is the USAWA’s Grip Sensation?
Then check out this video evidence.


YouTube Video – Matt doing a 600# Deadlift with 3″ bar.

YouTube Video – Matt doing a 540# Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Overhand Grip using a Hook Grip.

YouTube Video – Matt deadlifting two Inch Dumbbells at the same time.

YouTube Video – Matt taking the Inch Dumbbell overhead with only one hand using a knee kick, outside on a windy day.

YouTube Video – Matt doing a 192#  One Arm Clean and Jerk with the Fulton Bar.

Maybe I can convince Matt to make a “comeback” at this year’s USAWA’s Grip Challenge, hosted by Ben Edwards in February?

Records Race

by Al Myers


After the recent activity of several record days and meets, I thought it would be a good time to revisit the USAWA Records Race between Denny “Prez” Habecker and Art “Man of Steel” Montini.  After Worlds, Denny was holding a slight lead over Art for most current records held in the USAWA (4 records).  It is still very close, but Denny has increased his lead over Art.  These two are WAY AHEAD of the rest of the field, and I have a feeling the battle between the two of them will continue for quite some time.  I have expanded the list from the TOP TEN to the lifters who hold over 100 USAWA current records. I’m going to call it the CENTURY CLUB, which seems appropriate since most lifters in it are approaching that age!  To date, there are 20 lifters who hold over 100  USAWA records. Special recognition goes to Scott Schmidt – the most recent addition to this elite group of lifters.

Century Club


1.   361  Denny Habecker
2.   350  Art Montini
3.   225  John McKean
4.   216  Bill Clark
5.   214  Noi Phumchona
6.   207  Dennis Mitchell
6.   207  Frank Ciavattone
8.   204  Joe Garcia
9.   201  Bob Hirsh
10.  195  Al Myers
11.  171  Howard Prechtel
12.  138  Dale Friesz
13.  137  Jim Malloy
14.  134  Ed Schock
15.  123  John Monk
16.  118  Mary McConnaughey
17.  114  Chris Waterman
18.  110  Joshua Monk
19.  106  John Vernacchio
20.  106  Scott Schmidt

Congratulations to JIM MALLOY – who just recently passed the USAWA Rules Test. Jim has now joined the ranks of a LEVEL 2 Official – which includes passing the Rules Test and having the experience of officiating in over 25 USAWA/IAWA competitions.  I want to point out that all certified officials (both level 1 and level 2) have the same authority as officials. “Level 2” just distinguishes those who have completed both avenues in becoming an USAWA official.  I know there probably are individuals who have met the “experience requirement” to be on the list (as a Level 1 Official) and are not listed there. I have no way of knowing who these are if I am not told, especially if these individual’s involvement happened many years ago, before I got involved in the USAWA. Most old result sheets didn’t list who the Officials were even.  If this is YOU , and you have officiated in over 25 USAWA All-Round Competitions in the past,  and want to get involved again in the USAWA as an Official – PLEASE let me know and I’ll gladly put you on the list. The USAWA would LOVE to get you back into the fold!!  The “experience” route was developed in the Rule Book as a “Grandfather Clause” so those very qualified and experienced officials would not have to “start over” in getting certified as an USAWA Official. After all, these individuals have already “earned” their official status the hard way – by sitting in the judges chair for many, many hours.  The purpose of the Rules Test is about certifying NEW officials.

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