Category Archives: USAWA Daily News

Dale Friesz – the “Miracle Man”

by Al Myers

605# Neck Lift by Dale Friesz

A Hall of Fame Biography is now available for Dale Friesz. Dale is truly an amazing individual who is an inspiration to everyone who meets him. Dale has overcome many very serious medical issues to resume not just lifting, but competition lifting!!! Dale just recently spent 9 days in the hospital for treatment of a leg infection – but I fully expect to see him lifting at this year’s World Championships in October. Whenever I have an ache or pain when I’m working out and I feel like complaining about it – I think of Dale, who has every excuse not to train but keeps at it relentlessly – and then I realize that my aches and pains aren’t all that bad!! You can always count on seeing Dale at every year’s National Championships. He is one of the charter members of the USAWA.

The King’s Stone

by Al Myers

Attempting to lift the 7000 pound Naha Stone

Just recently I was on vacation in Hawaii and had a chance to try my hand (or back!) at lifting the Naha Stone, which is located in front of the Public Library in Hilo, on the big Island of Hawaii.

The story behind the Naha Stone is a very interesting one. According to legend, King Kamehameha not only lifted this huge volcanic rock but stood it on end and flipped it over!! King Kamehameha was the first Hawaiian King to unite all the Hawaiian Islands under a single ruler. The legend goes that early in time a kahuna (or holy man) prophesied that a very strong warrior would eventually lift this stone, and upon doing so, would become a great King and Ruler over all the Hawaiian Islands. King Kamehameha was a very big man, standing over 7 feet tall and weighing over 400 pounds.

Naha Stone

I gave the Naha Stone all I could and at one point thought I heard it cracking the ground, but that was just my back. I guess I am not destined to be the next King of Hawaii!!

Update on the Middle Fingers Deadlift

by Al Myers

Since I have put up the list of the top Middle Fingers Deadlifts of All-Time, I have been informed of two more making the list. Steve Gardner, the IAWA President, and his son John Gardner have both lifted 330 pounds in the Middle Fingers Deadlift!!!  This is the updated list.

Top List for the Middle Fingers Deadlift


1. 411 pounds by John McLoughlin.  Done at the German-American Athletic
Club in New York City in 1954.
2. 403 Pounds by David Horne.
3. 400 Pounds by Kevin Fulton.  Done at the 1994 Super Grip Challenge.
4. 345 Pounds by Sam Cox.  Done at the Dino Gym in Abilene, Kansas
in 2009.
5. 340 Pounds by Chuck Cookson.  Done at the Dino Gym in Abilene, Kansas
in 2009.
6. 330 Pounds by Steve Sherwood.  Done at the 1992 British Grip
Championships.
330 Pounds by Steve Gardner.
330 Pounds by John Gardner.
9. 309 Pounds by Bill DiCioccio Sr.  Done at the 1994 Gold Cup.

Denny Habecker

by Al Myers

Denny Habecker performing a Hack Lift.

A Hall of Fame Biography is now available for Denny Habecker. Denny is the current USAWA President and has been the biggest USAWA meet promoter for the past several years. He is the meet director for this year’s IAWA World Championships, which is going to be held in Lebanon, Pennsylvania on October 3rd and 4th, 2009.  Denny puts on top quality meets and this is one you don’t want to miss!!!

History of the Goerner Deadlift Dozen

by Dale Friesz

Dale Friesz, who holds the unofficial title as Historian of the USAWA, provided me with this chart of the past winners of the Goerner Deadlift Dozen. It not only includes the winners each year, but also the winner’s total and adjusted point totals. As you can see from this chart, Dale has the distinction of being the winner in the very first Goerner Meet. The lifts contested in the Goerner Deadlift Dozen are as follows:

Deadlift – Heels Together
Hack Lift
Jefferson Lift
2 Bar Deadlift
Right Hand Deadlift
Left Hand Deadlift
Right Hand Deadlift – Thumbless
Left Hand Deadlift – Thumbless
Index Fingers Deadlift
Middle Fingers Deadlift
Ring Fingers Deadlift
Little Fingers Deadlift
Reeves Deadlift


YEAR LIFTER AGE BWT TOTAL POINTS
1995 Dale Friesz, Virginia
 53 183 2800 3028.09
1996 Rex Monahan, Colorado
 72 186 2742.5 3396.58
1997 Rex Monahan, Colorado
 73 198.25 2685 3229.48
1998 Rex Monahan, Colorado
 74 197.25 2615 3176.52
1999 Kevin Fulton, Nebraska
 39 260.5 4195 3257.42
2000 Kevin Fulton, Nebraska
 40 260 4200 3301.12
2001 Seth Holcomb, Nebraska
 16 192 3340 3359.51
2002 Al Myers, Kansas
 36 272 4020 3058.42
2003 Bill Clark, Missouri
 71 237 2765 2996.41
2004 Mike McBride, Missouri
 27 225 4025 3372.15
2005 Mike McBride, Missouri
 28 229 2755 2231.83
2006 Al Myers, Kansas
 40 251 4020 3214.90
2007 Cancelled Due to Ice
2008 Al Myers, Kansas
 42 248 4325 3547.00


POINTS – formula adjusted for age and bodyweight

1 … 460 461 462 463 464 … 468