[Al Myers]

James,

I’m GLAD to hear that you have given the Highland Games a try – you will find that throwing the Heavy Implements can be lots of fun! I’ve always said the all-rounds is the lifting equivalent of the HG’s.

The best way to improve throwing is to THROW. Watch video’s, study technique, and if possible, find someone who is an experienced thrower and get them to help you “one on one”. Early on if possible so you don’t develop any bad technique habits from training incorrectly.

Most of the HG implements can be home made. They don’t have to be fancy. To make weight for distances you can use old plates attached to a eyebolt, chain, and handle.

One thing I have missed since my “retirement” from the HG’s has been the training I did for overall athletic ability. As my buddy Dave Glasgow has always said – he lifts to throw. By this he means any lifting he does is to specifically help him as a Highland Games athlete. All round lifts are great for this as most require movement of the feet, one arm use, and explosiveness in the lifts. However, a big pull always helps the caber!

Good luck, and if you have any specific question, just ask. Al

[Al Myers]

I really enjoyed ET’s story as well. Very few young boys get the opportunity to grow up with that type of atmosphere – working hard on the farm, having strong male role models, etc. I grew up working on our family farm so I can really relate to ET’s upbringing.

I spent my summer’s in Highschool throwing square hay bales around, moving rocks out of the fields by hand, cleaning grain bins, and about every other hard manual labor job my dad could think of for me to do. Working hard physically in the summer heat definitely will build a different type of strength, especially muscular endurance. I never had any problems with HS football two a days when practices started in August. My summer farm work had prepared me well. Of course, I also weight trained in the early mornings or late evenings as well as working hard all day.

I find it sorta interesting with this cross fit training going on now. Most of this “training” is exactly the type of work I was doing as a job growing up.

I also find it interesting that as soon as all the boys were out of the house my dad decided to get away from the square bales and go to the round bales, which do not require any hand labor but can be handled entirely by the tractor. LOL

[Al Myers]

HAHAHAHAHAHA

[Al Myers]

[b]Quote from dwagman on August 5, 2013, 13:11[/b]
But there’s more. Even though many people back then did much tougher labor than we do today, none of that daily work would even remotely equate to the type of [i]training[/i] we do today. Let’s take the Chadernator as an example. How long did he train for the Dinnies? Wasn’t it a year or more? And that training was consistent and intense. Had he NOT trained for it, yet maintained his other training, could he have lifted the Dinnies for as many reps as he did, or even once? Doubtful; that’s why he trained specifically for it. And with all the other training he does, I find it extremely hard to believe that Dinnie’s dad would’ve been stronger than Chad in anything. How can ANY person who does not train be stronger than a person who trains regularly? Is that even possible? Yup…but highly improbable.

-d

Dan, I have to respectfully disagree with your argument in calling Donald Dinnie’s Fathers lifting feat into question. As I read it, you mainly questioned the authenticity of Dinnie’s Father based on the fact that it exceeds what Chad can do. I’m sorry to say, but I don’t call that a good argument. Al

[Al Myers]

Ok Dan, you’ve drawn me back into this discussion..

I was intrigued by your comments on the research on the forces generated by performing Reverse Hyperextensions. Is there a place I can find these studies?

The hamstrings are a very difficult muscle group to train because of the location of the muscle bellies and the number and locations of origins and insertions of the muscle groups.

I do believe that MOST lifters poorly train the hamstring muscles, or don’t train them at all (ie powerlifters). I also do not think performing a few lying leg curl sets is adequate.

Dan explained the importance of having knee flexion and hip extension to cover the full range of hamstring movement and motion. I do an exercise similar to James’s on my reverse hyper that does both of these – and has been my weekly “go to” hamstring exercise for a few years.

Dan – in these studies was a “neutral plane” established in the hyper. I often see lifters pass a level plane and cause hyperextension in the lower lumbar area, which I agree seems as an injury prone position. But my experience with the reverse hyper is that the exercise is more traction than compression on the lower back, thus it seems the “grinding forces” would be minimal???

However, I DO NOT do reverse hypers with heavy weight. I like sets of 10 for several sets. Years ago I tried to work heavy on them for a while, but stopped because I felt it was placing unnatural stretching forces on my knees. Al

[Al Myers]

Dan, You ARE NOT going to draw me back into this discussion!!!

The other day I was called out to treat a down cow. When I got there the cow was dead. I told the farmer I could treat her but I doubt it would change the outcome.

[Al Myers]

haha Thanks Chad.

I disagree with SOME of the comments he makes, and I’m sure Dan disagrees with ALL the comments he made!

[Al Myers]

Dan – It would be a crime against the world of weightlifting to put a torch to that plate!!

Can I talk you into bringing it along to my place next month so I could see it firsthand??? You know I have a old Uddeholm bar in my bar trophy case that it would fit finely on??

We may have to put “our dispute” on hold as I wager a barter with you. haha

[Al Myers]

GEEZ DAN – we’ve found a topic of discussion that we are in agreement on!!!

[Al Myers]

Dan, Before you start a giant rubber fire, you should check out the collector value of your Uddeholm bumper. Those are extremely rare and might be worth more than you imagine (even if in damaged condition). I’ve seen some of the prices that these type of items fetch on ebay.

Who knows – you might sell it for enough to buy yourself a new set of econo bumpers???? Al

[Al Myers]

Well – I’m back from my fishing trip. I had a great time and caught a lot of BIG Blue Catfish. The time spent relaxing on the water has brought my blood pressure back down. And I didn’t think of Dan Wagman once the entire time! Hahaha Dan and I will settle our dispute at my meet next month – face to face, with our favorite sidearm strapped on, and a cold beer in hand!!! LOL

I do want to respond to a couple of OTHER points brought up in this discussion.

I appreciate ETs and Randy comments about the importance of having your record book “close at hand”, as it is impossible to remember every rule in detail for the over 200 official lifts. That’s why the test is open book and not closed. No one is expecting anyone to memorize the entire rulebook, just know how to look stuff up in it when needed. I always carry mine to meets and read each rule to myself before judging or giving a rules meeting – and I’ve read that darn book cover to cover at least 100 times in review and editing!! Look at guys like Denny Habecker. Denny is as seasoned an official as the USAWA has and you will notice that he always has his rulebook by his side when sitting in the chair.

I’ve always said that the main purpose of having the Rules Test is to insure that every official has at least looked at the rulebook once in their life! The rules test is not intended to “weed out” those wanting to be officials. Joe and I have worked the questions like this: 50 easy ones that you should be able to answer without even looking up, 30 hard ones that you can get the answers to easy if you look them up, and 20 that might make you think a little in your answers. It is nothing like the original rules test that Clark wrote (over 100 ESSAY questions that took me around 10 hours to complete!) Anybody should be able to complete this test now in under 3 or 4 hours. I consider that a pretty minimal requirement, and if that is too much time demand for you, your level of commitment in becoming a USAWA official should be questioned. I do welcome comments to me as to how long the test took you to take, and any possible “trick” questions you think you encountered. We make changes to the rules test every couple of years and take these comments into consideration in future tests.

Now back to the postal meet. I was very careful not to single any one person out with my suspicions that a rule might not have been followed correctly. I named no names as I have no proof of anything. You may ask why I didn’t contact anyone? Well let me tell you. I am NOT the postal meet director. The procedures of the submissions were followed correctly, and the results of the meet were already sent out individually before I received them for website publish. The ship had already sailed on that one. And who would I ask anyways? The lifters in question? If I did that I would be “calling them out” and that is not my style without any proof of wrongdoing. The appropriate person to contact would be the official who judged the lifts as they are the ones truly responsible that the lift was performed correctly. But when we DO NOT require certified officials for USAWA postal meets, the usawa has no jurisdiction over unofficial judges in requiring that they know the rules any better than any lifter. A certified official can be placed on probation for failing to follow the USAWA rules (yes that’s in the rulebook).

Now more on this point of letting anyone “witness” or “judge” postal meets for participation. I KNOW the general consensus is that we think that is a good idea as that encourages new members to the USAWA, but there are trade offs to this as suspected here. I want to point out that NO WHERE in the USAWA rulebook does it state that postal meets can be officiated without a certified official. That concept was established prior to our recent rulebook as the “way it was done” and continued in that fashion with a disregard to the rules. The USAWA rulebook is very clear in that all competitions and/or events require proper officiating. It would not take much executive action to enforce that. Maybe Postal meets should go to having an “official division” (those with certified officials) and a “unofficial division” for those just entering without proper officials?

Comments?? Al

[Al Myers]

DAN DAN DAN

After reading your last post, I realize that you have missed the point I was making in my original blog completely! You are fixated on a single statement and not on my entire argument. My argument has not changed AT ALL since my writing of the original blog. Let me repeat it again here verbatim as it was written in the original blog:

“I don’t want to “point fingers” here – but there seemed to be some big weights lifted in this lift in this meet for using the rules of the Rectangular Fix. Chad did 132 pounds in the Curl – Reverse Grip at the World Championships last fall, and that currently stands as the top Curl – Reverse Grip poundage in the USAWA Record Book. Five lifters lifted more than Chad did in this meet (hic, hic…. I call BS).”

My argument has always been that I am suspicious (by calling BS) of some of the lifts done in the postal meet in the Curl – Reverse Grip for being done using the rules of the Rectangular Fix, and I suspect that a Curl – Cheat, Reverse Grip may have been performed instead. My statement regarding Chad was simply a line within the argument that was used to show that several of the lifters performed lifts that exceeded that of the overall USAWA record, and NOT the argument itself. Saying I’m using “one lifter’s performance as a benchmark to place other lifters’ accomplishments into question” and “I believe that represents a dangerous precedent.” are preposterous comments that I would hope others would not take seriously and believe that was the context in which I made in the original blog .

I’ve defended my argument completely in my previous post, which I don’t care to repeat again, as my mathematical assessment of the record list for comparative analysis is “fraught with error”. I’m done debating with you on this as we are NOT on the same “wavelength” with our arguments. Al

PS Now it’s time to go fishing the rest of the day!

[Al Myers]

Now Thom all you have to do is COMMIT to coming to the Dino Days next month! Dan has already told me he’s gonna be here. Because if you don’t make it now since you agreed to this hee man sharpshooting challenge – you will be called out for it. What’s the word that comes to mind???? CHICKEN

I can’t wait to see this. Probably be worthy of another website story. haha Al

[Al Myers]

Dan,

First of all great lifting in the postal!!!

There’s nothing wrong in you disagreeing with my opinion that I feel that SOME of the Curl – Reverse Grip lifts were not done by the rules of the lift (but instead probably by the rules of the Curl – Cheat, Reverse Grip). Everyone is entitled to believe what they want – that’s why it’s just an opinion and not a fact.

Let’s look at the “numbers” in comparing the Curl – Reverse Grip and the Curl – Cheat, Reverse Grip and use mathematics to give my opinion credibility. An informed opinion is based on an analysis of hard facts and forming an educated belief and not an unsubstantiated “feeling”. A careful review of the record lists demonstrate that between 55% and 65% of the max weight can be lifted in the Curl – Reverse Grip compared to the Curl – Cheat, Reverse Grip. That’s not my opinion – but is a fact proven by data in the record lists. IAWA does not have the lift Curl – Cheat, Reverse Grip (that’s a USAWA lift only), but it does have the Rectangular Fix. Since the Curl – Reverse Grip follows the rule of the Rectangular Fix this makes a good comparison in the IAWA record list. Looking at all the numbers in the IAWA record list you can see that around a 10% gain is made in the Curl – Reverse grip compared to the Rectangular Fix in records. That’s also a fact. The reason for the slight increase in performance is because the momentum can be carried upwards in the reverse curl, while the rectangular fix must be held in a horizontal plane motionless. So by following this line of reasoning, a Reverse Grip curl of 180 pounds would equate to a Curl – Cheat, Reverse Grip of over 300 pounds (taking the 60% figure as an average). Believe what you want Dan – but a 300 pound Curl – Cheat, Reverse Grip is something I would like to see.

You mentioned the Reverse Curl IAWA records of Rick Meldon (137 pounds) and Ian Collins (154 pounds). Both of these guys were World Champs and outstanding lifters, and demonstrated it several times on the big stage of IAWA World Meets. The IAWA record list is loaded with world records set by both of them. I don’t doubt their records at all (I’ve seen Rick do more than THAT in the one arm dumbbell swing!!!). I know you know David Horne, he holds the 90 kg IAWA record in the Rectangular Fix of 70 kg (and is one of the BEST Rectangular Fix record holders). He’s one of the best “grip guys” the world has known, and considering his reverse curl would only be 10% or more better than this, it “casts” doubts in my mind that a couple of lifters in this postal meet could OUTLIFT HIM. But believe what you want.
Also, I know you’ve lifted against the great grip guy Matt Graham, and probably even witnessed him doing his record 130# Rectangular Fix at one of Fulton’s meet. That would only equate to around a 145-150# Curl – Reverse Grip. If you want to believe that a man over 70 years of age and 100 pounds lighter (like in this postal) could be an equal to Matt in his prime – go ahead and believe it. But I don’t. I could go on and on with these examples of others besides Chad’s lift of 60 kgs at the World Championship being an outstanding benchmark for a great lift in the Curl – Reverse Grip.

I would like to respond to your comments that the Curl – Reverse Grip is a poor name and that it should be changed to a different name. Lots of discussion was put into placing this name on this lift to give it the best name to reflect it’s intended purpose. There’s a lot of history behind this lift which I don’t want to get into, but the Curl – Reverse Grip has ONLY been an official USAWA lift since the 2012 meeting!!! Before that the USAWA performed the Reverse Curl using the rules of the Cheat Curl while the IAWA(UK) used the rules of the Rectangular Fix, and BOTH with the SAME NAME.. Now that’s what you call inconsistent and confusing – and I know has led to some records being added to the IAWA Record List that shouldn’t have from USAWA lifters. Since the USAWA has always followed the rules of the Cheat Curl when doing this lift, that is why the word “cheat” was added into the previous rule name. Pretty self-explanatory to me I would say – as when you see the word “cheat” in the lift name you should realize that it follows the cheat curl. Discussion was made at the time to add the words “stict” in the lift name of the new Curl – Reverse Grip but was not done because it was felt it would add more confusion – meaning that lifters would NOW think the Curl – Reverse Grip should follow the rules of the Strict Curl (up against a wall with paper behind the head and rear). Also, we wanted to keep the name consistent with the IAWA(UK) name of “Reverse Curl”. And who knows, someday we may want to present a new lift, the Curl – Strict, Reverse Grip that would follow the rules of the Strict Curl and would need that name then.

I can present this issue to the executive board for you to propose this change if you wish, but considering we “hashed” over it at length last year and came to a decision I doubt if it would pass. But if you still want me to do it I will as that is the proper protocol as outlined in our rule book.

However, I still stand behind my opinion that I stated in the blog writeup. Al

[Al Myers]

[b]Quote from JWCIII on July 19, 2013, 14:11[/b]

ohhh….and did I mention the Marines taught me how to shoot, as well? One shot one kill…we didn’t have limitless supplies like the Army did…we had to make do…HAHAHAHAHA

OUCH!! haha Found that really funny as that brought back memories from the shooting contest following the Dino Challenge!! I could tell the story here, but I don’t want to embarrass anyone.

Now be careful Dan about making bets with Thom. He has a way to agree to the original terms of the bet only to make changes during the course of the challenge to give him advantages. He will get someone to give a false testimony about the original terms (who probably was intoxicated at the time), and use this person as his expert witness to the original rules of the challenge, which are different than what you agreed to. Thom’s tricky that way – and has no problem using deviance in his tactical approach.

[Author]

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