[Al Myers]

It was sad to see both Slim and Dave Draper pass away so close to the same time.

I had met Slim once at the famous York meet a few years ago. He was very cordial to me but I remember him giving Thom the “grip down” when he shook his hand and made Thom squirm. I made sure to give Slim a “manly handshake” while I think Thom was a little weak with his shake.

Dave D was at his bodybuilding prime when I started lifting, and I was always in awe of his massive build. I read everything he had to say on his website, and corresponded with him via email several times. I bought his top squat device which I have used alot in the past few years. He was very passionate and proud about his development of it.

Both great guys and legends in the game of strength.

[Al Myers]

To Dan –

Workout instead of train? That gave me a good chuckle as working out is about all I seem capable of now! I used to train – always knowing what I wanted to achieve with the weights every session. Now I don’t know what my ole joints are going to allow any given time, but I still give it my all, but I can’t bring myself to call it training anymore. Before long I will be to the next phase of lifting, when just saying you’re “going to the gym” and you consider it a good session if you work up a good bowel movement.

I’ll try to explain why I think you must add senior records retroactively if you start keeping them as a separate record listing in the record list.

First of all – Everyone seems to agree that NOT having a senior listing is unfair to senior age group lifters. But if you add the listing, but NOT allow lifters in the past to have their senior age group records added that is unfair as well as the bylaws have always allowed it (and of which you pointed out). Resolving one unfair situation while you create a new unfair situation is not a good solution in my opinion.

Second point – This puts the records director in an awkward situation having to tell lifters that their senior records would not be added at a later date. Lots of older lifters would be upset as they had been in the same situation with records when they were seniors and had to “battle it out” for open records (which are now overall records, which is different but that’s another discussion). I know for myself that I would have many more records as I was lifting in the USAWA before I became a master. Plus considering a precedent has already been set as records have been retroactively added for years (if mistakes occur or records left out accidentally). This doesn’t give the records director much ground to stand on except to say “its not allowed, but if you have a masters record that needs added I can do that”. All it would do is make the records director look like the “bad guy” having to be the enforcer.

Thirdly – I might add, as Johnny pointed out, that senior records are not kept in the IAWA World record listing as well (they list open records). If we add a senior record listing in the USAWA record list expectations would soon happen that the World Record list should have them as well. I’m all for trying to have consistency between IAWA and the USAWA. We got enough issues with rules being different between the USAWA rulebook and the IAWAUK rule book as it is. We don’t need to create another one.

Hope that explains my final thoughts on this subject.

[Al Myers]

Been thinking more on this during my morning workout –

In all 10 years of me doing the record list I don’t remember ONCE that a senior age group lifter asking why there weren’t senior age group records. I assume that was because most senior age lifters thought the “ALL” grouping were for them.

I made MANY corrections for other age group lifters (mainly masters) who wanted their prior records added or changed to make them correct . Some of these requests were as far back as records set 10 years ago!!!! Gotta wonder why the lifters didn’t ask earlier for the change – but I always made the correction as I felt it was the right thing to do. If you notice a mistake has been made in the record list updates PLEASE make the change request right away. Don’t wait a year before you do it. At that point it becomes “old news” to the record director who is busy trying to get the new updates done.

[Al Myers]

Dan, The Rulebook line V.9 was put into place at a later date so the rules would accommodate the way the records had been kept prior. It was not written to “deny” records to the senior age group. In reading that line I don’t see that it even implies that you can’t – just states that records are kept for the junior and masters age group.

Johnny, For your information I MANUALLY counted the records of each lifter to get absolute count for the century club. Was effective – but not efficient. haha I’m not near as excel savvy as you.

Again my opinion here. If you start adding Senior records you better as an organization be willing to add senior records from past years results.

[Al Myers]

Thanks for the support!

I’ve enjoyed my time in office, but the job is a “labor of love” and with the shutdown during the pandemic I seemed to lose the enthusiasm I previously had. I knew it was my time to pass it along to someone else. I didn’t want to become a grumpy ole secretary from doing it too long. Luckily I found a sucker I could talk into taking it over . (haha just kiddin ya ET)

[Al Myers]

I pretty much agree with Dan’s assessment of this. I’ve always thought it wasn’t fair for the senior age group lifters to not have their own portion of the record list, especially considering how all other age groups are represented. Even with the addition of the senior age group in the record list, I still like the idea of the OVERALL RECORD being there. It’s like the ultimate record to shoot for within any bodyweight division.

When I was doing the record list (which I did for about 10 years) I contemplated adding the senior division many times to it. However, I’ll tell ya what will happen if you do this – the record keeper (meaning YOU JOHNNY) will be bombarded with lifters asking for their prior lifts done when they were senior lifters to be retroactively added to the list. We have already done that many times for master lifters who’s records were inadvertently left off the record list. A precedent has been set for that – and BTW is the right thing to do anyways since it’s not like being left off the list is the lifters fault. Just a oversight by the record director which is an easy mistake to make when updating the list with thousands of line items. This applies to senior lifters as well – its not their fault their senior record wasn’t recorded at the time. You will get backlash if you want to just record senior records going forth and not giving acknowledgement to past senior lifters who SHOULD have the record.

I went back to establish National Records (meaning records set at the National Championships) in the record list and that was a big job for me. I had to find all past Nationals results and then spent MANY hours imputing the new listings. It was obvious to me by doing that job that NO ONE would want to do this will all past results of senior lifters. That’s why I never pushed to add the senior lifters to the record list.

Ultimately if you go forth with this as an organization, just make sure the record director is on board with it or you may run him off and that’s not a job for anyone. It’s easy to sit back and look at the record list and think you could do that job, but its constant work and you can’t make ANY MISTAKES or you will be called out on it. We are very lucky to have Scottish Johnny as records director and it would be nice to keep him happy at his job.

[Al Myers]

When the record list first started, it keep records for the junior divisions, the open division, and all masters divisions (not senior). The difference between the open division and senior division is the open division is for all 20+ lifters (juniors not included) while the senior division is 20-39. The record list then evolved to the open records being called “overall records” because many times junior lifts were put into the “open” listing and it became impossible to go back and get it corrected. Plus in the early days the open division was contested more often, and now its the senior division contested more at meets along with masters. This came about because (and Dan you would like this) some senior lifters felt like they were at a disadvantage to older more experienced master lifters “stealing their awards” (meaning the open lifters award) at meets and wanted their senior division recognized.

Now we are at the point that it is next to impossible to “go back” through meet results and establish a senior record listing.

[Al Myers]

I’ve always loved training with grippers. Anyone who has been to the Dino Gym probably has seen my obsession with them as demonstrated by my “gripper board”! I’ve always felt gripper training is real practical grip strength as it applies to the everyday use of the hands.

The problem with grippers being a USAWA official lift is that it doesn’t conform to our general rules required of the official lifts. Each gripper is different in closing strength and the standardization of the size of the different brands of grippers are much different. You can’t progressive “load” grippers like all other official lifts. Also, pretty much impossible to create a record list for grippers. I’ve thought alot about this as Ben has made this suggestion before, and I know how grip lifters are always looking for events that contest grippers.

Maybe a demo event at a competition? That could work – but making it an official lift would create alot of issues.

[Al Myers]

Denny is correct on the proper plate placement for competitions. There are no USAWA rules that specifically address this however, but other lifting associations (like olympic lifting and powerlifting) do.

Now my personal preference for training is always flanges in for all the big plates. I’ve seen plates slip out of hands loading and causing injury. I feel its easier (and safer) to hold onto plates as you push them on and pull them off if your fingers can grip over the flanges of the plates.

[Al Myers]

I thought that was an outstanding article. Thanks Dan – as I know that took quite a bit of research.

[Al Myers]

Congrats Abe! You’ve sure earned it!

[Al Myers]

Chris, I was very impressed with how you worked with your son during the day. I liked how you had him turn his lifts in to me, after consulting with you. I could tell Leroy was a little nervous, but he didn’t let it affect his lifting. GREAT JOB

[Al Myers]

Yes I do believe you are correct on that. Mary Mac knew him well and always encouraged him to lift again in the USAWA but he never did. I don’t know of any other strength comps he ever did. I do wish I would have got to meet him – mainly to see if he actually trained like he wrote about in MILO or if those stories were just to inspire others!

[Al Myers]

Hi everyone!
The Nationals lineup is set:

Session 1 –
Dean Ross
Phoebe Todd
Denny Habecker
Leroy Todd
Beth Skwarecki
Laverne Myers

Session 2-
Randy Smith
David DeForest
Dave Glasgow
Eric Todd
Abe Smith
Chris Todd
John Strangeway
Mike McBride

This looks to be an exciting Nationals!!! I can’t wait till Saturday.

[Al Myers]

I agree completely with what Denny said – the postals are intended as an “introduction” to the USAWA, or for those not wanting to travel to actual real meets. Denny has done an EXCELLENT JOB as postal director and it takes time to build the entry forms, compile the results and prepare the report for the website.

You need to remember that the USAWA has made allowances to allow entry in our postal meets without having a certified USAWA official present (however you do need someone to judge you) unlike other comps that require certified officials. I don’t see the point of taking the time/expense of sending out certificates. If its that important to you just make your own afterwards as simple certificates can be made with pretty much any word processing software.

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