[Al Myers]

It looked to me like some really great lifting was done!! Art’s Birthday Bash is one of the longest running meets in the USAWA. Bill Clark has refered to it as one of the “signature meets”, meaning that it is one of the most important competitions that the USAWA puts on. Al

[Al Myers]

I just got an email from John McKean. It sounded like yesterday was alot of fun at Art’s Birthday Bash! Six lifters attended – Art, John, Denny, Kohl, Scott, and Ernie. Hopefully, John will get me the meet writeup today so I can have the full meet report on the website by tomorrow. Al

[Al Myers]

I would rather be an elephant too!!!

Most guys as they start to weight train will gain bodyweight, often in the form of hard-earned muscle! After all, isn’t this everyone’s ultimate goal – to be bigger and stronger? Most young guys that may only weigh 150 pounds when they start lifting don’t stay at that weight long. They soon weigh 180 pounds.

Everyone knows my feelings on formulas, but still they are a MUST in an organization likes ours, where the number of lifters is limited. No competition between lifters would ever be generated without formulas.

Let me throw this out. Maybe it is best if the Lynch Formula DOESN’T give full credit to the light or heavy lifters. Just like the age adjustment we use doesn’t give full credit to the older lifters (I felt like I proved this with the study I did last year – and it is available on the website). The older guys should accept the fact they are not “better” than the young guys, and surely should realize that just because they might be better on formula still doesn’t mean they are better lifters. This is the same with light and heavy lifters. The “light weight” lifters should lift and gain some muscle, while the “heavy lifters” should maybe lose a few pounds of extra fat. With this I mean the light weight guys shouldn’t complain about a formula not favoring them because they don’t have enough muscle to lift heavy weights, and the heavy weight guys shouldn’t complain either just because their fat won’t help them lift more weight.

I will say this – our last two World Champions (Mark Haydock and Chad Ullom) LOOKED LIKE World Champions, and no one would doubt they were the “best of the best”. AL

PS I apologize if any of the frank comments I said may offend anyone, and my objective here is to stimulate discussion.

[Al Myers]

Tom, I agree that formulas can NEVER be 100% accurate in evaluating lifting performances with the many variables present. This is even more pronounced with All-Round Weight Lifting and the many lifts we do – each of which should have it’s own formula theoretically. Olympic Lifting only has its two lifts to evaluate, and a much larger data base of lifting numbers to use in its analysis of picking the best “factors” in a comparative formula. That’s why the Sinclair Formula would NOT work in All-Round Lifting – it was based on only the Snatch and Clean and Jerk.

As it is, the heavy lifters will always say the Lynch Formula is “tilted” to the light lifters, and the light lifters will say it favors the heavier lifters. I need to take the time and do a study regarding the Lynch Formula and our record list. It would be interesting – but still our record list would not provide enough data to give a study of any statistical significance. When Ian Lynch wrote the original Lynch Formula, I am sure it could not have been based on any data, since none was really available 20 years ago. Al

[Al Myers]

Tom – I apologize to you for thinking that you could “reverse engineer” a complicated formula like this from a data set. You were absolutely correct in what you told me!! I’m hoping that we can eventually get more insight to how Ian Lynch went about developing this formula (and I hope it is more than him just changing a few numbers in the O’Carroll Formula to “flatten” out the ends of the curve).

I will say this again – Formulas are a poor way of comparing lifters of different bodyweights, but it is the best means we got. Regardless of what correction formula is used, there will ALWAYS be those who think it is unfair (either favors the lighter or heavier lifters). Al

[Al Myers]

The USAWA Executive Board has just approved (by majority vote) purchase of new USAWA Officials Shirts. I think this is a great idea, and from the support on this issue here on the discussion forum, I feel the membership does to. The USAWA has had Officials Shirts done in the past, and some of the long-time officials have them, but there are LOTS of new officials who DO NOT have them. I was thinking of having around 20 made. This would give some the USAWA could sell to those wanting their own, and some the USAWA could have as “loaners” at meets. I want to have enough made that myself and Denny could each have a “set” in our possession for meets around here and back east.

I really believe our Officials Program in the USAWA is stronger now than it has ever been. This is just one more little step in improving it. Al

[Al Myers]

Thanks Tom.

The IAWA(UK) does have their own “officials shirts”. The organization owns them and has them available for the officials on meet day (if they don’t own their own). It makes the officials look very professional as they sit in the chairs. Little things like this just add to the image of the organization. Al

[Al Myers]

Chad, Don’t listen to ole anvil-head. He is just making things up to try to “create a stir” amongst us Dino Gym Guys. We are too tight a group for that – plus I think he is still sore from that SW Postal Match whipping we gave him.

[Al Myers]

Tom, Do you know when that was done? I know I haven’t seen any “Official shirts” since I have been involved.

I would say it is time to have them made again. Al

[Al Myers]

Sorry Champ

[Al Myers]

This has been a very interesting discussion!!!

I agree with EVERYTHING said, and at times think it dates me. Every generation seems to get more lax in appearance than the previous. I am going to present this to the USAWA Executive Board and see if things can be improved. In the USAWA, most all officials are also competing so requiring formal attire would be difficult to enforce (it’s hard enough to get a judge). However, the USAWA could afford to buy a few nice collared shirts with our logo, and “certified official” on them to have available at meets for judges to put on when they are sitting in the chair (especially at Nationals and big meets). Of course, if certified judges wanted to buy shirts with their name on them that could be done. Good idea??? Al

[Al Myers]

Yes – we got plenty of “good stories” – but a couple we swore to secrecy with a blood oath!! haha Al

[Al Myers]

I’m finally back! I was going to post yesterday, but as tired as I was the only thing I got accomplished was getting the meet report up.

Chad and I had a GREAT TIME. WE got LOTS of new stories, from the meet and from our travels. Chad had an unbelievable meet, and I’m very proud of him for this MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT. I know how hard he has trained, and how close he has been so many times.

The only problem I encountered from him becoming World Champ was that I had to carry his bags the rest of the trip, and he only responded to me when I addressed him as “Champ”. haha Al

[Al Myers]

Z-WSPNBY9-23???? What kinda of nickname is THAT Tedd???? Sounds to me like some prison ID system. I’m pretty certain you haven’t spent any time in the “BIG HOUSE”, but maybe I don’t know everything. And I really think you are too smart of guy to mistakenly put “your password” in the spot of “your nickname”! You wouldn’t want everyone hacking into your account!!! (Besides me – haha). Al

[Al Myers]

Travis, I was just looking closer at your pictures of the Dinnie Stones and noticed blood dripping from your hand onto the stones. This makes me wonder how much blood has “been spilled” on those stones thru the years!! I bet ALOT!! Thanks for posting those pictures – you usually don’t get the details your pictures showed from other pictures! Al

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