[Sanjiv Gupta]

Barry, thanks for adding your thoughts. I hope everything at home resolves favorably. This thread made me realize how important the annual national meeting is and how 9 athletes (the majority of 17 in attendance last year) could decide the future of the USAWA. Maybe we are at the point of considering virtual attendance or absentee voting. Even though I sat in on the proposals committee, the discussion on this forum, USAWA website and Facebook page have got me reconsidering my positions.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Good to know about the broken belts. I might have to come up with something to distribute the force over a few inches.

Still kind of cool that the lift has been on the books since at least 1990 (oldest record by Howard Prechtel at 1815 pounds). It was then contested at the 2006 Dino Gym Challenge where the top marks were set at 740 pounds for women and 2000 pounds for men. There has not been a record recorded for almost a decade since the 2015 Florida Record Day.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Great points brought up about the mission of the USAWA and why some proposals are being brought up. Nowhere in the USAWA mission statement is competition mentioned, much less fairness of competition, finding the strongest lifter, coming up with crazy new lifts or keeping records mentioned.

The proposals all focus around competition in some form or another. Maybe more time should be spent on “the lifts we perform” instead of uniforms, classification of lifts, new lifts and officiating.

Alternatively, maybe by having uniforms aligned with other strength sports we can bring more members to the organization. Introducing crazy new lifts for the sheer spectacle of them can continue the long standing tradition of old-time weightlifters who were seeking ways to draw an audience. There was a wow factor associated with doing something not everyone could do.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Thanks for adding to the discussion.

I recently reviewed the records list and there are 59 lifts that have less than 20 records. Removing these would make record keeping easier. It is fun to try lifts with index, little, middle or ring fingers and with Fulton or 3 inch bars, but we do not need keep records for all of these variations. We could consider placing lifts that have fewer than 20 records in a probationary status and then archiving them if they are not contested for a year.

However, I would like to see USAWA continue to grow and move forward in a positive direction. One suggestion would be that new lifts should be contested in an exhibition format a couple of times before presenting them to the executive committee and then they could be approved on a probationary basis until at least 20 people set records in the lift.

For rarely contested lifts that are named for individuals, we can continue to recognize and honor those lifters by performing the lifts as exhibitions during meets, but stop keeping records.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Thanks for the warning. I don’t expect to ever be an experienced chain lifter, but I would like to learn some of these movements. Being physically attached to an elevated barbell or heavy lift bar certainly sounds like it could end badly.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Thanks. Hooks actually make sense. Not sure how adjustable it would be or how adjustable it needs to be.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

I cannot attend this year, but I think it is a great idea. Hopefully you can get some USAWA clubs to commit.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

I really enjoyed reading Dan Wagman’s rebuttal. It just goes to show how easy it is to misinterpret information and make misleading statements based on that misinterpretation.

The discussion of fairness is certainly a valid one, but I do not think it is an inhibitor to the USAWA’s ability to move and grow in a positive fashion.

Standardized Equipment – We do not weigh plates prior to competition like other sanctioning bodies. This is OK.

Judging Criteria – I think the judging is quite clear, but some continuing education may be necessary, especially with all of the new lifts introduced since some judges have been certified. Also someone officiating USAWA lifts for decades will be better than an official like myself who is newly certified without experience officiating in other federations.

Drug Testing – Well said, but difficult to perform.

Biomechanical Analysis – Very interesting point that I would like to explore further. My fabrication of a neck harness and watching a youtube video is not a “fair” comparison to a coached, trained athlete.

Statistical Analysis – This is a real can of worms to which we can add hand size, gender, ad infinitum

In regards to the Lynch formula and Age Correction, I have been reviewing the USAWA record list and the practices of other sports sanctioning bodies and hope to present a case in the next few months for an alternative, imperfect formula that still does not truly contest maximum muscular strength.

• This reply was modified 4 months ago by Sanjiv Gupta.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Clint made up the Buffville stones. He may have an idea. I tried to lift the replica stones in Columbus, but never thought to look at how the metal was secured.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

I just read your write-up. I love the first person format. I was trying to write one more as a news story.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Wow, looks like it is going to be a great group. Looking forward to meeting you all.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Question about the Rim Lift. The USAWA Rulebook says the rim cannot be deeper than 1 inch. Is that from the top plane of the plate to the base of the rim or the overall width of the plate? All of my weights are thicker than 1 inch.

In terms of top plane of plate to base of rim:

York Milled – 0.75″
Schisler – 1″
Billard Olympic – 1.25″

[Sanjiv Gupta]

I am planning on driving out from Denver unless weather conditions pose a safety risk. Good line up of events.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Ben, can I add your results to a revised King Kong write up? Which venue did you compete at? Do you have any pictures?

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Perfect. I have been wanting to visit the Dino Gym. There is a lot of history there. It will probably be a game day decision depending on weather as I will be driving out from Colorado.

Ideally, I could judge alongside some folks to get closer to being a certified official.

I had a lot of fun at King Kong just getting to know some of the strength athletes in Colorado and Wyoming. I learned quite a bit from them as well. I am still trying to appreciate some of the benchmarks like Crushed to Dust and the Captains of Crush series.

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