Club Champs REMINDER

by Al Myers

The entrance of the historic Ambridge Barbell Club!

It will not be long now and the USAWA CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS will be taking place.  This meet is hosted by one of the oldest clubs in the USAWA (the Ambridge BBC) and directed by a couple of the oldest guys in the USAWA (Art Montini & John McKean).  The equipment in the club has been around at least a century (some forged by Bob Hoffman), and I believe the building was one of the first ones built in the Pittsburgh area (an old VFW hall).  

All of this adds up to a GREAT PLACE for an ALL ROUND WEIGHTLIFTING CHAMPIONSHIPS!  Ambridge Barbell Club has been the site of the Club Champs since it started, and is the perfect location for it.  Ambridge is in the “center” of the USAWA membership, and is within a long day drive for most everyone.  The Dino Gym will have a team present again, as well as the JWC, Ambridge BBC,  and Habeckers Gym.  There may be a couple of other clubs entered as well. 

All it takes to enter is three club members to form your club’s team.  This is a team competition, and NOT an individual competition.  The point scores of the three club members are added together to form a club score.  The club with the highest team total is declared the USAWA Club Champion of the year. 

DATE REMINDER – SATURDAY MARCH 2nd

Entry information is available under  USAWA Future Events in right column of the homepage.

Grip Postal – USAWA vs. IAWA(UK)

by Al Myers

I’m sure everyone is wondering how the Grip Postal Challenge turned out between the USAWA versus the IAWA(UK).  Well, the results have been tabulated and the USAWA won over the IAWA(UK) 258.2 points to 231.2 points.  This was based on the average adjusted point scores of all the lifters entered.  The USAWA points were adjusted to kilogram scores as the USAWA recorded the meet results in pounds while the IAWA(UK) recorded their scores in kilograms. 

This Postal Grip Challenge was initiated by myself and Mark Haydock.  I promoted the USAWA Grip Championships last weekend, and Mark promoted the IAWA(UK) Grip Championships the weekend before that.  We both prior agreed on the selected lifts being the same so this international  postal challenge could be conducted. 

There were many GREAT LIFTS performed in this challenge. But since we decided it would be based on average, that changes things.  A few great lifters won’t win it for ya, as everyone is instrumental in the outcome as their scores are worth just as much.  IAWA(UK) does deserve a consolation prize however, since there were 20 lifters entered in the IAWA(UK) Championships while the USAWA had only 16 lifters entered.   It was great to see some “new faces” entered in these competitions on both sides.  These two meets may end up being the best attended meets for both the USAWA and the IAWA(UK) in the future.

Remember – this is all in fun.  I know both sides could argue that the other side had advantages “here and there” in lift rules and scoring differences.  I know this postal challenge brought several issues “to head” that need to be addressed by IAWA in the future in order to keep consistency between the USAWA and the IAWA(UK).  

Congrats to all lifters that took part in this Grip Postal Competition!!!

Postal Meets Announcement

by Al Myers

The USAWA Postal Meet schedule has been released for 2013!  The USAWA Official Postal Meet Director John Wilmot  has planned a challenging set of postal meets for the USAWA for the coming year. The USAWA quarterly postal series has been gaining in popularity, with this past year being the most participated series to date. John deserves a “BIG THANKS” for the work he puts into setting up these postal meets and doing the scoring. He always sends out nice certificates to recognize a lifters performance. And I want to mention this again – entering these postal meets is at NO CHARGE!

This year’s schedule is as follows:

Eastern Open Postal Meet
March 1st to March 31st

Middle Atlantic Postal Meet
June 1st to June 30th

Delaware Valley Postal Meet
September 1st to September 30th

National Postal Championships
December 1st to December 31st

The rules of entering postal meets are pretty simple:

1. Do all the lifts in ONE DAY only
2. Follow the rules of the USAWA as outlined in the USAWA Rulebook
3. Fill out the entry form correctly (must include signatures of officials)  and send it to John Wilmot
4. Submit the entry form by the deadline date
5. Be a current PAID UP member of the USAWA

That’s it – pretty simple. Anyone should be able to follow those simple rules, and if not, find a training partner who is smarter than yourself to do it for you. You may have anyone judge your lifts to score for the competition, but if you want your lifts to count for an USAWA record, this judge MUST be a USAWA Certified Official. Also, if you are not a USAWA member your results will be omitted from the websites results when I receive them, so it’s a good idea to join the USAWA before you send your postal meet results to John.

The entry forms for these Postal Meets are available under the heading ”USAWA Future Events”, which is located on the right side of the home page.

Dino Gym Record Day

by Al Myers

DINO GYM RECORD DAY

Group picture from the 2013 Dino Gym Record Day: (front left to right) Dan Wagman, Ruth Jackson, Denny Habecker (back left to right) LaVerne Myers, Al Myers, Dean Ross, Mike Pringle

The Dino Gym had a very good Record Day the day following the Grip Championships.  6 lifters took part – Ruth Jackson, Dan Wagman, Dean Ross, Denny Habecker, LaVerne Myers,  and myself.  Ken Glasgow performed a record lift the day before which I added to these results.  I was surprised by the efforts that were displayed, especially considering that most all of these lifters had competed the day before. The current IAWA Womens OVERALL BEST LIFTER Ruth Jackson stole the show with her setting USAWA records in 30 different  lifts!  Just watching RJ max out in one lift after the other made me tired!  Dan Wagman had the lift that impressed me the most – doing a Pull Up with 120 pounds attached to his waist. The rules of the Pull Up call for the chin to be ABOVE the bar at completion, and the lifter must hold for a down command.  This makes doing a USAWA Pull Up MUCH harder than commonly performed pull ups by lifters in training sessions.  To properly judge this lift, it requires the official to stand on a chair to have a level view of the bar and the chin.  I made sure Dan reached the proper height.  I made a point to tell Dan that his big handlebar mustache was providing him an advantage, as it was obstructing (and distracting!)  my view of his chin! LOL.  The second most impressive lift I seen was my Dad, LaVerne, performing a PULL UP!!  I had no idea that he could do that!  However, I made him do another one with 5# so he could get a record.  Doing a lift with no weight doesn’t get you in the record list.  I bet there are VERY FEW  men over the age of 65 that weigh 250 pounds who can do a legal USAWA Pull Up. 

Dean Ross performed the Carter Lift with 433# pounds for USAWA Record.

Dean Ross picked a couple of odd lifts to do for records.  He performed a 1200# Back Lift, which is a lift that is not available to be done in most gyms. He also performed a Carter Lift, of 433#.  This lift is one of the strange, unique lifts of the USAWA.  It requires the performance of a Hip Lift and a Squat in the SAME LIFT!  Only one other lifter has a USAWA record in the Carter Lift, and that is Bob Maxey.  Dean told me the reason he wanted to do this lift was in Bob’s memory.  I remember the day that Bob did his Carter Lift and I also remember how nervous I was spotting him.  Dean had me worried as well when he started as he fell down a couple of times and I didn’t want this meet to be added to Dean’s list of head injuries that he has suffered in his life.  But eventually he got the balance right, and did a perfect executed Carter Lift.

Denny Habecker performed 10 lifts for record which will expand his lead over Art in the Records Race.  Last year at this record day Denny “took it easy” on the record book and only did a few records.  But this year he really went after it, and I don’t blame him as Art seems to be getting stronger with age.  Denny, Dean and LaVerne had a little “mini competition” in the 3″ bar deadlift.  Denny held with these two who are much bigger than him, and finished with a great lift of 280 pounds.

Afterwards, we all went out to eat together at a local Mexican restaurant in Abilene.   That has become a tradition of meets held at the Dino Gym.  I always enjoy getting to spend time with “fellow lifters” over some good food in a relaxed environment after a day of hard lifting, because that’s when I hear the BEST STORIES!

MEET RESULTS:

Dino Gym Record Day
Dino Gym
Abilene, Kansas
February 10th, 2013

Meet Director:  Al Myers

Officials (1-official system used):  Al Myers, Denny Habecker, LaVerne Myers

Loader: Mike Pringle and lifters

Lifts: Record Day

Ruth Jackson – Age 51, BWT 108#, Female

French Press: 25#
Pullover – Bent Arm: 63#
Bench Press – Fulton Bar: 130#
Bench Press – Reverse Grip: 95#
Gardner – Full: 15#
Gardner – Half: 45#
Abdominal Raise: 25#
Allen Lift: 15#
Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Right Hand: 68#
Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Left Hand: 68#
Deadlift – 3″ Bar: 153#
Continental to Chest – Fulton Bar: 63#
Deadlift – Trap Bar: 207#
Clean and Press – Middle Fingers: 25#
Snatch – On Knees: 45#
Clean and Press – On Knees: 55#
Clean and Press – Fulton Bar: 63#
Maxey Press: 73#
Clean and Push Press – Fulton Bar: 73#
Curl – 2 Dumbbells, Cheat: 70#
Curl – Dumbbell, Cheat, Right Arm: 40#
Curl – Dumbbell, Cheat, Left Arm: 40#
Pullover – Straight Arm: 35#
Weaver Stick: 1#
Pullup: 25#
Chin Up: 25#
Snatch – Dumbbell, Right Arm: 45#
Snatch – Dumbbell, Left Arm: 45#
Saxon Snatch: 25#
Snatch – 2 Dumbbells: 50#

Al Myers – Age 46, BWT 241#

Deadlift – Ciavattone Grip, Right Arm: 231#
Deadlift – Ciavattone Grip, Left Arm: 198#
Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Right Arm: 170#
Curl – Dumbbell, Cheat, Right Arm: 85#
Curl – Dumbbell, Cheat, Left Arm: 85#

Dan Wagman – Age 50, BWT 183#

Snatch – Left Arm: 125#
Pull Up: 120#
Snatch – Dumbbell, Right Arm: 110#
Snatch – Dumbbell, Left Arm: 110#

LaVerne Myers – Age 68, BWT 247#

Bench Press – Left Arm: 50#
Bench Press – Right Arm: 50#
Deadlift – 3″ Bar: 255#
Press – Dumbbell, Right Arm: 45#
Press – Dumbbell, Left Arm: 45#
Deadlift – Ciavattone Grip, Right Arm: 170#
Deadlift – Ciavattone Grip, Left Arm: 170#
Deadlift – Reeves: 185#
Pull Up: 5#

Denny Habecker – Age 70, BWT 196#

Anderson Press: 175#
Clean and Jerk – Behind Neck: 143.3#
Deadlift – 3″ Bar: 280#
Clean and Jerk – Dumbbell, Left Arm: 55#
Clean and Jerk – Fulton Bar: 113#
Clean and Press: 137.8#
Deadlift – Dumbbell, Left Arm: 125#
Deadlift – Dumbbell, Right Arm: 125#
Swing – Dumbbell, Left Arm: 55#
Swing – Dumbbell, Right Arm: 75#

Dean Ross – Age 70, BWT 269#

Deadlift – Trap Bar: 321#
Back Lift: 1200#
Deadlift – 3″ Bar: 280#
Deadlift – Ciavattone Grip, Right Arm: 148#
Deadlift – Reeves: 235#
Carter Lift: 433#
Deadlift – Dumbbell, Right Arm: 125#
Deadlift – Dumbbell, Left Arm: 125#
Snatch – Dumbbell, Right Arm: 55#
Snatch – Dumbbell, Left Arm: 55#

Ken Glasgow – Age 76, BWT 217#

Deadlift – Trap Bar: 302#

NOTES: All lifts and bodyweights recorded in pounds.

Grip Championships

by Al Myers

2013 USAWA GRIP CHAMPIONSHIPS

Troy Goetsch lifting 260 pounds on the One Hand 2" Vertical Bar Deadlift. Troy won BEST MENS OVERALL LIFTER at the 2013 USAWA Grip Championships.

Since the first OFFICIAL USAWA Grip Championships in 2011, this meet has seen more lifters entered each year.  2011 had 8 lifters, 2012 had 11 lifters, and this year we had 16 lifters! If the Grip Championships continually experiences this type of growth it will not be long and this will be the most attended yearly meet in the USAWA. 

I was amazed at the quality of lifting that took place.  The Mens Division was STACKED.  Troy Goetsch, of Jobes Steel Jungle, came out as the BEST OVERALL MENS LIFTER in the end.   Ruth Jackson added another title to her USAWA resume with taking the BEST OVERALL WOMENS LIFTER.  Dan Wagman finished second overall, and LaVerne Myers surprised everyone with his third place overall finish.  I predicted there would be some ALL TIME RECORDS broken – and Troy made sure that happened!  His 255# Pinch Grip and his 260# 1 hand VB DL are now new USAWA All Time Records. He made these lifts look easy and performed them in impeccable form.  My next predication is that he will up both of these records within the next year.

Ken Glasgow (right) receiving his USAWA Grip Championship Award from meet director Al Myers (left).

Darren Barnhart had an excellent meet, and if not for Troy being present, would have had numbers at the very top.  Darren did a Pinch Grip with 250#, and had a very close miss at 275#.  He posted the second highest total (780 pounds) behind Troy’s total (860 pounds).  LaVerne Myers may have ended up in third, but he was NUMBER ONE for best dressed. He showed up sporting a new matching stylish short & shirt, complete with new lifting shoes. This must have given him a surge of confidence, because he ended the meet with a Personal Record in the Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Ciavattone Grip of 300 pounds!  Ken Glasgow needs mentioned as well.  Ken was the oldest lifter that competed, at age 76. I was very impressed with his lifting.  Mike Pringle made his “USAWA debut” in this meet.  Mike lifted very well, and I hope to see more of him in USAWA competitions in the future. Denny Habecker came the farthest for the meet, from Lebanon, PA.  This makes the second meet in less than a month that Denny has attended at the Dino Gym! 

I have several people I want to personally thank.  First – my wife Leslie who made the lunch and provided numerous other meals to lifters over the weekend.  Next, I couldn’t have done this without the help of Chuck Cookson, who did ALL the loading.  Chuck laid off competing to load instead, which is critical for a meet to  run efficiently. I also want to mention Terry Barlet , who made the road trip with Denny.  I talked him into taking all the meet pictures.  I will have these pictures available on our USAWA Facebook Page later this week.   This Grip Championships had participants from several states – Kansas, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, and Oklahoma.  I felt VERY HAPPY about the success of the meet.  Thanks again to all those who attended!  It’s this type of support that keeps these events going in the USAWA.

(Dan Wagman video recorded the meet and has placed the videos on his website –  http://jopp.us/2013grip.html)

MEET RESULTS:

2013 Grip Championships
Dino Gym
Abilene, Kansas
Saturday, February 9, 2013

Meet Director:   Al Myers

Scorekeeper/Timekeeper/Announcer:  Al Myers

Loader:  Chuck Cookson

Photographer:  Terry Barlet

Caterer:  Leslie Myers

Officials (3-official system used):  Al Myers (head), Denny Habecker, Darren Barnhart, LaVerne Myers, Mike Murdock, Chad Ullom

Lifts: Pinch Grip, Vertical Bar Deadlift – 1 Bar, 2″, One Hand, Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Ciavattone Grip

WOMENS DIVISION

LIFTER AGE BWT PINCH VB DL TOT PTS
Ruth Jackson 51 108 107 110R 135 352 539.1

 EXTRA LIFTS FOR RECORD:

Ruth Jackson: Vertical Bar Deadlift, 2″, Right Hand 120#

MENS DIVISION

LIFTER AGE BWT PIN VB DL TOT PTS
Troy Goetsch 26 199 240 260R 360 860 770.5
Dan Wagman 50 183 200 180R 280 660 688.4
LaVerne Myers 68 247 180 180R 300 660 679.6
Darren Barnhart 45 305 250 205R 325 780 595.5
Dave Glasgow 59 252 181 170R 275 626 593.5
Denny Habecker 70 193 125 130R 235 490 585.0
Chad Ullom 41 252 180 200R 326  706 568.9
Bryan Benzel 25 290 240 210R 320 770 567.9
Mark Mitchell 52 313 230 150R 325 705 567.8
Mike Pringle 37 193 150 165L 250 565 514.9
Ken Glasgow 76 217 100 135R 205 440 514.8
Dan Bunch 48 358 195 180L 330 705 514.3
Dean Ross 70 271 150 135R 230 515 514.2
Mike Murdock 72 206 100 110R 180 390 455.8
Doug Kressly 33 278 170 160R 250 580 436.7

 EXTRA LIFTS FOR RECORD:

Mike Pringle: Pinch Grip 175#
Dan Wagman: Pinch Grip 215#
Chad Ullom:  Pinch Grip 200#
Troy Goetsch: Pinch Grip 255#
LaVerne Myers: Pinch Grip 200#

NOTES:  All lifts recorded in pounds.  BWT is bodyweight in pounds.  R and L designate the right and left hands.  TOT is total pounds lifter.  PTS are adjusted points for bodyweight and age corrections.

BEST LIFTER AWARDS:

Womens Master:  Ruth Jackson
Womens Overall:  Ruth Jackson
Mens Senior 20-39: Troy Goetsch
Mens Master 40-44: Chad Ullom
Mens Master 45-49: Darren Barnhart
Mens Master 50-54: Dan Wagman
Mens Master 55-59: Dave Glasgow
Mens Master 65-69: LaVerne Myers
Mens Master 70-74: Denny Habecker
Mens Master 75-79: Ken Glasgow

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