Grip Championships

By Sanjiv Gupta

2024 USAWA Grip Championships

Group picture from the 2024 USAWA Grip Championships

Ten USAWA masters athletes took the platform to contest the 2024 USAWA Grip Championships held at Dino Gym in Abilene KS. Weigh-ins and rules briefings were conducted, and the meet was contested using three officials, Chad Ullom, Randy Smith and in training was Sanjiv Gupta. We started with the Pinch Grip, Strict and conservative openers were taking as lifting got underway. Being a grip event, the texture of the plates makes a big difference. The best competition lifts were between 80 and 120 pounds with Jason taking the top spot. We started with 25 pound plates, then 35 pound plates and finally 45 pound plates as the center plates and evenly loaded change plates on either side.

Next was the Vertical Bar, 1 Bar, 1” and hand declarations were made as this can be contested with the left or right hand. The range on this was more extreme with best competition lifts between 115 and 225 pounds. Ben had the top spot and did not even open until everyone else was done. Then came the Deadlift, Fingers, Index. This lift is as much about finger strength as it is about pain tolerance. The range on this was pretty extreme (95-225 pounds) with some lifters just taking a single attempt. Chad had the top spot. Chad opened along with Ben at 205 pounds after the rest of us were done.

Then came the Deadlift, Fulton, Ciavattone Grip. This lift is tough as hand size is as much a factor as raw grip strength. The range of lifts were from 173 to 318 pounds. Chad had the best lift at 318 pounds and took a successful extra attempt for a record at 323 pounds. Finally, we contested the Rim Lift. This is a relatively new lift that we contested on a bar with 20-inch collar to collar spacing. While straddle, hack or conventional deadlift is acceptable, we had one straddle lifter and everybody else pulled conventional. We used plates with a shallow rim depth for my liking. The range of lifts was tight with lifts between 180 and 290 pounds. Chad again had the top spot at 290 pounds.

A fun time was had by all.

MEET RESULTS:

2024 USAWA Grip Championships

February 17th, 2024

Dino Gym

Holland, KS

Meet Director: LaVerne Myers

Meet Scorekeeper: Sanjiv Gupta

Officials (3 official system used): LaVerne Myers, Chad Ullom, Dave Glasgow, Sanjiv Gupta, Lance Foster

Lifts: Pinch Grip – Strict, Vertical Bar Lift 1 Bar 1″ One Hand, Deadlift Index Fingers, Deadlift Fulton Bar Ciavattone Grip, Rim Lift

WOMENS DIVISION

LIFTERAGEBWTPINVB1DLIFDLFBRIMTOTPTS
Stacy Todd4119580180L150173180763705.1

MEN DIVISION

LIFTERAGEBWTPINVB1DLIFDLFBRIMTOTPTS
LaVerne Myers79216100160R1602632709531142.6
Randy Smith69196110180R1202632359081065.5
Chad Ullom52230105185R22531829011231051.3
Ben Edwards48230100225L2052832501063959.9
Sanjiv Gupta52200100160L125243250878886.6
Dave Glasgow7026090115R120233235793807.3
Jason Payne58286120160R95253260888784.8
Lance Foster5823690170R160173210803781.1
Chris Todd44278110170R160223250913721.7

NOTES: BWT recorded in pounds. All weights listed in pounds. R and L designate right and left. TOT is total pounds lifted. PTS are overall adjusted points corrected for bodyweight and age.

EXTRA ATTEMPTS FOR RECORDS:

Chris Todd Pinch Grip Strict 125

Stacy Todd VB1bar1″ 200

Chris Todd VB1bar1″ 180

Sanjiv Gupta VB1bar1″ 170

Chad Ullom VB1bar1″ 200

Lance Foster DL Index Fingers 170

Sanjiv Gupta DL FB CG 253

Chad Ullom DL FB CG 323

Randy Smith DL FB CG 273

Dave Glasgow DL FB CG 243

USAWA Contested Lifts

By Sanjiv Gupta

Sanjiv completing a curl-strict, reverse grip

I have been trying to research the history of all the lifts contested by the USAWA.  It has been a daunting task.  There are 187 lifts in the 11th Edition of the USAWA Rulebook.  For many of these records are kept by left/right hand and in some cases index, little, middle, and ring fingers.

The website does mention that the USAWA started with 110 lifts, but I am not sure which lifts those were.

In researching the National Meeting Minutes I have found the following additions:

  1. Chin Up (2010)
  2. Pull Up (2010)
  3. Foot Press (2010)
  4. Turkish Get-Up (2010)
  5. Bent-Over Row (2010)
  6. Apollon’s Lift (2011)
  7. Cyr Press (2011)
  8. Saxon Snatch (2011)
  9. Dinnie Lift (2011)
  10. Goerner Stroll (2011)
  11. Jackson Press (2011)
  12. People’s Deadlift (2012)
  13. Anderson Press (2012)
  14. Anderson Squat (2012)
  15. Dumbbell to Shoulder (2012)
  16. Bench Press – Fulton Bar (2012)
  17. Curl – Reverse Grip (2012)
  18. Deadlift – No Thumbs, Overhand Grip (2012)
  19. Total Poundage (2012)
  20. Thor’s Hammer (2014)
  21. Kennedy Lift (2014)
  22. Reg Park Bench Press (2016)
  23. Lurich Lift (2018)
  24. Habecker Lift (2018)
  25. Rim Lift (2021)
  26. Jefferson Lift – Fingers, Index (2022)
  27. Jefferson Lift – Fingers, Little (2022)
  28. Jefferson Lift – Fingers, Middle (2022)
  29. Jefferson Lift – Fingers, Ring (2022)

Prior to 2010 there do not appear to be any conveniently accessible archives to understand how the USAWA went from 110 to 162 lifts.  If anybody has any recollections, please get in touch.

If you have a new lift, consider sending it in as an agenda item for the national meeting.  There are no official criteria for a new lift, however some suggestions include:

  1. Is it a new, novel lift?
  2. Does it represent an old time All-Round Weightlifting movement?
  3. Can it be performed by the majority of our members?

The lifts in the rulebook are variations of the classic movements including Presses, Snatches, Clean & Jerks, Deadlifts and Squats.  There are variations that perform these lifts with dumbbells and Fulton barbells.

Interestingly, aside from the Hackenschmidt Floor Press, all of the Old-Time Strongman Lifts have been introduced since 2010 (Editors Note-The Old Time Strongman category was introduced in 2011 at the Dino Gym Challenge. The Hackenschmidt Floor Press was first introduced in January of 2013 at the Dino Gym Challenge).

The heavy lifts will always have a place near and dear to the hearts of All-Round Weightlifters.  In reviewing the records, the heavy lifts have some of the longest standing records in the books.

Buffville Cup II

By Clint Poore

BUFFVILLE CUP 2

SUNDAY, MAY 5, 2024

BUFFVILLE GYM in ALBANY, KENTUCKY

ADDRESS: 205 SOUTH SPRING STREET ALBANY, KENTUCKY

WEIGH-INS:  9 AM – RECORD BREAKING BEGINS AT  10 AM

THE LIFTS:  You can choose any USAWA lift to break but, please let me know your lifts to make sure I have the appropriate equipment for you to set the Record.

ENTRY FEE: NONE, just let me know you are attending, then have fun lifting & breaking records!

MEET DIRECTOR – Clint Poore: contact by email clintpoore@hotmail.com or by phone at 606-688-2600.

USAWA MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED: You must be a member of the USAWA. Registration will be available at onsite if you need to join the USAWA.

RECORD SESSION – Each lifter can perform 1 record attempt. Please let me know what record you will be attempting so that I can be sure I have the appropriate equipment. USAWA National Records can be set at this meet, if we have 3 referees present IAWA  World Records may be set.

HOTEL –  Baymont by Wyndham Albany

              Address: 79 Soma Lane, Albany, KY 42602

              Phone: (606) 387-7238

Buffville Cup

By Clint Poore

BUFFVILLE CUP 1

SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 2024

BUFFVILLE GYM in ALBANY, KENTUCKY

ADDRESS: 205 SOUTH SPRING STREET ALBANY, KENTUCKY

WEIGH-INS: 9 AM – RECORD BREAKING BEGINS AT 10 AM

THE LIFTS: You can choose any USAWA lift to break but, please let me know your lifts to make sure I have the appropriate equipment for you to set the Record.

ENTRY FEE: NONE, just let me know you are attending, then have fun lifting & breaking records!

MEET DIRECTOR – Clint Poore: contact by email clintpoore@hotmail.com or by phone at 606-688-2600.

USAWA MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED: You must be a member of the USAWA. Registration will be available at onsite if you need to join the USAWA.

RECORD SESSION – Each lifter can perform 1 record attempt. Please let me know what record you will be attempting so that I can be sure I have the appropriate equipment. USAWA National Records can be set at this meet, if we have 3 referees present IAWA World Records may be set.

HOTEL – Baymont by Wyndham Albany

Address: 79 Soma Lane, Albany, KY 42602

Phone: (606) 387-7238

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