Divisions, Awards & Records

by Al Myers

The other day I wrote a blog about the USAWA scoring system, and how using it is an “unwritten policy” of the USAWA because it is not detailed in the Rulebook but is the common way the USAWA has ALWAYS scored meets.  Today I’m going to cover another topic that has several  “unwritten policies” that applies to divisions, awards, and records.  I know there has been some confusion on this because lately I have received a few emails asking questions on it. I will make references to the USAWA Rulebook whenever possible, but “lots of stuff” is not outlined in the Rulebook with specific details.  Instead, it is just “common knowledge” amongst experienced USAWA members.  I will also “throw in” a few opinions of my own in this story as it relates to these matters.

First, the USAWA recognizes four main age groups with subdivisions.  This comes straight from the Rulebook:

II. 3.  The USAWA will recognize four main age groups:

  • Junior – This includes lifters who have not reached their 20th birthday.   Junior age groups may be further split into smaller age groups. These include 13 and under, 14-15, 16-17, and 18-19.
  • Senior – This includes lifters who have reached their 20th birthday, but have not reached their 40th birthday.
  • Open – This includes lifters who are 20 years of age or older.
  • Master – This includes lifters who are 40 years of age or older. Master age groups may be further split into smaller age groups.  These include 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, and will continue each 5 years to infinity.

These are the age groups which MAY be offered in any USAWA competitions.  No where in the Rulebook does it say a meet director MUST offer each of these age group (and subdivisions).  In fact, most USAWA competitions do not offer ANY of these age group categories in meets.  Small meets competitors just typically compete against everyone, with the ranking determined by the Scoring System which I outlined the other day. However at big competitions (like the USAWA National Championship) these age groups may be offered because awards are given for BEST LIFTERS within these different groupings. That is really the only reason age groupings are included at meets – for the awards.  It is silly to advertise age groupings if it doesn’t mean anything, ie offering age group categories but NOT giving out awards in them.  By now, some have noticed that the 2012 National Championships is offering these age groupings: Junior, Senior, and Master for both Men and Women. Our Rulebook clearly spells out that Men and Women have seperate divisions:

II. 1.  Competitions are to be organized for both men and women.

You will notice that the OPEN age group is not included at Nationals this year.  This age grouping has been included at times in the past at Nationals.  Now is the time for me to “get on my soapbox” during this story and explain my views on why I’m NOT OFFERING the open division. First of all, of ALL these four age groupings, there is only one that is redundant (already represented in other age groupings) and THAT is the open age group. The “open” age group is solely the combination of the Senior age group and the Master age group.  This is where the problem arises.  By having the open age group for awards (in place of the Senior Age Group), it allows lifters in the Masters age group to win their Master Awards as well  as the open awards, thus “taking awards away” from those lifters in the Senior 20-39 age group.  I call this DOUBLE DIPPING.  Of course, the Master lifters lose their age percent adjustment to do this, but STILL CAN win these awards.  Offering the Senior Age Group (instead of an open age group) for awards eliminates the possibility of this happening.  Now – I know what several of you are saying right now! And that is” if a Master is good enough without their age point bonus they SHOULD win these awards!” After all – being an “old guy” shouldn’t be an advantage – Right???? Well, I can tell you that this is making the assumption that age is NOT an advantage.  I know I am better in several of the all round lifts now at the age of 45 than I was at the age of 35, because I have had the many years experience of learning the correct way of performing the lifts. Am I stronger now? No – but I’m just “better” at some of the difficult all round lifts because I have had more years of practice time.  So I would argue that lifters of Master Age MIGHT at times have an advantage over novice Senior lifters – thus why the Senior Age Group should be recognized by itself.  Every other age group is recognized by itself – why should lifters in the 20-39 age group be discriminated against???

The USAWA is not like most other lifting organizations. We are not a “for profit” business and NO ONE makes a profit from putting on a meet. Our meet promoters are NOT professional meet promoters.  I know a few PL meet promoters who make their living “running meets”, and like any business, need to make money to continue.  I sure don’t fault them for this. But in the USAWA if a meet director “breaks even” on meets that is the norm.  I have been to powerlifting meets in the past where one could enter multiple divisions if they wanted to.  I never did this because I thought it was foolish.  It is just a “marketing ploy” on the meet directors part to “up sale the entries” for more profit.  After all, it makes perfect business sense to allow one lifter to pay several entry fees so they could win lots of awards.    Add in American Records for each of these divisions and then you really “sweeten the pot” to sucker more lifters in with this sales pitch.  I’ve seen lifters walk out of these meets carrying more weight in awards than their max squat and “bragging” on the 12 American Records they just set over the course of the 6 divisions they entered!!!  Who do they think they are kidding here?  But the lifters are happy with their boughten fame and the meet directors smiling with his fat pockets.

I’m glad the USAWA doesn’t operate like that. A meet director should charge what is needed to finance a meet with one entry fee per lifter and not rely on “tricking” the lifters into more fees.  Also, no one is “buying” a record in a special division in the USAWA.  If you enter a meet and set a record – YOU SET A RECORD!  No where in the Rulebook does it say you must be “entered” in that division or age group (and have paid an entry fee for it) to set a record in that division.  Lifters have set overall (or open) records in the past without ever being officially entered in these divisions. That’s the precident which has been set long before now. This comes AGAIN straight from the Rulebook:

V. 8.  Records will be kept for men and women in all weight classes within subgroups of the Junior and Master age groups. Overall records will be kept for men and women in all weight classes, and will include all age groups.  

Now I’m not saying that is how the records are being kept now -but this line in the Rulebook CLEARLY outlines how the records SHOULD be kept.  It does not say “open records” are kept, but that OVERALL records are kept.  This means the OVERALL best record within all age groupings – Junior, Senior and Master.  Think of it as the ULTIMATE weight class record, because it is the BEST ever done in the weight class, of all ages.  And I’ll say it again – you DO NOT have to pay a special fee at a meet to get this record!

As you can tell I am not in favor of the open age group.   From now on any meet I’m promoting WILL NOT include this age grouping. Of course, if other meet promoters want to have it in their meet that is their right.  The USAWA will not tell you what awards to give out – that’s your job as the meet promoter.  But don’t count on me entering your open age group (in addition to the Masters) to give you a few extra dollars! I’ll always think that’s a scam as well as unfair to the Senior Age Class lifters.

I welcome any rebuttals to to my opinions on this subject.

Club Challenge

by John McKean

MEET RESULTS
USAWA CLUB CHALLENGE: RITE OF SPRING

Group picture from 2012 USAWA Club Challenge. (front left to right): Rudy Bletscher, John McKean, Roger LaPointe, Art Montini (back left to right): Chad Ullom, Al Myers, Scott Schmidt, Denny Habecker, Andy Root

For me the first REAL day of Spring began with the bright, beaming smiles of Scott, Denny, Al, Chad, and Rudy as they bounded into the cave-like Ambridge VFW gym to get Art & me out of hibernation! Heck, just the day before it still looked like a typical Western Pennsylvania winter, with gray skies, wind, and snow flurries! Yet the Saturday team challenge had nothing but warming sunshine and crisp, crystal blue skies, which seemed to shout “Get off your lazy butts, it’s time for renewed vigor, a day for record setting!”

First in was an always energetic Roger LaPointe of the Atomic Athletic club from Bowling Green, Ohio. Rog presented each of us with outstanding “old tyme” posters of his upcoming Heavy Lift Championships in May, and was the “early bird” (no, we didn’t give him a worm!) onto the lifting platform. Roger wanted to “warm up” for the main team event by performing a series of record lifts of his specialties with various Olympic style lifts. As usual, his form was crisp and snappy, even inspiring this old achy author to wake up and get in a few records to alert my aging excuse of a body that serious activity was just ahead !

Despite a local bridge having just been closed, Art and Denny zoomed over to the Pittsburgh airport to fetch Al, Chad, and Rudy. Promptly at 11:50 the 3 Kansas stalwarts popped out of the gates, took the speedy drive (Art was at the wheel!) over the Ohio River, and set a new team record in getting ready to lift in the locker room. I swear they flew over in their singlets and warmed up on the jet! (These guys KNOW how to prepare for away meets – they seem to travel somewhere every weekend!).

Club Challenge Meet Director John McKean performing a one arm dumbbell swing of 55 pounds.

Andy Root, from nearby New Castle, showed up to treat us to his outstandingly powerful brand of all-round lifting. Andy, you may recall, first appeared last year at Art’s Birthday Bash, with his heart set on his initial USAWA lift to be the Inman Mile (we talked him out of it, and injuries prevented him from trying it today!!). Andy couldn’t coerce team mates to attend with him this time, though. Girlfriend Angela came along, but she was in serious training for a power meet in Ohio next month to perform a world record bench press of 240 pounds at a mere 123 #bwt! We tried & tried, but couldn’t convince the lovely little lady – a very determined and focused powerlifter – to lift today. Fortunately, in putting meet certificates together for the challenge, my wife Marilyn had created an award, “just in case”, for a “team” of one – the “Man Alone” award, which Andy took home!

Phil Rosenstern from our Ambridge club was in for his Saturday workout with his son. Like last year, he didn’t know a USAWA meet was going on. So he promptly entered in order to set a new “Reeves Deadlift” record. As one of the country’s top flight deadlifters for years, Phil made easy work of this difficult lift!  He must have inspired team mate Art, who sure never shows his almost 85 years – except, of course, for his characteristic surliness!! Art is already preparing for the Nationals, World’s, and his Birthday Bash!!

It was a sight as Art, Rudy, and I were performing our pullover and press lifts on our own separate platform. The lifts weren’t difficult, but getting each of us old timers back upright off the platform after attempts required the combined efforts of the other two!! I noted, however, that Rudy sure was spry and strong on his swing and hack lifts!

As expected, the big boys, Chad and Al, dominated the heavy lifts. Both showed amazing splitting form in heavy one arm swings, and huge stacking of plates for hack lifts. Chad in particular had bulked up, looking so big that I suspect the guys didn’t really take a jet at all – they just sat on Chad’s massive back and let him flap his huge arms to literally “fly” over from the mid-west! (Ground observers would’ve reported a gigantic “bald eagle” flying above!).

A fine, but all-too-quick day of lifting was punctuated with the annual trip down to the famous Maple Restaurant, home of the proclaimed best hot roast beef sandwich in the country (before we even started lifting, visibly salivating at the mouth, Al told me we could go to ANY restaurant afterwards -except pure vegetarian(!!) – as long as such a place served that fantastic rich beef gravy & gallons of it!). This year, for the first time ever, ALL lifters in the challenge attended the dinner!! And then Sunday we’re on Daylight Savings Time – Spring has truly sprung!!

MEET RESULTS:

USAWA Club Challenge
Ambridge Barbell Club
Ambridge, PA
March 10th, 2012

Meet Director: John McKean

Officials (3 official system used): John McKean, Art Montini, Scott Schmidt, Denny Habecker, Al Myers, Chad Ullom

Lifts: Pullover and Press, Swing – Dumbbell, One Arm, Hack Lift

1. Dino Gym – 2047.0 adjusted points

Lifter Age BWT P&P Swing Hack
Al Myers 45 247 320 140R 540
Chad UIlom 40 255 310 150R 490
Rudy Bletscher 76 218 108 55R 220

2.  Atomic Athletic – 1992.0 adjusted points

Lifter Age BWT P&P Swing Hack
Roger LaPointe 40 165 154 80L 300
Denny Habecker 69 191 194 75R 270
Andy Root 31 180 245 98R 510

3.  Ambridge VFW BBC – 1666.9 adjusted points

Lifter Age BWT P&P Swing Hack
John McKean 66 172 148 55R 330
Art Montini 84 184 118 35L 200
Scott Schmidt 59 246 209 88R 253

NOTES: BWT is bodyweight in pounds.  All lifts recorded in pounds. Adjusted points is the total adjusted points for all team lifters, adjusted for bodyweight and age. L and R designate the arm used in DB swing.

EXTRA LIFTS FOR RECORDS:

John McKean: Curl – Reverse Grip 100#
John McKean: Bent Over Row 202#
John McKean: Pullover – Bent Arm 80#
Roger LaPointe: Snatch – Fulton Bar 99#
Roger LaPointe:  Clean and Press – Fulton Bar 127#
Roger LaPointe: Clean and Push Press – Fulton Bar 127#
Roger LaPointe: Snatch – From Hang 152#
Chad Ullom: Swing – Dumbbell, Left Arm 120#
Chad Ullom: Squat – Front 425#
Phil Rosenstern: Deadlift – Reeves 355#
(58 years old, 198# BWT)

USAWA Scoring

by Al Myers

One of the unique aspects of the USAWA is our scoring system for meets.  I know there are several  USAWA lifters who are not fully familiar (and completely understand) this scoring system so I’m going to take today’s story and go over it.  Now – I’m not going to get into any discussion (or my opinion) on whether it is fair or not.  That’s been hashed over many times and no one will ever be considered the victor.  There will always be some who don’t think it is fair – young lifters, old lifters, light lifters or heavy lifters.  I’ve heard it from all.

The USAWA scoring system is not outlined anywhere in the Rule Book.  It has been one of those “unwritten policies” of the USAWA that has been in place since the beginning.  Bill Clark is the one who came up with the way our scoring is done.  By the way, the IAWA uses the same scoring system (with some minor differences).  It is just the way it has always been done.  Simply put, a lifters total weight lifted during the day (on their max lift in each event)  is adjusted for the lifters bodyweight (by using the Lynch Formula) and corrected for age allowance (1% per year starting at the age of 40).  This gives each lifter an adjusted Lynch Points that can be used to determine the ranking of the meet.  By using this system, lifters of all ages and bodyweights can be compared.  Now it’s time for questions.

May a Meet Director use a different scoring system if they want? 

The answer is YES, but the recommendation  from the USAWA is to use the system we have in place so we have meet consistency.  Championships are different in that they definitely are REQUIRED to use this scoring system. But if a meet director wants to have divisions for awards, that is acceptable.  The USAWA has always allowed meet directors to give out any awards they want to and to whom they want to.  That is another “unwritten policy” of the USAWA.

How do I get these factors for the Lynch Formula and formulas to do these calculations?

The Lynch Formula is available on the website under “Scoring Information” on the Home Page.  It is a MUST READ to fully understand all the details of the USAWA Scoring System.   Everything is available on that page to successfully score a USAWA competition.

Is there a spreadsheet available to do this scoring system?

GOOD NEWS on that question!  For the last 6 months we have been using an Excel Spreadsheet developed by Mike Murdock.  All of the “bugs” have now been worked out of it and it will be “released” in the near future.  It makes scoring a USAWA meet very easy! The Lynch Factors and age adjustments are built into it.  It even has the capabilities of printing off certificates for each lifter which summarizes their lifts.

Shoulder Flexibility Testing – Part 2

by Al Myers

I feel the following tests (listed below)  do a good job of assessing your shoulder flexibility.  I challenge everyone to take these tests yourself and then see if you have any flexibility issues with your shoulders.  If you pass all of them with “flying colors” then I would say don’t worry about things at this time, you have more than enough shoulder flexibility to be a competitive weightlifter.  Years ago when I was training young lifters for Olympic Lifting competitions I had a young girl miss one of her snatches in competition by getting the bar to far behind her head at the top of the snatch.  She nonchalently performed a shoulder dislocation catching the bar behind her back without moving her hands, stood up, and then set the bar down on the platform behind her back. I was alarmed as I thought for sure she tore up her shoulders with this – but it didn’t faze her. She had such unbelievable shoulder flexibility that this was non painful in any way to her (even though it looked like it would have caused major injury to me!).

1. Shoulder Flex Test

Dino Gym member Bryce Meuli showing an excellent test on the Shoulder Flex Test. He easily made a full hand clasp both directions.

This is by far the most common test to assess shoulder flexibility. All it takes is a tape measure to evaluate the results. This test is widely used by personal trainers to evaluate clients before programs are established.

Instructions:

  • Raise one arm over the head and reach downwards behind back
  • Bend the other arm behind back and reach upwards
  • Try to touch hands, and measure the distance apart if not touching
  • Repeat with other direction

Shoulder Flex Test Results

EXCELLENT – fingers overlap
GOOD – fingers touch
AVERAGE – fingers are less than 2 inches apart
POOR – fingers are more than 2 inches apart
VERY POOR – fingers are more than 12 inches apart
EMBARRASSING – fingers are more than 24 inches apart

2.  Shoulder Circumduction Test

Bryce was 12 inches beyond shoulder width in the Shoulder Circumduction Test. This would put him in the GOOD CLASSIFICATION.

This test measures the flexibility of shoulder rotation.  It is also a very common test to evaluate shoulder flexibility.  All that is required is a broomstick and a tape measure to measure results.  The first thing you will need to do is measure the width of your shoulders at their widest point.

Instuctions:

  • Hold broomstick overhead with straight arms with comfortable grip
  • Lower the broomstick behind the head keeping the arms straight
  • Slide your grip out on the broomstick to allow for shoulder rotation
  • The entire hand must stay on the broomstick
  • Once positioned above the hip, measure the distance between thumbs

Shoulder Circumduction Test Results

EXCELLENT – distance less than 6 inches more than shoulder width
GOOD – distance less than 12 inches more than shoulder width
AVERAGE – distance less than 18 inches more than shoulder width
POOR – distance less than 24 inches more than shoulder width
VERY POOR – distance less than 30 inches more than shoulder width
EMBARRASSING – distance more than 30 inches than shoulder width, or just can’t even do it!

3. Kelly Shoulder Stretch Test

Bryce scored an 85 degrees on the Kelly Shoulder Stretch Test. This would put him in the GOOD CLASSIFICATION. Of course if his assistant would have positioned the ruler a little more square on his back he would have been over the 90 degrees giving him an EXCELLENT RATING.

Now this is shoulder flexibility test that I came up with.  It is a derivative of a not well-known All Round Lift – the Kelly Snatch (or also known as the reverse swing).  It measures shoulder rotation from another direction.  Instead of moving away from the head, you are moving towards the head with this test.  It does take a little special equipment for measurement of this test. You will need a couple of small boards (like 3 foot rulers) bolted together, and a way of measuring degrees, as well as a broomstick.

Instructions:

  • Place the hands shoulder width apart on a broomstick, palms up.
  • Lay face down on a table with arms straight holding the broomstick above hips.
  • Raise the broomstick up while keeping the arms straight
  • Use rulers to fix angle at point of maximum rotation from center point of the shoulders

Kelly Shoulder Stretch Test Results

EXCELLENT – angle exceeds 90 degrees
GOOD – angle exceeds 75 degrees
AVERAGE – angle exceeds 60 degrees
POOR – angle exceeds 45 degrees
VERY POOR – angle exceeds 30 degrees
EMBARRASSING – angle is less than 30 degrees

How did you do on these simple shoulder flexibility tests?  Are you excellent on all these tests?  The purpose of this is to bring attention to any issues with poor shoulder flexibility, so you can take action to correct these deficiencies before things get worse. Because they will without attending to them!!  Just a little work on shoulder flexibility might help in catching that Jerk or Push Press when over head with a maximum attempt, especially if you are at the low ends of these tests. I’m not going to “share with the World” my results, as so to say, THEY ARE EMBARRASSING!

Shoulder Flexibility Testing – Part 1

by Al Myers

Tim Piper performing a Kelly Snatch. This is an All Round Lift that requires great shoulder flexibility.

FLEXIBILITY – now that’s a word not often used in a weightlifters vocabulary.  All of my life I have had this believe when it came to flexibility – “a little is good, but alot is a bad thing in regards to strength”.  Now I know there are personal trainers out there who would wholeheartly disagree with me on this statement, but let me explain myself first.  A big part of being strong (for max efforts lifts that is) is to “be tight” in the bottom position, or starting position,  of a lift.  Take the deadlift for example.  As you descend to the bar, you want to feel like a spring where maximum compression occurs at the bottom starting position, and takes maximum flexibility to reach this point.  Any flexibility beyond this does you no good, and probably is limiting your ability to “explode” from the bottom position.  I have done training programs in the past where I trained standing on platforms to increase the range of motion on my deadlifts.  I got stronger in those motions, and probably increase my deadlift flexibility,  but guess what, my max deadlift off the floor did not increase!  In fact, I felt “too loose” (and uncomfortable) in the bottom of a floor deadlift afterwards.

But I’m getting off topic here. Todays story is about shoulder flexibility. As I’ve got older I have noticed that the normal flexibility that I have taken for granted in the past is leaving me.  My main problem area is with my shoulders.  Too many years of bench pressing and front shoulder work is probably the culprit.  I have the problem which I’m going to call the “tight shoulder syndrome”.   I know many weightlifters have this same problem, especially as they become master lifters. Now the “tide has shifted”, and instead of decreased flexibility being your ally in increased strength, it has become your nemesis by limiting your range of motion in lifts that require more flexibility to complete them pain free.

Last weekend at the meet in Minneapolis I was asking David Dellanave about why his club was named The Movement. David explained to me that the reason for this was that they emphasize movements (or exercises) that increase functionality.  Every exercise should have a beneficial component to increase the bodies ability to MOVE.  He demonstrated this by doing a straight legged toe touch, and then after doing some stiff legged deadlifts, was able to show an increase in stretch in the toe touch AFTER the stiff legged deadlifts. That makes sense to me!  I have been choosing exercises all my life that do the complete opposite!! The time has come that I need to start doing some exercises that will “shift the tide” back in my favor in regards to flexibility.  I have decided to start this “experiment” with my shoulders as that is my biggest problem area.

One of my problems is that when I’m in the gym I have to have a specific goal in mind to motivate my training.  Whether that be a meet coming up or a specific “challenge implement” in mind, I need that for my motivation.  I have always done some stretching in the past, but often don’t focus on it like I should as there is no way of measuring my progress (or so I thought).   I have done some internet research on shoulder flexibility and have come up with three Shoulder Flexibility Tests (2 very standard ones, and one original that I think is an important one for all rounders) that I would like to share with you. I am going to test myself on these, and then after some “training time” on shoulder flexibility retest myself and see what improvements I’ve made. If I don’t make progress, I’ll switch up my program until I find what works in regards to improving on these tests.  That ought to be motivation!  Tomorrow I’m going to reveal these tests so if you want to join me in this program you can.

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