By Al Myers
I just recently updated the Club Certificates for all member clubs of the USAWA. These are available under “About Us”/”Member Clubs”. Any club can easily download their certificate for printout to proudly display in the training facilities. Currently the USAWA has 8 member clubs – Dino Gym, Ambridge BBC, Clark’s Gym, Franks Barbell Club, Habeckers Gym, KC Strongman, Ledaig Heavy Athletics, and Schmidt’s Barbell Club.
By Eric Todd
The USAWA has had a presence on Facebook for some time. Just recently, thanks to the tech savvy of Beth Skwarecki with the help of Lace Foster, we have recently added a presence on Instagram. Links to both accounts are under the tab of “About Us” on the home page. It is under “USAWA Social Media.” For quick reference, feel free to follow this link:
Please feel free to participate in both. Thank you to Beth and Lance for adding this valuable tool to help the USAWA reach out and communicate with lifters across the world.
MEET ANNOUNCEMENT: OLD TIME STRONGMAN CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE BACK!!!
By Eric Todd
Lynda Burns pulls a big People’s Deadlift at the OTSM Championship
The Old Time Strongman Championship is BACK in 2021! After a trash year in the USAWA dealing with a trash pandemic, and relying heavily on postal competitions (which we were very lucky to have), I am excited to announce the 2021 Old Time Strongman Championship. This is often one of our better attended competitions, and I am counting on it being so again this year. The meet will once again be held in my big tin can.
I always like the offer this disclaimer for anyone who has not lifted in my facility. It is not a place of luxury. It gets hot in the summer and cold in the winter. So, come prepared, depending on what the weather brings that particular day. No easy chairs, no davenports, no recliners. No running water, so the restroom facilities come in the shape of an outhouse out back. Toilet Paper is in the ammo box. That being said, there is plenty of weight to make big lifts on!
Lifts for the meet:
Cyr Press
Habecker Lift
Hackenschmidt Floor Press
Kennedy Lift
Date: September 11, 2021
Weigh ins: 9:30
Rules: 10:00
Meet Time: 10:30
Cost $25 (Make Checks out to Eric Todd)
Entries due (in hand) August 28
Awards: There will be awards
I will post directions a little closer to meet time. Follow those and you will be golden. Follow GPS and you might be blowed up. Hope to see you all out here on September 11 for good times and great lifting. Entry form below:
By Eric Todd
Because of membership request, it is my plan to post pictures with the postal results as much as possible. That being said, this will require some of you guys to send me pictures after you have completed your postal lifts. Otherwise, you will probably get tired of seeing KCSTRONGMAN pics. Any help in this is appreciated. You can email them to me at SalGuimino@yahoo.com. If i get multiple, I may have to pick and choose, but I will try to have as good of representation as I can given the pictures I receive.
By Al Myers
I performed the Rim Lift at the 2018 IAWA Gold Cup in Eastbourne England. I feel it will be a great new lift for the USAWA!
At the National Meeting the USAWA membership voted to accept a new lift put forth by the executive board for approval. The Rim Lift was presented to the EB for new lift status back in 2020 before the COVID pandemic by LaVerne Myers. LaVerne had “tested out” the Rim Lift at the 2020 Grip Championships he promoted as an exhibition lift. Several lifters took part after the meet in trying out the Rim Lift, in which all seemed to really enjoy it. A few lifters went over 300 pounds in this trial – Jason Payne did 340, and Dave Glasgow, Eric Todd, and Chad Ullom did 300 pounds. LaVerne, at 75 years of age, did 280.
The Rim Lift is an official lift in the IAWA-UK, and has been for a long time. The USAWA rule for it is the same as the IAWA-UK rule, which is as follows:
Rim Lift
The lift may be performed under the official rules of the Deadlift, Hacklift, or Jefferson Lift while only holding onto the rims of the gripping plates with the thumbs on the inside and the fingers over the rims of the plates. The maximum plate diameter is 18 inches. If smaller plates are used for the gripping plates larger (18″ max diameter) plates may be added to the outside. The gripping plates must be flat and smooth on the inside surface, and the rim cannot be deeper than 1 inch. It is an infraction to grab any handles, holes, or specially prepared areas on the plates to aid in gripping. Any length of bar may be used as the distance between collars is optional. The lifter must finish the lift in an upright position and under control. Once motionless, the head official will give a command to lower the bar.
At the meeting I made an amendment to the lift proposal to accept the prior lifts done at the Grip Champs to count retroactively and be the first Rim Lift records in the record book. The Rim Lift will be added to the updated USAWA Rule Book.