Tag Archives: Clark’s Gym

Zercher Meet

By Joe Garcia

MEET RESULTS – THE 2011 ZERCHER MEET

The mighty have fallen. This last Saturday, Jan 29, the longest running meet in the USAWA, in fact dating prior to the formation of the USAWA, the Zercher meet was once again held in Clarks gym at Columbia, MO.  At one time, it was one of the premier meets  of our organization,  but recently has fallen on small times.  This one was no exception.  We had a total of three people in the gym, Bill Clark who judged the meet; Tom Powell, our exceptional loader, who never lifts in any of these meets, but like clockwork, shows up to put the weights on the bars; and myself, the lone lifter in the meet.  Quite a bit different from the ones back in the late 80’s,  where we ran three platforms for the lifters.  Consisting of 13 lifts, it makes for a hard day on the body.

On a side note, we may see Bill back lifting in the near future.  He has been to Atlanta to see his favorite surgeon, and they will be replacing his shoulder down the road.  That will be welcome news as he really can’t even move his arm more than about 3 – 4 inches at this point.  Add a new hip and he’ll be good as new.

Since I have been favoring a rotator injury from last summer that started out with a fall from a horse, I pretty much knew that the overhead lifts and the bench weren’t going to be too outstanding for me.  I was correct in that they were all down in poundages, though not as much as I thought they would be.  In the other lifts, except for the Hand and Thigh, I either was able to do the same as last year or bettered a couple of the lifts.  The older lifters in the association will understand how that becomes a victory.  Anyway, for the most part I was happy with the results, and as always, enjoyed seeing Bill and we did end up at the Golden Corral for a late lunch.

2011  Zercher Meet
Clark’s Gym, Columbia, Missouri
January 29, 2011

Meet Director:  Bill Clark
Official:  Bill Clark
Loader: Tom Powell

Lifts: Leg Press, Heels Together Clean and Press, Clean and Jerk, Heels Together Deadlift, Bench – Feet in the Air, Hack Lift, One-Hand Deadlift, Zercher Lift, Steinborn, Neck Lift, Hand and Thigh, Hip Lift and Harness Lift.

Results

Lifter Age BWT Lg Press HT Press C&J HT Dead Bench
Joe Garcia 57 212 400 150 165 315 205
Hack 1Hd Dead Zercher Steinborn
275 245 -R 255 195
Neck HandThigh Hip Harness Total
375 1075 1675 2300 7630

All results in pounds.  BWT is bodyweight in pounds.

Backbreaker Pentathlon

by Joe Garcia

The 2010 Schmidt Backbreaker Pentathlon was held Saturday, November 6, 2010 at Clark’s Gym after a one year abstinence.   Steve Schmidt showed up with his back machine loaded on the truck, Mike Murdock rolled in from Kansas, and Bill Clark and I rounded out the crew.  Bill stayed out of the competition, running the meet and judging, with the rest of us both competing and judging attempts.  After weigh ins, we got started as usual with the Harness lift.  As this was the first time for Mike in attempting any of these lifts, we showed him how to put on the gear and get into the setup.  Wanting to break a few of Bill’s records, Mike came up a little shy but managed a nice 1000 lbs for himself.  I put in a 2415 and tried a personal best of 2615 to no avail.  Warming up while I was struggling with my lifts, Steve got a fairly easy 2705 and decided that was good enough for the day.

Next up was the Hip lift, so we unloaded the bar for that lift.  Mike was able to get 865, showing that with a little work his Harness would definitely go up.  After the Harness, the legs just didn’t seem to have any push, so I was only able to get 1485, and Steve put in a 1915, again not really pushing the limit.

Everyone’s favorite the Hand and Thigh lift was next event.  Again, the bar was unloaded, and we showed Mike the rudiments of doing this lift.  Mike picked up 445, Steve had 1105 and I got 1200.  This is one event where Steve did have problems, just couldn’t get his groove.

Switching to a different big bar, we then proceeded to the Neck lift.  Like any lift, there is certain technique which will aid the lifter in doing the lift and Mike struggled on this one.  Rather than letting the legs do the work, he tried to do the whole thing with his neck.  But, with Bill egging him on, he did manage a 200 lb lift, thereby breaking one of Bill’s records which made Bill extremely happy.  He had threatened to give Mike more weight on the results even if Mike hadn’t gotten the lift just to take it off of his own record.  Both Steve and I did a 335 lb lift.

The final lift of the day was the Back lift.  Out to Steve’s truck to haul in the infamous back machine. It’s not as smooth as the one at the Dino Gym, but seems to work pretty well for Steve.  Mike was able to get 635, with the biggest difficulty being in getting in and out of the contraption.  The least favorite of the five lifts for me, I kept working on setting the depth and the boards and was finally able to get 1625 which seemed fairly easy, but someone nailed the 1825 to the ground.  Steve worked up to 2425 and once again decided he didn’t want to work too hard so stopped at that point.

End results were Steve as the overall winner, with a fun day, and I’m sure that some records were set. Good to see Mike show up in the Show Me State, actually two times in two weekends.  We all went to Golden Corral afterwards to partake of their delights.

Results

Lifter Age Bwt Harn Hip HT Neck Back Total Points
Mike Murdock 70 241 1000 865 445 200 635 3145 3,331.39
Joe Garcia 57 208 2415 1485 1200 335 1625 7060 9,746.00
Steve Schmidt 55 229 2705 1915 1105 335 2425 8485 10,989.90

NOTES:

All weights in pounds. Points are adjusted for bodyweight and age.

Officials: (3 Certified Officials used on all lifts – Bill Clark, Joe Garcia, Mike Murdock, and Steve Schmidt)

Lifts:  Harness Lift, Hip Lift, Hand and Thigh Lift, Neck Lift, and Back Lift

Clark’s Record Day

by Joe Garcia

Clark’s Gym was the setting for another record day, today Sunday October 24,  one of many over the years overseen by the man that started all this, Bill Clark.  It was a beautiful day outside and a fun one inside.  While we didn’t have a large number of players, it is always good to participate in the strength game and be around others who also enjoy lifting.  Leading off was the bench master Dave Beversdorf, along with a young protégé of his, Chris Arnold.  I came in to see whom ever showed up, set some records, talk to Bill and of course, go out to eat afterwards.  Though he is physically hurting and really needs to get his shoulder replaced, even Bill decided to set a couple of records, but was stopped on doing too much because of his right shoulder.

I didn’t get any pictures, due to having to mess with business in the morning,  but Shelly Beversdorf did get some videos, which will probably end up on YouTube.

Officiating was done mainly by Bill and then myself,  and James Foster and I  also provided the spotting for the heavy bench attempts.  Lifting was done over the course of about 3 hours, and 21 records were set, not counting attempts that might be both open and master records.  Looks like a good warm up for Thom’s record event coming up at the end of the week.  Afterwards, we retired to George’s for a bite and more conversation.  Next on the agenda at Clark’s will be the Schmidt Heavylift Pentathlon.

Results:

Clark’s Record Day
Clark’s Gym, Columbia Mo
October 24, 2010
All lifts and weights are in pounds

Dave Beversdorf – Age: 45, Weight: 299, Class: Hwt
Bench Press – Left Arm: 145
Bench Press – Right Arm: 165
Bench Press – Hands Together: 275
Bench Press – Reverse Grip: 410
Bench Press – Alternate Grip: 410

Chris Arnold – Age: 17, Weight: 180, Class: 85kg
Bench Press – Left Arm: 110
Bench Press – Right Arm: 110
Bench Press – Hands Together: 185
Bench Press – Reverse Grip: 185
Bench Press – Alternate Grip: 225
Bench Press – Feet in Air: 205

Joe Garcia – Age: 57, Weight: 205, Class: 95kg
Bench Press – Hands Together: 185
Continental Snatch: 135
Continental to Chest: 205
Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Ciavattone Grip: 260
Vertical Bar Deadlift – 1 Bar, 2″, Left Hand: 170
Vertical Bar Deadlift – 1 Bar, 1″, Left Hand: 225
Vertical Bar Deadlift – 1 Bar, 1″, Right Hand: 200

Bill Clark – Age 78, Weight 247, Class: 115kg
Vertical Bar Deadlift – 1 Bar, 2″, Left Hand: 110
Vertical Bar Deadlift – 1 Bar, 1″, Left Hand: 175
Vertical Bar Deadlift – 1 Bar, 1″, Right Hand: 105

Five Decades

by Thom Van Vleck

Wayne Jackson & Bill Clark in front of "Clark's Championship Gym" in Columbia, Missouri.

Recently, Al and I went to Clark’s Gym to compete in the Deanna Meet with Joe Garcia. My Uncle Wayne Jackson came along. It has been some time since he had seen Bill and along the way we talked about him and Bill’s relationship.

It was in 1962 Wayne told me they first met, it was hard for him to believe that it had been nearly 50 years! It was a 3 hour round trip for us and during that time Wayne shared many stories of taking trips with Bill back in the day. Some were pretty long and believe me, I’m going to write these down. But a couple of short one’s:

One time Bill gave Wayne, Phil Jackson, and Bill Fellows a ride to a meet in Kansas. Bill had an old hearse that he used as his personal vehicle. On the way back, the lights went out and they stopped at a truck stop but could not get them to work again. So Bill talked a trucker in to letting them tailgate him all the way from Kansas City to Columbia. As they left and the next 100 miles revolved around Bill staying glued to the back bumper of this truck…..Wayne said him and Phil got to laughing as they contemplated the irony of being killed in a HEARSE.

Another time, Wayne shared a the story of a write up that Clark did on him in the forerunner of the USAWA newsletter, the MO Valley Lifting News. Wayne had broke the state record in the clean and press and the age of 18 and Bill wrote, “Look out Russians, here comes Wayne Jackson”. Wayne’s brother Phil was excited about the headline, Wayne has always been a modest person and said he was actually embarrassed by it!

Wayne and Bill go way back, and Wayne got Bill’s newsletter from 1962 until the last one and read it religiously. In a way, it almost seemed like a chance to say goodbye for Wayne as his health has not been the best and if that is the case, I’m glad he came…..but I don’t think guys as tough as Bill and Wayne ever give up the ghost quite so easily!!!!!

Nice Rack!!!

by Thom Van Vleck

Rack of York Globe Dumbbells at Clark's Gym

I know a lot of guys will conjure up a different image when another guy yell’s out “nice rack”. But if you are a real ironhead like myself, a different image may come to mind (like the one in the above photo!). Of all the cool stuff at the “Mecca” of the USAWA, Clark’s Gym, this has got to be the coolest. There’s a small fortune there and if it weren’t for my fear of judgement day (both this world and the next!)…..I’d break in and steal those!

I don’t know what it is about globe DB’s, but I like’m. No, I love’m. Maybe it’s their resemblance to something you would find on a nice rack….this time I’m talking the metaphorical “rack” that any real man would admire (Ok, maybe that’s getting a little weird). Maybe it’s because every picture I’ve ever seen of an old timer they are lifting a globe DB (and by old timer, I don’t mean Bill Clark or Art, or Dale, or Denny….they are “new” compared to Saxon, Sandow, and my favorite, Louis Uni). Or maybe it’s just because form follows function and that is the perfect shape! Hex DB’s and Cylinder shaped DB’s just don’t look cool.

Last year, Al Myers and I made a crazy road trip to Denver to see legendary Highland Games Athlete Russ Murphy. Russ was getting up in years and selling his house, and needing to get rid of some equipment which Al and I bought. Russ also entrusted us with some of his “finer” possessions. Things he knew that we would appreciate and take care of and most people wouldn’t understand the value. While there, I spied a set of 95lb York Globe DB’s. I pulled Al aside and explained that a fight was about to break out. He asked why, and I pointed to them and said, I know you are going to want those…..but I saw them first!!! Al smiled, looked at me, and explained he had already “called them” and Russ had promised them to Al! Al had beat me to the punch!!!!! Russ did give me the original RMSA 22lb hammer and it is in a place of honor in my gym and for that I’m very grateful.

The sad part of that story is that Russ had bought them years before and was cutting them up to use the globe parts as throwing weights for the Highland Games!!!! OH, the humanity!!!! Only the 95’s remained and one 60lb DB….which I thought maybe Al would throw me a bone and let me keep that one….but evidently, he’s as greedy as me when it comes to Globe DB’s!!!

I do have one Globe DB, it’s a 40lber. A few years ago, I got a call from a friend who had a guy contact him about some “rare” equipment. Evidently, there was a female professional wrestler back in the day named Ada Ash. She, and her husband, traveled for many years and were also known as Mr. and Mrs. Wrestling. She had never had children and had given this guy her equipment when she was up in years in back in the 70’s. This guy had kept all of this stuff, most of it homemade, and now that he was getting up in years wanted someone to have it that would appreciate it and take care of it. That DB was in that stuff! It also occupies an place of honor in my gym!

So, every time I go to Clark’s I have to peruse the DB rack and if you make the trip to Clark’s Gym…..be sure and check out that NICE RACK!

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