Tag Archives: Heavy Lift Championships

Heavy Lift Championship Update

By Eric Todd

Barry Bryan executing a hip lift

The entry deadline for the Heavy Lift Championship has come and gone.  The work has been put in.  Time to reap what we have sown and enjoy a great day of lifting.  I expect to see some big numbers.  Here are the confirmed lifters:

Dean Ross
Lance Foster
Dave Hahn
Eric Todd
Greg Cook
John Douglas
John Strangeway
Denny Habecker

 

Nice turnout for this championship.  I know we are over a week out, but at this point it looks like the weather should be nice.  Couple reminders:

  • This is a drug tested event.  Any lifter who competes has the possibility of being tested for elevated testosterone.
  • USAWA dress code will be enforced.  It should be nice, but could start off a little cool.  Please be prepared to lift in shirt and shorts or a singlet.  Official dress code can be found in the USAWA rule book here: RULEBOOK
  • The restroom is either an outhouse or tall weeds.  If that does not suit you, you might hit up the pot at the local filling station before coming out here

DIRECTIONS

  • From the North:  Take I-35 going south.  After you pass by Cameron, take exit 48 which is the Lawson/Cameron exit to HWY 69.  Take a left onto 69.  Take it 3 or 4 miles take a left onto 292, which is a gravel road.  Take it a mile or maybe less to the first right, Deer Creek.  Deer Creek winds around a bit, but take it about a mile to the first left, 286th.  Take it about a mile to the third house on the right.  We will be lifting in the big tin can.
  • From the South: Take I-35 going north.  Take exit 40 to HWY 116.  This is the Lathrop/Polo exit.  Take a right on 116.  Take it about 2 miles until you get to 69 HWY.  Take a left.  Go about 4 miles north on 69 and take a right on 280th.  After about a mile take the first left onto Deer Creek.  Take it about a mile going north and take the first right onto 286th.  Take it about a mile to the third house on the right.  We will be lifting in the big tin can.
  • If you follow these directions and get lost, by all means, call me.  If you try plugging my address into GPS and get lost, you are on your own.

Weigh ins officially start at 9:30, but I will be out there before that if you want to weigh in a few minutes early.  I will probably be out there between 8:30 and 9:00.  If I am not there yet come on into the tin can and make yourself at home.  You will have to wait on me.  We will start the rules meeting  directly at 10:00, and lifting at 10:30.  During the rules, I will be happy to outline some suggestions on heavy lifting for some of you that are new to this. We have very cool award platters for the top 3 by formula, and championship medals for all lifters.  Looking forward to another great championship event at the House of Iron and Stone!

 

Heavy Lift Championships

By Eric Todd

Meet Announcement:

The USAWA Heavy Lift Championship

The 2018 USAWA Heavy Lift Championship will be hosted by KCSTRONGMAN on Saturday, May 5, 2018. It will be at my training facility out in God’s Country, USA.  The traditional 3 heavy lifts will be contested: The neck lift, the hand and thigh, and the hip lift.  I will have my neck lift and hip lift belt available, though they are made for my proportions, so feel free to bring your own.  The Heavy Lift Championship goes back just about as far as any meet in the USAWA.  This is our second time of hosting it, and we hope to do so in a fashion that will uphold its place as one of the most prestigious championships in the organization.  I have said it before (many times) but would feel remiss if someone who has not been before signed up in the hopes of lifting in a pristine facility.  My place is not that.  It is hot in the summer and cold in the winter.  The floor is gravel, and there is an outhouse out back.  However, we have over a ton of 100# plates, and a boat load of assorted change, more than enough for the best of the best hip lifters.  I will post directions on the forum when we get closer.  Do not put my address in GPS; it will not get you here.  Hope some of you all can make it out to make this one of the best Heavy Lifts in history!

ENTRY FORM (word) –  Heavy Lift Entry

ENTRY FORM (PDF) –  Heavy Lift Entry

2017 USAWA Heavylift Championships

By Rocky Morrison

2017 USAWA HEAVY LIFT CHAMPIONSHIPS

Group picture from the 2017 Heavy Lift Championships.

Group picture from the 2017 Heavy Lift Championships.

Frank’s Barbell Club hosted the 2017 Heavylift Championships on May 13, 2017. It may not have been the largest turnout for a Heavylift Championships, but it was great time. We had a lot of laughs (like Joe Jr popping a rivet on the neck lift head gear) and saw some great lifting. It was very impressive to see all lifters exceed the 1 Ton mark.

MEET RESULTS:

2017 USAWA Heavy Lift Championships
Frank’s Barbell Club
Walpole, MA
May 13th, 2017

Meet Director: Mark Raymond

Official: Frank Ciavattone

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

Lifters:

Lifter Age Group Weight Class
Mark Raymond 54 50+ 241 110kg
Rocky Morrison 55 55+ 261 120kg
Joe Ciavattone, Jr. 23 Open 211 100kg
Joe Ciavattone, Sr. 48 45+ 234 110kg

Lifts (All weights in pounds):

Lifter Neck Lift Hand & Thigh Lift Hip Lift Total Weight Overall Place
Mark Raymond 125 702 1202 2029 4th
Rocky Morrison 402* 802 1202 2406 3rd
Joe Ciavattone, Jr. 552** 1402 1522 3476 1st
Joe Ciavattone, Sr. 552 802 1202 2556 2nd 
* - USAWA Record
** - While attempting 752 lbs Joe Jr popped a rivot on the head gear, 
     thus ending the Neck Lift competition. From what we hear, this is the 
     second time he has done that.

After the lifts were complete Frank and Colleen hosted the lifters for a BBQ (and the weather cooperated). I was master chef at the grill for the day (Gordon Ramsey would have been proud).

A huge thanks to Mark Raymond and Frank’s Barbell club for putting on this great event.

Heavy Lift Championships

By Al Myers

MEET ANNOUNCEMENT

This picture of Frank doing a heavy Harness Lift hangs on the wall of Frank's Barbell Club. I took a picture of it the last time I was at his gym because it answers a basis question. What do you do when you lift so much the bar isn't big enough? Well - you tape on more!!!

This picture of Frank doing a heavy Harness Lift hangs on the wall of Frank’s Barbell Club. I took a picture of it the last time I was at his gym because it answers a basic question. What do you do when you lift so much the bar isn’t big enough? Well – you tape on more!!!

The Heavy Lift Championships are heading back to Boston!  And what better place than the home of the Super Bowl Champs New England Patriots! (had to throw that in for you Rocky! haha) The meet has just been sanctioned for May 13th, 2017.  The co-meet promoters for this Championships are Mark Raymond and Rocky Morrison.  The Walpole area of Boston has always been a “hotbed” of heavy lifting with the chain lifts.  The meet will be held at Frank’s Barbell Club.  Frank is legendary as a heavy lifter and has all the equipment needed. Frank has promoted several Heavy Lift Championships through the years (2013, 2005, 2002, 1999, 1998 ).  Frank has also won the OVERALL BEST LIFTER at 5 of these Championships (2005, 2004, 2002, 1999, & 1998). That’s a heavy resume!  I was at Frank’s last promotion of the Heavy Lift Championships in 2013.  It was an unbelievable event.  I know Mark and Rocky will put on an event that will be just as good.  I noticed from the entry form and announcement that there will be a backyard cookout afterwards. That alone is worth going for!

The deadline for entry is April 22nd. Please get your entry in on time so they know how many lifters to plan for.

MEET ANNOUNCEMENT & ENTRY FORM:

Entry Form 2017 Heavy Lift Championships

Heavy Lift Champs Update

By Al Myers

Since my blog the other day on the history of the USAWA Heavy Lift Championships, I have received overwhelming support of information from several lifters.  I have these guys to thank for making this review complete: Frank Ciavattone, Denny Habecker, and Joe Garcia.  Thanks guys!

I’m now able to fill in the “open slots” in this summary. Of interest to me, 1994 was considered the first ever Heavy Lift Championships, as designated on the meet summary by Bill Clark. Before this the meet was known as the Schmidt’s Backbreaker Pentathlon, named after legendary heavy lifter Steve Schmidt.  Bill continued to promote the Backbreaker on years Clark’s Gym did not host the Heavy Lift Championships following 1994.

The summary below will be kept in our history archives and updated each year with the new best lifters. I plan over the next few weeks to do more stories highlighting the history of the Heavy Lift Championships.  The Heavy Lift Championships is our second longest running Championship event in the USAWA behind our annual National Championships. It has a deep history and deserves more recognition.

HEAVY LIFT CHAMPIONSHIPS

DATE PROMOTER LOCATION MENS CHAMPION WOMENS CHAMPION
5/7/2016 Denny Habecker Lebanon, PA James Fuller Cassie Morrison
5/2/2015 Eric Todd Cameron, MO Eric Todd Mary McConnaughey
5/3/2014 Al Myers Holland, KS Eric Todd none
5/4/2013 Frank Ciavattone Walpole, MA Al Myers Colleen Lane
5/12/2012 Roger LaPointe Bowling Green, OH Eric Todd none
5/21/2011 Denny Habecker York, PA Joe Garcia none
11/6/2010 Bill Clark Columbia, MO Steve Schmidt none
5/16/2009 Denny Habecker Lebanon, PA Al Myers none
11/15/2008 Bill Clark Columbia, MO Steve Schmidt none
11/9/2007 Bill Clark Columbia, MO Steve Schmidt none
11/12/2006 Bill Clark Columbia, MO Steve Schmidt none
8/27/2005 Frank Ciavattone Walpole, MA Frank Ciavattone Cara Collins
8/28/2004 Denny Habecker Lebanon, PA Frank Ciavattone Stephanie Meyer
11/9/2003 Bill Clark Columbia, MO Steve Schmidt none
10/19/2002 Frank Ciavattone Walpole, MA Frank Ciavattone Cara Collins
11/10/2001 Bill Clark Columbia, MO Abe Smith none
11/5/2000 Bill Clark Columbia, MO John Monk none
9/11/1999 Frank Ciavattone Walpole, MA Frank Ciavattone none
12/5/1998 Frank Ciavattone Walpole, MA Frank Ciavattone Cara Collins
11/1/1997 Bill Clark Columbia, MO John Carter Amy Burks
10/27/1996 Kerry Clark Columbia, MO John Carter none
10/29/1995 Bill Clark Columbia, MO John Carter Emily Gordon
10/30/1994 Bill Clark Columbia, MO John Carter Kerry Clark

 

1 2 3 4