Tag Archives: Salvation Army Gym

National Championships

by Al Myers

MEET ANNOUNCEMENT
2014 USAWA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Tim Piper (left), meet promoter of the 2014 USAWA National Championships, and Al Myers (right) at last years meet at the Salvation Army Gym.

The date has been set – June 21st – so mark this day off your calendar and make plans to attend the USAWA Nationals in Macomb, Illinois. Tim Piper, of the Salvation Army Gym, will be this years host and meet director.  Macomb is the perfect location for our National Championships since it is located in the center of USAWA activity.  It’s within driving range for practically everyone.

Tim has planned a one day meet with 6 lifts. The lifts chosen are very traditional all round lifts, and lifts most everyone should like.  Tim is a very seasoned meet promoter and I know he will have everything planned and organized well for a great day of lifting for everyone.

LIFTS:

Crucifix
Snatch – One Arm (Barbell)
Clean and Push Press
Jefferson Lift – Fulton Bar
Curl – Cheat
Zercher Lift

ENTRY FORM – USAWA 2014 Nationals-Macomb IL

Club Award to the Salvation Army Gym

by Al Myers

The Salvation Army Gym - Runner Up CLUB OF THE YEAR in the USAWA.

I was glad to be able to personally award the Salvation Army Gym their Runner Club Award from the USAWA at their USAWA meet last weekend.  These awards, presented on behalf of the USAWA, were given out at the National Championships.  However, since no representatives from the Salvation Army Gym were able to be present at Nationals, this meet of theirs was the perfect opportunity for me to be able to give them the recognition they deserve.

Tim Piper (left) receiving the Club Award from USAWA Awards Director Al Myers (right).

The Club Awards are the only special USAWA awards that are not selected by membership nomination/vote.  Points are accrued throughout the year for various things like USAWA memberships that represent the club, club promotions, and participation of club members in USAWA competitions.  The points are simply “added up”, and the clubs that earn the most points are the winners.  So you can see that this award is actually EARNED! 

Congratulations to the Salvation Army Gym for an outstanding past year in the USAWA!  The next year will be a BIG ONE for them as well as they will be the host of the 2014 USAWA National Championships.

Joe the Turk OTSM

 by Tim Piper

“Joe the Turk” Old Time Strongman Meet- Press Release

This is the group picture from the 2013 "Joe the Turk" Old Time Strongman Meet.

The Macomb Salvation Army hosted the “Joe the Turk” Old Time Strongman Meet on July 27.  “Joe the Turk” was Macomb Illinois’ original “strongman” and holds a unique and special place in the history of the Macomb Salvation Army.  At the turn of the 2o th century Joe the Turk was in Macomb for a short time helping clean up the town of crooked laymen and henchmen.  He did so by being unafraid of their tactics and standing steadfast in his belief that good would prevail.  While he only spent a short time in Macomb it seemed fitting to name the United States All-round Weightlifting Association (USAWA) sanctioned meet in his honor. 

The USAWA was formed over 25 years ago to continue the longstanding tradition of old-time weightlifters like Eugene Sandow, Louis Cyr, Apollon, Paul Anderson, and countless others.  The organization hosts meets throughout the country and is a member of the International All-round Weightlifting Association (IAWA).  The lifts contested in USAWA meets are often based upon lifts that were performed in traveling circus performance acts, side shows, and festivals. Many bear the name of the old-time strongman who made them most famous.  The lifts are quite atypical, involve often unseen variations of squats, deadlifts, and overhead movements, employing primarily simple bars and plates without the benefit of spotters.  Like the old-time strongman, the lifter is tested for maximum strength while maintaining control of the barbell at all times.  This was a small but exciting meet with all lifters setting numerous national records. 

Whitney Piper performing a Peoples Deadlift, enroute to winning the women's division.

The meet was held outside the Salvation Army gym in the warm sun.  The first lift was the Apollon’s lift which involves taking a 2 inch barbell overhead in any manner the lifter chooses.  Twelve year old, 79 pound, Whitney Piper did well setting new records for teenage and open womens divisions with a lift of 33pounds.  Traveling from Pennsylvania 85 year old, 176 pound Art Montini lifted 66 pounds, setting a new master record.  Also from Pennsylvania, 70 year old, 185 pound Denny Habecker set a new master record of 132 pounds.  Weighing in at 202 pounds, 43 year old Tim Piper set a new master record of 198 pounds.  41 year old Chad Ullom of Kansas weighed in 252 pounds and finished up the Apollon’s lift with 253 pounds. 

The next lift was the Dumbbell to shoulder which is nothing more than bringing a heavy dumbbell to shoulder height and displaying control before getting a down signal from the judge.  Whitney lifted 28 pounds for a new womens and teenage record.  Montini lifted 46 pounds, Habecker lifted 112, and Ullom lifted 244 pounds, all good for a new master records.  Piper lifted 189 pounds for a new national and master record. 

Chad Ullom won the Men's Division, and was awarded a set of 40 year old Indian Clubs for his efforts!

The next lift was the Anderson squat, named after the late Paul Anderson.  This lift consists of a partial squat with the barbell starting at 2/3 the individuals standing height.  Whitney lifted 110 pounds for new teenage and open national records.  Montini did well with 198 pounds.  Habecker set a new master record with 308 pounds.  Piper set new master and open records with a 507 pound lift.  Ullom topped the field for the day at 793 pounds, just 7 pounds off his the national record of 800 pounds.

The final lift of the day was the Peoples deadlift, named after Tennessee powerlifter Bob Peoples, and is a deadlift that starts with the barbell at 18 inches off the ground.  Whitney lifter 165 pounds for new teenage and open national records.  Montini pulled 319 pounds, Habecker lifted 374, and Piper lifted 407, all good enough to set new national records.  Chad Ullom was the strongest in this lift with 639 pounds setting new master and open records. 

This is the sign out front of the Salvation Army Gym.

The scoring for USAWA meets consists of adjustments made for age and weight to equalize for fair scoring of the best pound-for-pound lifters.  After all calculations were done Chad Ullom was determined to be the best overall lifter for the day.  All lifters received commemorative “Joe the Turk” mugs.  For his efforts the best overall lifter Chad Ullom received a set of Indian clubs similar to the sort that Joe might have recognized in his days in Macomb.  The meet was a success and plans are already starting for next years “Joe the Turk” Old Time Strongman meet as well as the USAWA National meet, both to be held in Macomb Illinois.

MEET RESULTS:

Joe the Turk OTSM Meet
July 27th, 2013
Salvation Army Gym
Macomb, Illinois

Meet Director: Tim Piper

Announcer/Scorekeeper: Al Myers

Head Official/Timekeeper (1 official system used): Thom Van Vleck

Lifts:  Apollon Lift, Anderson Squat, Dumbbell to Shoulder, Peoples Deadlift

WOMENS DIVISION

Lifter Age BWT Apol SQ DB DL TOT PTS
 Whitney Piper 12 79 15 50 13 75 153 381.9

MENS DIVISION

Lifter Age BWT Apol SQ DB DL TOT PTS
Chad Ullom 41 252 115 360 110.5 290 876 705.5
Tim Piper 43 202 90 230 85.5 185 591 545.5
Denny Habecker 70 185 60 140 50.5 170 421 514.4
Art Montini 85 176 30 90 20.5 145 286 400.9

NOTES:  BWT is bodyweight in pounds.  All lifts recorded in kilograms.  TOT is total kilograms lifted. PTS are adjusted points corrected for age and bodyweight.

Joe the Turk Meet POSTPONED!

by Thom Van Vleck

The Joe the Turk meet set for the Macomb Salvation Army Gym for this weekend has been postponed due to a terrible flood in the gym.  They are still cleaning up and the decision was made to postpone the meet.   Updates will be given regarding a “make up date” at a later time.

Here is a story on the devastation and how you can help our brothers and sisters out!

Last fall I went over to help judge a meet in Macomb, Illinios.  It was the “Macomb Fall Record Breakers” meet and was being put on my Tim Piper.  Tim needed some help and I was glad to help out.  He was also donating some weights to the weightlifting club I am the staff adviser for at the University I work at (the Osteoblasters Weightlifting Club).  I had never been to the Salvation Army Gym in Macomb and was quite pleased when I got there!  It was “Old School” with tons of old equipment, platforms to do “REAL” lifting off of, and tons of trophies and pictures from some 40 years of operation.  It was a gym that any USAWA member would have loved to train in and every “Planet Fitness” members nightmare!  The “Salvation Army Gym” is also a USAWA official club and are currently in good standing.  That’s why it was such sad news to hear that the recent heavy rains had flooded the gym which is located in the basement of the local Salvation Army.

At least 2 feet of water filled the gym!

There were plenty of pictures on facebook but sometimes when you have been somewhere you can appreciate just how bad something is.  This particular club had a huge number of photos that went from floor to ceiling in some areas and a lot of equipment that ended up under water.   Here are some photos to give you a “before” and “after” perspective.

Here is a "before photo" with Tim Piper spotting Whitney.

The same corner of the gym underwater!

The clean up has begun and the water has been pumped out.  I understand they are taking photos that were water damaged and trying to scan them to make new ones.  There will no doubt be a lot of work left to do and I’m unsure if there was any insurance.  Most insurance won’t pay for flooding anyway unless you have a special flood policy and most don’t as it’s expensive and I’m sure a Salvation Army couldn’t afford it.

The water has been pumped out, leaving a huge mess!

Keep these guys in your thoughts and prayers.  This isn’t some fancy, high dollar gym….it’s a Salvation Army!  If you can help them out by either providing labor or sending a donation I’m sure it would be appreciated!  This gym needs to go on as it provides a workout area for many who couldn’t afford it otherwise.  It’s the type of place I got started in when I couldn’t afford the fancy gym membership!  I’m sure many of you can relate.  Plus, Tim and Dawn are such great people who work so hard to bring meets and weight training to others.  Let’s help’em out!  You can send a donation to Tim Piper at: Tim Piper, 15401 E. 1750th Street, Macomb, IL 61455 or you can call him at 309 221 0276.