USAWA

by Al Myers

My training partner Chad Ullom and I just spent a training session training the One Arm Dumbbell Swing. This is a lift not well understood today, but at one time was a very popular lift among old time strongmen. One arm lifts were once trained as much as two arm lifts – but not anymore. The USAWA rules for the One Arm Dumbell Swing are quite simple – but certain things must be done for a Dumbbell Swing to be “legal”. These include:

– once the dumbbell leaves the platform it must be in continual motion until lockout

– the rod of the dumbbell must maintain a 90 degree angle to the body

– the non-lifting hand must not touch the lifting arm or dumbbell

– the arm must be straight in receiving the dumbbell overhead – in other words – NO PRESS OUT

– the lift ends on command once the feet are in line and the dumbbell is in control overhead

There are two styles that are used the most when doing an One Arm Dumbbell Swing. I use the more traditional style of “swinging” the dumbbell between my legs once to gain momentum to propel it overhead. Chad uses a “snatch style” where he takes it from the floor overhead in one motion and drops under the dumbbell when he catches it overhead. This is difficult in the sense that the hand is turned different than a Dumbbell Snatch. The USAWA Rules allow the lifting arm to bend during the lift and the feet to move.

1.	143 Pounds	Chad Ullom
2.	140 Pounds	Mike McBride
	140 Pounds	Frank Ciavattone
4.	121 Pounds	Al Myers
5.	120 Pounds	Ed Schock
	120 Pounds	Jim Goviannini
	120 Pounds	Abe Smith
	120 Pounds	Robert English
9.	115 Pounds	Scott Schmidt
	115 Pounds	Jason Weigle

Coming Soon – The Top Ten One Arm Dumbbell Swings of All-Time.

Will any of these USAWA lifters make the list?