Tag Archives: USAWA

USAWA Nationals Update

 by Thom Van Vleck

Dukum Inn: Kirksville Legend and Location of the USAWA Nationals Banquet

Just a couple blocks away from the armory is the Dukum Inn.  This is a legendary establishment here in Kirksville.  Back a hundred years ago this was a huge coal mining area.  Coal mining was tough work and the miners would drink hard on the weekends.  When I was a kid, the Dukum was tough, blue collar bar.  I recall going there with my Dad from time to time when I was a boy.  He would buy me a Cherry Coke (when a the Coke was poured into a Coke Glass and cherry syrup was then added) so I wouldn’t tell Mom we stopped there.  He would play some pool with his pals and he’d give me some quarters for the pinball or I’d play shuffleboard in the sawdust.  After a couple games of pool we’d head home with Mom none the wiser!

Well, today the Dukum is pretty much an “every man’s bar” (and every woman).  It’s a lot more upscale than the old days but still has that old days charm of a corner pub.  They have a private upstairs room that now has the original bar that was there when I was a kid and the original tables.  It can seat over a hundred and has a stage that will work nicely for our awards ceremony.  Plenty of room to gather after the meet, enjoy our meal, have our national meeting and have a good time!

So, get those entries in the mail!

MIKE MURDOCK – “HAM AND EGGER”

BY DAVE GLASGOW

MIKE MURDOCK, OF THE LEDAIG HEAVY ATHLETICS, PUT UP SOME BIG LIFTS LAST WEEKEND AT THE DEANNA SPRINGS MEMORIAL.

CHANCES ARE, YOU HAVE SEEN HIM BUT NEVER, REALLY, NOTICED HIM.  HE’S NOT FLASHY, HE NEVER MAKES A SCENE.  HE CAN USUALLY BE FOUND SITTING QUIETLY IN A GROUP OF PEOPLE; OBSERVING.  EVEN IF YOU DON’T NOTICE HIM WHEN HE IS THERE, YOU WILL NOTICE IF HE’S NOT THERE.

MIKE MURDOCK WANDERED (WONDERED?) ONTO A HIGHLAND GAMES FIELD ONE DAY, NOT FULLY KNOWING WHERE IT WOULD LEAD.  WHERE IT LED WAS AN INTRODUCTION TO, NOT ONLY THE GAMES, BUT AN ORGANIZATION KNOWN AS THE USAWA.  THAT, ULTIMATELY LED TO WHAT HAS NOW BECOME A STAPLE AT THE GAMES AND THE USAWA EVENTS HELD AT AL’S DINO GYM IN HOLLAND, KS., NAMELY, MIKE!  HE IS, MOST GENERALLY, ONE OF THE FIRST TO SHOW UP AND ONE OF THE LAST TO EXIT.  HE IS NOT AFRAID TO PITCH IN TO HELP AND CAN BE COUNTED ON TO A HAVE FEW GOOD IDEAS ALONG THE WAY.

RUDY BLETSCHER (LEFT) AND MIKE MURDOCK (RIGHT) LIFTED 585 POUNDS IN THE 2-MAN TRAP BAR DEADLIFT AT THE 2010 USAWA TEAM NATIONALS. THIS IS AN AMAZING LIFT FOR TWO LIFTERS OVER THE AGE OF 70!

AS ONE OF THE ‘ELDER STATESMAN’ GRACING THE USAWA IN THIS AREA, MIKE HAS SEEN A LOT IN HIS TIME AND HIS STORY IS WORTHY OF SOME CONSIDERATION.  MIKE WAS BORN AND EDUCATED IN NEBRASKA.   MOVING TO KANSAS WAS, AS HAS BECOME HIS FASHION, NOT IN THE CONVENTIONAL MEANS.  HE TRAVERSED THE 330 MILES ON A ONE SPEED BIKE IN A JOURNEY THAT TOOK HIM 3 DAYS!!  A STINT IN THE AIR FORCE FOLLOWED BY A LONGER STRETCH IN THE NAVY GAVE WAY TO HIS USE OF THE GI BILL TO GET A COLLEGE DIPLOMA TO DECORATE HIS WALL.  “I TAUGHT FOR A YEAR, BUT, I KNEW I WASN’T ANY GOOD AND I DID’NT WANT TO MESS THE KIDS UP. SO, I GOT OUT”.  IN A LOT OF WAYS, THAT STATEMENT SHOWS US WHAT MAKES MIKE, MIKE.  HE IS UNSELFISH, THINKS OF OTHERS AND HAS THE WHEREWITHAL TO UNDERSTAND HIS OWN LIMITATIONS.  THAT GOES FOR HIS LIFTING, AS WELL.  A SELF TAUGHT LIFTER, HE WAS WISE ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THAT SQUATS, PRESSES, AND PULLS WERE WHAT SHOULD MAKE UP THE MEAT OF HIS WORKOUTS.  INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, HE STARTED ON AN ‘OTASCO’(THIS WAS A REGIONAL HARDWARE CHAIN BACK IN THE DAY), BASIC 110# SET IN THE EARLY SIXTIES.  HIS LIFTING, BY HIS OWN ADMISSION IS ‘ON AGAIN, OFF AGAIN’.  OVER THE YEARS, HIS TRAINING HAS CHANGED LITTLE AND, THOUGH HE IS SEVENTY ONE YEARS OLD, HE ENJOYS THE WORK INVOLVED AND THE RESULTS IT BRINGS.   BY HIS OWN ADMISSION, HE IS “NOT THAT STRONG” (THIS STATEMENT, I LEAVE OPEN FOR DEBATE).   HE IS WHAT I THINK WOULD BE KNOWN IN THE VERNACULAR AS A ‘HAM AND EGGER’.  THIS IS THAT CLASS OF GUY/GAL THAT LIFTS BECAUSE HE ENJOYS IT, KNOWS HE WILL NEVER WIN ANYTHING, WORKS HARD ANYWAY AND HAS A HELL OF A GOOD TIME WHENEVER HE IS IN THE COMPANY OF LIKE MINDED FOLKS.  THIS IS THE CLASS OF LIFTER THAT I, ALSO, PROUDLY, NUMBER MYSELF AMONG!  ASKED THE LIFTS HE WAS MOST PROUD OF (HE IS THE OWNER OF A NUMBER OF USAWA RECORDS), HE QUICKLY REPLIED THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE ALL THE TWO MAN RECORDS HE HAS MADE WITH HIS FRIEND AND FELLOW SEPTUAGENARIAN, RUDY BLETSCHER. THEN HE SAID, WITH AN IMPISH GRIN ON HIS FACE, “THE CRUCIFIX LIFT OF 80 LBS. THAT ONE MAY STAY AROUND FOR A WHILE!”

ONE FINAL THING.   THIS WAS NOT TO BE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.   HOWEVER, I DON’T THINK I WILL GET IN TOO MUCH DUTCH IF I LET IT OUT.  AT AL’S GRIP NATIONALS THIS YEAR, THERE WAS A SILENT AUCTION, WITH PROCEEDS TO GO TO THE ANIMAL SHELTER IN SALINA.  MIKE GAVE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF CASH TO THE ORGANIZATION, AFTER BIDDING ON, WELL, NOTHING!  HE JUST, SIMPLY, DID IT!!   THIS IS WHY I LIKE CALLING HIM FRIEND!  LOOK MIKE UP AT THE NEXT GET TOGETHER AND, IF YOU AREN’T ALREADY A FRIEND, MAKE HIS ACQUAINTANCE. YOU WILL BE BETTER OFF FOR IT.  HE’S NOT THAT HARD TO FIND.  HE’S THE GUY SITTING IN THE BACKGROUND. QUIETLY LISTENING, WATCHING, LEARNING……..

Big MISTAKE!

by Thom Van Vleck

Thom Van Vleck overhead pressing with one hand a 110 pound anvil. By looking at this picture it is easy to imagine the consequences if something "goes wrong" and the anvil slips out of Thom's open grip and falls on Thom's head. My advice is to always train a new lift before attempting max poundages and leave crazy strongman stunts like this to the professionals. (photo and caption courtesy of the webmaster Al Myers)

In this article I will detail what I see as the biggest mistakes I see new guys make as they enter into the world of the USAWA.  Others might have an opinion and I”m not saying that I am right about this being “the” biggest mistake….but I think everyone would agree this can be a problem.

I entered my first “odd lift” meet 30 years ago, and since then I have been to many USAWA meets as well as all kinds of strongman, highland games, powerlifting and Olympic lifting meets.  I have also done over 200 strongman performances.  During that time I have seen guys witness a lift or feat of strength for the first time and say, “Can I try that”.  They then try something they have never done before and go 100% in the effort.  That, in my opinion, is a BIG MISTAKE!  Sure, most of the time you’ll be OK, but it’s that one time that will end a season, or worse, a lifting career.

Recently, a friend of mine was in a strongman contest that included a steel bar bend.  He sent me a video of his effort….that resulted in a  muscle tear that he is now getting surgery for.  He was trying to bend it behind his neck and dropped his elbows and ended up in a a position like someone trying to close a “pec deck” machine.  Having bent literally hundreds of steel bars in various shapes, I cringed as soon as I saw it and soon enough he dropped the bar and winced in pain!  He had never bent a steel bar before and had no plan on how he was going to bend it.  I bend them all the time in our strongman shows and practiced this many times before ever doing it in front of a crowd or a contest where the pressure is on to go all out.

The nature of the USAWA makes it the “worst” for this kind of mistake.  Other sports have a much more limited “range” of lifts which means they get practiced much more often.  You can’t train hundreds of lifts, you can only have a strategy to train all around strength.  I know Al Myers often trains one pressing movement, one pulling type movement, and one squat type, constantly mixing the specific lifts up.  I also know Al will train a particular lift until he knows exactly how to do it and exactly how much he can expect to do on it before he enters a meet.   I’m not sure if he was always a smart lifter, or if he became one as a result of many injuries (that’s how I got smart), or both.  But I do know Al is a smart lifter who knows exactly what his ranges are come contest day.  He not only knows this for safety reasons, but for strategy as well!

How often have you seen someone make a lift they have never tried before, say, “that was easy”, then say, “Throw on a couple 45’s” and then be buried by it!  It’s the nature of many of these lifts.  At best, it’s embarrassing, at worst, you get seriously hurt.  My point is that you NEVER want to go right to a maximal effort the first time.  The USAWA is full of fun, new, exciting….and dangerous….lifts.  But they are only dangerous when you don’t know what you are doing!   Take the time to learn the lift, warm up plenty, practice the lift before the meet, and pick your poundages wisely!  Live to lift another day!  Listen to the old timers….they are still lifting for a reason!

Monster Garage Meet

by Larry Traub

MEET ANNOUNCEMENT

1st Annual Traub Monster Garage

Powerlifting and USAWA Record Breaker

Larry Traub, of the Ledaig Heavy Athletics, competed last year in the USAWA Grip Challenge. This spring Larry will promote his first ever USAWA competition.

I’ve been promising St. X Alumni an annual powerlifting contest and picnic at my home since I retired from coaching a couple years ago. The initial interest wasn’t quite what I thought it would be and my life has been full with kids getting married and grandkids arriving. Well, this year I decided to proceed but to expand the concept to an open contest. I am targeting not only St X alums but anyone involved in the old River City Powerlifting club from when I was in the gym business in the early 80’s. I am also hoping for participation from others who I have met along the way. My best friend and college roommate, Dave Glasgow will be traveling from Kansas to compete. Dave was my first workout partner some 40 years ago and we still seem to get a workout or two together a year. I’m hoping Ray Ganong the strength coach at U of L who has been a friend and a mentor of mine and also a friend of St. X Powerlifting might be interested. Tom Chapella a local throws coach who had a huge influence on my son’s success in shot and discus has shown an interest. Tom has a son who is in all likelihood the strongest Down’s syndrome lifter in the world who will be an inspiration to everyone involved. Basically, I’m looking for lifters that I have some connection with in the lifting world. If you are interested and you have a workout partner or someone you are training, then they are welcome.

I sanctioned this through USAWA (United States All-round Weightlifting Association). I got involved with them through my friend Dave Glasgow and I knew right away that this group created the lifting atmosphere I was looking for. USAWA has over 150 competition lift in all types of age categories and weight classes, but the traditional power lift are not included. The actual power lifting contest will be “exhibition lifts” as far as their organization is concerned, but afterwards there will be a record breaker where anyone involved can attempt to break some of their records. We will also be using their formula to determine place winners in the power lifting contest. The whole contest is on formula with coefficients for age and bodyweight. I will be giving modest awards for outstanding squat, bench press, and deadlift as well as the top five finishes on total.

Check out the USAWA (usawa.com) website for more information. It is very well organized and there are daily postings. I am planning on competing in their national contest in June.

As the information says, there is no advance registration necessary, but drop me a line at traubl@saintxfac.com and let me know your intentions. If it doesn’t work out for you this year then start training for future years. I intend to make it an annual event on the last Saturday of April.

MEET DETAILS:

1st Annual Traub Monster Garage

Powerlifting and USAWA Record Breaker

Sat April 30th

1485 Oakes Road Georgetown Indiana

8:00 am weigh in – 10:00 start

No advance registration – entry forms completed at weigh in

All lifters must buy a USAWA card at a cost of $25

ENTRY FEE – contestants must bring food for pitch in meal that will follow the competition. Bring meat for you and your family, date, etc. Lifters weighing 160 and below should bring a salad dish to be shared, lifters 160 – 230 should bring a side dish and of course those above 230 should bring desserts.

Meet t-shirts will be available.

USAWA rules will be followed. This is a raw contest. (No supportive shirts, suits, or knee wraps)

Drug testing under USAWA guidelines

Dear Dino Man

by Al Myers

I get HUNDREDS of questions per month from individuals pertaining to weight lifting or other matters since I have been webmaster of the USAWA Website. I guess that goes along with making your email address publicly known on a website. People are always looking for free advice and the internet provides plenty of it – some good and some not so good. I try to respond to most questions, but there are lots I don’t get around to. I hate to deprive the USAWA Daily News readers of these “email exchanges” so I’ve decided to start an advice column to share some of these questions and my responses. Maybe it will answer a few questions that I repeatedly receive, and cut out having to answer the same question over and over again. I have decided to name this column Dear Dino Man. I am leaving off the names of the email senders – to insure confidentially and possible embarrassment.

Dear Dino Man,

How do I go about learning these all round lifts?

The best place to start is by reading the USAWA Rulebook, located in its entirety on the website. The USAWA Rulebook contains not only the rules of the lifts, but also descriptions in how they are performed. Several of the lifts have been highlighted on the website in the past that give more details. This information can be found by doing a search on the website. We also have a YouTube account that has videos of many of the lifts. It is also linked to the website. However, the best way to learn about the USAWA is to just go to a competition and meet lifters who have experience in all-round weightlifting. All the members of the USAWA are more than willing to help someone new. Of course, if you have specific questions I would be happy to answer them!

Dear Dino Man,

What types of bows are allowed in the USAWA?

You have the wrong USAWA. The one you’re interested in is the United States Association of Wingshooting Archers located at usawa.org. We are All-Round Weightlifters and that is why, at the top of our website, we have a logo of a weightlifter instead of an archer. I just want to mention that in case that was confusing you.

Dear Dino Man,

Sorry my check for my membership dues bounced. The next one is in the mail and it’s good.

Sure it is and I’m planning on deadlifting 1000 pounds tonight.

Dear Dino Man,

When I look at the pictures of some of the lifts on your website, I can’t believe they are real. Is it possible some were done with fake plates? Those pictures of Steve Schmidt lifting all that weight can’t be real.

All lifts in the USAWA are done with real plates by real lifters. There is nothing fake about Steve’s 2000 plus pound Hip Lifts or his 3000 pound plus Harness Lifts – just hard to believe. I have seen Steve Schmidt lift first hand and he’s the “real deal”. And trust me, I’m a doctor.

Dear Dino Man,

Why can’t we wear knee wraps and super suits in the USAWA?

Because the USAWA is about REAL STRENGTH and not FAKE STRENGTH! Plus wearing that gear makes you look like a goofball instead of a weightlifter.

Dear Dino Man,

How do all the guys in your gym get so big and strong? I weigh 150 pounds and can’t seem to gain weight. Someday I hope to weigh 300 pounds of solid muscle.

Because we are on the Seefood Diet. If we see it – we eat it.   Add in an extra helping of daily heavy weight training and someday you will reach your goal.

Dear Dino Man,

Does your dino gym ever get tired of whooping it up on the JWC?

And does a kid ever get tired of eating ice cream??? NO – CAUSE IT TASTES GOOD!!

Dear Dino Man,

I just love it when you put pictures of the Champ on the website. He is so good looking and sexy!!  I would love to meet him and hopefully date him cause he’s built like a real man. Do you know if he is single?

Sorry, I’m afraid not. STUDS like THE CHAMP don’t stay on the market long.  But if you are interested, I could send you the details about joining his fan club.  He is a real All-Round Weightlifting celebrity and has the ego to match it – which you should have been able to guess by the fact that he calls himself  “The Champ”.

(WEBMASTER COMMENT:  All these are real questions with real answers.  The rumor that the Dino Man makes up stories and stretches the truth is incorrect, and is probably being propagated by jealous rivals who lack the witty repertoire of humor that bestows the Dino Man. )

1 … 12 13 14 15 16 … 45