Tag Archives: Writing Contest

Writing Contest

by Al Myers

It’s been awhile since I have had a writing contest for the USAWA Daily News – so I think it’s time for another one!  The topic I’m going to choose for this contest is a “report on an unusual training implement/device that you use in your gym for training”.  The more unique the better.  I would like to hear about the purpose or function of the implement/device, as well as its history.  Every club gym I have been in has a few pieces of unusual equipment that is not seen in most other gyms – so pick something you like and write a little story on it.   The deadline for story submission is by the date of the USAWA Grip Champs – February 9th.   The stories will run on the USAWA website.  I have not decided yet on prizes – but there will be nice prizes for the winners. I promise!

Rules for Contest

1.  Submit story by February 9th
2.  Must include a picture with story
3.  Story length between 500 and 1000 words

You may submit your story to me by email, through a letter, or by writing it yourself on the USAWA website.  If you want to write it on the website and you  don’t have “author status”, send me an email and I’ll make the changes to give you this access.  It’s not hard.  My goal with doing this is to increase future writing contributions to the USAWA website.  I want to keep reminding everyone that this website was set up to represent the viewpoints and contributions of the membership, not just mine.  Now get to work!!!!!

Writing Contest Results

by Al Myers

The writing contest results  for the “best stories on grip training”  will begin to be announced tomorrow.  The judge has determined the winners, and has given me the results.  This judge even went a little farther than I  expected, and RANKED the winning 7 stories.  Only one small change – this judge convinced me to give 7 winners instead of 6 so I will have a story for each day of the week next week.  That sounded like a good idea, and what’s another winner, so I took the advice and now there will be 7 winners.  I want to thank everyone who sent in stories for this competition, and apologize to those who didn’t get selected as winners.  If it was up to me EVERYONE would win (that is why I put this difficult task of selection onto someone else) but that’s just not possible.  All of the submitted stories were great in their own way.  I may do a contest like this again in the future so I hope if you were not selected this time you will try again in a later competition.  I was overwhelmed by the number of entrants into this competition, and I know everyone will really enjoy the stories that will appear over the next 7 days in the USAWA Daily News.  Lots of great information on grip training!  As I said earlier, the winners will be announced one each day starting tomorrow.   Tomorrows story will be the 7th place story, and each day a higher ranked story will be ran, ending with the number 1 story next Sunday.  But the good news is – the ranking really doesn’t matter because EVERYONE who’s story is ran will receive the same prize –  a custom made 3.5″ dumbbell handle by me for the official lift the Dumbell Walk!

Another Daily News Story Competition

by Al Myers

After the story I did on the Dumbbell Walk the other day I got to thinking how “unavailable” this special dumbbell handle is.  It is a shame that a great all-round lift like the Dumbbell Walk is not performed more often just due to the fact that most lifters don’t have the implement.  We are fortunate in the Dino Gym to have the equipment to do ALL the all-round lifts in the USAWA Rulebook, and sometimes I take that for granted.

So it’s time for another writing competition!!! I received such a good response from the last one (on training tips or the use of a special training implement) that I’m going to do another one.  This time the GRAND PRIZE will be a Dumbbell Walk Handle.  But to make this competition even more interesting, I’m going to expand it.  I am going to award SIX WINNERS, each receiving a Dumbbell Walk Handle.  This way the odds are much better you will be a winner (because we all know how difficult it is to compete in writing contests with such notable writers as John McKean and Thom Van Vleck.  That’s like taking on Steve Schmidt in a Teeth Lifting Competition!).

Since this unique gripping tool is at stake, this writing contest will be over a training program or exercise that you use to train your grip.  Nearly everyone does some type of grip training in their training programs, so I think nearly everyone will have something that applies.  I want this to be about a grip training idea or technique that really has helped your grip strength.   The more original the better.

I plan to run these stories over a course of one week in the USAWA Daily News.  The first day I plan to write a story about one of my secret grip exercises that has really helped my hand strength.   But not to worry, I am not eligible.  You will know if you are one of the winners when you see your story printed.  That will build the suspense!!  I have secured a judge for these stories that is impartial.  This person is not very familiar with any of you, so “favoritism” will not be a factor.

It is VERY IMPORTANT to follow the rules of the competition for this one, because if you don’t your story may be rejected by the judge. Please send your story to me at amyers@usawa.com .  I will send you an email response indicating that I received your story submission.

Now I expect after this the Dumbbell Walk will  become a HOTLY contested USAWA lift next year.  Hopefully, several new USAWA records will fall next year in the Dumbbell Walk!!

RULES FOR COMPETITION:

1.  Stories are to be between 500-1000 words.

2.  A picture demonstrating the exercise must be included.

3.  The DEADLINE for submission is March 16th, by midnight.

4.  Stories must be grip training related and original.