The Hub Lift Clean & Press
by Al Myers
James Fuller hub lifting an Old-style York Deep-Dish 45 lb plate, then cleaning and pressing it!
Last month at Frank’s Barbell Record Breakers James Fuller did something that really impressed me. Most of us know James by his secret forum identity only (61pwcc , ok – it’s not a secret anymore!!). I first met him at the Heavy Lift Championships in York, PA in 2011. James epitomizes an all rounder – he is constantly thinking of different lifting movements to incorporate into his daily training. He is interested in ALL TYPES of strength. Just watch some of his YouTube Videos of his training in his dungeon and you’ll see what I’m talking about!
Now what did he do that impressed me so much? Well – even though he did several spectacular record lifts that wasn’t it. In fact, this strength feat was done as an exhibition lift that is not an official lift of the USAWA and thus is not a record of any kind. It was him hub lifting an old style deep-dish York 45 plate, then cleaning it, and finishing off by pressing it. That’s quite a grip feat. James commented in the forum by saying, “I hub lifted one of Frank’s York Deep Dish 45’s and he in turn used MY York Deep Dish 45’s that I just got. Been wanting to Hub Clean & Press a 45er for awhile.”
I have a old York deep-dish 45 in the Dino Gym, and I’ve only seen a few lifters even lift it up by the hub. I consider that a great grip feat and definitely puts a person in a “class of their own”. Performing a Clean & Press by the hub is just unreal! I just hope James shows up at the Heavy Lift Champs this spring in Walpole, as I’ll try to talk him into repeating this effort so I can see it first-hand!