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United States All-Round Weightlifting Association
 


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July 3rd, 2009


This is a reprint of an article by John McKean in the February 1979 issue of Muscular Development.  It is a very well written story about Art Montini and how weightlifting helped him overcome severe burns and disability. Art was the oldest competitor at the 2009 USAWA National Championships, and after doing a Back Lift with 1000 pounds at 81 years of age is showing no signs of slowing down!!  Read and enjoy. 




Powerlifting Saved This Man's Life!!!!
  by John McKean


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Arthur Montini  - his speedy recovery from a near
fatality is an amazing testament to the benefits
of powerlifting, and weight training exercises.

The 250 pound squat was a slow teeth-gnashing struggle toward completion even though the trembling lifter hadn't quite hit the parallel mark.  It was the most beautiful lift I can ever remember seeing!!  Let me explain my excitement over such a mediocre performance. The lifter was 50-year old Arthur Montini, a very popular powerlifting competitor, official, and meet director in Western Pennsylvania's Allegheny Mountain Association. Certainly nowhere near his best, Art ground out the light squat in defiance of a severe accident three months earlier which threatened him with total physical debilitation.

A Steelworker from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, Montini was caught in a disastrous furnace explosion at the mill, leaving him as little more than a burnt, barely alive, mass of human flesh.  Doctors at the Western Pennsylvania Burn Unit confirmed that he received burns covering over 65% of his body. His chances of survival were practically nil. Although punished with pain almost beyond comprehension, Montini's amazing body, toughened by over 30 years of heavy barbell training, proved to be the winning factor in the life or death struggle. Certain that this man's age would be a negative factor, doctors were astonished when tests confirmed Art's physical condition to be that of a very healthy 21 year old!!  And, matching a fighting body, the old iron slinger had an unyielding desire and determination not only to live but to completely heal - and quickly!!! Showing unbelievably rapid progress from the start, Art was soon allowed visitors. The place looked like a major lifting meet after a while! Testament to the esteem held for this local iron game celebrity was the large influx of lifters and officials who kept pouring in. The nurses were most pleased to see so many good looking, muscular young men in the hospital corridors!

Art cheerfully greeted all his visitors, maintaining good spirits despite the pain and extreme discomfort he was constantly experiencing. Except for the "mummy" bandages which covered him head to toe, he remained the same old talkative, personable Art Montini. Naturally, conversation with his weightlifting buddies always revolved around training. Refusing to acknowledge his condition, Art claimed the worst part of his hospitalization was the inactivity - he desperately wanted to get back to his barbells!!  All of us who visited, to the man, were left with absolutely no doubt that the old master would return to the lifting platform once more!!

Recovery from severe burns is a very slow and agonizing process.  Daily removal of dead skin as well as constant medication and extensive bandaging are the necessary horrors burn patients must face.  Body heat loss, due to the lack of outer skin, causes almost constant shivering, and chances of acquiring an infection are extremely high.  But Art Montini is not the type of guy to lie around feeling sorry for himself, and he refused to merely endure a long, drawn out healing process.  His three decades of training had convinced him that he could force cell growth if only he could exercise and acquire the necessary nutrients.  He knew that his body would not let him down now, having been well versed in making speedy recuperation from constant heavy workouts over the years!

Shortly after his admission into the hospital, Art decided to make good use of a bar hanging across his bed, normally used to help patients pull themselves up to a sitting position.  Not only did he sit up, but he proceeded to do set after set of chin-ups on the bar!  Considering his blistered skin and total body bandaging, this movement was not exactly easy.  But Art liked the feel of the exercise and welcomed the opportunity to get his blood circulating more rapidly and his muscles working again.  Soon other improvisations, such as isometric contractions, were incorporated into his makeshift workout.  The pain involved was inconsequential compared to this chance to make productive use of his excessive spare time.  Now I've heard of training under adverse conditions, but this was almost incomprehensible - here was a man who was beginning his comeback while still on the critical list!!

Supplements were next.  Art had his friends sneak in boxes of his favorite Hoffman Hi-Protein Candy Bars, Massive doses of Vitamin C and E, and a few other vitamin and mineral aids.  The hospital had already placed him on a high calorie, high protein, balanced diet in order to fulfill the massive needs of replacing dead and dying cells of the burnt skin.  However, Montini knew that even huge quantities of today's rather devitalized , processed foods would not do the job.  Certainly the hospital food was not quite good enough for a weightlifter!  The self-prescribed, highly supplemented diet quickly worked its magic.  In light of Art's ever accelerating recovery rate, even the skeptical doctors were forced to encourage him to continue his intake of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Fantastic physical condition and tremendous recuperative abilities are not normal characteristics of a 50-year old man.  Of course, Art Montini has been very stubborn to acknowledge either physical or mental aging, having found his personal "fountain of youth" through powerlifting.  By thinking and training like a young athlete, he has maintained the body of a young athlete - perhaps the saving grace from his terrible accident. Art has always ignored so-called "conditioning" programs - or "suggested" exercises for middle-aged men.  In fact, I sincerely doubt that he has ever performed a truly light workout in his career.  No calisthenics, 10-pound dumbbells, or high rep-low weight movements for this iron man!!  Art goes to the gym to be challenged and loves to load those heavy plates on the Olympic bar!  He is a competitor, always will be, and never plans to change the enjoyment he derives from powerlift training.  Even after his relatively short hospital stay, though still healing and bandaged to some degree, Art was in the gym squatting, benching, and deadlifting!!

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Although still bandaged from his recent, very
serious accident, Art Montini performs a favorite
strength building movement - incline sit-ups
with a pair of York 110 pounders! Talk about abs -wow!

Montini has competed in area power meets since their inception in the 60's, but has diligently performed the heavy movements since his earliest barbell training during the late 1940's.  Over the years he has acquired a vast knowledge of training methods and lifting techniques, determining those which work best for him.  His body and mental attitude seem to prefer a very basic system of heavy weights and low reps.  Depending on the nearness of a meet, he will perform maximum attempts for sets of five, three or single reps on the powerlifts.  Also, with fondness for his Olympic lifting days, the "old man" likes to work up in singles to a heavy press, snatch, and clean and jerk as supplemental exercises. 

Progress, not maintenance, is his constant goal.  "When I can't increase my poundages on the lifts, I'll quit - and those days are a long way off!" claims the hardened veteran.  Indeed, his best gains have been made in recent years as the iron "bug" has bitten harder than ever.  Displaying the exuberance and energy of a teenager, Montini takes almost masochistic delight in forcing out reps with maximum or near-maximum weight.  He loves to put himself to the test at a contest and is in his glory competing, officiating, coaching or just being with his fellow lifters.

ArtDL.JPG
Concentration with heavy attempts is the key to Montini's
routine. Here he sinks his teeth into a heavy deadlift.

When asked which bodybuilding exercises he performs to supplement his heavy lifting and for general physical fitness, Art just laughs.  He very pointedly comments that max poundage powerlifting is bodybuilding!  However, the old boy has often been observed doing sets of high incline sit-ups - while holding two 110-pound dumbells! Just can't keep the guy away from those heavy weights! As far as a physique is concerned, that 50-year-old tank of a torso speaks for itself!

Montini is perhaps one of the premiere teachers of powerlifting in the country, based on his experience and the number of students he has reached.  Over 20 years ago he and Harry McCoy founded the highly popular Ambridge V.F.W. Barbell Club.  Devoting much of his spare time toward working for the betterment of this non-profit gym, Art has developed many fine Olympic and power lifters.  He leads his teams into practically every area competition, and personally conducts several large meets at the V.F.W. each year.  No matter how experienced or prestigious the trainee, this old wizard of weights is always sought for help and advice.  Currently, the president of the club, Montini remains the head guru of power at the Ambridge V.F.W.

Presently Art chooses to ignore the wounds, scars, and bandaging remaining from his all too recent accident and has plunged knee deep into a competitive powerlifting routine.  He is still upset that the untimely explosion ruined his plans to compete in the 1978 Masters' Age National Championships, but vows to be ready for 1979!   The body may still be a bit wracked up right now, but the competitive spirit has reached an all-time high!

Art Montini has shown us all how our beloved sport can condition both body and mind to handle even the most severe stress.  Some current fitness "experts" find it fashionable to dismiss heavy weight training as a viable source of exercise for health and longevity.  However, Art's punishing ordeal points out that in addition to providing stimulus for the muscles, powerlifting can create development of tremendous recuperative powers, strong resistance to physical damage, and a mental "toughness" not tolerant of defeat.  And just ask Art about longevity.  He'll cheerfully tell you that not only has weightlifting given him so much health and happiness during his lifetime, its benefits have granted him life itself!! 

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Art has been grinding out heavy squats like this for over 30 years!

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June 30th, 2009

So you think the Van Dam Lift is impossible???  Rob Van Dam, of wrestling fame, is responsible for this lift being in the USAWA Rule Book and to this date he has been the only one to perform the Van Dam Lift.  For those who are unfamiliar with the Van Dam Lift - it involves lifting a heavy dumbbell from the floor to the waist while maintaining the full splits with each foot/leg supported on a bench . Rob Van Dam demonstrated this lift with a dumbbell of 166 pounds. For those who still don't believe it - it can be viewed on this YouTube Video and was officiated by USAWA officials.


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Steve Freides, at 149 pounds, one arm pressing a Kettlebell of 53 pounds while maintaining the full splits.

Now along comes Steve Freides, of Ridgewood New Jersey, who just may be the second person to accomplish the Van Dam Lift. Steve started out childhood suffering from severe asthma and allergies, to enduring a severe back injury as an adult that left him bedridden for several months and unable to walk without limping for over a year.  At this point in his life,  Steve decided to forget about his physical setbacks and took up an aggressive exercise program involving daily stretching and training with Kettlebells. He also runs, swims and bicycles.  He has even entered several powerlifting meets, setting some deadlifting records in the process.  Steve is a certified Personal Trainer by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and was certified as a Russian Kettlebell Challenge Instructor by Pavel Tsatsouline.  He received his RKC Level 2 certification in 2007.

Now the question remains - will Steve enter an All-Round Weightlifting Record Day and be the only person to do the impossible Van Dam Lift besides the man himself, Rob Van Dam?  Lets hope it happens!!!!!!

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June 29th, 2009

Quiz of the Week

A Hall of Fame Biography is now available for Joe Garcia. Check it out here - Biography.  Joe is famous for his Hand and Thigh Lifting - and holds the all-time record in this lift by lifting 1910 pounds! Not only has he lifted more than anyone in the history of the USAWA, but also of All Time, even exceeding the Hand and Thigh Lifts of the old time strongmen.

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Joe Garcia with the Hand and Thigh Lift

Quiz Question: Name the lifter whose all-time record was broken by Joe Garcia, and the weight of the previous record.

Rules of contest: 1 answer per day, first correct answer to webmaster wins

Winner receives a USAWA Patch!!!!

Mike McBride, of Columbia Missouri, correctly answered the quiz. The
previous Hand and Thigh Lift record holder was the New Jersey Strongman,  Jack Walsh.  He did a Hand and Thigh Lift of 1900 pounds in 1950 at Trenton, New Jersey.  This beat the previous record held by Louis Cyr of Canada, who had a Hand and Thigh Lift of 1897 pounds, set in 1896.  Will it be another 50 years before Joe Garcia's Hand and Thigh Lift record is broken?


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June 28th, 2009

2009 USAWA Nationals

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Pictured front row left to right: Rudy Bletscher, Denny Habecker, Art Montini, Dale Friesz, Dennis Mitchell
Back row left to right: Charlie Scott, Randy Smith, Tim Piper, Ben Edwards, Joe Garcia, Al Myers, Chad Ullom

Meet Report
    by Ben Edwards


Special thanks goes out to my wonderful wife Carrie. She willingly acted as my chauffeur, masseuse, coach, cheerleader, scorekeeper, photographer, and trusted adviser for the entire day. That gave me an unfair advantage over anyone else who didn’t have that kind of support system. I’m a very lucky man to have her in my corner.
At 6 o’clock in the morning, on June 20th, we set out with all the food and other supplemental supplies I would need for a day spent competing at the 2009 USAWA Nationals.
The destination was Al Myers’ Dino Gym in Holland, Kansas. I’ve been there three times previously, but each time I go there is always something I see that I missed on my previous visits to the gym.
The Dino Gym is the best-equipped gym I’ve ever encountered. That’s not an exaggeration either.
Al is a former Highland Games champion, so there is a good deal of Highland Games training equipment at his gym and a training field dedicated to the Highland Games.
Al hosts both strongman and all-round weightlifting contests in his gym too, so both of those disciplines are well represented.
The Dino Gym has everything. From a full set of round strongman training stones to a set of power stairs implements and more farmer’s walk devices than I could keep track of.
I was more worried about the drug testing than the contest itself. Not because I had anything to hide, but because I have a notoriously shy bladder, haha. The drug testers were both very nice and patient guys. The direct-observation tester managed to put me at ease and I luckily gave a sample without holding all the other competitors up for half the day.
After the urine test was completed and that was out of the way, I began mingling with the other competitors and greeting the guys I had already met and some of the guys I hadn’t met yet.
The last time I competed in an all-round contest at the Dino Gym (not counting the Record Day since it’s essentially a contest between me and the record book) was 2006. So it had been 3 years since I had seen most of the guys I had previously met at Al’s gym.
Coming to the Dino Gym and being greeted by Al Myers is always such a pleasure. He makes everyone feel like they’re the only person in the room when he’s talking to you. He is the kind of lifter who can do any physical task very well. He’s athletic, moves fluidly and with great power, and can accelerate heavy weights in the blink of an eye. When he’s focused on a big lift and psyches himself up for it – it’s time to get out of the way and let him lift!
I will never forget getting “drafted” by Al to provide a safety-spot for the most impressive lift I’ve ever seen in person – his 1,000lb Roman Chair Situp that he achieved at his Record Day back in February.
Jason Payne was spotting one side of the ridiculously-loaded bar and I was on the other side. I was sweating bullets because I was not nearly as strong as Jason and I felt the need to bow out and try to decline the spot request.
Well, there was no denying Al when he said he knew I could do it! I bucked up and realized there was no way I was going to deny Al a shot at a possibly once-in-a-lifetime world record attempt like that. He nailed the lift and it’s in the record books now. Quite frankly, I doubt anyone will want to even attempt to come close to that number in the near future.
The mindset it would take to even believe a lift like that is possible is something that I hope to one day achieve. Al is definitely one of the most influential lifters that I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with. He proves the adage about the mind being able to take the body places where it arguably might not necessarily want to go.
Al is always a gentleman – even when he’s psyched and ready to tear up the weights. The determination on his face shines through and everyone watching holds their breath in anticipation of witnessing something special happen on the platform. They were not disappointed, because Al won the Overall, Open, and Masters categories at the contest! Congrats Al, and thanks again for a great day of camaraderie and fun!
Al’s 73-year old father-in-law, Rudy, is a tremendously nice guy. My wife and I had a blast talking with him throughout the contest. He matched me pound-for-pound on the backlift! And to be honest, he had more in the tank on that lift – although he modestly tried to convince me that the lift was hard for him – even though he made it look easy. He also managed to make the Pullover and Press look pretty smooth. Something that I was not able to do. Rudy was awarded the title of Best Lifter in the 70 to 74-year old category. I’m not sure how much he beat the previous Backlift record in his age and weight class, but it had to be by a huge margin.
My wife and I also spent some time talking with Charlie Scott and his charming wife. Charlie was unfamiliar with some of the lifts but he did a great job – and broke some records throughout the contest. I was really surprised when Charlie’s wife happened to mention that he was 74. I estimated his age at most to be around 65, so he was in the company of the other Masters lifters at the contest that filled their sports bottles from the Fountain of Youth and Strength.
Meeting competitors that I had only previously read about is something that I’ll remember fondly for the rest of my lifting career.
The youngest competitor was 32-year old Mike McBride. His consistently strong performances netted him 2nd place overall. This was the first time Mike and I met - although I believe we have traded a few USAWA records back and forth over the past few years. Mike is ferociously strong on all the basic lifts and I don’t think he even specializes on the grip events – so that’s humbling to think he matches or outperforms me on some of the lifts that I have dedicated 9 years of my training to.
I want to mention how nice it was to see Ian Reel again. I last saw him at the 2006 Dino Challenge, where he was already a very strong young man. I think he was 16 years old then and was easily out-lifting me in every event. He was leaner and more muscular this time. Now he’s a college thrower and seems to be as strong as he ever was, but at a lighter bodyweight. Ian is as nice and humble as he is strong – two qualities that are not wasted on me and my wife.
Ian wanted to see me take a shot at chest-crushing Al’s #4 gripper with 2 hands, so I obliged him by shutting it that way. After I did that, he absentmindedly picked up a #2 gripper, and then slammed the handles together with ease! I was very impressed and asked him if he trained with the grippers. Modestly shaking his head, Ian told me that he didn’t train with the grippers – but it’s obvious that the training he does for his throwing focus is astonishingly effective at building a high level of hand strength.
I look forward to seeing Ian compete in an all-round competition again – and maybe one day I can convince him to enter a grip contest. I know he’d do well even though he’s not a grip specialist.
It’s always good to see Joe Garcia. He gave me some really good tips on moving my feet faster on the split part of the jerk, and kept coaching me to bend my knees more than an inch on the One-Hand Snatch. Joe is a wealth of training information and we were very close in strength on all the events until the backlift – where he left me far behind in the dust.
Chad Ullom was quite a bit leaner and lighter in bodyweight than the last time I saw him at the 2006 Dino Challenge. His prodigious strength was still there in full force and he won the One-Hand Snatch with 155lbs and tied Al for 1st on the Axle Clean and Jerk with 255lbs. Chad’s the type of guy that is as quick to congratulate a guy that lifted 100s of pounds less in a contest as he is to congratulate the guy who won the event. That means a lot to a mid-pack lifter and it motivates me to continue plugging away and getting stronger – all while retaining my humility.
I hadn’t met Tim Piper yet but I had seen his name in the record book and for a very good reason. He’s very athletic and has the fastest foot speed I’ve ever seen on the split jerk part of the Axle Clean and Jerk. My wife was very impressed by his athleticism, and so was I. He was also humble and modest about his lifting abilities. Tim was about 30 pounds lighter than me but stronger on a few of the lifts.
Randy Smith and I had never met until this contest. I had seen his name many times in the record books, because a few of his records were in events that I specialized on for a while. He is a super nice guy and a pleasure to talk to about lifting in general and other miscellaneous topics.
His wife was very nice too, although I don’t remember her name offhand. Randy is very impressive for a few reasons. His lean frame is capable of some big lifts. He’s also kind of quiet and unassuming, so he might surprise a few people that expect the best lifters to be slightly more vocal than the mid-pack guys or the beginners. Randy was far superior to me in every lift but the Pullover and Press. And I think that was only because his arms seemed to be a half-foot longer than mine.
I not only aspire to be as strong as Randy when I’m 54 years old – I aspire to be as strong as him at any age! He was awarded the Best Lifter title in the 55 to 59-year old category.
Scott Tully is a big, nice guy. He was the scorekeeper for the entire contest and was also very patient with me because each time I walked away from the platform – whether it was a successful attempt or a failure – I forgot each time to let him know what my subsequent attempt was going to be. Each time I belatedly remembered to go up to the score table, he smiled and told me it was no big deal when I apologized about forgetting to give my next attempt. I think it was a little case of the nerves for me. Even though I’ve competed in about a dozen strength contests, this was my first USAWA Nationals.
Darren Barnhart was one of the loaders who selflessly loaded and unloaded tons of weight all through the long day of competition. Thanks Darren! He’s also the Dino Gym record holder in the 2” Vertical Bar lift – with 229lbs. Heck of a lift under the USAWA rules! I tried to take that gym record back in February – but came up short a few times. Was able to pull the weight up, but couldn’t stop the rotation of the bar.
Ryan Batchman was the second loader, and he spent the entire day alongside Darren loading and unloading. I sincerely think that these guys had the hardest day of anyone there. I’d take competing any day over moving the tremendous amount of weight that these guys did. Bending and stooping over about 8 hours must’ve made them wake up feeling like they’d been hit by a bus the next day. Ryan was a solid guy and looked like he could’ve done 50% over any lift I did that day.
Thanks for loading all day Ryan and Darren! I – and all the lifters – also appreciated the care Darren and Ryan took to make sure that the bars were properly aligned on the 2-Barbell Deadlift. It is a seemingly small gesture, but it makes a big difference when you’re tired and want to conserve every bit of strength for a PR attempt.
The three judges were Bill Clark, Thom Van Vleck, and Mark Mitchell. I’ve met all three guys before and enjoy their company immensely. Bill had his game face on since he was the head judge. But he still managed to give me some very good advice on a few of the lifts. I did manage to pull my head out of the sand and take his advice and put it to good use too. So all was not lost. Thanks guys – judging is one of the most important parts of the day since it’s a Nationals competition.
Thom looked a bit different since he didn’t have the same beard that he did back in 2006. I really want to make it out to one of his Highland Games one of these days. I wish I had more time to talk to him after the contest because I really did want to pick his brain on a few training issues relating to the my desire to try out the Highland Games events.
It was really nice to see Mark Mitchell again too. He looked quite a bit lighter than the last time I saw him too. I think his back issues are healed up and that’s fantastic news too. I remember that he is beastly strong.
Before this contest, Denny Habecker was another lifter that I had only read about. Denny is 66 years old and won the Best Lifter title in the 65-69 year-old category. What impressed me the most about him was the fact that he took the time to give me some pointers on the Pullover and Press - a lift that he just happens to be a phenomenal performer in.
I listened with rapt attention when he gave me some pointers. I would’ve given him my full attention even if I hadn’t just watched him Pullover and Press 195lbs! For those that haven’t experienced the difficulty of this lift, suffice it to say that 195lbs would be respectable in any gym even if you were 20 years old and weighed 250lbs. Since he was under 200lbs and three times older, it was exponentially more impressive to watch him put on a Pullover and Press clinic. Thanks again for the help Denny! His big Pullover and Press might be my vote for the impressive lift of the entire contest.
Dennis Mitchell was awarded the Best Lifter award in the 75 to 79-year old category. The lift I was most impressed by was his 750lb Backlift - at 161lbs bodyweight - and 77 years old. I didn’t get to talk to Dennis more than just a “hello” here and there.
Wish I would’ve taken the time to go up and introduce myself though, because his is another name that I’ve read about on multiple occasions but never had the chance to meet until this contest.
I have a remarkable ability to remember records (numbers), so I have to remember not to walk up to someone I’ve never met and risk looking like the “Rain Man” when I quote from memory one of their records down to the pound.
Dale Friesz was another lifter that I recognized the name, but had never met him before the contest. I also didn’t get to talk to Dale very much – but I watched his 2-Barbell Deadlift pretty closely because I liked his style of almost stiff-leg deadlifting the weight up to lockout. I think that style is better suited to counter the balance issues I had with that event. I’ve already started integrating some stiff-leg barbell deadlifts into my workouts at home since watching Dale’s performance. Thanks Dale!
Art Montini, 81 years old, was awarded the title of Best Lifter in the 80 to 84-year old category. Art is built like a fireplug – and has the power and strength to back up that impressive build.
It’s obvious when seeing him for the first time that he’s one of those guys that’s just built for lifting heavy stuff. I’ve read a lot about Art, possibly more than any other lifter in the USAWA, so I really enjoyed watching him in action.
I wanted to talk to Art more than the little bit I managed to, but he was very approachable and friendly, so I should’ve just gone up more and chatted him up. I didn’t want to throw him off of his game plan by talking endlessly about lifting though.
There were no female competitors at this competition, which surprised me since I’ve seen some superb female lifters over the years. I’m not sure if it’s a lack of female USAWA members right now, but I think everyone would like to see the ladies well-represented at next year’s USAWA Nationals! I’ll start working on trying to get my wife interested in training and competing next year. Come on ladies, break a bunch of records next year!
There is nothing that I would change if I was able to repeat the experience of the 2009 USAWA Nationals again. I enjoyed my entire day. From the 90-minute drive to Al’s Gym, to the day spent gawking at the incredible amount of Iron Game paraphernalia lining the walls.
I tried to be more bold with my 1st and 2nd attempts too and I think that paid off with some significantly higher results than I would’ve secured had I gone with my usual extremely conservative 1st attempts. I went 16 for 18 at the final count.
I look forward to competing again next year - and I will be training very hard to secure a final placing a little higher than this year’s performance.
Another person that has to be recognized is Brian Krenzin. Brian prepared a meal following the meet that was top-notch!!  He grilled burgers and chicken for everyone.
Congratulations to all the lifters in the 2009 USAWA Nationals! Thanks again to the loaders and the judges! Thanks also to the family and friends who made the trip and cheered on their respective lifters!

Until next year.


For Meet Results - Click Here

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June 25th, 2009


Highlights of the National Meeting  by Al Myers

After the chalk settled, and the lifters full from a BBQ of burgers and chicken, the USAWA membership sat down to have the National Meeting, presided over by USAWA President Denny Habecker.   Several issues were on the agenda this year that if voted "yes on" could change the direction of the USAWA and the future of the organization.  The first item brought up was the review of the bylaws. The USAWA has been working with bylaws that were developed when the organization began in 1987. In this time no changes have ever been made to the bylaws, despite the fact that the USAWA has been operating in a different fashion from what the original bylaws outlined.  Much of this was the result of the failure of the USAWA to grow in numbers - and the original bylaws were written with the idea that the USAWA was going to be a large organization and thus would require  complex governing bylaws. After a short discussion,  a committee was formed to re-write the bylaws.  Members of this committee are Tim Piper, Joe Garcia and myself.  The next item brought to the floor was the process of Hall of Fame Induction.  The previous system was a point system in which an individual must accumulate 1000 points, and upon reaching this number, would automatically be the Hall of Fame.  One person was designated to keep track of everyone's points.  This system ceased to work when the individual in charge of it retired and no one took it over, and thus no one has been inducted since 2003.  I presented a new Hall of Fame Induction form to the membership based on a nomination process whereas an individual would nominate someone and be the one responsible for figuring the nominees points, taking the pressure off of one individual. No motion was made to accept this new form.  Again, a committee was formed to investigate this process and to report to the membership at next years annual meeting.  The Hall of Fame committee consists of Denny Habecker, Dennis Mitchell, and Dale Friesz. The next item was a review of the Officials' Test.  Discussion included that the current rules test is too long and is discouraging people from taking it. As of now, only 8 individuals have taken the rules test in the past 3 years. This was countered by discussion pointing out the importance of having an extensive rules test with stringent criteria in order to become  a qualified official, much like other sports organizations. Also included in this was reasons why a practical exam should be implemented. No motions were made.  Joe Garcia volunteered to be the Officials' Chairman. The next item was the approval of the new Rule Book.  The Rule Book was updated and expanded on this spring, and was reviewed by several people.  The approval of the Rule Book passed unanimously.  The motion was amended to include a date of August 1st for the new Rule Book to take effect. The reason given for this was to give time so people could be made aware of it that do not have access to a computer.  The proposed Rule Book has been available on the website for the past 6 weeks. The next item brought up was a review of the drug testing policy.  Much concern was voiced by the membership about the considerable expense the testing program is costing the organization, and that other cheaper testing programs should be looked at. Amongst the discussion was the importance of maintaining  an extensive quality testing program, which this program has done, and having outside individuals doing the testing instead of doing the testing in-house. A motion was made by Chad Ullom to continue with our current testing program and it passed by majority vote.  The next item discussed was the future of the Strength Journal, which is published by Bill Clark. Bill Clark announced that he was resigning as publisher of the Journal, effective at the end of the year.  Discussion included trying to convince Bill to have a change of mind, but it was to no avail. The next agenda item was election of officers. It started with Bill Clark announcing that he was resigning as Secretary/Treasurer after over 20 years in this capacity. A motion was then made by Bill Clark nominating Denny Habecker for President, myself as Secretary/Treasurer and Chad Ullom as Vice President. The motion was seconded by Randy Smith and passed unanimously. Included in this motion was that the new officers would take office at the beginning of 2010 to allow time for transition.  The next item was a review of the record keeping process. Discussion included the possibility of having the Record List put on the website. Joe Garcia, the Official Record Keeper expressed concerns over bandwidth and whether this would be possible with the new website. This was discussed and agreed upon that it needed to be looked into further before the Record List would be put on the website. Joe and I agreed that we will work together on getting the Record List on the website.  The next item was a review of the website.  Discussion amongst the membership included wanting to have a message board, and being able to register online for membership and sanctioning.   Next up was a review of club memberships and the discussion of team awards. In the past, club awards have been given out but this ceased when club memberships declined.  As of now, the USAWA has 4 registered clubs. The membership agreed that this was not enough clubs to have an club award program.   Next item up was a discussion of insurance.  As of now, the USAWA does not provide insurance for sanctioned meets, nor has an insurance policy that would allow meet directors to  purchase insurance for meets. Meet Directors must find their own insurance, or just go with out. Discussion included having this looked into and what the costs would be to the organization.   No motions were made and no committee formed.  The next agenda item was a review of the age adjustment, and whether the point correction was fair.  This issue was brought up at the IAWA meeting  last fall.  Dennis Mitchell presented a survey done by the IAWA committee that was formed to study this. The study showed 1 percent was somewhat fair up to the age of 60, but after the age of 60 performance decrease was more rapid than 1 percent.  Concerns were expressed by the membership that increasing the age adjustment for lifters over 60 may deter new young lifters from joining the USAWA.  The majority of the membership felt that no change should be made, and this should be the USAWA recommendation to IAWA at the IAWA meeting in October. The next item was an issue brought forward by the Technical Committee concerning whether using the Zercher Lift in the Continental to Belt should continue to be allowed. This issue was brought up at the last IAWA Meeting requesting that the Continental to Belt should be divided into two lifts - the Continental to Belt and the Continental to Belt Anyhow.   Discussion among members felt that by the definition of a continental  using  a Zercher Lift to get the bar to the belt is within the description of a continental, and there would be no point in separating them.  This was also the recommendation of the Technical Committee.   Next up was a discussion involving whether we should remain part of the IAWA, or join with the BSAG.  Membership voiced overwhelming support of IAWA, and after a very short discussion,  no motions were made.  The next item was a motion made by Bill Clark naming the Overall Best Lifter Award at Nationals the Monahan Award, in honor and memory of Rex Monahan.  It passed unanimously.  The last item was asking for bids for the 2010 National Championships.  Denny Habecker put in the only bid, and it was accepted unanimously.

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June 21st, 2009

NEWS FLASH  Results of the National Championships

The 2009 USAWA National Championships, held at the Dino Gym in Holland Kansas, turned out to be a big success despite the low turnout of competitors. It was a close competition that went down to the last event, the Back Lift, to determine this year's Overall Best Lifter. The top five overall placings were:

1.  Al Myers 3399 points
2.  Mike McBride 3274 points
3.  Chad Ullom  3195 points
4.  Joe Garcia  2838 points
5.  Randy Smith 2658 points

Full Meet coverage will be coming soon.

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June 14th, 2009

The USAWA National Championships is this coming weekend, on Saturday June 20th.  Late entries will be accepted this week.  The National Meeting will follow the meet.  Several key items are on the agenda for the meeting.  These include:

1.   Review of the USAWA bylaws.
2.   Review of the Hall of Fame selection process.
3.   Review of the official's test and rating system of officials.
4.   Review of the drug testing policy.
5.   Approval of the updated rulebook.
6.   Election of officers.
7.   Review of the record keeping process.
8.   Review of the website.
9.   Reintroducing Team awards and Team competition.
10. Review of providing insurance for meets.
11. Taking bids for the 2010 Nationals.

This is a very important meeting concerning the future of the USAWA. If you are a member, please try to make the meeting even if you are not competing in the meet. 

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June 11th, 2009

Quiz of the Week

Name this USAWA Lift and who it is named after. Also, name the USAWA lifter that has lifted the most weight in this lift in an USAWA event.

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Step 1 - Lift the bar behind the back

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Step 2 - Roll the bar up the back onto the shoulders

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Step 3 - Perform a behind the neck jerk

Winner receives an USAWA patch

Rules:  First correct answer to webmaster wins, and only one answer may be given per day.

Congratulations to Chad Ullom of Topeka, Kansas  for correctly identifying this lift as the Arthur Lift, named after the great old-time German  strongman Arthur Saxon (and demonstrated by him in these photos).  This lift requires great shoulder flexibility.  The bar starts on the platform behind the lifter, and is raised behind the back until the bar is  positioned above the hips (or above the belt).  At this point, the lifter bends forward, and in a series of steps rolls the bar up the back until it is fixed across the shoulders. The hands are allowed to come free of the bar during this. The lifter then stands and performs a behind the neck jerk, at which time the lift is completed. Saxon is reported to have done 386 pounds in this lift, as it was witnessed by Warren Lincoln Travis. This lift was introduced to the USAWA by Art Montini - so in a way it is named after two Arthurs. The top weight ever lifted in the Arthur Lift in the USAWA was done by Chad Ullom, who lifted 297 pounds at the 2007 National Championships.
 

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Chad Ullom performing the Arthur Lift at the 2007 National Championships
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June 9th, 2009

A Hall of Fame Biography for John Vernacchio has recently been added to the list of Biographies in the Hall of Fame section.  John was a driving force in the early years of the USAWA, and has promoted some of the largest all-round competitions to date. He promoted the first National Championship and the first World Championship held in the United States.

Click Here for Biography

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June 3rd, 2009



Lifter Interview  - Tom Ryan  

by Al Myers


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Al:  Tom,  where do you currently live and what do you do for a living?

Tom:   I live in Acworth, Georgia (outside Atlanta) and have lived in Georgia most of my life, being a native Atlantan.  I was a college professor for decades and now teach online courses for statistics.com.  I have also done some course development work for them and do occasional consulting through them.  I have written four statistics books (600-page books) for my New York area publisher and expect to finish my fifth book by the end of the year.  I have also done a considerable amount of additional writing, including some sports writing, such as six articles on basketball statistics within the past few years for betterbasketball.com.  I enjoy doing various types of writing and a few weeks ago wrote a guest column on teaching quantitative courses that was in the Atlanta paper on May 20th.  The American Statistical Association, which elected me a Fellow in 2000 (I’ve been a member since 1972), somehow found out about that article and have linked the article at their website.       

Al:  When did you first start weightlifting and how did you get started?

Tom:   I started lifting weights in December, 1958, at the age of 13.  I would have made an ideal “before” picture for a bodybuilding course ad as I was 5-7 and weighed only 107 pounds.  I was all skin and bones and my father even called me “Bones”.   I believe I pressed 40 pounds for 8 reps in my first workout.  I was in the 8th grade at the time and there were two kids in my physical education class who couldn’t climb the rope in the gym and touch the ceiling.   I was one of the two.  Then I started lifting weights and did succeed (to the cheers of my fellow students), even after almost dying from whooping cough and missing a few weeks of school. 

 I went from “bones” to almost the other extreme, eventually reaching 305 pounds, with my highest competitive bodyweight being 296 at two contests.   I did not compete when I was in my prime, as I wanted to wait until I was a national caliber lifter before I entered competition.  By my mid-30s, however, I realized that was never going to happen, and that was a depressing realization because I trained very hard.  Then my life changed when I wrote to Murray Levin, who ran U.S. Olympic lifting at the time, in 1981 and offered to help in any way that I could.  Murray sent my letter to Bill Clark, who immediately wrote to me.  Bill had a paragraph about me in his Master’s newsletter in 1982, even though I was only 36 at the time and Master’s lifting then started at age 40. Bill also sent me his Missouri Valley newsletter.  This was well before the days of the USAWA but Bill had introduced me to a new world and I now had something to train for. 

Al:    Was there any one person who introduced you to lifting?

Tom:   No one got me started.  It was pure self-motivation, being motivated by my lack of strength and muscles.  As I aged and started becoming stronger, with a 289 clean and jerk in training at the age of 19, I idolized Tony Garcy, five-time national Olympic lifting champion, and followed his career very closely.  I eventually met Tony at the 1966 Senior Nationals and spoke with him briefly then.  Several months ago I sent him a sympathy card after the death of one of his sons and received a nice card and note from he and his wife in reply.  I was also motivated by Paul Anderson, whom I met in 1972 and corresponded with during the early 1970s, as well as the late 1980s.  

Al:   When did you first get involved with the all-rounds?  Didn’t you compete in one of the very first World Meets?

Tom:  I am one of the charter members of the USAWA, as indicated by the list on page 23 of the 5/17/09 edition of the Strength Journal.  I competed in my first Zercher Meet in 1987, about the time that plans to start the USAWA were being formalized, so I just naturally became a member of the USAWA.   Yes, I competed in the World Meet in Plymouth Meeting, PA in 1989. I suffered a tricep injury during the Pullover and Push event that took a very long time to fully heal.

Al:   What have been your favorite lifts? 

Tom:   Over the years my favorite lifts have been the ones that I can do, quite frankly, and that list shrinks as I age!  LOL  When I was much younger, I enjoyed pressing and tried different types of pressing.  My best pressing performance in USAWA competition occurred at the 1989 Zercher Meet when I did a heels together military press with 200 and then pressed 210 on my last attempt but lost my balance and had to take two steps backward.  Later that year I thought I had pressed 209 at the World Meet, but I expected the weight to be heavier than it was and put a bit too much body into the lift, resulting in two red lights for backbend. 

Probably my lifetime best pressing, considering form, was done in training one day in 1977 when I did a wide-grip military press with 229 for 4 reps.  My heels weren’t together but those were strict presses with no lower body movement at all.  That was one of those magic moments when I was really “on” and knew that would never happen again.   And it didn’t!  

During the late 1980s and early 1990s I made some reasonable one-hand deadlifts in USAWA contests, ranging from 330 to my PR of 345.  My back started “complaining” about any type of deadlift with very much weight as I moved through my 50s, so I became somewhat of a one-arm thumbless deadlift specialist, doing over 200 officially.   This is the type of lift that allows grip specialists like Ben Edwards to excel.  In my case, I think it is a matter of technique because my hand strength is rather ordinary.  I also found that I was reasonably good at the rectangular fix, at least for my age, as I made 95 pounds at the age of 61.  

Al:  I know one of your interests has been the history of weightlifting.  Who are some of your favorite old time strongmen?Ryan-Reeves.jpg

Tom:   There are people who know more about the history of weightlifting and oldetime strongmen than I do, but yes, I have been interested in these subjects for decades and began work on a book on historical strength figures in the late 1980s.  I mentioned Tony Garcy previously but I would rather not think of him as “oldetime” since he is only 6 years older than me.  LOL.   Rather, if we think of strongmen who performed in the general vicinity of 1900, there were certain performances that I wish I could have seen.  In particular, one evening in 1889 Apollon (Louis Uni) did not know that the iron bars on a gate that was part of his stage performance had been tempered by a blacksmith, who was bribed by a prankster.  Unaware of this, Apollon and his massive forearms struggled to bend the bars, while his wife prodded him , assuming that he was just being lazy.  Finally Apollon was able to bend the bars enough for him to slide through them, but he was totally exhausted and explained to the audience that he was unable to continue his performance.  David Willoughby believed that this may have been Apollon’s greatest strength feat.

I wish I could have also seen the bent presses of Arthur Saxon.  It is hard for me to believe that a man weighing only about 204 pounds could bent press close to 400.  (He is credited with 370 but reportedly did 386 unofficially and supposedly attempted 409 but the weights started falling off the bar.)  Bent pressing was popular in the 1940s, especially in the New York area, and although Al Beinert bent pressed 360 in the mid-1900s weighing almost 60 pounds more than Saxon, nobody has approached Saxon’s record. 

It would also have been fun to meet some of the leading strongmen of centuries ago, like Thomas Topham and Giovanni Belzoni, not to mention the enigmatic giant, Angus McAskill.    

Al:  Do you have any special memories of any all-round weightlifting meets?

Tom:  Well, I would like to forget the injuries that I sustained!  LOL  Yes, I certainly have fond memories of people  with varied backgrounds and professions and from different parts of the country and world getting together for fun and competition.  There were personal duels I had with Bill Clark at Zercher Meets, with him insisting that we compete straight up, despite our differences in age and bodyweight.  It was fun seeing Steve Schmidt do harness lifts with well over 3,000 pounds, far in excess of what the rest of us did, and more recently to see his feats, either in person or on film, with bar bending and teeth lifting and pulling very heavy vehicles, as well as record-breaking repetition back lifting.  Although I didn’t witness it, Joe Garcia’s hand and thigh lift with 1,910 is a tremendous accomplishment, the highest lift on record.  Since I go back a long way, there were some competitions in which I saw Ed Zercher do some exhibition leg pressing when he was 80 or so.  Yes, I have many fond memories. 

Al:   What do you think the future of the USAWA  will be?


Tom:  Over the years, Bill Clark had hoped that the USAWA could attract some of the strength stars of the past, but that hasn’t happened.  Jim Bradford, who is now 80 and was a silver medalist in the 1952 and 1960 Olympics, has been an ardent follower, but I don’t recall him competing in any USAWA contest.  There are so many official lifts that virtually everyone, regardless of physical condition, will be able to find some lifts that they can do.  I would like to see more people compete, both young and old, but our numbers are dwindling, not increasing. Hopefully your considerable and praiseworthy  efforts with this website, Al, will increase interest in the USAWA.  We can only hope. 

Al:  Thank you, Tom, for participating in this interview.

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May 29th, 2009

Quiz of the Week

In the USAWA, lifts done for repetitions may be contested in competition and for records. The ultimate record for repetitions is the TOTAL POUNDAGE, where the lifter may choose any lift and rep/set scheme, to lift the most weight within a given time frame.  The standard for this record was initially set by the great Warren Lincoln Travis in 1927 when he Back Lifted 5.5 million pounds in 3 hours, 9 minutes. This was done by doing 5500 reps with 1000 pounds.

Name the TWO USAWA LIFTERS who have exceeded this, along with their TOTAL POUNDAGE.

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Steve Schmidt setting the all-time record for TOTAL POUNDAGE on December 14th, 2002


Congratulations to the Winner of this week's quiz -  Tom Ryan of Acworth, Georgia - who correctly identified the two USAWA lifters as Steve Schmidt and Howard Prechtel. Tom had an advantage in this quiz, as he was a witness and assisted in the counting of repetitions during Steve Schmidt's record. Howard Prechtel initially broke Travis's record in 1982 by Back Lifting 6,066,060 pounds in 3 hours, 9 minutes. It was accomplished by doing 5460 reps with 1111 pounds. This was then upped by Steve Schmidt, on December 14th, 2002 at Clark's Gym, in which he lifted 8,087,095 pounds in 2 hours 50 minutes. Steve was 48 years old at the time and weighed only 209 pounds. He accomplished this by lifting 1,115 pounds a total of 7253 times, using the Back Lift. Bill Clark was the official judge and counter of this Herculean effort. I was fortunate to also have witnessed this event and can attest to the stamina Steve exhibited in accomplishing this feat.  He was performing 45 reps per minute, which gave him only about 30 seconds rest per minute.  He maintained this pace for two hours!!!!  Steve broke Howard's record in 1 hour, 57 minutes.   The conditioning required for something like this must be much the same as that of a marathon runner. I was amazed how quickly Steve recovered following this endurance record, as he did not seem out of breath at all afterwards and even joined in with us on some other record lifts.  Will this TOTAL POUNDAGE record be broken in the next 100 years?   Only time will tell.....

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May 22nd, 2009

Habecker is Awarded the Kelly Cup

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USAWA President Denny Habecker of Lebanon Pennsylvania recently was awarded the very prestigious Kelly Cup.  The Kelly Cup is the highest award given to an amateur athlete for participation in the Keystone State Summer Games in Pennsylvania.  Denny was honored this past month by a special ceremony at the State Capital in Harrisburg. The late Jack Kelly was from Philidelphia and was an Olympic medalist in rowing, along with serving as President of the US Olympic Committee.  This award is given to an athlete who excels in their sport in the Keystone State Games and provides a positive role model in their community.  This definitely describes Denny Habecker. Denny has been involved in weightlifting for over 40 years and has participated in 23 Keystone State Games. Overall he has won 16 gold medals in weightlifting throughout his years of competing in the games.  In 2008, Denny competed in the games less than 6 months following hip replacement surgery!!!  Denny has been part of the leadership team for the weightlifting event, and often provides equipment for the competition. In 2008, he was also named Outstanding Athlete in Weightlifting at the games.  Denny's attitude, leadership and sportsmanship sets the standard that all athletes should aspire for.

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May 18th, 2009

USAWA Heavy Lift National Championships
Meet report by Al Myers

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Front Row Left to Right: Al Myers, Denny Habecker, Chad Ullom
Back Row Left to Right: Scott Schmidt, Dale Friesz, Art Montini

Lebanon, PA - Denny Habecker hosted the 2009 Heavy Lift Championships on May 16th, 2009.  Only six lifters participated, but the field was full of experienced lifters.  The meet was decided by my last Hip Lift, which I had to make to edge out my good friend and training partner Chad Ullom. With his encouragement, I was able to make the lift!!!   However, the win was offset with a loss.  I have always struggled with the Neck Lift, and I would just watch in amazement as the "Miracle Man" Dale Friesz and the "Man of Steel" Art Montini Neck Lift.  They lift weights in the Neck Lift that a normal person would think impossible considering their ages and bodyweights.  Once finished with the Neck Lift, and with a pain in my neck, I made the statement, "If anyone could show me how to lift 500 pounds in this lift, I will buy everyone steak dinners afterwards!!!"  Well, the two of them started giving me tips and "the secret" and before I knew it I Neck Lifted 500 pounds easily, and I now feel 600 is a real possibility.  I try to be a man of my word, so supper afterwards was on me!! But it was a loss I didn't mind!!!Scott Schmidt showed everyone how much determination he has.  He missed his opener in the Hip Lift  - everytime with balance issues.  However, even when he was out of attempts, he took an extra attempt and got it to set a new age group Hip Lift Record!!!!  The Heavy Lifts are fickle, and the slightest change in body position can make several hundred pounds difference.  I know Scott wasn't totally satisfied, but I wouldn't be surprised if the next time he Hip Lifts he goes over 2000#!!!  We even had a surprise guest.  Toward the end of the meet, in walks "The Living Legend" John Vernacchio.  John was a fierce competitor in the earlier USAWA days, and was responsible for promoting some of the biggest meets ever in the USAWA.  I really enjoyed getting to visit with him.  After the meet, Judy Habecker prepared the best post-meet meal I have ever had.  Denny and Judy are very gracious hosts and they did everything possible to make this day a special event for everyone.

For Full Meet Report - Click Here

 
 
Questions about the USAWA?  Email the webmaster at:

amyers@usawa.com

.