Monthly Archives: November 2015

Sir Lance-A Lot’s RD

by Eric Todd

On Saturday, November 21, several of us gathered at my house to celebrate half a century of life for our good friend Lance Foster by getting together to attack the weights and the USAWA record book at the same time. It ended up being winter for the day, but it was fun and big weights were lifted nonetheless.  4 lifters from 3 states braved the cold to set the following records:

Ben Edwards     40 yrs    241#
Left hand 2” V-bar 205#
R’s Hammer 35#

Eric Todd    40 yrs    251#
Finger lift Right little         85#
Finger Lift Left Little 85#
Finger Lift Right Thumb 85#
Finger Lift Left Thumb 85#
Finger Lift Right Ring 155#
Finger Lift Left Ring 115#
Finger Lift Left Middle 150#

Lance Foster    50yrs     335#
Kennedy Lift        365#
Push Press From Rack      155#
Fulton Bar Jefferson 255#

Dean Ross     73yrs     256#
Finger Lift Right Middle 85#
Finger Lift Right Ring 65#
Deadlift Fingers little        95#
Deadlift Fingers Index      135
Deadlift Fingers Ring 115#
Deadlift Fingers  Middle  145#
Harness Lift 1010#

Grip Championships

by Al Myers

MEET ANNOUNCEMENT –
2016 USAWA GRIP CHAMPIONSHIPS

MEET DETAILS:

Meet Director:            Al Myers and the Dino Gym 785-479-2264

Meet Date:                 Saturday, February 13th, 2016  10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Location:                    Dino Gym, 1126 Eden Road, Abilene, KS 67410

Sanction:                    U.S.A.W.A Memberships cards can be purchased on meet day

Weigh-ins:                  9:00-10:00 AM the day of the meet

Divisions:                   Juniors, Women, Masters, and Open

Awards:                     None

Entry:                        None – but please notify me in advance if you plan to attend

Lifts:

Deadlift – Inch Dumbbell, One Arm

Curl – Wrist

Deadlift – Dumbbell, One Arm

Deadlift – Fingers, Middle

Deadlift – Reeves

There will be time for record day lifts after meet and the following day.

Dino Gym Challenge

by Al Myers

MEET ANNOUNCEMENT
DINO GYM CHALLENGE PRESENTS THE –

Mike “Murdo” Murdock Memorial Meet

A year ago the USAWA lost a very close friend in Mike Murdock. Murdo was a mainstay at most all the events I’ve held at the Dino Gym over the past 10 years.  He would do it all at meets – lift, officiate, load, and coach.  He never let me down when he would say he would be here to do something.  He was that “type of guy”.

Last summer fellow Dino Gym member Dean Ross and I were visiting at Dave’s Club Championship about Murdo – and Dean suggested that we dedicate the Dino Challenge to Murdo this year.  And part of the event would be that we would do several of Mike’s favorite lifts as a tribute to him.  Of course, I thought this was an OUTSTANDING IDEA!

I have many, many good stories that I could tell about Murdo. But as anyone who knew him knew that he was a very private person, so out of respect I will keep those stories for private conversations and not “broadcast” them on the website.  That’s the way Murdo would have preferred it.

Please put the Dino Challenge and the Murdo Memorial on your lifting calendar this January.

MEET DETAILS:

Meet Director:            Al Myers and the Dino Gym 785-479-2264

Meet Date:                 Saturday, January 16th, 2016  10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Location:                    Dino Gym, 1126 Eden Road, Abilene, KS 67410

Sanction:                    U.S.A.W.A Memberships cards can be purchased on meet day

Weigh-ins:                  9:00-10:00 AM the day of the meet

Divisions:                   Juniors, Women, Masters, and Open

Awards:                      None

Entry:                         None – but please notify me in advance if you plan to attend

Lifts:

Crucifix

Swing – Dumbbell, One Arm

Rectangular Fix

Bent Over Row

Trap Bar Deadlift

After the meet and the next day there will be time for record day lifts.

Ringing the Weights

by Thom Van Vleck

When I was a kid my Uncles and their friends were lifting competitively and going to Olympic lifting contests, Odd lift meets (Pre USAWA), and even a couple of Powerlifting meets.  I remember going out to the gym and listening to the clanging of the weights.  Often they would not put collars on or put them on tightly and this would allow the plates to “rattle” or clang.

Have you ever heard of “ringing” an Anvil.  A high quality anvil has a “ring” to it when you strike it with a hammer.  As a matter of fact I have a tradition in my own gym that if you have a good workout you “Ring” Grandpa Jackson’s Anvil before leaving.  It’s a personal tradition but my youngest son that currently trains with me does it as well.

I don’t know if it’s true or not but I once heard that barbells were called that because they would “ring” when you struck them.  While this may not be true I can offer a little evidence for it.  There was a British poet named Joseph Addison that lived from 1979 to 1719.  He once wrote that he lifted weights an hour every morning and his family knew not to disturb him when he was “ringing” the weights.

I have also wondered why the call a “dumbbell” a dumb bell.  I know the earliest dumbbells often looked like an old style phone hand set (Halteres) and also two cones attached at the points with the grip in the middle before they evolved into the the modern dumbbell that had a balanced handle between two even spheres (regardless the shape of the ends).  Did the old weights “ring” when the would bring them together?  Was that an early sound in gyms that there was a ringing of these weights and when the modern dumbbell came along they didn’t have this rings so they were called dumbbells?  Makes me wonder.

I’m sure someone more well versed in history might have an opinion but I would say that I think I’m right.  People used to “ring the weights” when training.  To this day I enjoy keeping the metal plates loose on a heavy squat and listening to that rattle as I step in and out of the squat rack.  I just sounds like weightlifting to me!

So ring some weights!

Lifter of the Month – Art Montini

by Al Myers

Art Montini recieved a birthday cake in Scotland to recognize his 88th birthday.  The cake was presented to him by Judy Habecker, Janet Dick, and Karen Gardner.

Art Montini recieved a birthday cake in Scotland to recognize his 88th birthday. The cake was presented to him by Judy Habecker, Janet Dick, and Karen Gardner.

The USAWA Lifter of the Month for October is ART MONTINI! Art was an obvious choice as he had a busy month of lifting in the USAWA for October.   Art won another IAWA World Championship in Glasgow, Scotland to start the month of, followed by hosting his annual Birthday Bash the next weekend in which he set several new USAWA records!  I should mention that Art turned 88 when he was competing in Scotland.  He was the oldest competitor in the meet.  I had the priviledge of traveling and rooming with Art in Scotland, and he does not act act 88. When we we arrived in Glasgow we made a trip to Stirling to visit the Wallace Monument (a place I’ve been to several times and always enjoy), and even after a long “red eye” flight the night before, Art made the trek to the top with Chad and me.   Art is a true inspiration to everyone in the USAWA and the IAWA!

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