Denny Habecker has sanctioned the Memorial Record Day. This meet was originally started to replace Art’s Birthday Bash. The 2017 installment was sanctioned as the John Vernacchio Record Day. Since 2019 it has been sanctioned as the Memorial Record Day. The meet honors our former USAWA members who have passed over the years including Dennis Mitchell, Dean Ross, John McKean, Wilbur Miller and many others.
Date: November 21, 2026 Weigh In: 9 AM Lifting Begins: 10 AM Location: Habecker’s Gym, Lebanon, PA
Remote entries will NOT be accepted.
Please contact Denny in advance if you plan on attending to remember those great people and set or break some USAWA records. You can email him at liftingliar@comcast.net
IAWA.UK and the All-Round Weightlifting Federation of Australia (AWFA) have both adopted the IAWA Rulebook. USAWA maintains a separate rulebook. I decided to do some investigating and now understand why.
USAWA rulebook has 196 lifts (154 of which are common to the IAWA rulebook).
USAWA unique lifts
Clean & Press, 12” Base
Two Hand Clean & Press, Heels Together
Jackson Press
James Lift
Press – From Rack
Reflex Bench Press
Reg Park Bench Press
Seated Press – From Rack
Deadlift – 12” Base
Deadlift – Heels Together
Deadlift – No Thumbs, Overhand Grip
Deadlift – Reeves
Squat – 12” Base
Piper Squat
Curl – Cheat, Reverse Grip
Lano Lift
Pullover – Bent Arm
Scott Lift
Clean and Press – 2 Dumbbells, Heels Together
Clean and Push Press – 2 Dumbbells
Clean and Seated Press – 2 Dumbbells
Curl – 2 Dumbbells, Cheat
Side Press – Dumbbell
Van Dam Lift
Bench Press – 2 Dumbbells
Bench Press – Fulton Bar
Continental to Chest – Fulton Bar
Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Ciavattone Grip
Maxey Press
Rectangular Fix, Fulton Bar
Bearhug
Carter Lift
Chin Up
Deadlift – 3” Bar
Deadlift – Two Inch Dumbbells
Deana Lift
Foot Press
Phumchaona Lift
Pinch Grip – Strict
Pinch Grip – Strict, One Hand
Pull-Up
Weaver Stick Backwards
IAWA Has Some Unique Lifts that USAWA Does NOT Contest
One Hand Bent Press (specification on how to get bar to starting position)
Middle Fingers Hacklift
Index Fingers Hacklift
Little Fingers Hacklift
Ring Fingers Hacklift
Bent Arm Pullover (Bench)
Reverse Rim Lift
Domaal Squat
One Hand Deadlift – Cambered Bar
One Hand Pinch Grip Clean and Press
Duck Walk
Seated Dumbbells Press
Two Hands Anyhow with Dumbbells
One Hand Dumbbell Strict Curl
Inch Dumbbell Press
Patterson Deadlift – Peoples Deadlift with 2 Inch Bar
Deadlift
Squat
Bench Press
Snatch
Clean & Jerk
One Hand Wrist Curl
Among Common Lifts There are some slight rule differences
Continental Snatch – in UK, from belt, must be proper snatch
Continental Clean and Jerk – UK allows multiple attempts on jerk
Snatch From Hang – USAWA requires bar to go below knees
Deadlift, No Thumbs, One Arm – UK says thumb cannot touch bar at all
Strict Curl – UK still requires piece of paper
Vertical Bars – UK allows a maximum 30 inch length
Weaver Stick – UK has different specification for stick
USAWA allows any lift to be done for reps or as a team lift. IAWA only allows (12) lifts for repetitions and (11) lifts for team lifts.
IAWA Repetition Lifts
Cleans with Bodyweight
Snatches with Bodyweight
Presses with Bodyweight
Clean & Jerk with Bodyweight
Jerks with Bodyweight
Bodyweight Deadlifts
Abdominal Raises
Leg Press – Unsupported
Roman Chair Sit Up
Back Lift
Hip Lift
Harness Lift
IAWA Team Lifts
Two Person Clean and Snatch
Team Press
Team Snatch
Team Clean & Jerk
Team Hacklift
Team Straddle Deadlift
Team Deadlift
Team One Hand Deadlift
Team Curl
Team Cheat Curl
Team Turkish Get Up
Further IAWA specifies Seated Disabled Class Lifts and Standing Disabled Class Lifts
Beyond the Lifts, there are other rules in IAWA.UK that are not in USAWA:
Drug Testing and lifetime ban
Rule 4.6, IAWA UK also recognizes the MX division for lifters not identifying as Male or Female
Rule 4.10, Longer process for new lifts
Rule 5.1, Knee wraps for Back Squat and Front Squat
Rule 5.10.A, IAWA UK only allows 20 kg (44 lbs) bar
Rule 5.10.F, IAWA UK knurling required at center for one hand lifts
Rule 5.12, Plastic or Spring collar can be used, but will not have weight recognition
Rule 5.13, Minimum hand spacing called out for dumbbell
Rule 5.14, Allows 4 inch raised platform
Rule 5.17, Scale Certification
Rule 6.2, Three Officials for all competition
Rule 6.2.B, Protest board for rules interpretation
Rule 6.6.A, One year probationary period for officials
Rule 6.6B, Fully qualified must demonstrate competency every 2 years
Rule 6.8, Weigh In begins 2 hours prior and lasts for 1.5 hours
Rule 9.A, Females can weigh in with undergarments and suit and subtract 1 pound
Rule 13.L, Demonstration of lockout
Rule 8.G, The Blindt Formula
Rule 9, Pool of Lifts for International Competition plus Chain Lift Challenge
Finally IAWA rulebook has to specify rules for International Competition
World Championship
Gold Cup
World ‘Postal’ Championship
Old Time Strongman’ World Championships – One venue per nation
USAWA rulebook spends a lot of time on the rules for the National Championship and has a different process for approving new lifts.
IAWA.UK, AWFA and USAWA all have unique processes and criteria for certifying officials for competition.
USAWA allows one official for USAWA records.
Please share your thoughts on the Forum. Should USAWA adopt the IAWA Rulebook? Are the (42) unique USAWA lifts aligned with our mission statement? Are the (22) unique IAWA lifts contrary to our mission statement?
deadlifts by pairs of fingers, Index, middle, ring, and little.
OPEN TO THE WORLD – All competition in Clark’s Gym is hybrid. You may compete in your local gym or in the friendly confines of Clark’s Gym in Columbia, Mo. To compete remotely, you must enter by 10 p.m. on 21 September 2027 or your results will not be accepted. You must send all results to Bill Clark via e-mail only at yeoldclark@gmail.com not later than 10 p.m. 28 September 2027.
Included on the reporting form must be the name of the official(s) involved. DO NOT send your remote results to the USAWA. They must be approved by the meet director first. If you have no officials, your results will be included in the final tabulation of the competition and be eligible for meet awards – but not records. Your honesty is the key to all competitions.
OFFICIALS – Must accompany remote results to be eligible for records.
The results of the Second One Ton Challenge are now available. Let’s just say ‘challenge met’ as 15 lifters from five gyms across the nation took part and lifted nearly 11 tons of iron during the competition on the weekend of 10 – 11 October 2026. The lifting took place in person in Columbia, MO and remotely elsewhere. The meet was meant to produce big numbers and this year did not disappoint.
On the Women’s side, Clark’s Gym welcomed a new lifter, Brittany Kreisler, who works with Jeff Wenzel by day with the State of Missouri. Brittany set four records in her first meet and lifted over 1200 pounds to take the title on the Women’s side. She was quite impressive for a rookie with the USAWA, but she is no stranger to competitive weightlifting. Janet Thompson set records in all five events, hoisting more than 850 lb and finishing about 47 Lynch and Age points behind Brittany. Jessica Hopps from Frank’s Barbell Club finished third but was the second lifter on the Women’s side to throw up over 1000 lb in raw poundage and set four records of her own. Lisa Gore finished fourth needing only 23 lb to hit the 1000 pound mark, but she did set five records as well. Combined with a very impressive record day, the meet leaves her just four records short of being the first female lifter to post 400 records. Not to be outdone, RJ Jackson lifted more than 700 lb in spite of not having the equipment to do the Kennedy Lift. All the competitors in the Women’s Division did extremely well, but last year’s Champion, Allison Lupo, did not compete due to having to share her husband’s germs.
On the Men’s side, the competition was fierce as Jeff Wenzel added nearly 300 lb to last year’s total which was enough to hold off team mate Toby Ortega by just under nine Lynch and Age points. In spite of lifting more than 1.2 tons, Jeff only set two new records since he’s competing against himself generally for those. But, his record day lifts took him over the 400 lift mark all-time, only the 6th male to do so. Toby Ortega made his debut in this event and pushed up more than one ton himself. At a body weight of about 72 kg, this was mighty impressive as he set records in all five lifts. Jeff and Toby made some eyes pop out with a 755 lb and 655 lb Anderson Squat and Kennedy Lift, respectively. Riley Wenzel and Philip Marlin battled for third and fourth. Riley edged Phillip by lifting more than 1900 lbs, which was the same as last year in both poundage moved and final position. Philip was the most impressive on the day lifting more than 1.3 tons!! In spite of a 4th place finish, Philip was over the 700 lb mark on both the Anderson Squat and the Kennedy Lift. The battle for fifth and sixth was fought between Tony Lupo and Wade Marchand. Tony edged Wade this time but only by 34 Lynch and Age points. Wade pushed up nearly 1400 lb and set five records while Tony set four age and weight records. Dan Jones was only eight Lynch and Age points behind his team mate, and set three new records including a lift of 606 lbs in the Anderson Squat. Nils Larson and Sanjiv Gupta were close after Lynch and Age points were counted and both had a great day with four new records put into the books. Jerome Licini also competed, but with no referee, he was not able to put a few records in the books. But, with more than a half ton in weight lifted, it was another strong performance for him and like RJ Jackson probably lifted much more as their own loaders!
All in all, it was a great competition but we can’t finish this without a tip of the cap to Frank Ciavattone. While he did not compete, he did the Record Day portion and became only the third lifter in USAWA history to pass 500 records all-time. He joins fellow USAWA legends, Denny Habecker and Al Myers as members of elite 500 record club. Congratulations!
SPECIAL EVENTS: Certificates also for Rampage, Reg Park, and for Roman Chair Bench.
OPEN TO THE WORLD – All competition in Clark’s Gym is hybrid. You may compete in your local gym or in the friendly confines of Clark’s Gym in Columbia, Mo. To compete remotely, you must enter by 10 p.m. on Tuesday 6 April 2027 your results will not be accepted. You must send all results to Bill Clark via e-mail only at yeoldclark@gmail.com not later than 10 p.m. on the Tuesday 13 April 2027.
Included on the reporting form must be the name of the official(s) involved. DO NOT send your remote results to the USAWA. They must be approved by the meet director first. If you have no officials, your results will be included in the final tabulation of the competition and be eligible for meet awards – but not records. Your honesty is the key to all competitions.
OFFICIALS – Must accompany remote results to be eligible for records.