Monthly Archives: January 2011

Last Call for Dino Challenge

by Al Myers

I’m going to make one last “plug” for the Dino Challenge, which is this coming Saturday.   This is a meet you DO NOT want to miss!  It is the FIRST EVER Oldtime Strongman Competition sanctioned by the USAWA.  There is no entry deadline for this one – so at this point just SHOW UP and ENTER!  Even if you don’t feel prepared for it, enter and have a fun day lifting.  You will be glad you did.   This Oldtime Strongman Competition will be quite different than other strongman competitions.  Modern strongman equipment and apparatuses will not be used – such as Atlas stones, steel logs, and steel yokes.  Instead, each event is based on a strength feat of an Oldtime Strongman.  Also, the rules of the USAWA will be followed in regards to scoring, which are much different than other strongman competitions.  Each lifters total poundage will be adjusted for bodyweight and age.  Another big difference is supportive gear is NOT ALLOWED, with the exception of belts and wrist wraps.  This means no elbow or knee sleeves, no supportive shorts, and no knee or elbow wraps.  Chalk may be used – but no tacky.  This competition will be drug tested.   The USAWA is a drug free organization and all Oldtime Strongman Competitions sanctioned by the USAWA will be tested (which is ALSO different from other strongman competitions).  There is no entry fee to enter, but you must be a member of the USAWA.   Membership dues are $25 and you may join on Saturday. I will have forms available.

This Oldtime Strongman Competition is gearing up to be one of the largest attended meets in recent history in the USAWA.  Come and be part of it!

2011 USAWA Nationals Photo Project

by Thom Van Vleck

If you haven’t marked it on you calendar yet, put a big circle around June 25th right now!  I am hoping to do the USAWA proud hosting the USAWA Nationals this year.  I will have Al Myers as my “consultant” to make sure I don’t screw this up.  Al is an unpaid consultant, so I have to be careful I don’t get my money’s worth!  But seriously, we are looking to do some cool things this year.

One idea that I would like to do will require some help from all you!  I want to have a powerpoint  going that will be projecting pictures from the great history of the USAWA onto a wall nearby or even behind the lifting area.  So, I’m asking all of you to submit photos to me or Al.  You can send me a photograph or photographs, you can attach them to an e-mail, you can send me a CD with photos, just get them in and we’ll put them in the rotation!  I think it would add to the inspiration of the meet to have these photos scrolling on the wall while the meet goes on!

I will also have someone photographing every lift of the meet.  These lifts plus the historic lifts will be downloaded to ONE CD and will be sold for$15.

I will also have many photos, newspaper clippings, and memorabilia from the Jackson Weightlifting Club on display!  I will have a special table set up for the JWC and we will have the famous (or infamous) JWC photo album out as well as some of the old trophies and medals from 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s.

More plans are coming along, so send your photos!

One Hand Snatch

by Arthur Saxon

Position 1 - One Hand Snatch

Place yourself in position 1 (see illustration), and as you pull strongly with the right hand and shoulder, press as hard as you can with the left hand on the left knee.  Then when the weight has reached a fair height, dip beneath same, the eyes to be all the time on the weight.  The secret of this lift is to use as many muscles as possible at the same time, that is, you press with your legs, pull with your arm, and push with the disengaged one, also pull with the shoulder and jerk with the back, suddenly, when the weight is over your head, dipping beneath same, and throwing it a little to the back.  There are two positions possible in snatching the weight, either of which are good, and both of which I will describe.

Position 2 - One Hand Snatch

One is to keep the body perpendicular and dip cleanly beneath the weight, the other is to suddenly fall to one side as in the bent press, when the bar is about the height of your head, and so place a straight arm beneath the weight, after which you recover to an erect position.  The benefit and advantage in this latter position being, given a a man who is enormously strong and a good side presser, if his arm should not go in the first attempt quite straight, then he may finish up the last inch or two by the body press, that is if no objection be made by referee or opponents in competition.  A variation of this is to snatch the bell overhead with two hands instead on one, the hands being held the same distance apart as in the double-handed barbell lift.  Those anxious to practice the single-handed lift all the way, as in the English Amateur Championship Competition, will find my instructions as to the snatch are, in reversed, directly applicable to the initial pull-in to the shoulder.  All that you have to do is place your hand on the bar with the palm to the front instead of to the back, then pull the bell up to the chest, stepping back with the left leg if pulling in with the right hand, and exerting as many muscles as possible as described.

NOTE:  – In all these positions where the weight is lifted to the shoulder from off the ground, the arm must NOT be bent at the first portion of the pull.

CREDIT:  The Development of Physical Power by Arthur Saxon

Habecker’s Gym – Club of the Year

by Al Myers

Habecker’s Gym is the 2010 Club of the Year

Denny and Judy Habecker have promoted several big meets in the USAWA. This picture of them was taken at the 2009 IAWA World Championships, which they promoted in Lebanon, PA.

It’s official!  The year 2010 is wrapped up, and after all points have been tallied, Habecker’s Gym wins the 2010 USAWA Club of the Year.  Ambridge VFW BBC was the runner-up, for the second year in a row.  Last year the Ambridge Club placed second in the Club Race behind the Dino Gym.  As per the Club of the Year rules, the defending Club Award winner is not eligible the following year and instead is responsible for presenting the award and passing the title to the next year’s winner.

Habecker’s Gym is a club gym operated and owned by our USAWA President Denny Habecker.  2010 was the first year Denny registered his club as a Member Club of the USAWA, and in return, immediately wins the USAWA Club of the Year by upsetting the perennial power Ambridge BBC.  Habecker’s Gym has 5 registered club members – Denny, Judy Habecker, Barry Bryan, Andrew Hess, and Kohl Hess.   Denny and Habecker’s Gym hosted the 2010 USAWA National Championships in Lebanon, PA.  The final standings were:

1.  Habecker’s Gym – 26 points

2.  Ambridge BBC – 19 points

3.  Frank’s Barbell Club – 17 points

4.  Clark’s Gym – 16 points

5.  JWC – 12 points

The 2010 USAWA Club of the Year Award will be awarded at this coming years National Championship, in Kirksville, Missouri.  Congratulations to Denny and Judy and all members of Habecker’s Gym!

USAWA Drug Testing Program

by Al Myers

Over the past year, several changes  have been made  to our drug testing program.  I feel these changes have been VERY POSITIVE to insure that our organization may be called a drug-free weightlifting organization.  Last year at the Annual General Meeting of the USAWA we elected a Drug Enforcement Director.  Chad Ullom was  selected  for this role.  The Drug Enforcement Director is under the direction of the Executive Board, as outlined in the USAWA Bylaws.  He is the “man in charge” of insuring that drug testing is carried out at competitions and maintaining a vigilant testing program.  Last year we tested four USAWA events (the most events EVER tested in one year in the USAWA).  This year  more events will be tested than that.   Our Drug Testing Program was started in 2002.  Before that it was “hit and miss”.  At times meets were tested, but not with any consistency. No written policy was in affect.   The biggest obstacle in drug testing is expense.  For a small organization like ours, too much testing expense will break our bank account!  In 2009 we spent over $3000 in testing – and we tested ONLY TWO COMPETITIONS!  Last year we spent around $1000, which is our “budget” for this year.  A good Drug Testing Program has to be able to get “the most value for a dollar”.  I feel we are now going in the right direction with that.

I have always had problems with weightlifting organizations who tout themselves as “drug free” but never test at meets. How can you be a drug-free organization without testing?  YOU CAN’T!!!   You MUST sign a Drug Testing Consent and Waiver Form to be granted membership in the USAWA.  In the waiver it states, “I understand that selection for testing may be based on random selection, reasonable suspicion, or position of finish in an event.  I further understand that I may be selected for testing for no reason at all.”  This means you may selected “just cause we feel like it.”!  We WILL NOT pretend to be doing random testing if it’s not random!   I  have an issue with that concerning other organizations – proclaiming to be doing random testing but in reality lifters are selected for reasons other than random!   Seems hypocritical to me. I am pretty sure that I have been “the most tested man in the USAWA”  since 2002.  I don’t know of anyone else that has been tested as many times as myself.  I never mind being selected for testing because I know a good drug testing program insures that my competition is drug free as well. Most drug-free athletes feel the same way.

Several drug tests will be performed at the Dino Gym Challenge next weekend.  I just want everyone who is coming to know that in advance.  Now don’t think we will announce EVERY competition that we will test in advance – some will be surprises!  You just have to assume that every USAWA event might be tested.  We may even test at record days that have only a handful of competitors.  If you are selected for testing and then “dodge the test” the penalties may be as severe as a positive test.  The waiver also clearly states, “I understand that failure to appear for drug testing at the designated time will constitute withdrawal of my consent to be tested and will result in disqualification from the event and/or permanent suspension from the USAWA.”

We have a complete section in our Rule Book that outlines the USAWA Drug Testing Policy.

III. Drug Testing

1. The lifter must agree to and sign the Drug Testing Consent and Waiver Form in order to be granted membership in the USAWA.

2. The Drug Enforcement Director under the direction of the USAWA executive board will make the decisions on which competitions or events drug testing may take place, and when it may occur during the competition. The lifters may not be notified which competitions or events will be drug tested.

3. Drug testing may be done out of competition. The lifter will be notified no more than 48 hours prior to the test.

4. Drug testing will be only for elevated testosterone, anabolic agents, and anabolic enhancers. Diuretics and ephedrine are not tested for. A complete list of banned substances is available from the USAWA secretary.

5. An appeal may be made to the executive board by a lifter for an exception for a specific agent or agents. The appeal must be for medical reasons. The lifter must provide documentation supporting the appeal. This is done on an individual basis and must be done prior to a lifter being called for drug testing. The executive board’s decision will be decided by majority vote.

6. A positive test will result in a 6 month suspension from the USAWA for the first offense. All awards, records, and titles won will be forfeited if the positive test occurred in a competition.

7. A second offense for a positive test will result in a 2 year suspension from the USAWA.

8. A third offense for a positive test will result in a lifetime ban from the USAWA.

Truthfully, I hope that we don’t have any positive drug tests in the coming year.  That is the reason why I am making this very clear to everyone!  If you are in violation – please don’t enter any USAWA competition  because you will be caught.

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