Monthly Archives: January 2011

News from the IAWA(UK)

by Steve Gardner

Andy Tomlin is awarded the Clubman of the Year for the Castlemilk Gym.

I attended the Castlemilk Gym Weightlifting Clubs annual dinner in Glasgow on Friday 14th January. It was a very pleasant evening, and after dinner William Wright made the presentations of the clubs awards for their acheivements through 2010. Andy Tomlin was the winner of the overall clubman of the year cup. At the end of the presentation I took them all by complete surprise when I told them that in fact myself and Karen had not just travelled up to see them and enjoy their evening with them, I had another duty to perform. It was well worth the trip to Scotland to see the expression on young Robbie Hughes’s face when I presented him with the wonderful Health and Strength Cup, which is presented annually for the best performance by a IAWA(UK) Junior lifter!

Robbie Hughes receives the Health and Strength "Best Junior" Trophy for 2010.

Final Postal Series Ranking

by Al Myers

Al Myers wins overall best lifter of the 2010 USAWA Postal Meet Series, pictured with his 617 pounds 12" base deadlift in the 2010 National Postal Meet.

I have finally tabulated the final rankings for the 2010 USAWA Postal Series.  The USAWA Postal Series consists of 4 quarterly postal competitions – the Eastern Open in March, the Middle Atlantic in June, the Delaware Valley in September, and the National Postal Meet in December.  John Wilmot has been the meet director for these Postal Meets for several years now.  He deserves recognition for all his hard work – organizing the competitions, calculating the meet results, and sending out award certificates to the winners.  Thank you John on behalf of the USAWA!!

The Postal Series Ranking is done using this simple scoring system.  Each lifter accumulates points based on their overall placing in each postal meet.  For example, if there are 10 lifters entered, first place receives 10 points and the last place finisher receives 1 point.  This way EVERY lifter at least receives some points toward their yearly ranking total.  If more lifters are entered – more points goes to the winner.  The National Postal Meet is worth DOUBLE POINTS since it is the most important competition in our Postal Meet Series.

For the 2010 Postal Series, 21 men and 1 woman lifter participated. Only TWO lifters participated in all 4 postal meets – Denny Habecker and John Wilmot.  The National Postal Meet was the most participated in with 16 entrants.

Top Ten Men Final Rankings

1.     50 points – Al Myers

2.    38 points – Mark Mitchell

3.    35 points – Joe Ciavattone Jr.

4.    34 points – Chad Ullom

5.    28 points – Denny Habecker

T.    28 points – Scott Tully

T.    28 points – Chuck Cookson

8.    26 points – Orie Barnett

9.   25 points – Randy Smith

10. 21 points – Joe Ciavattone Sr.

Top Women Final Rankings

1.    3 points – Helen Kahn

BEST LIFTER AWARDS

Women Best Lifter – Helen Kahn
Junior Men Best Lifter – Joe Ciavattone Jr.
Men Senior 20-39 Best Lifter – Chad Ullom
Men Master 40-44 Best Lifter – Al Myers
Men Master 45-49 Best Lifter – Orie Barnett
Men Master 50-54 Best Lifter – Mark Mitchell
Men Master 55-59 Best Lifter – Randy Smith
Men Master 60-64 Best Lifter – John Wilmot
Men Master 65-69 Best Lifter – Denny Habecker
Men Master 70-74 Best Lifter – Mike Murdock
Men Master 75-79 Best Lifter – Rudy Bletscher

Billy Parker: Friend of the JWC

S & H: April 1966 issue: Billy Parker, Drug Free bodybuilder and friend of the JWC!

by Thom Van Vleck

In the 60’s my Uncle Phil was stationed in Alabama while in the Air Force and got to meet a lot of top lifters and bodybuilders of that era.  One in particular that he became friends with was Billy Parker.  Billy had a brother Randy and they often frequented Karo Whitfield’s gym.  My Uncle Phil, when he was not doing Air Force work, would do personal training and that’s how he met the Parker Brothers.  They often came over for back yard BBQ’s and outdoor workout sessions.

Phil told me that the Parker’s came from Southern money.  They had a trust fund that allowed them to do whatever they wanted and not have to work.  So they decided to become professional bodybuilders and trainers and had their own “health club” as gyms were often called in that day, the Bel Aire Health Club (Phil thinks it was named for the shopping center it was located, the “Bel Aire Shopping Center”) .  Plus, they enjoyed being young and rich!  Phil said that Billy had a brand new thunderbird convertible and they would often cruise the streets of Atlanta looking for fun.

Phil said that what he liked most about Billy was he was drug free at a time when steroids was becoming commonplace.  It could also be why you never heard of Billy after that as that era was dominated by drugged up bodybuilders.  In 1964, Billy was 9th in the AAU Junior Mr. America and 6th in the Mr. USA.  In 1965 he was 15th in the Mr. USA.  In 1966 he was 15th in the Mr. America and was again mentioned for his posing ability and muscle control.  Phil said when he knew him in 1966 he had won over 70 bodybuilding trophies in regional meets in the south.

Phil said he was a he was a master poser and muscle control artist, having learned from Mr. America Harry Johnson.  In that 1965 contest he was listed as one of the top three posers in that contest.   Billy was not a big man, he was small boned and short, but he made the most of what he had!   Phil lost touch with him and Randy over the years and I’m currently trying to locate him so if you know where he’s at, let me know!

Dear Dino Man

by Al Myers

I get HUNDREDS of questions per month from individuals pertaining to weight lifting or other matters since I have been webmaster of the USAWA Website. I guess that goes along with making your email address publicly known on a website. People are always looking for free advice and the internet provides plenty of it – some good and some not so good. I try to respond to most questions, but there are lots I don’t get around to. I hate to deprive the USAWA Daily News readers of these “email exchanges” so I’ve decided to start an advice column to share some of these questions and my responses. Maybe it will answer a few questions that I repeatedly receive, and cut out having to answer the same question over and over again. I have decided to name this column Dear Dino Man. I am leaving off the names of the email senders – to insure confidentially and possible embarrassment.

Dear Dino Man,

I am interested in all round weightlifting, and would like to know where to find out more information and a listing of the competitions. Where do I find this?

It’s all on the USAWA website – the same place you found my email address.

Dear Dino Man,

Our company (fill in the blank) sells (fill in the blank) and would like you to link our website to yours. Would you do that?

Sure – and how much do you plan to donate to the USAWA in yearly sponsorship? (followed by no response from the sender).

Dear Dino Man,

Im 17 years old and been liftin waites for 6 months now. Me and mine buddies is allready lot stronger than u guys. We train at the high school, and coach tells us we need to do a liftin meat cuz wear so good. We think ur meats sound fun and we no we would be da champions. How big uf trophes will get?

For the time being, it sounds like it would be best if you focus on your academic studies, and if you get time  take a course in humility.

Dear Dino Man,

Is the bench press and the roman chair bench press the same thing?

No, not even close.

Dear Dino Man,

I really enjoy the USAWA website! Thank you for the refreshing approach to weightlifting that I don’t see any more. I especially like the stories written by Thom Van Vleck. Is he someone famous?

Thom is indeed someone famous! He has written many articles published in MILO and other strength publications. He has weight trained for over 30 years and has a wealth of lifting knowledge.  He has directed many competitions (Highland Games and Weightlifting) and is a real leader in the strength World. He is also the assistant webmaster of the USAWA website. I only wish he would contribute a little more often instead of leaving most of the work to me.

(Disclaimer: Dear Dino Man provides answers that may fall into the grouping of “not so good” amongst the multitude of  free internet advice)

Got a great idea?

by Al Myers

After sharing my idea of Hanging Dumbbell Presses, I was wondering if anyone else had ideas like this??  I know someone else has to have some “secret training idea or tip” that may benefit another lifter.  Hey – we are all here to share!!! Don’t keep those secrets to yourself!  So I’m going to stage a little competition to get those secrets out.  All you need to do is submit a story on your idea and how it benefits your training.  This doesn’t have to be about some unique piece of equipment – it may just be a training idea or a training tip.  The more original the better.  I will then run these stories in the USAWA Daily News here on the website  and after all submitted stories are ran, leave it up to USAWA membership to vote on the one they like best!!  You do not need to be a USAWA member to submit a story, but do in order to place a vote.  I will accept stories up till this coming Sunday night (January 30th) so I can have them ready for the website the next week.

Rules of the competition: Stories must be between 500-1000 words, and a picture must be submitted that goes with your story.  The DEADLINE for submitting a story is Sunday, January 30th. Please email them to me  at amyers@usawa.com .

To spice up the competition a little, the winner will receive a set of my Hanging Dumbbell Handles!!

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