USAWA

USAWA has a long history of in person single venue events.  These were sanctioned around the country to give everyone a chance to participate in something.  Postal meets were introduced in 2007 and have been an exciting development for athletes who want to compete against a larger field without the expense of driving, flying, hotels, etc.

Multi-venue is a hybrid where two or more locations may contest the same lifts on the same day.  There is an element of camaraderie with less expensive travel.

Championships

National Championship – Has always been live.  In 2026, a record day was offered, and remote entries were allowed for the record day only.

Postal Championship – Has always been remote.

President’s Cup – Has always been in person at a single venue.

Grip Championship – Has always been in person at a single venue.

OTSM Championship – Has always been in person at a single venue.  Pivoted to multi-venue in 2026 when the event had zero entries.

Heavy Lift Championship – Had always been in person at a single venue.  Tried a multi-venue format in 2025 and this raised attendance significantly.  Continued multi-venue format in 2026.  In 2027 the event is returning to a single venue in person event.

Team Lift Championship – Started as in person and only at a single venue.  Not contested in 2022-2024.  When resurrected in 2025, the event allowed remote entries.  It was hosted in Colorado and one club from Missouri participated.

Club Championship – Started as in person and only at a single venue.  Not contested from 2020-2024.  When resurrected in 2025, the event allowed remote entries.

We are a small organization with less than 100 members.  We are an active organization with over 30 events contested every year.  Among the current membership, less than 10% travel outside of their region for competition.  When remote entry is allowed, some athletes really enjoy competing and will support as many meets as they can.  Others do not care for remote entry and would rather wait until there is a fun competition in their area.

Our mission is to honor the old-time strongmen and original forms of weightlifting.  Do we better accomplish this by transitioning to a remote only organization?  Do we better accomplish this by transitioning back to a single venue in person organization?  Do we continue to evolve with a blend of competitions?

Personally, I like competing in person and would prefer that at least the Championships be held in person at a single venue.  However, I would hate to host a championship and only have two athletes show up. 

In polling the Executive Board, there are mixed opinions that range from remote entry for all to allowing some multi-venue when necessary.

Sanctions will begin to roll in for the 2027 Championships and the USAWA should get input from as many members as possible on how these sanctions should be evaluated and awarded.

Please share your thoughts on the Forum, Facebook or Discord.

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

1. Clean & Press, 12” Base
2. Two Hand Clean & Press, Heels Together
3. Jackson Press
4. James Lift
5. Press – From Rack
6. Reflex Bench Press
7. Reg Park Bench Press
8. Seated Press – From Rack
9. Deadlift – 12” Base
10. Deadlift – Heels Together
11. Deadlift – No Thumbs, Overhand Grip
12. Deadlift – Reeves
13. Squat – 12” Base
14. Piper Squat
15. Curl – Cheat, Reverse Grip
16. Lano Lift
17. Pullover – Bent Arm
18. Scott Lift
19. Clean and Press – 2 Dumbbells, Heels Together
20. Clean and Push Press – 2 Dumbbells
21. Clean and Seated Press – 2 Dumbbells
22. Curl – 2 Dumbbells, Cheat
23. Side Press – Dumbbell
24. Van Dam Lift
25. Bench Press – 2 Dumbbells
26. Bench Press – Fulton Bar
27. Continental to Chest – Fulton Bar
28. Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Ciavattone Grip
29. Maxey Press
30. Rectangular Fix, Fulton Bar
31. Bearhug
32. Carter Lift
33. Chin Up
34. Deadlift – 3” Bar
35. Deadlift – Two Inch Dumbbells
36. Deana Lift
37. Foot Press
38. Phumchaona Lift
39. Pinch Grip – Strict
40. Pinch Grip – Strict, One Hand
41. Pull-Up
42. Weaver Stick Backwards

IAWA Has Some Unique Lifts that USAWA Does NOT Contest

1. One Hand Bent Press (specification on how to get bar to starting position)
2. Middle Fingers Hacklift
3. Index Fingers Hacklift
4. Little Fingers Hacklift
5. Ring Fingers Hacklift
6. Bent Arm Pullover (Bench)
7. Reverse Rim Lift
8. Domaal Squat
9. One Hand Deadlift – Cambered Bar
10. One Hand Pinch Grip Clean and Press
11. Duck Walk
12. Seated Dumbbells Press
13. Two Hands Anyhow with Dumbbells
14. One Hand Dumbbell Strict Curl
15. Inch Dumbbell Press
16. Patterson Deadlift – Peoples Deadlift with 2 Inch Bar
17. Deadlift
18. Squat
19. Bench Press
20. Snatch
21. Clean & Jerk
22. One Hand Wrist Curl

Among Common Lifts There are some slight rule differences

1. Continental Snatch – in UK, from belt, must be proper snatch
2. Continental Clean and Jerk – UK allows multiple attempts on jerk
3. Snatch From Hang – USAWA requires bar to go below knees
4. Deadlift, No Thumbs, One Arm – UK says thumb cannot touch bar at all
5. Strict Curl – UK still requires piece of paper
6. Vertical Bars – UK allows a maximum 30 inch length
7. 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

1. Cleans with Bodyweight
2. Snatches with Bodyweight
3. Presses with Bodyweight
4. Clean & Jerk with Bodyweight
5. Jerks with Bodyweight
6. Bodyweight Deadlifts
7. Abdominal Raises
8. Leg Press – Unsupported
9. Roman Chair Sit Up
10. Back Lift
11. Hip Lift
12. Harness Lift

IAWA Team Lifts

1. Two Person Clean and Snatch
2. Team Press
3. Team Snatch
4. Team Clean & Jerk
5. Team Hacklift
6. Team Straddle Deadlift
7. Team Deadlift
8. Team One Hand Deadlift
9. Team Curl
10. Team Cheat Curl
11. 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?

While listening to a popular podcast, a statistic on one and done powerlifters versus powerlifters who competed multiple times was shared. Essentially many lifters competed in one or two meets and then abandoned the platform.

This data was reinforced by an article in the International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. Between 2012 and 2025, 126,509 powerlifters competed across 8601 competitions. The median participation was 2 meets and nearly half of all lifters only competed once.

I was very curious to see how United States All-Round compared and used the records list as the data source for my review.

• 756 lifters currently hold USA records
• 311 lifters (41%) only have records in 1 competition
• 562 lifters (74%) have records in 1-5 meets
• 76 lifters (10%) have records in 6-10 meets
• 118 lifters (16%) have records in over 10 meets

I will list the top 10 at the bottom, but this is your chance to guess.

My takeaway is that there is about a 1 in 4 chance that somebody introduced to All-Round will stick with it for a while.  This makes sense as most athletes are introduced by a friend of family member that is hosting meets or is otherwise heavily invested.  Additionally, folks may come to All-Round while also competing in Olympic Weightlifting, Powerlifting or other strength sports.

The other retention draw is being able to compete with age, weight and gender adjustments.  Athletes who would have otherwise stepped away find themselves even more competitive with each passing year of life.

The big question is why do 3 out of 4 lifters decide it is not for them?  Some of the athletes that have come to visit my gym have mentioned not knowing the rules and commands.  Others have mentioned not being able to train for the lifts in addition to their regular training.  Some have mentioned not having the specific equipment required for some of the lifts.

The records list is not the perfect way to figure this out.  Athletes may have competed in meets but not set any records.  Athletes may have competed in meets, set records and then those records were broken.

Your Top 10 athletes:
(number of meets they have competed in)

1. Denny Habecker – 250
2. Frank Ciavattone – 137
3. Al Myers – 136
4. Art Montini – 133
5. Chad Ullom – 108
6. Tony Lupo – 106
7. Dean Ross – 104
8. Bill Clark – 100
9. Dave DeForest – 97
10. Dennis Mitchell – 93
11. Eric Todd – 92

Please share your thoughts in the Forum. Does All-Round weightlifting have a retention problem or is retention a strength of the organization? Why do some athletes compete for decades? Why do some athletes bail after one competition?