Category Archives: USAWA Daily News

OTSM WORLD POSTAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

By Al Myers

2019 IAWA WORLD POSTAL OLD TIME STRONGMAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Greg Cook, the Overall Best Mens Lifter, performing a Hackenschmidt Press at the 2019 OTSM World Postal Championships.

Greg Cook, the Overall Best Mens Lifter, performing a Hackenschmidt Press at the 2019 OTSM World Postal Championships.

The results from the Second Annual Old Time Strongman Championships have been tabulated.  I was so excited to see the international involvement again this year, as that makes this competition a truly World event.  This year a total of 26 lifters competed (exceeding that of last year).  Australia had 6 lifters, the United States had 8 lifters, England had 10 lifters, Wales had 1 lifter, and Canada had 1 lifter. Three different OTSM lifts were chosen this year to add a new challenge for everyone. The OVERALL BEST LIFTERS were Women – Sylvia Stockall of Canada and Men – Greg Cook of the USA.  Congratulations to both of these lifters for their exceptional lifting.  As I was putting all the results together I noticed great lifting from so many other lifters as well. I want to really thank everyone for supporting this World Championships!!!  I especially want to thank the promoters from each country for hosting the venue for the lifters.

Here are a few words from Phil Crisp:

the 2019 English Old Time Strongman Championships, the national leg for England of the World Old Time Strongman Championships, was held on 21st July in Hailsham, England. Promoted by Nick Swain and Phil Crisp, Nick very unfortunately could not make the competition due to pressing personal reasons on the day. However, his and Phil’s previous work had paid off and the competition was well set up and ready to go, with Rory Hoad, who was already pencilled in for the day as a helper, stepping up to referee and help organise the day efficiently and without missing a trick..

Whilst the usual remarks on the camaraderie, the support, the great help from Freedom Leisure where the competition was held, and the lovely weather (with the first lift taking place outside!) could all be given as highlights of the competition perhaps the most impressive part of the day was the quality of the lifting.

Leading the charge here was Rory Hoad, who took the Open and Overall titles of the English Old Time Strongman Championships. Rory pulled a huge 360kg Kennedy lift to underscore his fantastic day. Phil Crisp, last year’s champion and also the 2018 World Old Time Strongman champion was pushed into 2nd place, although Phil took the Masters category. In third overall, Paul Barette – with his usual pulling powers on show once more (!) – saw off Danny Kingsland’s very close push for the podium by a margin of 10 points. Rouhol Uddin, in a very balanced performance, took fifth followed by the excellent Steve Shah and the very promising Junior champion Brandon Hazell-Hyland.

With a few lifters having to pull out at the last minute, the field of seven could easily have been extended. The event and the idea of the Old Time World Strongman Championship, however, seems to be growing in strength under Al Myers and John Mahon and we look forward to next year’s edition!

Meet Results:

2019 IAWA World OTSM Championships
World Postal
July 20th-21st, 2019

Meet Directors: Al Myers & John Mahon

Scorekeeper: Al Myers

Venues:

Australia – Lambda Academy with promoters John Mahon & Peter Phillips
England –  Promoters Nick Swain & Phil Crisp
United States – Dino Gym with promoter Al Myers
Wales – KEDS gym with promoter Neil Keddy
Canada – Promoter Sylvia Stockall

Lifts: Thor’s Hammer, Hackenschmidt Floor Press, Kennedy Lift

WOMENS DIVISION

LIFTER AGE BWT Thor Hack Kenn TOT PTS
Sylvia Stockall, CAN 61 63.0 9.5 70.3 156.5 236.3 323.6
Racheal Hin, AUS 50 60.0 8.75 55 145 208.8 269.3
Max Ell, ENG 22 45.0 5.75 55 115 175.75 259.1
Maddy Ell, ENG 24 47.5 4.5 57.5 110 172.0 241.3
Claire McLaren, AUS 47 85.0 10 30 160 200.0 200.3

MENS DIVISION

LIFTER AGE BWT Thor Hack Kenn TOT PTS
Greg Cook, USA 62 115.7 26 117.5 365 508.5 491.3
Rory Hoad, ENG 31 86.0 12 157.5 360 529.5 487.7
Philippe Crisp, ENG 49 100.5 10 157.5 307.5 475.0 444.1
Gary Ell, ENG 48 90.0 17 120 300 437.0 427.6
John Strangeway, USA 41 93.5 25 130 320 475.0 425.7
Al Myers, USA 52 106.2 20 125 300 445.0 412.7
Paul Barette, ENG 43 77.5 8.25 90 250 348.3 354.9
John Douglas, USA 55 138.2 25 137.5 250 412.5 344.8
Danny Kngsland, ENG 29 57.5 7 100 180 287.0 344.3
Peter Phillips, AUS 65 99.4 17.5 105 190 312.5 334.6
Steven Charles, AUS 38 88.4 17.5 100 250 367.5 333.2
Barry Pensyl, USA 71 67.6 13.75 72.5 137.5 223.8 330.2
Denny Habecker, USA 76 82.6 13.75 85 137.5 236.3 329.8
Neil Keddy, WALES 41 95.0 15.75 140 200 355.8 316.1
Rouhol Uddin, ENG 39 74.5 4.5 105 195 304.5 305.8
Steve Shah, ENG 70 81.5 5.75 80 145 230.8 298.3
Dean Ross, USA 76 106.2 13.75 80 140 233.8 283.9
Flynn McLaren, AUS 16 69.6 15 60 170 245 282.7
LaVerne Myers, USA 75 104.0 17.5 50 160 227.5 275.6
Brandon Hazell-Hyland, ENG 17 75.5 4.5 75 140 219.5 229.5
Cameron McLaren, AUS 53 111.7 22.5 70 145 237.5 216.5

NOTES:   All bodyweights recorded in kilograms.  All lifts recorded in kilograms.  TOT is total kilograms lifted.  PTS are overall adjusted points corrected for age and bodyweight.

BEST LIFTER AWARDS

Womens Best Senior 20-39: Max Ell
Womens Best Master 45-49: Claire McLaren
Womens Best Master 50-54: Racheal Hin
Womens Best Master 60-64: Sylvia Stockall
Womens Overall Best Lifter: Sylvia Stockall
Mens Best Junior: Flynn McLaren
Mens Best Senior 20-39: Rory Hoad
Mens Best Master 40-44: John Strangeway
Mens Best Master 45-49: Philippe Crisp
Mens Best Master 50-54: Al Myers
Mens Best Master 55-59: John Douglas
Mens Best Master 60-64: Greg Cook
Mens Best Master 65-69: Peter Phillips
Mens Best Master 70-74: Barry Pensyl
Mens Best Master 75-79: Denny Habecker
Mens Overall Best Lifter: Greg Cook

Newcomer Award Winner!

By Al Myers

John Strangeway (left) receiving the USAWA Newcomer Award from Al Myers (right).

John Strangeway (left) receiving the USAWA Newcomer Award from Al Myers (right).

A big CONGRATS goes to this year’s Newcomer Award Winner Johnny Strangeway.   Johnny has been a great addition to the USAWA and very, very deserving of this award.  He lifts with the KCSTRONGMAN Club and has been present at many events during the past couple of years.  I was honored to present him with this award at the recent OTSM World Postal at the Dino Gym.

Also, Scottish Johnny just earned official judging status in the USAWA by being approved as a new USAWA Certified Official. He is now on the list of Level 1 Test Qualified Officials.

The Goose Neck for Stronger Forearms

by Thom Van Vleck

Many remember Slim “The Hammer Man” Farman for his insane ability to lever Sledge Hammers.  He was amazing at it.  He credited his ability to three things.  One was working in a quarry swinging a sledge hammer all day long.  The other was working out with the sledge hammer adding weight and doing progressive resistance with the hammer itself.  The third was about the simplest exercise you could imagine.  The Goose Neck.

Step one: Hand and forearm relaxed

Step one: Hand and forearm relaxed

Step two: Flex forearm down while simultaneously squeezing the grip as hard as possible holding for a two count (or longer).

Step two: Flex forearm down while simultaneously squeezing the grip as hard as possible holding for a two count (or longer).

While my forearms aren’t anything that are going to win prizes I feel like I’ve developed a pretty good grip over the years.  The beauty of this exercise is it can be done almost anywhere and at any time.  Slim used to do hundreds of reps of these a day.

Do 50 of these and see if your forearms don’t feel it!

Presidential Cup

By Denny Habecker

2019 USAWA PRESIDENTIAL CUP

Barry Pensyl (left) won the Presidential Cup Award.

Barry Pensyl (left) won the Presidential Cup Award.

We had a small, but talented group of lifters for the Presidential Cup this year. , Lou Tortorelli came up  from New Jersey to do an outstanding Trap Bar  Deadlift,  Dean Ross drove all the from Oklahoma to do some very difficult lifts , Barry Pensyl, from Easton, did some great lifting, and last but not least, my grandson Aidan Habecker did 5 very good lifts. Barry Pensyl won the Presidential Cup this year for his outstanding Allen Lift. The lifts were judged under the one official format. I was the only certified official.

MEET RESULTS

2019 Presidential Cup
August 3rd, 2019
Habeckers Gym
Lebanon, PA

Meet Director: Denny Habecker

Officials (1 official system used): Denny Habecker

Dean Ross  76- 238.5 Lbs [75-79] 110 Kg. class
Piper Squat- 121 Lbs.
Side Press – Dumbbell – Left Hand  – 10 Lbs.
Side Press – Dumbbell – Right Hand – 10 Lbs.

Barry Pensyl – 71 – 149 Lbs. [70-74] 70 Kg. Class
Cheat Curl  – 105 Lbs.
Deadlft – Index Fingers – 95 Lbs.
Habecker Lift – 198 Lbs.
Allen Lift – 29 Lbs.

Lou Tortorelli –  53 – 239 Lbs. [50-54] 110Kg. Class
Trap Bar Deadlift – 425Lbs.

Aidan Habecker – 16 – 204 Lbs [16-17] 95 Kg. Class
Jerk from Racks – Behind Neck – 132 Lbs.
Clean & Push Press – Dumbells  – 80 Lbs.
James Lift           45Lbs.
Habecker Lift   – 204Lbs.
Dumbbell Walk  – 55 Lbs.

Sledge Hammer Levering: Part 2

by Thom Van Vleck

Loadable Sledge Hammer

Loadable Sledge Hammer

So I wanted to be able to train to lever a 16lb sledge maul like Slim “The Hammer Man” Farman.  A potentially dangerous thing lowering an axe blade with 16lbs of steel behind it to your face!  I needed a way to train!

The loadable sledge opened up and the one pound weights that can be loaded inside. This can loaded from 4lbs to 20lbs.

The loadable sledge opened up and the one pound weights that can be loaded inside. This can loaded from 4lbs to 20lbs.

Regular readers will notice that I’ve featured this loadable sledge before in my three part article on the Gada (or Mace) training.

I knew from looking at Slim’s hammers he had done two things.  He had added weight to them.  That part was obvious.  The part that wasn’t so obvious is that he had marked the inches on the handles.  I assumed that was for training purposes.

So the difference was my hammer had added weight on the INSIDE.  And then inches marked off on the handle like Slim’s.  That way I could add or subtract weight and move my grip progressively further down the handle.  I could quantify the sets, reps, weight, and leverage distance.

I used this training device to eventually do the 16lb sledge maul.  It always amazed me how impressed people were watching this event.  Or maybe it was like watching Evel Knievel waiting for him to wreck!  But out of the hundreds of times I performed that feat I never once dropped it on my face.

Slim giving me the "Ice Clamp". He was in his 70's and still had a steel grip.

Slim giving me the “Ice Clamp”. He was in his 70’s and still had a steel grip.

I can imagine how sledge hammer levering started.  A group of guys swinging them for a living having an impromptu contest.  Of course, that probably applies to everything involving lifting!

1 … 121 122 123 124 125 … 492