Jeff Bankens is the lifter of the Month for February. Jeff is a newcomer to the organization, but has already made an impact by hosting the first ever USAWA meet in Louisiana and setting four records along the way.
Jeff is also active on USAWA’s social media platforms with (5) posts in February in addition to his strongman show clips in 2024. Finally, Jeff is active in his church community and brings people of the world together not only through the Gospel, but also through strength sports. Congratulations Jeff!
We invite all USAWA members (and past/future/potential members) to fill out this survey asking what you want to see from the organization going forward. The results from this survey will be shared with the Executive Board and a summary will be presented to the membership. Please fill out the survey by April 30 so that we have time to discuss the results well in advance of the National Meeting.
Our goal is to find out what YOU want the USAWA to provide and which goals to prioritize. The EB gets a lot of feedback and requests from members, often conflicting, and we want to make sure that we’re not just running the organization according to our own preferences or listening to the loudest voices—this is YOUR organization and we want to have more information about what what will best serve the entire membership. In the survey you can tell us what you currently enjoy, where we could improve, and what opportunities we might take advantage of in the future.
Even if you are not a current USAWA member, we invite you to take the survey. If you’ve been a member in the past, or if you are thinking about joining someday, your input is still valued. (We will be able to separate results according to members and non-members when we analyze the results.)
Thank you to our hardworking advisory committee who put this survey together: Chris Frappier, Kyle Frappier, Allison Lupo, Tony Lupo, Clint Poore, Randy Smith.
Here is the survey link again. Please share with others in our USAWA community. Our deadline is April 30, 2025. USAWA survey link
2025 is off to a roaring start ! We are 4 months away from the 2025 USAWA Nationals & the early preparations are going well. The Kentucky team is putting in the hours and making plans to help ensure everyone has a fantastic experience at the 2025 USAWA Nationals at Dale Hollow State Park & Resort in Burkesville, Kentucky.
Here are some things to remember as you prepare this year’s USAWA Nationals.
1. You must register online; late entries will not be accepted and the entry deadline is July 1st. It’s easy and you can be registered for the meet immediately. Details for entry are here.
2. We have a group block of 30 rooms reserved at Dale Hollow State Resort. Once they are gone, there will not be any more added. Also, the group block will be released 2 months prior to the meet. You will not be able to get a room at Dale Hollow Resort if you wait until the last minute, because it’s summer time and people come from all over the country to enjoy Dale Hollow Lake. There are other options for hotels but they are a minimum of 15 minutes or more from the resort.
3. You must be a USAWA member prior to the meet to compete in this event. You can buy your 2025 USAWA membership today on the website.
4. This is going to be an exciting meet with tremendous lifting. I hope you can join us for this monumental weekend in Burkesville, Kentucky. Bring your whole family together and enjoy beautiful Dale Hollow Lake for a few days. It’s a gorgeous location that has something for everyone in the family to do.
5. Below is the preliminary roster for the 2025 USAWA Nationals. These are the confirmed athletes who will be attending the 2025 USAWA Nationals, with many more to be added soon. Please make sure you complete the online registration to finalize your meet entry. Its going to be fun!
In honor of the 100th anniversary of George F Jowett’s book the World’s Weightlifting Rules and Records, I wanted to share some of the history of the lifts in the USAWA rulebook and the records that were published back in 1925.
The USAWA Rulebook 13 Edition Preface states “This rulebook was compiled from a variety of sources including past Strength Journals from England, the original IAWA handbook for the 15 International Lifts, The World’s Weightlifting Rules and Records by George Jowett, past monthly Strength Journals published by Bill Clark, and other previously compiled rules and guidelines established by the membership of the USAWA.” So far Jowett’s book is the only original source I have found.
Per Wikipedia, George Jowett was an English-born Canadian strongman, weightlifter, magazine editor and author. He was co-founder of the American Continental Weightlifting Association. He became known as “The Father of American Weightlifting.”
In World’s Weightlifting Rules and Records (WWRR) Jowett listed (41) Title Lifts and an additional (14) Record Lifts. USAWA currently contests (25) of the Title Lifts and (11) of the Record Lifts.
Jowett competed at 168 pounds and his records still eclipse anything in the USAWA record book at 75kg. He had a right hand snatch of 172.5 pounds (vs 110 pounds in our books). He had a right hand clean & jerk of 200 pounds (vs 132 pounds in our books).
Given the upcoming New England Winter Heavy Lift Classic (hand and thigh) and the Colorado Single Arm Challenge (1H Snatch, 1H C&J, 1H DL), I wanted to with the best of luck to the athletes that keep showing up to contest these lifts. Our membership includes lifters that struggle with overhead positions and/or have had joint surgeries, repairs and replacements. Our athlete’s enthusiasm and perseverance is well aligned with the writings of Jowett 100 years ago.
“We want you to help us build this into a national institution for good, and help the national reform laws build up a stronger, healthier nation of men and women. You do not have to be a weight lifter in order to join. As long as you are interested in physical training, health, food reform, or weight lifting as a sport you are wanted. Our object is to keep the sport of weight lifting clean, and keep established a record list founded on merit only, and give credit where credit is due”
– Jowett on the American Continental Weight-Lifters Association from 1921
(41) Title Lifts
1&2 Right (and Left) Hand Military Press
2&3 Right (and Left) Hand Snatch
5&6 Right (and Left) Hand Swing
7&8 Right (and Left) Hand Continental Press
9&10 Right (and Left) Hand Clean & Jerk
11&12 Right (and Left) Hand Clean & Bent Press
13&14 Right (and Left) Hand Bent Press from Shoulder with Dumbbell
15&16 Right (and Left) Hand Anyhow with Bent Press
17&18 Right (and Left) Hand Bent Press from Shoulder with Barbell
19&20 Right (and Left) Hand Deadlift
21&22 Right (and Left) Hand Deadlift – Platform Style
23&24 Right (and Left) Hand Clean and Side Press
25 Two Hands Clean and Military Press with Dumbbells
26 Two Hand Clean and Jerk with Dumbbells
27 Two Hands Clean and Continental Press with Dumbbells
28 Two Hands Clean and Military Press with Barbell
29 Two Hands Clean and Continental Press with Barbell
30 Two Hands Snatch
31 Two Hands Clean & Jerk – from Behind Neck
32 Two Hands Clean & Press – from Behind Neck
33 Two Hands Clean & Jerk with Barbell
34 Two Hands Continental Jerk with Barbell
35 Two Hands Anyhow with Barbell and Kettlebell
36 Two Hands Deadlift
37 Kennedy Lift
38 Jefferson Lift
39 Back Lift
40 Harness Lift
41 Hand & Thigh Lift
(14) Record Lifts
R1 Abdominal Raise
R2 Crucifix
R3 Rectangular Fix
R4&5 Right (and Left) Hand Slow Curl with Kettlebell or Dumbbell
R6 Lateral Raise Standing
R7 Lateral Raise Lying
R8 Hold out in Front – Raised from Below
R9 Hold Out in Front – Lowered from Above
R10 Pullover at Arms Length
R11 Pull over and Press on Back without Bridge
R12 Pullover and Press on Back with Shoulder Bridge
R13 Pullover and Press on Back in Wrestler’s Bridge
Unfortunately Frank’s Barbell Club has made the decision to postpone the scheduled March madness record breaker meet due to weather impacting training. They will only be holding the Heavy Lift Classic.
