Travis Lift

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Does anybody have experience they can share with the Travis lift? Not too many records and it does not seem to be contested often. The rules allow for a “specially adapted belt attached directly to the bar or connected by a chain” but I am having a hard time picturing it. The picture in the rulebook seems to have a length of leather wrapped around a standard weight belt with connected chains that wrap around the bar.

Topic

[Chad Ullom]

We did it once at Al’s many years ago. As I recall there was a belt with hooks that attached to the bar that al made. . It’s a partial lift, just off the pins. Kind of a modified hip lift almost?

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Thanks. Hooks actually make sense. Not sure how adjustable it would be or how adjustable it needs to be.

[KCSTRONGMAN]

Be careful with this lift. It seemed like experienced chain lifters were gold with it, but there was a newby who pulled the weight off the platforms and almost smashed himself.

I'm the lyrical Jesse James

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Thanks for the warning. I don’t expect to ever be an experienced chain lifter, but I would like to learn some of these movements. Being physically attached to an elevated barbell or heavy lift bar certainly sounds like it could end badly.

[KCSTRONGMAN]

No sweat. Just felt like I sw a man almost die that day, if it were not for some quick moving spotters.

I'm the lyrical Jesse James

[ClintPoore]

Is the Travis lift an incremental Rack Pull with a Chain attached to aid in the lift?
It also looks as though it can be supported on the thighs as well.

I have a training partner, Ashley, who loves this kind of lift. Me not so much

• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by ClintPoore.

[Randy Smith]

My recollection is that when the Travis Lift was contested at the Dino Gym Challenge a power belt was broken during one of the attempts. Maybe Chad or Al can comment on this.

[Randy Smith]

There was more than one belt broken. Mine held up, but I can remember a picture with like 2 or 3 broken belts sitting side by side

[Randy Smith]

And I believe one hernia

[KCSTRONGMAN]

Sorry, those last two were me. I was logged in as randy to help him with his account, and I guess I had not logged out…

I'm the lyrical Jesse James

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Good to know about the broken belts. I might have to come up with something to distribute the force over a few inches.

Still kind of cool that the lift has been on the books since at least 1990 (oldest record by Howard Prechtel at 1815 pounds). It was then contested at the 2006 Dino Gym Challenge where the top marks were set at 740 pounds for women and 2000 pounds for men. There has not been a record recorded for almost a decade since the 2015 Florida Record Day.

[Ben Edwards]

I wasn’t the lifter who almost got crushed. But I remember it being a brutal lift! I didn’t like it at all. Felt like my vertebrae were being crushed to dust. Same feeling I got on the back lift. Most likely means I have a glass back, as I already am aware, lol.

"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." -Mike Tyson

[Author]

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