[Sanjiv Gupta]

It looks like there will be a really full agenda this year. If you cannot attend, please share your thoughts here or some other public forum so we can have good consensus when voting.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zISfYEIrUdM New video from Massenomics touring the Snap City Gym. At about 36:40, they talk about the heavy lift bar and Jefferson lift. The video states that USAWA was rebranded as Old Time Strongman. It is the clearest indicator that I have seen that the days of USAWA are numbered.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Please consider voting on the 2026 Annual Awards. Recipients are selected by the membership and an important part of recognizing individuals for their performance, leadership, integrity and courage on and off the platform.

Your voice matters, whether you are a veteran or new; local or traveling; young or old; male or female; casual lifter or serious lifter.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

With the new Annual Awards Format, I wanted to highlight some of the women of the USAWA over the past year with club affiliation, age group, “newcomer” status, signature events attended and other fun facts. In alphabetical order by last name

**Lisa Gore – Clark’s – Masters, (313) individual records

**Nisha Gupta – High Country Vigour – Junior, newcomer, 2025 Nationals, Team Lift Champs, Ran for EB twice, Level 1 Official, (86) individual records

**Jessica Hopps – Frank’s Barbell Club – Masters, 2025 Nationals, Sanctions meets for Frank’s, Served as EB Secretary, Level 1 Official, (141) individual records

**Helen Kahn – No Club Affiliation – Masters, (17) individual records

Thank you all for competing and supporting All-Round Weightlifting.

**Allison Lupo – Clark’s – Masters, 2025 Nationals, Club Champs, Team Lift Champs, Level 1 Official, (247) individual records

**Beth Skwarecki – Habecker’s – Masters, 2025 Nationals, President’s Cup, Club Champs, Level 2 Official, (214) individual records

**Janet Thompson – Clark’s – Masters, Club Champs, (211) individual records

**Esmie Tseng – Per Aspera Strength – Senior, newcomer, Club Champs (1) individual record

**Kim Van Wagner – High Country Vigour – Masters, Club Champs, Team Lift Champs, Official in Training, (139) individual records

**Dylan Wenzel – Clark’s – Junior, newcomer, Club Champs, (28) individual records

[Sanjiv Gupta]

It was a good line up of events. I was pleasantly surprised to see results from 24 athletes.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Any All-Rounders in Texas? I had an inquiry from Austin, TX

[Sanjiv Gupta]

I really enjoyed giving these a listen and it reminded me of a pet project I was trying to get off the ground. If anybody would be willing to do a recorded Google video call, I would love to set up an interview covering athletic background, getting involved in All-Round, accomplishments, current goals, future predictions and any other topics in a roughly 30-45 minute interview.

No experience requirements to volunteer. The first couple will likely be a learning exercise and hopefully they get better and serve as a video library to preserve the history of all-round weightlifting as told by the members of USAWA.

Please reach out to me directly.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

I have never met Al but felt comfortable researching the article for the website. I was most impressed by how Al was everywhere from Las Vegas to Lebanon, PA to Glasgow to Perth supporting and promoting All-Round Weightlifting. I did not come across a single article of his that was a rant or a criticism. Whether 2 people or 20 people showed up for a meet, the article would always include some uplifting stories.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

youtu.be/lGy-g8PqIAI?si=f2RQIwrgtiigd96M

When you start looking for mentions of All-Round weightlifting, it is everywhere. At about 1:12:30 in the linked interview between Zach Mullins and Adam Glass on The Grip Show, Adam starts talking about how All-Round should have been the next big thing (that CrossFit ended up being).

Ironically, I found All-Round weightlifting through a CrossFit Journal article:

journal.crossfit.com/article/the-odd-lifts

[Sanjiv Gupta]

I gave this a listen and it was pretty well done. It is hard to explain what All-Round lifting is about, but the podcast does a good job of explaining some of the history of weightlifting before powerlifting became the squat, bench and deadlift and before weightlifting became the snatch and the clean & jerk. It was also nice to hear about how Cliff Harvey was introduced to the sport over 20 years ago. I feel very fortunate that I happen to live someplace where there were already some athletes competing and there were dozens more within a 1 day drive.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

I would love the see the Dino Gym reclaim the Grip Championship.

If you defer hosting, I will be the first backup location (since Nisha took 2nd overall) and would like to put a bid in for:

April 18, 2026
High Country Vigour
The Lifts:
Pinch Grip Deadlift – One Hand (I16)
Deadlift, Fulton DB, One Arm (F8)
Vertical Bar, 1 Bar, 1 inch (I26)
Bear Hug (I1)

[Sanjiv Gupta]

If you want to create a new topic. Click on “General Discussion” first. Then you should see “Create New Topic”

[Sanjiv Gupta]

I thought I was the only one who noticed this. Careful observers of the Individual Record List will find a couple of new entries which cannot be officially contested per the current USAWA rules and by-laws.

Bench Press, Repetition (1 min)
Bench Press, One Dumbbell – Right
Bench Press, One Dumbbell – Left
Bench Press, Larson (Fulton HT)
Deadlift, Heels Together Fulton

I started doing a little homework and these are the first repetition lifts in the record books (and for a lift that is not even a USAWA lift). The 1 minute cap seems to be a legacy from the British Strength Athlete Guild (BSAG).

IAWA has several repetition lifts with records and I hope to finish a website article on the topic.

The USAWA rules and by-laws are open to interpretation. The interpretation by Executive Board members, Special Assignment directors, meet directors and athletes are often at odds. This provides opportunity for infighting and calling foul. It also provides great opportunity for collaboration and discussion which this forum allows.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

Leverage would certainly make it easier to load and execute some of the chain lifts. As much as I would like to think I would be breaking 1000 or 1500 pounds, my best chain lift to date is a relatively light 675 pounds.

I wonder how the changing angle would change the lift. When I have seen Carter Lifts executed, the loading of the hips and then the shoulders often pulls athletes forwards or backwards. I suspect with a pivot point in front, the lifter would have to drive somewhat backwards to avoid being pulled forward.

[Sanjiv Gupta]

The organization is certainly moving faster and without much thought beyond a given member or club likes.

Some of the “rules” have not been well thought out in terms of implications. Just because the current Records Director sees no concerns with international folks setting U.S.A. records, does not mean a future records director will be able to manage. We have burned out records directors in the past.

I am not even sure that most members know that they are part of an international organization. The Gold Cup was hosted in the Walpole in 2024, but I did not see any U.S. entries beyond the east coast.

This is not new. Hindsight being 20/20, it was probably a mistake to add the Van Dam lift and Lano Lift to the list of official lifts. Even though I cannot perform an Inman mile or Self Loaded Leg Press, there is more history there.

Slowing down a bit could help the organization in other ways also. There is no reason to vote on knee sleeves (or any other issue) every year until it passes and then not be able to put the genie back in the bottle.

[Author]

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