Women’s 2025 Best Overall Lifters
Deleted per authors request
Lifter of the Month, December 2025, Nils Larson
December was a busy month with the Steve Schmidt Backbreaker, IAWA OTSM World Postal, USAWA Team Championship and the New Year’s Eve Record Breaker and Q4 Postal results still pending. Nils Larson earned Lifter of the Month for December with his top finish in the Steve Schmidt Backbreaker including an 1800-pound Harness Lift and 6544-pound raw total.
The Harness Lift broke Bill Clark’s record set nearly a quarter century ago in 2001. Nils has records going back to the 2002 U.S. Marine Open and National Championship in Ambridge. After a hiatus, he has been actively competing since 2023 and should be entering the Century Club with the next update.
The August 16, 2025 Walpole Record Day introduced a Bench Press, Larson (Fulton HT) as an exhibition lift. (6) different lifters were able to post efforts between 125 and 235 pounds.
This is the second time Nils has been recognized as Lifter of the Month, previously being bestowed the honor in September 2023. On a final historic note, Nils is member of the Neck Lift 600-pound Club with his 2004 effort.
Congratulations Nils!
Do you know a USAWA member who should be recognized as a future Lifter of the Month? Send nominations to the acting Secretary at usawasec@gmail.com
Superlatives
While the year is not yet complete, I find myself with a little time on my hands and wanted to shout out some folks who have really knocked it out of the park in 2025.
Most Active Athletes:
The results of (39) events have been posted and making 20+ is quite an achievement. (24) other athletes were 10+, (13) athletes were in 5-9 events, the large majority of (84) athletes were in less than 5 events in 2025 so far.
- Tony Lupo – (28) events, (16) in person, (8) remote, (4) postal
- Allison Lupo – (24) events
- Sanjiv Gupta – (23) events
- Jeff Wenzel – (23) events
- Dave DeForest – (20) events)
Road Warriors:
How many athletes traveled out of state for more than one event?
- Denny Habecker – (4) IAWA Gold Cup, USAWA Nationals, IAWA Worlds, USAWA OTSM Championship
- Tony Lupo – (3) True North True Strength, USAWA Nationals, Bayou Beast Bash
- Chad Ullom – (3) IAWA Gold Cup, USAWA Nationals, USAWA OTSM Championship
- Dave Glasgow – (2) USAWA Nationals, USAWA OTSM Championship
- Clint Poore – (2) True North True Strength, Bayou Beast Bash
- Sanjiv Gupta – (2) USAWA Nationals, IAWA Worlds
Commitment:
No athletes participated in all (8) championships. Tony and Dave missed the Presidential Cup and Grip Championship. Nisha and Sanjiv missed the Presidential Cup, Heavy Lift and OTSM Championship.
- Tony Lupo – (6)
- Dave DeForest – (6)
- Nisha Gupta – (5)
- Sanjiv Gupta – (5)
Active Clubs:
I tried to tally up and rank 2025 entries to date. Clark’s Gym was by far the most active club hosting (12) events in 2025. Ranked in order of member event entries.
- Clark’s Gym – 221 entries by 26 athletes
- High Country Vigour – 71 entries by 6 athletes
- Frank’s Barbell Club – 68 entries by 10 athletes
- Canada – 51 entries by 25 athletes
- Habecker’s Gym – 45 entries by 8 athletes
- Buffville – 35 entries by 15 athletes
- KC Strongman – 23 entries by 7 athletes
- Dino Gym – 11 entries by 5 athletes
- No Club Listed – 9 entries by 6 athletes
- Ledaig Heavy Athletics – 8 entries by 2 athletes
- Iron Palace Podcast – 6 entries by 5 athletes
- Iron Throne – 5 entries by 3 athletes
- Iron Sharpens Iron – 4 entries by 2 athletes
Active Clubs:
Al Myers made a big push to promote all-round lifting clubs. It would be impossible for me to figure out due to the absence of online records, but there should be a century club for clubs that have hosted over (100) events. Aside from the $30 sanction fee per event, meet directors have to plan the meet; organize athletes, officials, spotters, loaders, announcers; distribute awards, results; and keep everyone safe. It is a tough job for small field events of less than (10) athletes and exponentially higher for (10+) athletes. There were (41) events sanctioned in 2025 and Clark’s Gym led the pack by an incredible margin.
- Clark’s Gym – (12) events
- High Country Vigour – (6) events
- Buffville – (4) events
- Habecker’s – (3) events
- Frank’s – (3) events
- KCSTRONGMAN – (2) events
- Iron Sharpens Iron – (1) event
- Ledaig – (1) event
- True North True Strength – (1) event
- Postal – (4) events
- IAWA – (4) events
High Country Vigour Ground to Overhead Challenge (Lakewood, CO and Remote)
Date: Saturday, February 14, 2026
Address: High Country Vigour, Lakewood, Colorado
Weigh-Ins: 9 AM; Lifting Begins: 10 AM
The Lifts:
-Clean and Press (A10)
-Clean and Push Press (A18)
-Continental to Chest and Jerk (A24)
Entry Fee: $5 (waived for Junior athletes); late entry fee $10
To Enter: The meet is open to any USAWA member. Entries deadline February 7, 2026
Meet Director: Sanjiv Gupta, contact by email sanjiv_gupta@hotmail.com
USAWA Membership Required
Record Session: Each lifter can perform up to 5 records if equipment is available and time allows
Hybrid: Remote entries will be allowed and included in the results. Results due by February 16, 2026. Officials are required for records
Athletes can look forward to an overhead challenge inspired by the Olympic Clean & Press and the Clean & Jerk.
This is the second installment of the High Country Vigour Challenge. Inspired by the Dino Gym, we did the Single Arm Challenge in 2025 and are following it up with a ground to overhead challenge in 2026.
2026 1st Quarter Postal (Remote)
The Lifts:
- Snatch – One Arm (A48)
- Bench Press – Reverse Grip (A5)
- Deadlift – 2 Bars (B2)
The USAWA Postal Series consists of 4 quarterly postal meets. These Postal Meets may be contested anywhere with the results being sent to the USAWA Postal Meet Director Denny Habecker. This allows any member of the USAWA to compete in an USAWA competition without the expense of traveling. The basic rules for entering a USAWA Postal Meet are as follows:
- Must be a CURRENT member of the USAWA
- All lifts must be done on the same day
- USAWA rules apply as outlined in Rule Book
- 3 attempts allowed with best attempt recorded
- Bodyweight and Age apply as to the day of lifting
- Must turn in official scoresheet by deadline
- Record results on scoresheet in pounds
- At least 1 certified official required for records
- May enter with a non-certified judge but will not be eligible for records
- Scoresheet must be fully filled out
- No entry fee
Entry Form: 2026 1st Quarter Postal Entry Form