2026 USAWA Grip Championship

This year’s Grip Championship was an all-Colorado event.  Nisha and Kim lifted in flight 1 and Sanjiv, Jarrod and Joshua lifted in flight 2.  Weigh-ins and rules briefings were conducted and the meet was contested using the one official system.

We started with Pinch Grip, Deadlift, One Hand.  This is the first time the lift was contested at the Grip Championship and mistakes were made.  Flight 1 set the plates up vertical to the platform and had top lifts under 30 pounds.  Essentially, they did a Pinch Grip Strict, One Hand.  Jarrod correctly pointed out the error and Flight 2 set up the plates horizontal to the platform.  Flight 2 all had good lifts at 100 pounds or more.  Kim and Nisha declined the option to repeat their lifts. For record purposes, they should be recorded as Pinch Grip Strict, One Hand.

Next was the Deadlift, Fulton Dumbbell, One Hand.  This was the fifth time this lift has been contested at the Grip Championship, and some big numbers were put up.  The women’s field accounted for Age Class and ALL age records in their weight classes.

Next was another favorite, the Vertical Bar, 1”, One Hand.  This was the third time this lift has been contested in the Grip Championship and athletes who competed in Tony & Allison’s Birthday Bash got to test their max lifts recently.  At 86 pounds on a fourth attempt for a record, Nisha was the only athlete to set a record in this lift.

The last competition lift was the Deadlift, 3” Bar.  Records were set across the board.  Everybody was feeling the effects of the first three lifts, but everybody also knew what they needed to hit the overall field.  Jarrod narrowly missed his third attempt at 355 pounds, securing Sanjiv’s position atop the men’s field. Joshua followed suit attempting 355 pounds on his third attempt.

The Pinch Grip Clean & Press, One Hand was offered as an exhibition lift.  This is an IAWA lift and the IAWA rules were followed. 

The lifter will grip the weight, either in front or to the side, as in the one hand pinch lift. The lifter will clean the weight to the shoulder and stand ready for the signal to press. The lifter will be standing erect with the weight held at the side of or just above the deltoid muscle, or even resting on the shoulder muscle (if desired). The stance is as for the start of any pressing movement, foot spacing is optional, but the feet will be parallel to the lifters front. On the referees signal the weight will be pressed out to arm’s length, as in the one hand dumbbell press. On completion the referee signals to replace the bar.

All athletes were able to complete the lift.  However, maintaining a plate width spacing on the lighter loads required the use of foam spacers to achieve an outside spacing of 2.25-2.50 inches.  The other challenge with lighter lifts was incremental plate loading.  We utilized magnetic weight attachments so that athletes could still get a full grip on the plates.

  • Nisha – 15, 17.5, 20 pounds
  • Kim – 20, 22.5, 24 pounds
  • Sanjiv – 25, 28 pounds
  • Joshua – 28, 35 pounds
  • Jarrod – 25, 28 pounds

The consensus was that it was not a fun lift.  As the weights approached maximum efforts, missing a lift resulted in an explosion of weight and collars as the plates came crashing down.  The width of the rod was also a concern as the rod was coming dangerously close to the lifter’s ear.  When I watched a video of Matt Jones’ 30-kg lift, it appear he used two 10kg plates, a 12-18 inch metal rod and 2.5 kg and 1.25 kg change plates along with collars.  Our best lift was 35 pounds (16kg).  Joshua attempted 50 pounds (23kg), but the weight slipped and went crashing to the floor.

Complete Results:

USAWA Grip Championship
High Country Vigour
Lakewood, Colorado
April 4, 2026
Meet Director: Sanjiv Gupta
Scorekeeper: Sanjiv Gupta

Officials: (1-official system) Sanjiv Gupta, Jarrod Fobes, Kim Van Wagner, Nisha Gupta

The Lifts: Pinch Grip Deadlift, One Hand; Deadlift, Fulton Dumbbell, One Hand; Vertical Bar, 1 Bar 1”, One Hand, Deadlift, 3” Bar

Bodyweight and Lifts in Pounds

WOMENS DIVISION

LifterAgeBWStrict PinchFultonV-Bar3” BarTotalPoints  
Kim58127.627.5 (R)81 (L)86 (L)154348.5661.3
Nisha1787.322.5 (R)61 (R)76 (R)88247.5610.7

MENS DIVISION

LifterAgeBWPinchFultonV-Bar3” BarTotalPoints  
Sanjiv54208.5120 (L)126 (L)156 (L)315717719.2
Jarrod48206.5100 (R)141 (L)161 (R)305707675.8
Joshua41257.1120 (R)136 (R)161 (R)305722575.7

Pinch Grip Clean & Press, One Hand [Exhibition]

LifterAgeBWOH Pinch C&PLynch
Kim58127.624 (R)45.5
Nisha1787.317.5 (R)43.1
Sanjiv54208.528 (R)28.1
Joshua41257.135 (R)27.9
Jarrod48206.528 (R)26.7

4th Attempts for Records

Kim Van Wagner
Pinch Grip Strict, One Arm, Right – 30 pounds
Vertical Bar, 1”, 1 Bar, One Arm, Left – 91 pounds
Deadlift, 3″ Bar – 164 pounds

Nisha Gupta
Vertical Bar, 1”, 1 Bar, One Arm, Right – 86 pounds

To determine the overall winner, the meet director decided to take the Age-Weight-Gender Lynch Totals of the three lifts performed to the same rule set:

  1. Kim Van Wagner – 321 total pounds – 609 Lynch points
  2. Sanjiv Gupta – 597 total pounds – 599 Lynch points
  3. Jarrod Fobes – 607 total pounds – 580 Lynch points
  4. Nisha Gupta – 225 total pounds – 555 Lynch points
  5. Josh Guerin – 602 total pounds – 480 Lynch points

RECORD SESSION:

Sanjiv Gupta – 54 yrs – BW 208.5 lb / 95 kg class

Apollon’s Lift – 125 pounds
Curl, Cheat, Dumbbell, Left – 62 pounds
Curl Cheat, Reverse Grip – 115 pounds

Joshua Guerin – 41 yrs – BW 257.1 lb / 120 kg class

Dumbbell to Shoulder – 132 pounds
Bavarian Deadlift – 469 pounds

While the competition was a live only event, inquiries from remote athletes allowed for record session lifts.

Jeff Wenzel – 51 yrs – BW 228 lb / 105 kg class

Piper Squat – 320 pounds
James Lift – 125 pounds
Pinch Grip Strict (L) – 67 pounds
Pinch Grip Strict (R) – 87 pounds
Pinch Grip Strict 2 H – 167 pounds

John Carter – 67 yrs – BW 200 lb / 95 kg class

Deadlift Fulton One Arm (L) – 160 pounds
Deadlift Fulton One Arm (R) – 170 pounds
Deadlift Fulton Dumbbell (L) – 150 pounds
Deadlift Fulton Dumbbell (R) – 170 pounds
Deadlift Finger Middle – 205 pounds

Tony Hose – 57 yrs – BW 215 lb / 100 kg class

Vertical Bar 1” One Hand (L) – 222 pounds
Vertical Bar 1” One Hand (R) – 182 pounds
Vertical Bar 1” 2 Hands – 285 pounds
Deadlift Fulton Dumbbell (L) – 170 pounds
Deadlift Fulton Dumbbell (R) – 170 pounds

Travis Luther – 33 yrs – BW 177 lb / 85 kg class

Vertical Bar 1” One Hand (L) – 232 pounds
Back Extension – 225 pounds

Tony Lupo – 60 yrs – BW 242 lb / 110 kg class

Pinch Grip Strict (R) – 51 pounds
Vertical Bar 1” One Hand (R) – 142 pounds
Deadlift Fulton Dumbbell (R) – 140 pounds
Deadlift 3 Inch Bar – 300 pounds
James Lift – 28 pounds

Clark’s Gym Officials – Bill Clark, Jeff Wenzel, John Carter, Tony Lupo

Heavy Lift championship-Turney location update

by Eric Todd

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we will have to move the time of our portion of the competition back to the afternoon on May 2nd. This affects the Turney location only. We will be conducting weigh ins at 1:00 and lifting will begin at 2:00. You will still need to get your entry into Jessica Hopps, but please let me know if you plan on attending for planning purposes. Hope to see you on the 2nd!

2026 Yearly Awards

by Tony Lupo

It’s that time of the year again to nominate deserving lifters for the yearly awards!  The USAWA award program was started to honor those individuals that display outstanding achievements throughout the year in different categories. Part of the USAWA budget goes to these awards, which means that part of your membership dues supports this program. These awards are to be presented at the Annual General Meeting of the USAWA, which happens at the same time as the National Championships. Usually the USAWA Awards are yearly – meaning they are for the previous year’s accomplishments. I would consider yearly as being the time since (and including) last year’s National Championships. Now for an overview of the rules for nominations:

  • You must be a USAWA member to make a nomination or cast a vote
  • Nominated individuals must be a USAWA member to be eligible
  • Only one individual may be nominated per person per award
  • Two nominations for each award may be submitted, one for your choice of the Male lifter and one for your choice of the Female lifter. **This is a change from the past – instead of winner and runner-up. We’ll see how it goes this year.
  • The awards are for the accomplishments since last June
  • An individual may be nominated for more than one award
  • If no one is nominated for a category – that award does not need to be given!

These are the different awards for which you should choose your nominations for:

 Athlete of the Year – This award is for the individual who has accomplished the most athletically within the last year in the USAWA. Top placings at the Nationals and World Championships should figure in highly. Also, participation in other Championship Competitions such as the Heavy Lift Championships, the Grip Championships, the Club Championships, the OTSM Championships, the Team Championships, or the National Postal Championships could factor in.  Participation in elite IAWA events such as the Gold Cup should make an influence on earning this award as well.

Leadership Award – This is for an individual that has shown exceptional leadership qualities within the USAWA during the past year. Things that should be looked at are; going above the level expected of an Officer position, promoting sanctioned events with emphasis being on promoting National or World Competitions, promoting the USAWA by developing a strong club, writing articles for publications about the USAWA, or through other means.

Sportsmanship Award – This goes to an individual who possesses and shows great sportsmanship within the USAWA. The act of sportsmanship may be by conduct at all events, or by an specific example of exceptional sportsmanship.

Courage Award – This goes to an individual who shows the courage to overcome an obstacle in order to return to competition. This may be a comeback from an injury, or just having to deal with difficult personal issues but still shows the courage to compete in the USAWA.

Newcomer Award– This award goes to an individual who in new to the USAWA or has become involved again. It doesn’t have to go to someone in their first year of being involved in the USAWA.

As stated earlier in the rules, I would like you to submit your choice for the MALE and FEMALE WINNERS. I will score it this way; for each nomination per award,1 point will be awarded for the nominated winner. I will then add up all the points from all nominations with the person receiving the most points declared the winner. So, you can see that the Award Winners are chosen by YOU THE MEMBERSHIP! That’s the way it should be done.

If you are not aware of people outside your own gym, consider looking at the USAWA website and look for who participates in meets and who does well. Go to:

https://www.usawa.com/membership-roster/      to see who is who!!

Please email me at: lupoa0313@gmail.com with your nominations. The deadline for nominations is May 31st, 2026. That gives everyone a couple weeks to make their decisions.  My experience with this is that if a person does not make their nominations shortly after reading this announcement, it never gets done. So, make it easy on yourself (and me!) and turn your nominations in today!!!!

USAWA Heavy Lift Championship – Update

By Jessica Hopps

This years Heavy Lift Championship is just a few weeks away! Make sure to get your entry form and payments in before April 18th to be eligible. Please make sure to select what venue you will be lifting at on your entry form, as we are privileged to offer 3 separate venues this year!

Meet name: Heavy Lift Championship

Date: May 2, 2026

Midwest Location: 10978 SW Pueblo Dr, Turney, MO (KCStrongMan)

Northeast Location: 204 East Street, Walpole, MA 02032 (Frank’s Barbell Club)

Western Location: Lakewood, CO 80235 (High Country Vigor)

Promoter: Jessica Hopps, Frank’s Barbell Club

Sanctioned by: USAWA-membership is required of all lifters

Lifts: Neck Lift, Hand and Thigh, Hip Lift

Cost: $35 payment can be made to Jessica Hopps (Venmo @Jessica-Hopps and Paypal preferred- jesshopps@hotmail.com) or check can be mailed to Jessica Hopps C/O Franks Barbell Club 204 East Street Walpole MA 02032

Awards: There will be awards for the lifters

This is a drug tested event. Please only enter if you know you can pass a drug test!

USAWA Grip Championship Preview

The Grip Championship is considered one of USAWA’s signature events. It has been contested since 2011 (with the exception of 2021).

The earliest reference I found to grip events on the USAWA website was a 2009 article on the Middle Fingers Deadlift. That article refers to the 1994 Super Grip Challenge where Kevin Fulton had a 400-pound Middle Fingers Deadlift and the 1992 British grip Championship where Steve Sherwood had a 330-pound Middle Fingers Deadlift.

Perusing the records, the Super Grip Challenges were hosted through the 1990s and there are standing records from the 2003 edition.  Matt Graham had a 200-pound pinch grip, strict that has stood since that meet and will probably stand for another two decades.

The Dino Grip Showdown was promoted by Ben Edwards in February 2010 and was very well attended with eight athletes squaring off for the title that was won by Andrew Durniat.

The first installment of the Grip Championship as we know it was promoted by Al Myers and featured (5) lifts:

  • Deadlift – Vertical Bar, 2” One Arm
  • Pinch Grip
  • Deadlift – Fingers, Middle
  • Deadlift – Fulton Bar, Ciavattone Grip
  • Deadlift – 3” Bar

Al Myers took the men’s title and Felecia Simms took the women’s title.

Through 2025, twenty-eight different lifts have been included in the grip championships.  The majority have been deadlift variations using a pinch grip, vertical bars, thick bars or only using specific fingers.  There are also a handful of miscellaneous lifts that are grip limited.

  • Pinch Grip Deadlifts
  • Vertical Bars
  • Thick Bars/Thick Dumbbells
  • Finger Lifts
  • Finger Deadlifts
  • Misc – Dumbbell Walk, Rim Lift, Reeves Deadlift, Wrist Curl, Bear Hug, Saxon Lift

In recent years, the New England Grip Classic has been contested in 2023 and 2024. I intended to host the Colorado Grip Classic in 2025, but it was elevated to the USAWA Grip Championship.

Similar to most contests, I assume feats of grip strength started out somewhere along the lines of “I bet I can…”

The Dinnie Stones were hoisted by Donald Dinnie in 1860.  The combined 733 pounds were carried over 17 feet across the width of the Potarch Bridge.  Jack Shanks put wind under the stones in 1972 and the Shanks family has been stewards of the stones ever since. They host the Dinnie Gathering annually.

Thomas Inch had his unliftable dumbbell commissioned in the early 1900s.  The 172-pound weight combined with the 2.47 inch diameter smooth handle was too much for even the strongest spectators.

Arthur Saxon’s 3″ plank dates to at least 1922. The planks were of various weights. One story features a 90 pound version being snatched overhead with one hand.

Goerner’s Challenge Barbell was 330.75 pounds and had a diameter of 2-3/8 inches.  There is a famous photo of him lifting it overhead in 1923.  Fat Bastard Barbell Company has a 2-3/8 inch barbell named after Andrew Durniat  and dubbed Andrew’s Axle.  Staniewicz Strength Equipment named their 2-3/8 inch barbells the Goerner Barbell.

The Bearhug seems like the closest approximation to stone lifting that All-Round has created.

This weekend’s upcoming contest will feature four lifts with the all time records in parenthesis.

  • Pinch Grip Deadlift – One Hand (Jarrod Gaddis 204 pounds, Cindy Garcia and Jo Schuster – 90 pounds)
  • Deadlift, Fulton DB, One Arm (Joe Ciavattone – 205 pounds, Beth Skwarecki – 99 pounds)
  • Vertical Bar, 1 Bar, 1 inch (Ben Edwards – 315 pounds, Stacy Todd – 200 pounds)
  • Deadlift, 3” Bar (Matt Graham – 600 pounds, Felecia Simms – 280 pounds)

Grip certainly embodies the mission of the USAWA to perform lifts based on state acts of challenge lifts of old time strongmen.

On a personal note, the 2024 Grip Championship was the second All-Round event that I attended in person. I had heard or read that Al Myers liked athletes to look professional so I made a point of purchasing a singlet. Like most rumors, this was false and most of the athletes were in shirts and shorts, but I liked looking the part and still wear a singlet for premier All-Round events.

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