USAWA

By Miles Pruznick

After seeing Sanjiv Gupta’s recent post about competing outside of all-round weightlifting I reached out to see if he’d like me to share any of my old strongman exploits.

I began the sport/spectacle of Strongman in 2015 after I graduated college and since then I’ve survived (for the most part) 14 strongman events to date.

If you’re interested, join me on a walk down memory lane. It was the summer of 2016. I was spending long hours on the gym floor trying to find my way as a brand-new personal trainer. The nation’s tensions were building as some of the most polarizing and radical political figures and opinions in recent memory were making it clear that the coming presidential election would be one to remember (for better or for worse), a plucky new show rooted in 80’s nostalgia called “Stranger Things” was about to be released on Netflix, and a brash young strongman by the name of Eddie Hall was preparing to deliver on the radical promise he had made one year prior. To become the first person in recorded history to deadlift 500kg/1100 pounds.

Yes, there was much that made the summer of 2016 a memorable one. In between my early struggles trying to make it as a personal trainer, I was training hard for Pennsylvania’s Strongest Man. The show was set for July 9th, and it would be my 6th and biggest strongman competition to date. Cleary the allure of competing for the title of “Pennsylvania’s Strongest” was powerful, as I was one of 16 men signed up for the Open Men’s Middleweight 200lb class. And many of these were seasoned competitors who had been to nationals and other higher-level shows. I knew with such a stacked field I was unlikely to make the podium, but I wanted to show up at my best regardless, so that I would be ready for such intimidating events as the Car Walk, the Hummer Tire Deadlift, and the Atlas Stone Medley. I lifted heavy sandbags to prepare for the atlas stones. I squatted and deadlifted both off the floor and off blocks to prepare for the hummer tire deadlift. And I stumbled around with weights hanging off my barbell hoping the makeshift “chain” yoke would help me carry the unwieldly car frame.

Before long, it was July 9th. I traveled to Lancaster County, PA with two friends, one who would be competing alongside me in my class and another who was there to cheer us on. First event for our class would be the Press medley. The bad thing about a press medley to start the show is that I am a sub-par presser. My long arms and legs, that I am so grateful to have when it comes to loading atlas stones and flipping tires, suddenly feel like a curse when I am trying to lock heavy weights out overhead. The nice thing about a press medley to start the show is that at least I get it out of the way early.

The order of the medley would be a 225lb log press for a single rep, a 150lb keg press for a single rep, and then a 125lb circus dumbbell for however many reps you can manage in whatever time remained in the 60 second time limit. I think the heaviest log I had put overhead at this time was around 200lbs/210lbs so I knew the stars would have to align for me to get 225lbs overhead. And sure enough, I cleaned the log a few times and each time I was unable to lock it out overhead. Zero-ing an event is always disappointing, but it wasn’t unexpected, and it was easy to forget about as the most intimidating event of the show was up next. The car walk.

The show runners had found a ~500lb rust orange car frame that we would be attempting to carry for 50 feet. I had been training for this with Spud Inc yoke straps (straps that will turn any bar into a makeshift purposefully unstable yoke) to prepare for the instability, but I knew there would be nothing quite like the real thing. I watched competitors go one after another. Some finished the 50-foot course, quite a few did not. Before long, it was my turn. I tightened my belt and got inside the frame. Got positioned as best I could under the shoulder straps and… ready, set, go.

She is heavy. more than heavy, she is awkward. Each step feels unstable as the frame shifts around me. I make it maybe 1/3 of the way through the course before I lose control and pitch forward coming to a jarring halt. We have an unlimited number of picks, so I pick up again and stumble forward a few more feet. Another drop, another pick. The straps are painful on the neck, shoulders and traps, and I can feel my spine buckling around as I walk forward. At this point it’s clearly not about having a flawless, or even a fast run. I just want to be one of the guys who finishes the course. I think I picked that car up 7 or 8 times but finally, mercifully I hit the 50-foot finish line. My back is telling me we have had enough but I have the unfortunate duty of informing my back that there are still 3 events to go.

The next event would be the Hummer Tire Deadlift. While I love the sport and the competition of strongman, I equally (probably more-so) love the spectacle of strongman. Deadlifting a bar with hummer tires simply looks cool and it feels cool and that’s a big factor in what shows I choose. I knew at this point I wasn’t in the running for a podium spot so my goal here was to hit 2 big hummer tires which would be 545lbs. I opened conservatively at 455. Easy single. 500lbs. A little more effort but the bar still flew up.

Next up was 545lbs. This took more effort and I felt my back starting to round, but the bar broke the ground and lockout felt strong.

For a moment I wondered if I should have opened heavier and possibly been good for 595lbs. However, especially looking back, even if I had been successful in lifting the heavier weight it likely would have required much more of a breakdown in form. And this show took long enough to recover from as is.

Event 4 was a Front hold. You stand with your back against a wall and hold a 40lb hammer in front of you with straight arms for time. Endurance holds aren’t typically a fan or an athlete’s favorite. They’re not much fun to perform and they are boring to watch as it boils down to just holding the weight in front of you and … wait. While we weren’t exactly enthused about this one, it was nice to have an event that didn’t feel like it was going to break my spine. The hammers had been made/forged for this show, and they looked pretty cool.

Other than that, it wasn’t too noteworthy. I don’t remember my time for the hammer hold. I believe it was mid-pack and by event 4 of a strongman comp your muscles are starting to tighten up and the overall fatigue is setting in. It was nice to get one more event checked off the list and on to the last one.

Well actually…I guess there was one more noteworthy part of this event that happened far away from Quarryville, Pennsylvania. As we were all going through the hammer hold, a competitor ran in and told us all that Eddie Hall had pulled off the impossible and deadlifted 500kg. For context, the deadlift record (and most world records) typically rise in increments. 460kg by Benni Magnussen in 2011. 461kg by Benni Magnussen in 2014. 462kg by Eddie Hall in 2015 followed by 463kg a few months later. The next logical progression would have been 465kg. Maybe 470kg for a big leap. But Eddie Hall called his shot proclaiming loudly that he would deadlift 500kg. An 80+ pound jump. 1100 pounds lifted from the floor. Unheard of. Some believed he would do it. Many more thought it was bravado that wouldn’t be backed up. They said it would be 50 more years of strongmen chipping away at the record before one would be able to lift 500 kilos. That’s how world records typically go. You don’t make giant leaps, you chip away. But at the Strongman World Deadlift Championships in Leeds, England Eddie Hall pulled off that feat which the crowd had deemed impossible. He lifted half a ton from the floor and the arena erupted with the sound of thunder.

I, on the other side of the Atlantic was a bit sobered knowing that a man had just lifted more than double my hummer tire deadlift max. I was also quite sore and ready to finish strong in this last event of the day.

Event 5- Finally, at long last I was looking at absolute favorite event in Strongman and the perfect way to end a show. This would be an atlas stone run- 4 atlas stones of increasing weight loaded to a long platform. One minute time limit. The weights were 200lbs, 250lbs, 300lbs, and 330lbs. I had previously loaded stones in the 250-260lb range for repetitions, but I had yet to hit 300lbs. That was my last goal for the show, and I was hoping I had one more good burst of energy left in me. Me and my friend taped up our forearms and helped each other apply tacky. Tacky is a tremendously sticky pine resin-based adhesive. It will help you grip the stones and will require WD-40 and baby oil to get off your skin afterwards. Once the tacky is on, anything you touch will be stuck to you, so you had best hope the next thing you touch is an atlas stone.

My name was called, and I stepped up to the platform. 200lb stone flew up. So did the 250lbs. Now came my challenge stone. I took my time, got my stance, and gripped the stone, trying to get as much of my arms around the “equator” of the stone as possible. 300lbs broke off the ground and it was in my lap. I wrapped my arms over the top of the stone, hugged it close to my chest and extended my hips, hoping it would rise. And it did. Landing on the platform, much to my satisfaction.

You never forget your first 300 lb stone.

There was still time remaining in the minute. I gripped 330lbs and to my surprise broke it from the ground and got it to my lap. But that was as far as she would go. I tried to grip and load but my body, my mind, my arms, legs, and back were spent. The stone returned to the ground, and I was tired and relieved to have made it through another show.

There was a post-show feast at a local restaurant and then a long drive home. The following week I would begin working at a new gym which is where I would spend the next year and a half. In between my a.m. clients and my p.m. clients I would have a few hours of free time at home which were useful hours to rest up my aching body and watch that new show, “Stranger Things”. As I’m sure you all know that ended up becoming one of the most popular and iconic shows of the last decade, with its series finale released in the closing hours of 2025. Looking back on this show, this time, and these moments it’s amazing how fast 10 years go by. In 2016 I was newly out of college, nervous & excited about training my first personal training clients, still living at home, and not knowing what the next decade would bring. I begin 2026 working as the Exercise Physiologist of a senior living community while living with my girlfriend and her wonderful son as we await the birth of our daughter (due February 2026). 2016 feels like just yesterday to me but to the kids I’m sure it will sound like the stone age. Yes, pun intended.

Thankfully I am not just 10 years older, but also 10 years wiser. MY 2026 goals differ from my 2016 goals and do NOT include carrying a car frame as that has thankfully already been checked off my “strongman bucket list”. I’m 33 now and too old for such ridiculous goals.

I have always wanted to pull a fire engine though… perhaps that’s next on the bucket list

Until next time,

Miles

Editors Note:

Congratulations on your upcoming baby girl! And thank you for the Strongman meet report. The spectacle of strongman is part of the inspiration for USAWA.

If anyone has content they would like to share, please send it over.

By Miles Pruznick

November 22, 2025 was this year’s Memorial Record Day at the legendary Habecker’s Gym in Lebanon, Pa. The lifting was planned to start around 10/10:30am. I arrived a bit late around 11 so I made my way down to the basement to see Mike Locondro, Barry Pensyl, and Denny Habecker rattling weights around. There was one more gentleman who left shortly after I got there, and whose name I didn’t catch but apparently had shown some impressive deadlifting earlier in the session. Hope to catch him next time!

My chosen 5 lifts for the day were a 2 Hand Dumbbell Snatch, a Dumbbell Clean and Press with Heels together, a Pullover and Press in the wrestler’s bridge position, a Cheat Curl with 2 dumbbells, and a Full Gardner. Denny had thoughtfully moved one of his cars out of the garage in case I wanted to do any overhead lifting. I’m 6’4 with lanky arms and legs so any overhead lifting of mine in the basement would be an assault on the lower ceiling of the gym (just ask my mother about the tiles I knocked out of our basement ceiling as a teenager practicing one arm snatches, overhead presses, and Turkish get ups). Denny helped me carry his York Dumbbells up the stairs. My first lift would be the 2-hand dumbbell snatch. I warmed up with the 50’s and 60’s to get the technique dialed in before taking my crack at the 70’s. My first attempt I got them locked out overhead but pressed out which resulted in an unsuccessful lift. Denny gave me some advice, I took my time getting dialed in for the next attempt, pulled the weights off the ground with as much speed as I could and threw them overhead dropping into a split snatch and thankfully this lift was passed. I really enjoy the 2-hand dumbbell snatch and I’m quite happy with getting 140lbs on the book in the 95kg class.  In the future I will be refining this split snatch technique as I feel there is potential to lift more weight. The IAWA & USAWA record lists show 160lbs as the highest overall weight lifted in this movement in all age and weight classes. The idea of throwing 80+ lb dumbbells overhead is daunting yet feels achievable, especially now that I better understand the adjustments in technique that I will need to make. I’ll add that one to the 2026 goals list.

Next up was the Dumbbell clean and press with heels together. While perusing the record lift I saw that the 95kg record for this lift was 138lbs, set by John Vernacchio in 1988. This memorial record day is thrown in honor of the great lifters who came before us.  Denny had told me at the 3^rd quarter postal how John was the guy who got him into the sport – given the day and the history I felt it appropriate to take a crack at one of his long-standing records as a ‘tip of the cap’ to one of the legends of this organization. I was successful with pressing the 70lb York dumbbells overhead with my heels touching and that was good enough for me. I’m extra impressed with John’s record considering not only did it stand for over 25 years, but he also set it when he was over 50 years old. His age class record is still secure as are many of his other records, and I am again reminded that the past and present lifters of this sport have set a high standard for longevity. I’m 33 years of age and hopefully I will still be able to move these weights around in 20 years (and beyond).

Next up was one of my “favorite” lifts (it’s a love/hate relationship) – the pullover and press in a wrestler’s bridge. I knew I’d have a good shot of establishing a record in this lift as I have been interested in the wrestler’s bridge position for years and have spent over a decade building mobility and capacity in this position.  After warming up I hit a successful pullover and press with 133lbs which was enough to beat the standing record of 132. I was feeling strong on this one, so I jumped to 155lbs and hit another successful lift. This too felt very good, so I decided to push my luck & added 2 more 5kg plates to load the bar up to 176lbs. I made two attempts, but my head slipped on the first one and on the second got the bar to my collarbones but couldn’t quite get it to a good pressing position.  This won’t be my last time taking a crack at the bridged pullover and press. I’d love to hit 185+ in the future as this movement is feeling stronger than ever for me.

There aren’t a ton of records set on this lift, and I think I understand why- this movement is not a comfortable one and my neck and the top of my head usually feel the impact and the friction for the next few days after going heavy. It’s been a useful move for me as I began training jiu jitsu in 2015 and any grappling sports tend to be quite intensive on the neck. I believe the bridge movement has helped protect my neck over the past 10 years as the times when my neck felt the most vulnerable were the times when I wasn’t regularly practicing the bridge position.  However, it’s absolutely a risky position and unless you are engaging in a sport that requires a large amount of neck strength/resilience I won’t fault you at all for skipping this one. A big part of exercise selection is knowing the risk vs reward of a movement and understanding how it applies to your individual goals. I’ve been training people for almost a decade now and I’ve never programmed a neck bridge for one of my clients. I would save this exercise for a wrestler/grappler or someone playing football, rugby, or another collision sport.

Steve Schmidt has the overall USAWA/IAWA record in this lift, an essentially unbelievable weight of 270lbs, which from my understanding is the oldest & longest standing record in the organization. I’d like to chase 200+ pounds on this movement, and I feel that’s achievable, however it would take a small miracle to get anywhere close to the standard Steve has set.

For my next lift I was undecided until the day of if I was going to aim for an Anderson Squat or a Cheat curl with 2 dumbbells. The squat record for my weight class is 507lbs and while I was getting closer to that number in my training it didn’t feel like it would be there on the day. Especially 3 heavy lifts in, my spine was not feeling up to task of bearing 500+ pounds atop it. I decided to tackle the cheat curl.

Some people look down on curls or proclaim them not functional.  I loved them when I was 14/15 years old when I was beginning to lift weights and I love them now at 33. And cheat curls? Even more fun. Learning to use your hips and some body English to overload the grip, forearms, and biceps feels like one of the most real-world functional movements to me. The standing record for my weight class was 160 lbs, which was a weight I had hit recently in the gym. I knew it was tough but doable. I started warming up with the York dumbbells.  Based on how well the 70’s moved I was feeling confident in hitting a new record. Denny has a great set of loadable Olympic dumbbells. I loaded them to 82.5 per hand for a new record of 165lbs. It felt heavy but there were a few more pounds there.  We loaded the dumbbells to 88lbs per hand for a total of 176lbs. Barry told me not to start until he was watching, and I obliged. The weights felt heavy off the floor, but I got my grip, kept my legs straight as I loaded up my hips and with a lot of hip drive and some necessary lean back, I got the weights up to my chest and locked out. I was quite happy with this one. Looking at the records for this list it’s rather cool to see the strongest cheat curl, 2 dumbbells performance in the USAWA was by Bryan Benzel. I remember watching him in the heats at World’s Strongest Man for several years. It feels both good to be on the same list as him and humbling to see the big weights he was heaving around. He cheat-curled 107lbs per hand for a massive 214lb dumbbell cheat curl.

Last up was the Full Gardner. My body was feeling the accumulation of the previous 4 lifts. But I was confident I had enough in me to get a new record on the board. The standing record in my weight class was 65lbs which had stood since 1999. I was confident though that I could beat that number.  Much like the bridge pullover and press this is niche movement that I have invested a lot of time into for a few varied reasons. I’ve been a fan of the similar Turkish get up movement for over a decade now. Originally, I became interested in the movement due to the abdominal and shoulder strength and stability it could develop. And much like the wrestlers’ bridge it built strength in unique positions and angles that can be helpful for grappling sports. Back in 2014/2015 I was finishing college, beginning jiu jitsu and lifting as heavy as I was physically able to in as many lifts as I could imagine. I believe my best get up was 133/135lbs per side done back in 2015. So, even though it had been years since I had gone heavy, I knew I was strong in this movement. The full Gardner is a bit different from the Turkish get up. First you put the weight overhead in whatever way you prefer. For me, I like to get it overhead with a one arm snatch as it helps me find the center balance point of the bar. Once the bar is held overhead in one hand you descend to the ground fully, with back flat on the ground and legs straight and wait for the “UP” call. If you can successfully stand back up while keeping the arm straight and elbow locked, you will receive a “DOWN” call.

89 lbs felt great. 100 lbs felt good but heavy especially in my rapidly fatiguing right shoulder. I had hit 115lb a few weeks prior in the gym and I knew it was a long shot, but I wanted a shot at holding the heaviest Full Gardner in the USAWA record list. I loaded the barbell to 120lbs and attempted to snatch it but my body, (especially my shoulder and back) told me emphatically that we had had enough. In the new year I will take another crack at 115lbs and beyond. I find this movement excellent as I have been working in senior fitness since July 2020. I teach exercise mostly to people in their 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. The ability to get on and off the floor is crucial for us as we age. This movement is a wonderful way to break down and build competence in the physical qualities needed to get on and off the ground. In the next few years I will be trying to see how heavy of a full Gardner I can safely manage. But after my ego is satisfied in that pursuit, I am sure I will continue to practice this movement (albeit with lighter weights) for the rest of my life. Practicing and mastering these steps can be a huge key to preventing and recovering from falls.

That was my own personal lifting story for the day. Mike showed some big strength attempting what I believe was a continental clean to belt with some huge weight but unfortunately hurt his leg in the attempt. Undeterred, he kept at it the rest of the day hitting a ton of impressive good mornings, Anderson Squats, Lurich Lifts and more. In between lifting he shared stories including such icons of the past as John Grimek & The Mighty Atom alongside more modern names such as Pavel Tstasouline. I grew up reading about these guys- pretty cool that he’s known & knows many of them personally. Barry Pensyl was doing some great work with the vertical bar deadlift, dumbbell cheat curls, and then hit rep after rep of increasing weight in the dumbbell to shoulder movement. Denny had some great lifting as well with some deadlifts and a dumbbell clean and press.  I think Denny’s biggest problem is that he can hardly find a record to break anymore that isn’t his own! Talk about a nice problem to have.  I appreciate these guys cheering me on in my own lifting and for all the time and effort they’ve put into keeping this thing going now and over the years. This is only my second all round lifting meet (the first being the 3^rd quarter postal earlier this year) but I’m sure there will be many more in my future. Big thanks to all those of today and yesteryear who have kept this wacky and wonderful sport alive. I’m glad to be part of this organization and hope to be more involved over the years to come.

Overall, I’m quite happy with how the day went.  I made the 2+ hour drive back to my home in Dingmans Ferry Pa. By that time my back was tightening up and my shoulder was yelling at me so loudly I’m not sure I could have held my right hand over my head at all, let alone with a 100lb barbell. Post competition tends to be a mix of satisfaction, recovery, and dreaming/planning of the next training goals. For 2026 I’d like to aim for bigger weights in the 2-hand dumbbell snatch, the wrestlers bridge pullover and press, and the full Gardner. I’ve already written down the events that Denny has chosen for Worlds next year which I will be familiarizing myself with and training over the next year. I’ve even become quite curious about the legendary Inman Mile. I live in a beautiful area, and I have a barbell and some makeshift yoke swing straps. My neighbors might be seeing me walking the roads with ever increasing weights next year.  I’m grateful to have finally gotten involved in this sport and I hope to meet many of you in person in the future. Here’s to a successful first year of participating in the USAWA and the memory of those who have paved the way before us.

I’ve attached links to my lifting videos on youtube in case anyone wants to watch. Youtube channel and Instagram fitness page are both @dontpanic42fitness (big “hitchhikers’ guide to the galaxy” fan)

Til next time,

Miles

Editors Note:

Thanks for the outstanding meet report. Sharing athletic background and the feel of the meet is so important, especially in a geographically distributed organization when we cannot all share the platform often.

If anyone has content they would like to share, please send it over.