USAWA - United States All-Around Weightlifting Association

Over the years I have had the pleasure of competing in many different strength sports in many different organizations. Some of my most unique exeriences were competing in the USAWA. The USAWA is old school and cool! If you need a break from the standard lifts and want to challenge yourself with lifts made famous by strength legends, check out the USAWA. They have tons of different sanctioned lifts, you could spend a year learning them all.

Here is an overview of the USAWA as stated on their website.

"The USAWA was formed to continue the long standing tradition of old-time weightlifters like Eugen Sandow, Louis Cyr, Arthur Saxon, Hermann Goerner, Warren Lincoln Travis, and many others. We strive to preserve the history of the original forms of weightlifting, which in the past has been referred to as “odd lifting”. Many of the lifts we perform are based on stage acts or challenge lifts of old-time strongmen."

"The USAWA was organized in 1987 and was a charter member of the International All-Round Weightlifting Association. The USAWA has over 150 recognized lifts and 8000 plus records, so any strength athlete can find their niche. We have a drug testing program to encourage drug free lifting. Numerous local meets and a National competition are held each year to find true “all-round” weightlifters"

I have broken a couple different USAWA records, in a couple different weigth classes over the years. Before I brag in detail, I need to order an updated record book, to see which ones still stand.

On top of the legendary lifts, the USAWA is filled with great people. I have had the pleasure of meeting some great people, who have shared with me a ton of knowlege on training. I have been out to Kevin Fulton's barn/training center in Litchfield Nebraska, and trained with his Braveheart Barbell Club. Kevin is a former Olympic Training Center Coach and has been nice enough to share his knowledge with me over the years. I also had a chance to compete in a couple contest down at Clarks Gym in Columbia Missouri, this is a gym built for legendary lifts. Bill Clark is a USAWA Hall Famer and the sports best ambassidor. His gym is one of my favorite in the country! My Bulldog Strength Sports has hosted a few different small USAWA events in the past at my old home gym, when I lived in the country and we had some fun! I think it's getting about time to get the gang back together for a little USAWA action in my new Bulldog's Gym here in Papillion!

USAWA
http://www.usawa.com/

Born Stronger Sportwear

I have found some great gym t-shirts over the years, and the looks of the shirts have evolved over the years and MMA has brought in a whole new look and attitude to sportswear.
Recently I come a cross Born Stronger Sportswear, while surfing the web for some new cool gear. Not only did I find some great shirts, but I also found a website filled with inspiring Born Stronger stories, one of which was the story about how Born Stronger was born.

This is the Born Stronger Story as told on their website.
"It all started with the belief that if we put our mind, body and passion into anything, we can be successful.
For BORN STRONGER founder Dhillon, the inspiration for this dream came when an obscure news story forced him out of his pending sleeping bliss. A young boy in Africa stared back through the TV set. The boy wore dirty, tattered clothes. Flies swirled around his head. He wore no shoes. His mother, father and all his siblings killed by brutal warlords. Yet the young boy was smiling because he had found joy by helping other families escape the same fate of his family. He was driven to help and not let his misfortune ruin his life. That boy was BORN STRONGER.

Dhillon woke up the next morning still seeing that boy. And he realized it was time to do something meaningful in life. Dhillon’s dream was to help boys, girls, women and men realize their potential. BORN STRONGER was born.
Since then Dhillon is simply known as Dr. Dream. Helping others recognize and pursue their dreams and passion.

Today BORN STRONGER is the only sportswear brand that represents everyone. Regardless of race, color or culture. Regardless of the dream, the sport or the desire. Because we are all BORN STRONGER!"

Born Stronger also has a great blog and a whole section dedicated to submissions by their readers. So they can tell their own Born Stronger stories. I love this section! Warriors come in all shapes and sizes from all over the world, and their spirit is contagious!

Well I have become a regular visitor to www.bornstronger.com, and I ordered several shirts. I got myself the Born Stronger Plaid T-shirt, the Born Stronger Laughing Buhdua and a Born Stronger Rash Guard. I also got my wife the Born Stronger Inspire ladies t-shirt. Born Strong did an incredible job designing the t-shirts down to the smallest details, Heck, even the tags are cool. The nice thing about the Born Stronger gear, it is a very nice quality shirt with a very classy yet bold logo. This is gear you could wear to the gym or just out on the town. As for the Rash Guard, I have to say this is one of the nicest quality rash guards I have ever seen. I am jacked about all my new gear from Born Stronger.

Check out Born Stronger at http://www.bornstronger.com/

On Facebook or Twitter

Big Back Grips http://bigbackgrips.com

Like many middle age lifters, I am starting to deal with some of the things that come with wear and tear on your body. My biggest issue is some bad tendinitis in my right elbow and some minor tendinitis in my left elbow. Most of my pain comes from pulling motions, like lat pull downs, rows, etc. I have found that using grip aids help reduce the discomfort, but for years I have been a grip purest, that would never use a grip aid. Other than using straps on partial deadlifts and heavy shrugs, I have never used any type of grip aid. I have competed in USAWA grip contest, Rolling Thunder contest and closed the #2 COC gripper. So needless to say I take my grip strength serious, so I had a real conflict!

A couple months ago I was reading an article about grip training, and solved my issue. The article I read talked about training grip like any other muscle group. Would you train bench press every workout? NO! Would you squat every workout? NO! So why would you train grip every workout??? Really that is what I was doing - I trained grip on grip day, back day and shoulder day. So I decided why not a grip aid, but I wanted the right one. I wanted one that aided my grip but not completely eliminate it. I also wanted it to be grab and go. I did not want to have to spend alot of time putting on every set.

I spend alot of time looking through things I collected over the years, and researching things on line. I have a variety of lifting straps, but like I said I really only like them for heavy partial deadlifts and heavy shrugs. Straps also take some time to put on and they eliminate the grip. I also have a pair of leather cuffs that work like a strap, but the other than using them on pull ups I don't find them very practical. As for products on line, I found most things had the same flaws, they eliminated the grip completely and they were cumbersome to use.

I did find one product that was intrigued with, Big Back Grips. Now even though it seem to meet all my criteria, I was skeptical. I just wasn't sure how easy to use they would be. I wasn't sure if they would feel un-natural in my hands. I wasn't sure if they would slip. Well I figured for $5.95 - What the hell, it was worth a shot! So I ordered a couple pairs and I had to have one of their T-shirts, because there logo is AWESOME and they are black and gold like my Steelers!
I got them in just a few days, and I was not disappointed! So far I have had them just a couple weeks and I am very happy with my find. It worked! Between the rehab work I have done and the Big Back Grips taking some of the stress off of my tendons, I have reduced the discomfort during my work outs. I also found them very easy to use, they are truly grab n' go, which is huge for me, because sometimes my busy schedule cuts into my workout time. I also am glad to say they did not slip, they feel natural in my hand and they are not cumbersome. Do I use them for everything - No.

I do use them every time, I do any type of pull downs or rows.

Also as for the t-shirt, I ordered the Gold with the black logo. It is a real nice Hanes 100% cotton Beefy-T. The quality is great and the look is cool! If you would like to learn more about Big Back Grips or Order your own pair, check them out at Big Back Grips

Big Back Grips
WEBSITE
http://bigbackgrips.com/
PHONE
(323) 363-9450
TWITTER
http://twitter.com/#!/BigBackGrips
FACEBOOK
http://www.facebook.com/people/BigBack-Grips/100000187493675
YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/bigbackgrips

The Legendary Dinnie Stones

In the world of strength sports there "new" school athletes and "old" school athletes. Some compete raw and some use the latest equipment. Some compete naturally, some use supplements to get that extra edge. One thing that transcends everything is a man and his will to push his body farther than before. For centuries man has been on a quest to become bigger and stronger. Many have have become great, few have become legends. In 1860 Donald Dinnie became a legend.

In Scotland,in 1860 Donald Dinnie carried 2 unequal stones weighing 785lbs combined across an old granite bridge that spanned about 6 yards. Then he brought them back and the legend was born.

Dinnie wrote of his feat in 1912, this is a passage from his writings.

"On the granite stone bridge that crosses the River Dee at Potarch there were, and still are, two large stones weighing about 8cwt the pair, placed in a recess. In the early 1830's massive iron rings were placed in them, to which ropes were fixed so that scaffolds could be attached for pointing the bridge. Now, one of these stones was somewhat heavier than the other. Very few strong men of that day could lift the heavy one with both hands, but my father could raise one in each hand with apparent ease, and could throw the heavier stone of the two on to the top of a parapet wall of the bridge.
Those stones are still on the bridge and I myself lifted one in each hand on many occasions and one market day, I carried them across the bridge and back, some four to five yards."

For centuries strongmen from across the globe have made the pilgrimage to Scotland to attempt to match his feat. Many have attempted but few have even lifted the ackward weight. If you would like to take a crack at the stones, they are now located outside the 18th-century Potarch Hotel, on the south bank of the river by the Potarch Bridge in Scotland. Lift the stones and become a legend!

American Armsport Association

My interest in Strength Sports started at an early age. I started training in middle school with the purpose of improving my abilities on the football field. It wasn't until several years after I stopped playing football that I started to participate in competitive strength sports. My first entry in to strength sports was when I walked in to Bushwhackers Country Bar in Ralston Nebraska the night of an armature armwrestling tournament. I took second place that night with more that a dozen guys in my weight class. More importantly I met Mary McConnaughey, who became a life long friend and was the person who taught me how to armwrestle. For the next 10 years I competed in the American Armsport Association contest in Nebraska and Iowa.

AAA or the American Armsport Association is 1 of the 2 major armwrestling sanctioning bodies in the United States. It was originally called the American Armwrestling Association, but later changed under the advice of the IOC. AAA is the United States affiliate for the WAF or the World Armwrestling Federation. AAA was founded over 40 years ago by Bob O'Leary. Today Frank and Karen Bean serve as the associations Executive Directors. AAA governs the rules and regulations for the sport in the United States and is the largest promoting force for the sport in the USA.

I have not armwrestled since 2003 but maybe in 2012 I will have a one night only comeback!

American Armsport Association
http://www.armsport.com/w.armsport.com/

Email - armsport@usit.net
(423)272-6162

Looking Back To Get Started

9 years ago, I was asked to write an article for the Dragons Door monthly newsletter about strongman training. Dragon Door was one my sponsors for the Heartland Strongman Challenge. I thought a reprint of this article would be the perfect way to kick off my blog!

Strongman Training: Look Outside the Box

Joe Secord

August 1, 2002 08:38 AM

Since becoming the first NASS (North American Strongman Society) State Chairman for Nebraska and Iowa, I have had many people contact me, asking how to get started in strongman. The first thing that they want to know is how to train for a Strongman contest? Now unlike Powerlifting or Olympic lifting, Strongman does not have set events. The events are up to the individual promoters. Now there are some events you will see often, like the tire flip, truck pull, and atlas stones, but you may find contest with events created by that promoter. So strongman competitors can't be one-dimensional. You have to train outside the box. Training more than just the traditional barbell movements is vital.

Now I am fairly new to the sport of strongmen, and I do not claim to be an expert, but I have been fortunate enough to draw from the experiences of veteran competitors. What I have concluded after compiling this data is, strongman training is not an exact science. What I have learned is that you cannot have a narrow focus when training. Powerlifting movements (squat, bench, and deadlift), and Olympic lifts (clean & jerks and snatch) are great base exercises, but there is so much more that is needed. Many people don't realize the cardiovascular conditioning it takes to compete in strongman. I can tell you walking for 10 minutes on the treadmill does not compare to pulling a semi truck 60 feet. I like to refer to cardio training for strongman as 'power-cardio'! Carrying or loading heavy object, pulling or pushing trucks, will build muscle and build the cardiovascular conditioning needed to compete in strongman.

Another thing to remember when training to become a Strongman, is the importance of functional strength. Many of the events require the lifting or carrying of heavy, odd shaped objects. This requires power, stability, and explosiveness through out the whole body.

This year at the Arnold Classic Expo I was introduced to kettlebell training. I was truly convinced this was something I needed to incorporate into my work out. Kettlebells build functional strength! They allow a variety of movements, as well as many options for isometric training. Unlike many exercise implements, Kettlebells come in a wide range of sizes, including an 88lb Kettlebell. Not only did I find Kettlebells to be a useful training tool for strongman, but also a great training tool for Powerlifting, Armwrestling, and Highland Games.

Sample Strongman Workout
Day 1
Deadlift from ground: 3 sets of 5 reps.
Deadlift partials (bar set 18" from ground): 2 sets of 5 reps, 2 sets of 2 reps
Stiff legged deadlifts: 3 set of 10 reps.
Leg Curls: 3 sets of 10 reps
Bent over rows: 3 sets of 10 reps. (straight bar for 2 hand) (kettlebells or dumbells for 1 handed)
Shoulder Shrugs: 3 set of 10 reps, 2 sets of 5 reps.
15 minutes of various ab crunches
Stretch

Day 2
Bench Press: 5 sets of 5 reps
Triceps extension: 5 sets of 10 reps (kettlebells can be used for seated of lying extensions)
Biceps curl (straight bar) 4 sets of 10 reps
Dips (weighted if you can) 6 sets of 10 reps
Power Cardio: Suggestions ?farmer's walk with dumbbells, Carry 100lb plates, carry and load sand bags
Stretch

Day 3
Off

Day 4
Squat or Leg Sled: 3 set of 10 reps, 4 sets of 5 reps
Leg Curl: 4 sets of 10 reps
Calf Raises: 5 sets of 20 reps
Power Cardio: Suggestions -carry and load sand bags, push or pull vehicles, stadium stairs carrying weight
Stretch

Day 5
Military Press: 3 set of 10 reps, 2 sets of 5 reps
Kettlebell Isometric Shoulder Exercises: front raise and hold, side raise and hold. These are great for training for the Crucifix Hold in Strongman
Power Cleans: 3 set of 10 reps, 2 sets of 5 reps
Full Pull with Kettlebell or One Armed Snatch with Dumbell: 3 sets of 10
15 minutes of ab work with a medicine ball
Stretch

Day 6
Build Endurance!
Big Power Cardio Day
Work with Strongman Implements you have or just find some heavy items and lay out a carrying medley

Wind Sprints at 80 percent effort
5 ? 100 yards 5 ? 50 yards (then add as you need)
This is great for building endurance and wind!
Stretch

Day 7
Off
Suggestion: Get a massage on this day

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If you would like to get involved in strongman competitions, the NASS (North American Strongman Society) website is http://www.nastrongman.com/. If you would like more information on Kettlebells go to http://www.dragondoor.com/.