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To promote health and vitality through strength, endurance and adventure sports for all persons.
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2025 High Country Vigour Cup

2025 High Country Vigour Cup This is the inaugural installation of the High Country Vigour Cup.  I originally wanted to do a simple record day to close out the season, With the excitement of the President’s Cup and the Gold Cup, it seemed like a fun idea for athletes to show off a special lift for themselves.  The local athletes did not disappoint and we had a several remote lifters also. I admired Nisha’s courage on the Steinborn Lift.  After making 33 pounds and 44 pounds, she failed a 54-pound attempt. Elijah shined with a third attempt on the pull up to get his chin over the bar with 20 pounds hanging from weight belt. Kim’s Piper Lift seemed really solid at 80 pounds.  I realized just how solid when I tried to do the lift. Jarrod’s pulling power is just amazing.  He held the 60-pound chin up to make sure he was clearly over the bar without any doubt. I had the pleasure of doing a Team Deadlift with Nisha.  The last father/daughter duo was Al & Emil...

2026 All-Round Events Calendar?

It is only October, but I am looking forward to 2026. 2024.03.17 Colorado Spring Fling 2025.03.01 Colorado Single Arm Challenge 2025.04.05 USAWA Club Championship 2025.05.03 USAWA Grip Championship 2025.09.13 Colorado OTSM Classic 2025.11.08 High Country Vigour Cup 2025.12.20 USAWA Team Championship 2026.04.18 USAWA Grip Championship 2026.06.27 USAWA National Championship TBD High Country Vigour Challenge TBD High Country Vigour Cup TBD USAWA Team Championship 2027.11.06 IAWA Gold Cup TBD High Country Vigour Challenge TBD High Country Vigour Cup At a high level, I would like to sanction the cup event and a challenge every year.  Ideally, I would sanction a USAWA Championship Event (Grip, Club, Team Lift, Heavy Lift, OTSM) or IAWA Event (Gold Cup, World Championship) annually also. I think I am done with OTSM.  The Single Arm Challenge could serve as a template for future challenges in the spirit of Dino Gym Ideas for High Country Vigour Challenges-  Rex Monahan Challenge ...

2025 IAWA World Championship

Banner Meeting Jack Shanks Clean & Push Press Pullover & Press Straddle Deadlift One Arm Clean & Jerk Clean & Push Press 2" Vertical Bar Zercher Fun in the Stones "Garden" Very Impressive Team Lift (Dolores and June) I had the opportunity to travel to Belfast for the 2025 IAWA World Championship.  It was well attended: Ruby Meakin - NI - Junior Leo Moss - ENG - Junior Emily Haydock - ENG - Junior George Dutton - ENG - Junior Beata Banas - ENG (attended last year) Paul Barette - ENG (attended last year) Chloe Brennan - ENG (attended last year) Steve Sherwood - ENG (attended last year) Brandon Hazell-Hyland - ENG (attended last year) Denny Habecker - USA (attended last year) Natalie Voce - ENG (attended last year) David Angove - ENG (attended last year) Dolores McGuckin - NI - Incredibly strong powerlifter Sam Bonar - ENG (attended last year) Stanley Hamilton - NI - Grip sport athlete Joshua Davidson - ENG (attended last year) Sanjiv Gupta - USA (attended l...

Colorado OTSM Classic

Congratulations to Kim for winning the women’s field and the overall title!  Jarrod won the men’s field but could not overcome the age-weight-gender adjustments.  Nisha won the junior field. This was the inaugural installation of an OTSM event held in Colorado.  Given the popularity of Old Time Strongman, I wanted to make sure Colorado athletes had a chance to give it a try.  For over half the local field it was the first time lifting with Dinnie Rings.  In Colorado, we had (4) official lifters and (2) athletes unofficially giving All-Round weightlifting a try.  Jeff and Tony joined in from Missouri to round out the field. Top Dinnie Lift – Jarrod Fobes – 506 pounds Top Saxon Deadlift – Jeff Wenzel – 135 pounds Colorado OTSM Classic High Country Vigour September 13, 2025 Meet Director: Sanjiv Gupta Score Keeper: Sanjiv Gupta The one official system was used for all lifts. Officials: Jarrod Fobes, Sanjiv Gupta, Nisha Gupta, Tony Lupo, Allison Lupo, Bill Clar...

Clark's Gym Record Day

July 31, 2025 Diya and Nisha were convinced to step up for Clark's Gym Record Day. They got situated and set Team Records in: Team Bench Press, Alternate Grip - 70 pounds - First ever recorded Team Bench Press, Feet in Air - 80 pounds - First ever recorded Team Bench Press, Hands Together - 70 pounds - Age Class and ALL Team Bench Press, One Arm, Left - 30 pounds - First ever recorded Team Bench Press, One Arm, Right - 30 pounds - First ever recorded Team Bench Press, Reverse Grip - 70 pounds - First ever recorded

USAWA Nationals Weekend

Me and my daughters left Colorado on Wednesday to spend a few days with Grandma in Memphis before making the drive to Albany, KY for Nationals Weekend.  It was a long drive from Memphis, through Nashville to Kentucky.  We arrived just after 5 PM and were able to squeeze in a bite to eat before the Annual General Meeting was brought to order. Angie’s Restaurant is family cooking and they had a back room that we completely filled with (32) USAWA members plus additional family members.  The meeting started normally enough with typical officer reports but became contentious when new business was taken from the floor.  There was a lot of shouting and belittling, but very little actual discussion.  The elections were conducted and we have a new board with very little all-round and even less international all-round experience. Old Board – Denny (36), Chad (21), Eric (23), Beth (6), Sanjiv (2) – 88 years New Board – Clint (4), Tony (4), Kyle (2), Eric (23), Sanjiv (2) –...