Feats of Strength Held at LA Valley College and Sierra Madre Sports Central

By Harry Sneider

Bring Out the Best in Senior Athletes Bill and Connie Weinstock Host a Winning Competition

Feats of Strength senior athletes in Sierra Madre show off their gold medals with enthusiasm. -Courtesy Photo

This is an Olympic year. Many will be watching the world’s greatest athletes competing in London. Currently there are many Olympic Trials going on in the USA. We had some serious competition as well in the Senior Games here in the San Gabriel Valley. What does it take to compete when you are 50, 60, 70, and even in the 80’s in such events as the rope climb, standing long jump, chin ups, farmer’s carry, strict military push ups, and other challenging events.
This year we had some pending world records set by Sarah Sneider who was featured on Channel 7 at 11:00 news doing 4 perfect chin ups at age 67. She also set a pending world record in the double rope climb, climbing twice on a 10 foot rope. Sarah finished the competition with 10 gold medals. Another outstanding competitor in her group was Dottie Kelly who had a good performance carrying 50 lb barbells on a slight incline for 100 meters. Third finisher was distance runner Andrea Winkler. She performed very well in the farmer’s carry, too. She carried 25 lb barbells in a time that was 2 seconds off the record.
We had some terrific senior men’s competitors in the Feats of Strength. The winner of this year’s competition, David Chaisson, had the body of a Mr. America. David carried 100 lb barbells up an incline. He also did a weighted chin that was near a world record. Jack Lynch, from Arcadia, pulled up 103 lbs in the weighted chin up. This was an incredible feat. Bill Weinstock of Sierra Madre who finished second in the overall competition had a great standing long jump of 7’6” and carried 125 lb barbells in the farmer’s carry! Third finisher for Feats of Strength was Kevin Biggers. These men and their accomplishments can be viewed on Bill Weinstock’s Feats of Strength Facebook Page or Google “Pasadena Senior Games, 2012 Results”.
What does it take to train for these kinds of competitions? One needs a consistent strength program that includes the major lifts like the bench press, the squat, the dead lift; combine this with pushups, pull-ups, working on your grip, conditioning work and the will of a champion. These particular competitions are not easy. They require diligent and consistent training with goals in mind to break personal records as well as state, national and even world records. Is this something for you?
Here are seven points in becoming a champion: 1. Let God help you develop your unlimited human potential. 2. Train with expert supervision. 3. Have a positive nutrition program that builds the body. 4. Set realistic goals that you know you can reach. 5. Expand your horizons in competition. THINK BIG! 6. Be patient with your training. There will be certain setbacks. 7. YOU CAN DO IT!! There is a champion in all of us at our level. You can reach Harry Sneider at 626-355-8964.