International Allround Weightlifting Association -making the sport more inclusive

IAWA

Or rather it's Cliff but I've been charged by the International Allround Weightlifting Association to investigate ways of making the sport more disability inclusive. For instance, we run single arm weightlifting competetions where someone who is missing an arm should be able to compete on equal terms but there is a rule stopping this that says that where there is a snatch and a clean & jerk in the same comp (and there always is) they most be done with separate arms. Now I think that this is a classic example of where a reasonable adjustment could be made.

Now what I'm really looking for is ideas here. In the first instance about disability sports organisations that might be able to help (although any input would be valuable). I've had a preliminary look but it all seems to be based on the paralympic type model where the disabled compete separately and that's not what this is about.

It's about everyone competing together with reasonable adjustments made such as allowing one arm to be used throughout a single arm competition or even substituting lifts scheduled for a competition that can't be done due to disability with others that A can be done and B can be compared with the scheduled lifts using the Blindt Formula (which compares different lifts by giving them all a separate co-efficient which is calculated from accumulated stats).

steve51

Hi @IAWA

Welcome it’s great to meet you today!!

Yes I do like the idea myself but due to a “Stroke” I will be unable to assist you further!!!!!

“Sorry”

newborn

You have a good idea, being inclusive.  Hope it gets somewhere.

Meanwhile,  could you help with finding weightlifting options for disabled people for health, not competition?    An older woman is now  champion but says she started weights for health. She claims it  is perfect for osteoporosis and other reasons.

But, the restricted types of lift involved in sport rules will be entirely irrelevant to many disabled people.   Think of the late Prof Stephen Hawkins (sp?). Suppose he still had just a little grip, or a faint ability to lift one foot by a fraction.  Vibration plate and power assist movement machines might help. But if he could work up to resisting a dynoband, he might pull a tiny weight towards himself, on a table top, (not lift it),  or raise his foot with  a tiny weight hanging over his shoe .

There's no need to assume the entire population has perfect muscular health and fitness, other than one or two who have a missing limb. 

 Some, for instance, have used crutches years,   wrecking their hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders. Probably, they will have gained  broad backs like channel swimmers, and until they give up the painful crutches,  their upper arm muscles might impress a boxer, but how can they exercise with weights,  if even gripping  hold of a weight bar would hurt hands and wrists?