Dan DeWelt

Dan DeWelt

I love to lift. I feel more at home in a gym than almost anywhere. I am having more fun working out now than ever, due to the technological and nutritional advances. When I began lifting, coaches told you NOT to lift. I love to throw things. Big things, small things, just about anything. The connection is the same as to lifting...to see how far you can throw it, or how much you can lift. It is you and you alone that wins or loses. As a kid I got in a lot of trouble for throwing things, and when I was a teenager, my parents thought I was going through "a phase" when I would bring home, bricks, cement blocks, window weights, scrap iron...anything that I could lift.

During my teens and early twenties I threw the shotput and discus. I was below average with the shot and above average with the discus. I unofficially broke the National Junior College discus record with 182' at the bodyweight of 195#. It was a perfect throw, but because I had no coaching, I did not know how to do it again. I threw consistently in the 160's.

Entered my first weightlifting contest at 18. It was Olympic style, and I had never even been to a weightlifting meet before. I came in 3rd (out of 4 guys), and I was hooked. I eventually won the Oklahoma Weight lifting Championships, with a best lift of 335 in the C&J. A couple years later I racked Jerked 390 and almost 400. I started Powerlifting while still doing the Olympic style and eventually totaled 1800 at 260# with no super suit or
bench shirt.

I invented Super Wraps, the original heavy knee wrap, and coined the term Super Wraps. I did not try to patent it, because I knew others would discover what I did, (made from the waist band of a jockstrap) and make little improvements, and would be able to sell them too.

I started the first all Powerlifting National publication, Powerlifting News, but had to discontinue it, when I put my trust in the financial support of someone that did not put up a cent, leaving me with a printing bill I could not pay. Recently I started HEAVY EVENTS, the first all HEAVY EVENTS national/international publication. Having learned my lesson earlier, I will make certain HE pays for itself as it grows in size and circulation.

The Highland Games is the perfect sport for guys like me. I love to lift and throw and, the neat thing is, you can literally turn back the clock, so that as you get older you get better. You can do the seemingly impossible. By
working hard on technique you can throw further each year, even though the experts say guys over 50 should except the idea that they are destined to do less and less. I am a fanatic for trying to learn anything that will help me
throw better. I believe I can improve for many years to come.

The secret to being competitive as a Master is to maintain your strength base and work hard on every aspect of your throws. If you have to chose between throwing and lifting, because of time restraints now and then, choose to
lift. It is harder for Masters to retain their strength than for younger men, so keep on lifting, and lift HEAVY.

(Editor's note: Dan has won the National Invitational Championships in Pleasanton, CA, three times in the last four years - did not compete one year. He continues to improve and set records. He is the consumate highland athlete. He will help any athlete, anytime with any aspect of their throws, even if they are beating him. It is a real pleasure to throw with Dan, I hope all of you will experience that sometime.)

A further note is that Dan has now retired from active participation in the games. He has decided to persue other interests which he had neglected for so long. There is an excellent article about Dan in the Spring, 2001, issue of MILO.