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Post by Howard Lacy on Sept 18, 2009 14:21:32 GMT -5
How do you define a pro class arm wrestler?  What is the skill level of novice vs. amateur vs.pro? Im quite confused about this because over the years I've heard it to be 3 wins in a novice ( with 5 or more pullers) class turns you pro and you can never pull novice again....? Ive never heard what the difference is between novice and amature?..( some one please explain)? I've also heard that you have to win at least $250.00 at a tournament to be pro? last to be insured for accidents/injuries... like a pro-football player you have to be classified as a pro to be covered in the sport .......Some one Please explain all this to me? ? BECAUSE I'M REALLY CONFUSED? ? |
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Post by Tim Lewis on Sept 18, 2009 14:40:05 GMT -5
The short answer to this question is that there is no such strict definiton in this sport across the board and this is one of our problems as a whole as a community.
It depends on the promoter and/or orginazation.
For e.g some say there are no pro's in armwrestling at all b/c no one makes a living doing it....other say pro's are people that are constantly placing in cash paying tournaments.
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Post by Josh Handeland on Sept 18, 2009 14:41:17 GMT -5
Technically: If you win 3 novice classes in AAA tournaments you can't pull novice anymore at that weight, so if you win 3 novices at 176 you can still pull novice at 198 if you wish to.
In USAA if you win 1 novice class with, I believe, 4 or more competitors (yourself included if I am correct, not positive) you're not allowed to pull any novice class at all, even a heavier novice class, at USAA tournaments. I am not sure how USAA and AAA novice wins cross over.
If you do these things, you can still pull amateur, ANYBODY can pull amateur unless the tournament director says that you cannot because they know you're too good for amateur. I believe if you win $$$ you aren't allowed to pull amateur anymore, either. You said it has to be at least $250 - I'm not sure I guess. I thought it was any money but maybe I'm wrong. Novices are new pullers who don't have strong tendons and are still learning all the techniques. Amateurs are stronger and usually more seasoned, have strong tendons, know what their doing, of course they can still learn new things, even pros can learn something new. Pro's are just that professionals they know what their doing and have probably been pulling for at least 2-3 years so their tendons are very strong and they can win money. Some people also jump into the pro class before winning 3 novice classes which is fine, a lot of people encourage this because you don't get anything out of pulling novice (who wants to be the best novice?).
I would break it down like this: Greenhorn (never pulled before on an armwrestling table, know nothing), Novice (new puller, still learning), Amateur (stronger than a novice and with decent technique), semi-pro (can be competitive in, and maybe win, an open class (no money)), pro (can enter a big money tournament and be competitive, have a chance at winning money), recognized pro (a very strong pro that is well known and usually wins money when they enter a money tournament), beast/top dogg/legend/world-class puller (someone who is so strong they are regularly able to win a cash tournament without any trouble, lots of pullers from other countries know who they are).
Of course the second part of this post is my opinion on how I place armwrestlers.
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Post by Guy Lasorsa on Sept 18, 2009 14:54:47 GMT -5
defining strengths isnt easy.
Some say 1 year you go Pro
I believe 2 years is more a building block and fair.
If you have one a couple Novices in your first year and a half , you can move up.
If you have pulled at least 6 tounaments in 2 years and have been training, gym and practice for a fair part of that. You should be going pro or Open class
Nothing in stone, But some pullers have milked the Novice class too long which has been talked about on here a few times
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Post by Sarah Backman on Sept 18, 2009 15:35:27 GMT -5
I have thought about this situation a lot!!!!
I remember a guy I know, who gave commercial about himself being a pro armwrestler. And I couldn't believe it, I thought it was a joke. He have never won a real competition and still pulled novice when this happened. I said to him; "you have to be kidding?" and he said that "I know much about armwrestling and I will from now start competing in the pro class".. Is he a pro just because he pull in the pro class? No! I entered my first tourny in a pro class so just because I pulled the pro class doesn't mean I was a pro. There has to be more things behind a status as Pro...
A man who had never, ever, pulled before, entered the Swedish Nationals and won totally 3 categories of 4, and because he won these titles, doesnt make him a pro.
I have never ever won money from a competition, but have pulled a lot and placed good. What does that make me? I have no idea!
I am as well very confused what makes a person become a pro armwrestler. My personal opinion is, the people who eat, live, breath armwrestling, and have been into it for a long time, and have it as a lifestyle and passion and maybe a career of it, and have won some good titles etc, are pro's... People who have lots of excperience from it, with other words!
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Post by Guy Lasorsa on Sept 18, 2009 16:45:02 GMT -5
I was referring to a pro meaning Pull Open class instead of Novice.
Now If we had more drug tested events you can seperate Pro from the other easier
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Post by chrislydman on Sept 18, 2009 17:06:21 GMT -5
Guess I'm old school, but shut up and pull.
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Post by Robertas Prozivalskis (PROZAS) on Sept 18, 2009 17:30:33 GMT -5
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Post by Hungry Hippo on Sept 18, 2009 18:01:19 GMT -5
My two cents is, the only "genuine pro" in North America in this sport would be Travis Bagent.(unless you fall in this category) He is paid an "agreed" amount of money per year/contract. Collecting prize money is not the same as a contractial agreement. Go figure. You're not in a contract when you enter a tournament and collect the prize money.Hence not a "genuine" pro. Ex. Michael Jordan was a pro ball player, he didn't go to a "professional" tournament to collect prize money. He was contracted and "guaranteed" to get paid within the terms and conditions of the contract.
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Post by Jeremy Plaster on Sept 18, 2009 18:02:03 GMT -5
hmm, the PRO?? you win in your yard agains your family members, then you win in your neighborhood, then in your town, then in your county, then state and then try to get to the top in your country, do this for 3 years, then you will be called a PRO  fair enough??  Yup, that would be pretty fair criteria to call yourself a pro. lol ;D ;D |
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Post by chrislydman on Sept 18, 2009 18:14:09 GMT -5
LOL, there is no 'Pro'. WRT Armwrestling, it's an oxymoron......
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Post by Howard Lacy on Sept 18, 2009 18:36:31 GMT -5
Then say there is a guy/girl that has been pulling for 5 years...they won there state title and sever other first places..... (in the pro class).....then you travel to another state and you see them pulling novice because a few legends of the sport showed up? Ive never said anything cause i have no written rules??? what do ya do???
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Post by Robertas Prozivalskis (PROZAS) on Sept 18, 2009 19:23:37 GMT -5
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Post by Jeremy Plaster on Sept 18, 2009 19:51:37 GMT -5
I agree with Robertas here. I have been known for being outspoken on pullers who stay and hide in novice classes. I pulled novice for only a few months. I think 6 to be exact, if that? If any of my rookies win the novice class ANYWHERE with 5 or more guys in it..they are no longer pulling novice. Somewhere along the lines it was lost in translation as to what "novice" really means. It means for people who don;t know how to pull. It is NOT supposed to be a safe haven for guys who can not beat open level pullers. TRAIN HARDER for that.
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Post by Giles Russell on Sept 18, 2009 20:41:44 GMT -5
Here's my definitions:
Novice = someone who hasn't armwrestled much at all in tourneys and doesn't train for armwrestling. This class should be offered just to attract new pullers to the sport and give them a chance to pull against other untrained pullers
Amatuer = someone who has had some success, but is not on an elite level. Note: this class should only be offered at the most prestigous events like Nationals, ROTN and Harley Pull
Open = someone who trained or trains for armwrestling and has no desire to pull wins over novices.
Pro = someone who gets paid to armwrestle, makes their living armwrestling or makes some level of income from it.
Very few pros in this game.............
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