|
Post by John Wilson on Nov 26, 2009 21:13:22 GMT -5
As someone said before, this is a great thread!
|
|
|
Post by Tony Picchioldi on Nov 26, 2009 22:00:37 GMT -5
OK OK after reading this whole thread, it seems some of our stories start out the same, I was the best in school, or the local bar, thats cool .. as long as i been involved in this sport i never asked how some of my close friends started, John wilson weighed 150 in 1979 he was 7 not 12....lol
anyway, I was the guy in my area to beat; at school, at work, at the bars, it got so bad people would call me at home and have me come armwrestle somebody at all hours of the nite. in 1985 i found a flier for a tourney near my house the guy who put it on was Tony Cook, i won that tourney and was hooked, Denise Wattles found me in 1995 for the golden arm in Moscow. the rest is history, cake and a 50 or so pounds.
|
|
|
Post by Logan Schuetzle on Nov 27, 2009 1:25:28 GMT -5
My dad was an elite armwrestler back in the 70's, but i never even thought about armwrestling and never saw him do it. I would just armwrestle my friends and people my friends wanted to see me armwrestle, and I would always win.
One day Mohegan sun came on ESPN and I saw John Brzenk run threw the 198s easily, then almost win the supers. I was interested to find out how he could be so good. So I googled his name and found this message board. Signed up a short time later just so I could read everything.
Then Steve Phipps sent me a PM and said he lived in WA as well and asked if I wanted to come practice. So after getting up enough nerve to go I finally went and was doing pretty well until I hooked up with Jacob Abbott and Steve later in the practice. I had never even come close to feeling the kind of power Jacob had in a hook. He felt unbeatable, and he isn't even a huge guy. I wanted to be that strong.
Every since that practice I couldn't stop thinking about armwrestling and haven't missed a practice yet I don't think.
So thank you Steve Phipps!
|
|
|
Post by Jim Wagner on Nov 27, 2009 7:28:22 GMT -5
I have been watching this to see if I was the only bad arm wrestler! It was always big here in town. I was always the worst out of all my friends! I thought "I wonder if I trained at this, could I win one match at a local tournament"?
I had lifted weights for years, but had the reverse body type needed. I started lifting as a 6 foot 150lb person, at 19 years old. By 25 I was 220lbs, with thin(ish) arms and big torso, not good for this sport.
It was OK though, I had to learn how to do things other then be strong, I was usually ok with speed, so did win my share.
I will never be great, but im not bad. I know in my heart anyone can be decent with time+ effort+ training. I have had a lot of fun, and its been more fun recently seeing some friends of mine succeed, who have more God given ability.
|
|
|
Post by Max Moore on Nov 27, 2009 10:25:54 GMT -5
I have been watching this to see if I was the only bad arm wrestler! It was always big here in town. I was always the worst out of all my friends! I thought "I wonder if I trained at this, could I win one match at a local tournament"? I had lifted weights for years, but had the reverse body type needed. I started lifting as a 6 foot 150lb person, at 19 years old. By 25 I was 220lbs, with thin(ish) arms and big torso, not good for this sport. It was OK though, I had to learn how to do things other then be strong, I was usually ok with speed, so did win my share. I will never be great, but im not bad. I know in my heart anyone can be decent with time+ effort+ training. I have had a lot of fun, and its been more fun recently seeing some friends of mine succeed, who have more God given ability. no jim you ar enot alone! i wasnt very good either when i started, (not that im that great now) and thats what kinda got me interested. but i tell ya i have come along way considering the time and emphasis i put in. im happy to just be able to compete. i got talked into goin to Cleve Deans house and pullin with that whole group bout 3 years ago and couldnt even beat the first person there! then bout a year later i decided to start goin to practice with a gd friend a mine just to motivate him because he has the genetic ability to be the best in the world if he wanted it. now im still pullin and he hasnt pulled in forever! wtf lol
|
|
|
Post by Jim Wagner on Nov 27, 2009 10:57:20 GMT -5
Im with you Max. I was pretty good at other things, so this was a challenge. The fun is in the journey! The end result is just gravy. There was a time when this board was a lot more about each other, and sharing these types of stories. We have become a lot more cynical recently, and are to quick to discount peoples success, whatever their personal limit or goal. Enjoy each step of progress and being the best wont be the only thing that matters.
|
|
|
Post by Bill Cox on Nov 27, 2009 15:07:21 GMT -5
I started much like a lot of armwrestlers, in a bar pulling for beers. Did pretty good and rarely spent any money then I saw an add in the paper for an armwrestling tournament. Never knew they ran such a thing. I went and signed up and got flashed my first match by the little skinny guy named Bob Giannelli, went two and out and was hooked. The meet promotor invited me to come and train with him and that started it. His name was Al Turner who became a very dear friend right up to the time he died. The team then was Mark Dougherty, Mike Shattuck, Joe Shattuck, Jim & Joe Fitzsimmons. This was in 1977 and with Jim Fitz in my weight I started to refereeee in 1978 then by 1980 I was promoting all of Al Turner's events. I never won many titles but I have made a lifetime of friends from all over the World.
|
|
|
Post by Neil Robinson on Nov 27, 2009 18:15:13 GMT -5
Through Bob Rogers. He lives near me. And I saw him the movie over the top. So I ask him to train me in 1987.
|
|
|
Post by Josh Handeland on Nov 27, 2009 21:42:05 GMT -5
I wasn't ever the WORST but I was average for my age/weight until I armwrestled consistently at school for about 6 months, then I started beating the big guys, and after 1.5 years of armwrestling consistently at school ect. only 1 guy could beat me, so I wasn't always good either.
|
|
|
Post by Josh Dale on Nov 28, 2009 9:07:53 GMT -5
I too was the guy to beat in my area. in 1998, a buddy of mine who competed in pool tournaments brought me a flyer for the Snooker John's tourny in Camdenton, MO. I took 3rd in novice 198# with Raymond Oldham taking 2nd and Britton Matthews taking 1st. I went off to college after that and only pulled drunk frat boys, etc.. After college, I started doing grip contests but still wanted to pull. I had my Cleve Dean shirt on and was eating in a Red Robin when Russ Kasper saw me. He came over and introduced himself and told me about Brewskeez. I went up there and pulled with him a couple times and competed in my first tourny since 1998. I made some half-hearted efforts to train at the gym and tried to hit 1-2 tournys a year but was more into grip contests at that point. After getting disgusted with the trend in event choices and lack of weight classes for grip competitions, I decided 2009 was going to be all about the pulling! I found a guy to pull with about 15 min from my house and have been training seriously since probably Feb 2009 and lovin it!
|
|
|
Post by Heath McDonald on Nov 28, 2009 13:32:42 GMT -5
I work at GNC. This guy came in my store. He weighed about 320lbs. He was asking me about a certain supplement. After a while asked me if I was any good at armwrestling. I was a weight lifter. And I just got into body building at that time. I told him I was pretty good. I really Knew nothing about armwrestling other than what I seen on the movie Over The Top. He told me his name was Lee Freeman. He wanted to see if I was any good, so we armwrestled right on the gondola in my store and I beat him. I weighed about 175lbs at the time. Lee had 30 years of armwrestling under his belt. That was in late 2006 and I have been armwrestling ever since. I wish this was something I started in my early 20's.
|
|