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Post by Bill Caldwell on Jan 2, 2012 8:11:33 GMT -5
nicely put guys
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Post by John Parton on Jan 2, 2012 18:57:33 GMT -5
Best post you ever put up. I think that armwrestling is as natural as breathing Ask almost any person and they will tell you at some point they have tugged on someones arm. To me it is a shame that we are in a culture where everything has to be about money, That is not to say that it isn't great what some have done and are doing on that end of the sport, but the truth is if you are going to be great it is because you love to pull and not because you get paid
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Post by Bob Brown on Jan 2, 2012 20:17:19 GMT -5
Its a PASSION.
Best thread I have ever read on this board.
Great post RVJ.
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Post by Paul Johnson on Jan 3, 2012 0:05:15 GMT -5
Every man should have reasons for his actions. When people ask me why armwrestling, I dont feel the need to justify myself. But I know in my mind that I do it to get to know myself better, to learn and grow, to become more proficient with my will, to pass the time, to be strong and confident, and besides that something to talk about and be apart of.
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Post by Arturo Garcia on Jan 3, 2012 8:45:52 GMT -5
This is why RVJ doesn't like "Football". George Carlin was great.
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Post by Rob Vigeant Jr. on Jan 3, 2012 9:07:54 GMT -5
I just noticed a trend of people asking me "why ?" And I'd try to explain. Then I realized I never see anyone else asked why they do what they like.... As obscure as some things and hobbies may be... Who am I to try to understand what makes someone else happy ?
I mean... There are infinite past times I can ask why.... But why would I ? It struck me odd that in a place where people can do virtually anything and it got labeled at their gig.... Here I was trying to explain and defend myself...... Guess it got to me.
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Post by Aaron Blevins on Jan 3, 2012 9:08:36 GMT -5
Simply put. ^ this. Absolutey as pure of a sport as any out there. Unrivaled in many ways to other strength sports. Glad its a part of my life.... owns me most of the time. No season for it. Ongoing growth and development if you take part. Check your pride at the door exits the weak from the strong. I look at most everyone differently for whatever reason... ? Especially the so called or self proclaimed strong people I see. Unparalleled sport IMO.
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Post by John Wilson on Jan 3, 2012 14:07:01 GMT -5
All of the above.
PLUS:
The people. This sport is different from every other sport I've been involved with. It's a social sport by nature and the tournaments are usually just a prelude to hanging out. In fact, the tournaments themselves are really 'hanging out on a very intense level' but they are laid back when you aren't pulling.
You have to love any sport that goes together with chicken wings and beer.
You can't say that about bodybuilding. At a bodybuilding meet everyone is at the peak of their diet and the low point of their physical and mental health. How do you hang out at a bodybuilding show? We all share three tic-tacs and then feel guilty about eating them? Not much comeraderie going on at bodybuilding shows. Too many fragile egos.
I love shooting more than just about anything. I HATE hanging around other shooters. Nothing like a bunch of non-athletic fat guys trying to out-macho everyone else. If you built your pistol, the other guy dug up the rocks and smelted the iron for his. All of them were raised in one room shacks and had it not been for the .22 and three bullets their Grandpa left them, they'd all have starved to death. In 1983.
Skydiving. Skydiving is cool. But all skydivers secretly wish they were surfers. There's a whole lot of "NOOOO WAAAYYYYY, BRAH!" going on. Most skydivers seek the holy grail to live the lifestyle, meaning making enough money to buy Doritos and weed and live in a tent so they can skydive every day. The competitive side of skydiving involves putting your life in the hands of other professional potheads and falling from 17,000 feet. "Duuuude. John burned in." "NOOOOO WAAAAAAYY, BRAH!" "Dude, let's fire one up in his honor. We'll pack the chutes later, brah."
Aside from the great people, the sport really only has to be as expensive as you choose. You can compete at any level you want to. You can have a ball and never leave your state in a lot of cases. A lot of other sports will crush you with debt. Every time my wife gripes about me spending money to armwrestle, I threaten to start drag racing.
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Post by Bob Brown on Jan 3, 2012 14:14:57 GMT -5
Also a saying comes to mind that I first heard about Harley Davidson motorcycle.
When asked why I liked Harleys so much.
My reply is........."If I have to explain, you would not understand"
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Post by 'Stump' Burton on Jan 3, 2012 14:34:45 GMT -5
Im a little late posting on this tread but it is a great one.
I would also say the people. People try arm wrestling. They either love it or they hate it. But I have seen several retired arm wrestlers and just fans of the sport come to tournaments to hang out. I feel the people in this sport is what makes arm wrestling, arm wrestling. A person that I call a great friend was walking with me in the motel lounge in Orlando (2010). I asked him where all the arm wrestlers were. He said well its easy, the dudes that are tatted up are the mma fighters, the dudes with bad attitudes and look like cartoon characters are the Body builders, just look for the group that is drinking beer and laughing a lot, they are arm wrestlers.
There is a lot of truth to that statement.
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Post by Rob Vigeant Jr. on Jan 3, 2012 15:20:55 GMT -5
Also a saying comes to mind that I first heard about Harley Davidson motorcycle. When asked why I liked Harleys so much. My reply is........."If I have to explain, you would not understand" Exactly
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Post by P R O T O T Y P E - A.K on Jan 3, 2012 20:30:10 GMT -5
This is a very good thread as it is already mentioned above. great job Rob & other Armwrestlers, who wrote truly from their heart as a real Aw-friend only would do. Its a honor to read every sentence of your contributions!. My view & contribution on this thread goes like this: Armwrestling is life... A beautiful way of understanding if someone looks closer to it...why?? Armwrestling needs a open hand to be able to grip up & an open mind to do the right thing!. It will always stay/being hard to understand without giving it a real attempt. At the same time it will always stay as a possible life-long activities that will/can open the human horizon to a new unexpected levels. And thats a true kind of magic behind it that we all share with each other.(being aware or not aware of this is not necessarily the biggest deal..cause it will still keep happening the whole time anyway...mostly in a good direction & that is some kind of so called unspoken secret that everyone can feel with it). Armwrestling is some kind of freedom to me from my first breath of it...i am sharing my thoughts very proudly with you guys. thanks for all the inspirations my Aw-friends. A.K
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Post by Russell Stark on Jan 10, 2012 22:09:42 GMT -5
It has been a long time... Good to be back on the board! Rob great post. I put armwrestling on the back burner for a long time. Got a call from Jeff Ames to come out & see who is the best overall armwrestler in Colorado. Now we all know its Brandy Stark but this time it was the mens class at ?. No money, Glory, but it did feel good to be back on the table. To be back on top #1. & it was good to see my buds. Armwrestling is in my blood (FOR LIFE). Every year I tell myself this is the year I will hit the gym LOL.... 2012 look out for Russ Not for money just fun!
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Post by Max Moore on Jan 12, 2012 12:05:13 GMT -5
i armwrestle because of all the women it gets me!! lol
i.e. "ooohhh your an armwrstler??? take me now!!!!" ha!
what can i say??? armwrestling makes her clothes fall off.
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