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Post by John Wilson on Oct 2, 2014 11:15:54 GMT -5
I don't think you can be a part of this sport unless it's just in you to be obsessed. What else would keep you coming back through the pain and disappointment? The inner obsession, I'm sure, is driven by individual factors but the obsessive personality seems to be common among all of us.
I know that I can only have a few interests at a time because I turn all of them into full-time jobs. I thought I was wierd that way until every armwrestler I mentioned that too said they were the same way.
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Post by Kyle Darby on Oct 2, 2014 11:22:19 GMT -5
Obviously there is a delicate balance between hobbies, work, family, health, faith, and so on and so forth. Each one of these is a piece of the pie. The hard thing about armwrestling is Chris was competing before he ever knew his fiance I'm betting. So that doesn't make it a more important priority but realistically he has more history with the sport than with her. I can relate. I have been competing for ten years and married for five. My wife doesn't enjoy armwrestling but tolerates it. I prefer to go to tournament's without her and she understands. If we go together it's more than likely about the location and not her supporting me. We went to a tournament for our honeymoon and still she didn't develop a fondness for the sport. Some people would blow a gasket if there spouse didn't support armwrestling. Me I don't care, she tolerates it. We both have our vices and mine is armwrestling. I don't go to bars and party. I don't gamble. I don't use drugs. I armwrestle and she doesn't complain she just tolerates it. At two and a half tables she thinks I have enough now. What I'm saying is not all relationships are cliche perfect. Learn to work with eachother and be flexible she doesn't have to like armwrestling.
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Post by James Worke on Oct 2, 2014 19:05:33 GMT -5
Hmmm.... for me its several things... I grew up without a dad(died when i was 3) so i was never encouraged into sports. Ive been pulling for about 4 yrs. It gives me a physical outlet to be able to be good at something. On the same note.... i can enjoy this sport WITH my 16 yr old son. I schedule tournies and make mini vacation get aways out of them so its a family thing, not just a ME thing. It indeed helps me keep my weight in check as i creep into my mid 40's. I love the extened "family" that ive created with my team members. I also enjoy the arm pain a bit like a sick person needing a fix. I love teaching new guys proper technique and being looked up to by those that think im the $hit for beating all their muscled up friends they cant budge. I think keeping my family priorities in check is what kept me from going all out in search of a national championship...keeping me a mediocre puller at best. I may shift gears and put in the work one day, but it would be a family effort, in which they supported me 100% in my endeavors. I can upset anyone on the SEC list on any given day and im content with that at the moment.
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Post by Keith Potts on Oct 2, 2014 19:54:42 GMT -5
It's a Hobby that helps me keep my weight at a healthy level. Most of the people are great. it is a reason to lift weights and that helps keep me healthy. I like competition; love testing where I am power wise. The money to travel and compete is not an issue for me. I'm too old for boxing or UFC I suck at Bowling and Golf Life is short; do what makes you happy and keeps you healthy. Family always comes first for me. Nobody asked you Gary!
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Post by Keith Potts on Oct 2, 2014 20:15:28 GMT -5
It's a test of every quality we envy or admire in an exceptional human being.
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Post by Steve Siwek on Oct 2, 2014 21:43:39 GMT -5
The chicks
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Post by Jeremy Petruncio on Oct 3, 2014 15:33:59 GMT -5
I enjoy any sport I can be involved with. I never thought I was good at anything during high school and college, I found that when I actual put my mind to it I can actually do well. Armwrestling has become an obsession and even though it cost way more than you will ever bring in from it we will always find a way to make it to a tournament. I find that no matter what sport I decide to be apart of I put everything that I am into it. When I used to fight I found that I was really good at it but I wasn't willing to dedicate enough to lose weight to continue down that path. I hope you find out your reason and continue to pull!!!
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Josh McEllrath
Gold Member
National Champion
PNW Armwreckers
Posts: 508
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Post by Josh McEllrath on Oct 3, 2014 17:38:17 GMT -5
I just like holding hands.
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Josh McEllrath
Gold Member
National Champion
PNW Armwreckers
Posts: 508
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Post by Josh McEllrath on Oct 3, 2014 17:42:10 GMT -5
I just like holding hands. BS aside, I love competition. At anything. Unfortunately, injuries I sustained in the military have limited my range of motion, and have narrowed what I can compete at physically for the rest of my life. It sucks, but I choose to move forward and stay positive. Life will end up killing us all at some point, might as well challenge yourself and strive for greatness.
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Post by Rick "Lummox" North on Oct 3, 2014 18:42:30 GMT -5
I think this is a great thread! I armwrestle because I enjoy the friends, the training, and the technique of the sport! Plus: I'm too slow for strongman now!! Winning is not the big thing for me ,doing my best, having fun and competing is what I love!
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Post by Rick Laton on Oct 3, 2014 19:41:59 GMT -5
NOTHING is cooler than winning a match against a juiced up, 20 something year old who lives in the gym and struts around like a peacock. When I say my prayers at night after a tournament, I usually get to laughing because I know that cat is lying there unable to go to sleep asking himself "HOW IN THE WORLD did I get beat by a crippled up old man?" Skinny arms, even skinnier legs, no chest or shoulders and no speed to amount to much and absolutely ZERO leverage. I know it drives them crazy because I have been on the sleepless end too many times than I would like to mention. I LOVE going to tournaments. I wish that I loved to work out. I unfortunately have to many commitments pulling me too many different ways to be real competitive at this point but playing the part of the spoiler works fine for me at this point in my career. In a nutshell, I love the one on one part of the sport. Nobody helped me win or lose. Either way, I've got to claim it. Met a lot of great people and I am proud to say a large percentage of my friends are armwrestlers. My son is 14 now and starting to work out some for baseball. I HOPE since I'm taking him to the gym anyway that I can make myself work out a little bit. Either way, win or lose, I just love the sport and the people!
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Las Botha
Silver Member
South Africa
Posts: 298
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Post by Las Botha on Oct 4, 2014 5:22:52 GMT -5
I hear it pays well. Come for the money, stay for the music. Just can't get enough Rammstein, man.
The adage "a minute to learn, a lifetime to master". Competitive armwrestling is a universal low-risk martial art form which has as its' cornerstone the unique strength conditioning of the most dextrous limb in the animal kingdom and possibly the longest elite and persistent career span of any contact combat sport. Except toe wrestling in Wetton, UK. With armwrestling you don't get foot fungus or concussion. i.e. Fun
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Post by Anthony Lowe on Oct 4, 2014 8:33:05 GMT -5
I loved sports in school (played 7 Sr year). I was much smaller in school (5'11" 165lbs). I was offered to play football at a few Jr colleges but looked at that as a slap in the face. I joined the USMC in hopes of it filling that competative/team feeling I was missing. It did but you have to take the good with the bad.
Passed all that now but this seems to be getting long fast....so the cliff notes version.
It gives me a reason to stay in shape.
I have an addictive personality so it would be something if it wasn't armwrestling. Former addictions include but are not limited to: runner up to marathon distance, competative madden player (travel for torneys), weight lifting, MMA, partying. ..etc
Striving to be great at something.
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Post by Anthony Lowe on Oct 4, 2014 8:36:44 GMT -5
Oh and my wife hates arm wrestling but I hate baking and tv shows like modern family or any that involve singing/talent. So I guess it balances out.
Other guys with addictive personalities should Google manic bipolar...it will scare you.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 4, 2014 9:36:06 GMT -5
- I have a need to be looked up to
- I have a need to be seen as a "badass"
- I have a need to be talked about by people that I don't really know or the need to be relivant
- I have a need to be a super hero to my children, so that they will be able to brag about their father
- I have the need to be the best at something
My take on it is that armwrestling provides a potential route to showing yourself that you can be better than someone at something. If you can show yourself that, then you have maybe for an instant increased your own self-worth. Everyone wants to feel they have value, no matter in what area, but especially in their own eyes. Conflicts arise when we want others to see that too, and they don't. So, I guess one question would be whether each of us is getting that from our attempts at armwrestling. Do people who rarely, if ever, win stay in the sport? Usually not - sure, pain is a big part of it, as is ego control, but I'd argue it's too much failure for them to handle. What motivates the ones who win a ton? Maybe it's that one loss. That one loss could mean their self-worth took a hit, and they want it back. I win just enough to feel like I stand out from Joe Schmoe on the street. I don't stand out in armwrestling, but that doesn't matter much to me. I swim too, and I'm better at that than at AW, and there is direct one-on-one competition there where it's clear who wins. But the difference for me is that in swimming, my performance doesn't affect someone else's. In AW, it does. So I guess there's the value thing PLUS the ability to control thing too.
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