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Post by Joe Dimino on Oct 4, 2014 12:24:16 GMT -5
So I guess the real question is, why is this sport so addicting? I believe it's because of how difficult/technical the sport is, in contrast to what you thought before getting into the sport.
When I first started arm wrestling a little over a year ago, I immediately noticed similarities to Golf, stay with me... Both sports are viewed as extremely simple and basic to people who don't do it. How many times have you heard someone who doesn't golf say "how hard is it to hit a ball on a tee that isn't moving", and then they try it and realize it's very hard and technical and takes years to even get to the point where you are hitting a few good shots a round. Just like arm wrestling, people get hooked on golf for this very same reason, the huge disparity between what they thought it was and what it is. These types of sports offer constant rewards as there is huge room for improvement in several different facets of the game. You can come soooo far after years and years of practice and instruction and yet have sooo much more to do. That's where the addiction comes...
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Post by Mike Cocchi on Oct 5, 2014 11:14:59 GMT -5
Thats funny... I always thought the same thing about golf and armwresrling. I do both as a hobby and they are very smilar.. Oddly enough.
The reason why I put them in the same bucket is because in both sports you only get back what you put in.
Tiger worked his ass off to be where he is at and he still gets beat and when he slacks off he loses even more.
Just like In arm wrestling same thing.
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Post by Ryan Romine on Oct 9, 2014 14:08:15 GMT -5
I'm new to the sport and Ive only competed in 3 tournaments but I'm hooked! I love competing and training for a tournament and learning from people who have been in the sport for years..
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Jason Gulley
Gold Member
Tennessee Armwrestling Association
Posts: 529
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Post by Jason Gulley on Oct 11, 2014 2:02:59 GMT -5
I love it for many reasons Chris. But I can empathize with you over the catch 22 relationship struggles of time, money and more money going out. At some point, when does our platform as in built-in audience starting at home see some shared bacon on the table. Id say they feel disconnected unless they might somehow win too. Maybe our only awards for winning a challenge match should be vacation for two at this point. Economics has many segments including happynomics, check it out bro.
To be honest i am obsessed with many aspects of this sport. When i dig deep into those aspects i think about a quote from W. Edwards Deming, " you can't just keep remodeling a prison, you have to get out of it." Deming had these frameworks, systems and models that rewarded cooperation that helped the Japanese automotive industry BOOM. To me his philosophy is top shelf.
So Tennessee has cultivated this growth mindset with the novice classes started by David Owens Jr. I along with many others hope to see it ignite. I keep going, because i see the market segmentation, systems and models needed for our success.
Personally, I will never put on a tournament at body building show again. Arm Wrestling doesn't derive any emotion out of body builders for the most part. Sure, we have a few that has switched over. But these venues are not our ideal locations. Think more on the line of tractor pulls, mud-bogs or even a multi-sport arenas that just want to add a cool event to talk about with their county and city business partners. Just my opinion.
We just need to increase our value on a local level. I am sure you have heard the saying, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." But id submit if you can do and teach you get paid for you value and not just your time.
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Post by Chris Kaufman on Oct 20, 2014 13:27:16 GMT -5
Thank you everyone for your input and stories. Definitely puts a lot of things into perspective.
As of right now, my fiance is taking a step back from armwrestling as far as going to tournaments. She is going to support me 100% in between, but let me do my thing at the tournaments so that I can still afford to do what I love to do. She does love armwrestling, but is just burnt out. Makes sense, we traveled quite a bit this last year.
We had CO States this last weekend and she didn't come. I experienced something that I had not felt in a long time. Unfortunately it came with someone getting seriously injured, but nonetheless it happened. I finally beat someone that had beaten me. For me that was/is a HUGE mental block, and aside from the injury of course, felt awesome.
So there's another reason why I armwrestle. To simply challenge myself and do what I had previously thought I couldn't do. I LOVE proving people wrong, especially myself! My progress took a bit of a digger this last year, so being the underdog again felt and feels good. Also like mentioned above, the tiniest bit of progress and I'm "hooked" (no pun intended) all over again. I obviously have a clearer picture as far as priorities, so that way it'll be all positive.
Thank you for all the posts and keeping it REAL!
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