Post by Bill Cox on Feb 12, 2011 21:46:12 GMT -5
Profile for Steve Phipps
Started armwrestling
I started armwrestling at 13. I won my first tournament in the Junior High School Division. At 16, I was armwrestling in the adult open class. I’ve been armwrestling for over 40 years and I’m lucky enough to have great friends from the World over as a result of armwrestling.
Toughest opponent
I've had a lot of tough opponents over the years. John Brzenk, Cleve Dean, Eric Woelfel, David Randall, Christian Binnie, Ron Bath, Matt Girdner, Jerry Cadorette, Bobby Hopkins, Pete Wabuda, Mike Bowling, Jacob Abbott, Harold Owens, Kody Merritt, Don Underwood, Bob Shaffer, Earl Wilson, Mike Shadduck, D.J Pentland, Mitch Cady, Trent Meyer, Clay Rosencrans, Len Houghton, Travis Bagent, Vladimir Trofimov, Gyorgy Szasz, Jarmo Rintapaa, Alan Greaves, Tim Bresnan, John Woolsey
I focus on the current guy that is across the armwrestling table from me and give it my best. Sometimes you win sometimes you don't. I almost always learn something from the losses and work to be better the next time around.
I’m happy to say I even have a couple wins over John.
Toughest match
The ones you lose are always tough, but my longest match was 10 minutes. I won, but passed out from lack of oxygen as I began to walk away from the table.
Merits
19 World Championships (Including a rare "Double-Double" winning World Titles in Wrist wrestling and Arm wrestling with both arms the same year.)
47 National Championships, Triple Crown Winner
Western USA Champion
Yukon Jack Regional Champion
Pacific Northwest Champion
Numerous State Championships including Washington, Oregon, Idaho & Hawaii.
Awards:
Sportsmanship of the Year, 1983
Armwrestler of the Year, 1984, 1992 & 2006
Most Dedicated Armwrestler of the Year, 1997 and 2003
Triple Crown Winner 2008, also did it before there was an award offered in 2002
Professional Armwrestlers Hall of Fame in 4 classes, Open Heavyweight R & L, Masters Heavyweight R & L
All Time World Championship Team
Team USA: to Russia, 95 & 96, Japan 99, Finland 2000, Italy 01, USA 02, South Africa 04, England 06 and Canada 08
Best training advice
If you are new to the sport, find a group of armwrestlers to practice with on a regular basis. You will improve much more quickly and have a better success rate at tournaments than if you try to figure it out all by yourself through trial and error. Lift weights with a focus as an armwrestler, not as a body builder or powerlifter. Upper body workout, but focus on forearms, wrists, hands, and upper arms. Also do locking / overload movements for biceps. Cable machine and band work for strength in armwrestling starting position is important.
I’ve trained a number of guys over the years that have gone on to win National or World titles.
Goals
To continue in armwrestling, have fun and do my best.
I've had a number of potentially career ending injuries.
Broke my right arm twice (-96 and -97), two spinal surgeries (Dec 2002 & Mar 2004), rotator cuff reattachment (2007), broken left wrist (2008), spinal cord damage from a car wreck (2009)
Favorite armwrestler
John Brzenk. He has not only been blessed with the arms but has studied the technique and is a very intellectual armwrestler making the right moves at the right time. To top it off he's also a nice guy.
Started armwrestling
I started armwrestling at 13. I won my first tournament in the Junior High School Division. At 16, I was armwrestling in the adult open class. I’ve been armwrestling for over 40 years and I’m lucky enough to have great friends from the World over as a result of armwrestling.
Toughest opponent
I've had a lot of tough opponents over the years. John Brzenk, Cleve Dean, Eric Woelfel, David Randall, Christian Binnie, Ron Bath, Matt Girdner, Jerry Cadorette, Bobby Hopkins, Pete Wabuda, Mike Bowling, Jacob Abbott, Harold Owens, Kody Merritt, Don Underwood, Bob Shaffer, Earl Wilson, Mike Shadduck, D.J Pentland, Mitch Cady, Trent Meyer, Clay Rosencrans, Len Houghton, Travis Bagent, Vladimir Trofimov, Gyorgy Szasz, Jarmo Rintapaa, Alan Greaves, Tim Bresnan, John Woolsey
I focus on the current guy that is across the armwrestling table from me and give it my best. Sometimes you win sometimes you don't. I almost always learn something from the losses and work to be better the next time around.
I’m happy to say I even have a couple wins over John.
Toughest match
The ones you lose are always tough, but my longest match was 10 minutes. I won, but passed out from lack of oxygen as I began to walk away from the table.
Merits
19 World Championships (Including a rare "Double-Double" winning World Titles in Wrist wrestling and Arm wrestling with both arms the same year.)
47 National Championships, Triple Crown Winner
Western USA Champion
Yukon Jack Regional Champion
Pacific Northwest Champion
Numerous State Championships including Washington, Oregon, Idaho & Hawaii.
Awards:
Sportsmanship of the Year, 1983
Armwrestler of the Year, 1984, 1992 & 2006
Most Dedicated Armwrestler of the Year, 1997 and 2003
Triple Crown Winner 2008, also did it before there was an award offered in 2002
Professional Armwrestlers Hall of Fame in 4 classes, Open Heavyweight R & L, Masters Heavyweight R & L
All Time World Championship Team
Team USA: to Russia, 95 & 96, Japan 99, Finland 2000, Italy 01, USA 02, South Africa 04, England 06 and Canada 08
Best training advice
If you are new to the sport, find a group of armwrestlers to practice with on a regular basis. You will improve much more quickly and have a better success rate at tournaments than if you try to figure it out all by yourself through trial and error. Lift weights with a focus as an armwrestler, not as a body builder or powerlifter. Upper body workout, but focus on forearms, wrists, hands, and upper arms. Also do locking / overload movements for biceps. Cable machine and band work for strength in armwrestling starting position is important.
I’ve trained a number of guys over the years that have gone on to win National or World titles.
Goals
To continue in armwrestling, have fun and do my best.
I've had a number of potentially career ending injuries.
Broke my right arm twice (-96 and -97), two spinal surgeries (Dec 2002 & Mar 2004), rotator cuff reattachment (2007), broken left wrist (2008), spinal cord damage from a car wreck (2009)
Favorite armwrestler
John Brzenk. He has not only been blessed with the arms but has studied the technique and is a very intellectual armwrestler making the right moves at the right time. To top it off he's also a nice guy.
