Here's an article I wrote for bodybuilding.com that has seen great results online....you guys might like it.
Here are the most Frequently Asked Questions in the sport of Arm-Wrestling.What muscle groups are involved in Arm-Wrestling and which are the most important?This is what I feel to be the ranking of muscle groups for Arm Wrestling. (I include tendons in this group as this is the major attribute in this sport)
1. Hand & Fingers
2. Wrist
(These must be equally strong in order for them to be in the top 2)
3. Forearm
4. Shoulder
5. Bicep
6. Back
7. Triceps
8. Chest
9. Abs
Is there only one way to Arm-Wrestle?No. There are actually three or four different ways to pull.
Basic Format from Pulling John the Movie1. Top Roll - (Pretend holding a glass of water in your right hand, without moving your elbow, pour that water into your left shirt pocket. This is the basic movement for a Top Roll)
2. Hook - The most recognized in Arm-Wrestling, by turning your hand inwards with your opponent so your palm is facing you.
Devon Larratt (#1 Arm-Wrestler in the World discusses the Hook)3. Press - When you press with the lower part of your palm and leaving your fingers behind.
Is Arm-Wrestling Safe?Just like all other sports, there is always risk involved. There is less of a chance to be injured at work than at the Arm-Wrestling table. The MOST IMPORTANT thing to do in Arm-Wrestling is to LOOK at your hand at ALL times...
I stress this because it is a proven fact that you greatly reduce the risk of breaking your arm (i.e. in the most common spot) if you are looking at your hand. I don’t want to scare anyone off from pulling because it is the best sport I know of but every great sport has a danger in it.
So always look at your hand. It will actually help you win more matches because when you look at your hand, you concentrate on how it is moving whether your fingers could move a little bit to gain an advantage or if your wrist is down.
Are there any rules in Arm-Wrestling?Yes. Here are the current World Arm-Wrestling Federation Rules including all of the associated weight classes
armwrestling.proboards.com/in...ay&thread=2233Is Arm-Wrestling mainly forearm strength?No. But it does have a great deal of importance in the match on the style you pull.
The elbow is the key component in the lever of the arm. Therefore, I split the forearm into 4 parts:
1. Lower (area around the elbow)
2. Upper (area just below the wrist)
3. Brachialis
4. Area just above the Brach (centre of arm from wrist to elbow)
Each are used differently corresponding to the style of pulling....
1. Is used primarily for Side pressure
2. Is used for a Hook position
3. Is used for Top-roll position
4. Is used for a Pressing position
Is it more Technique or StrengthBeginning of your training its - Strength > Technique.
Middle of your training - Technique > Strength
Peak of your training - Technique = Strength
What should I do to start my match?The first thing to do when you start is to keep your hand 1 fist distance from your shoulder at all times, whether your winning or losing, it will look like your pivoting your body. This is where your most strong.
The 2nd thing you should do is when you grip your opponents hand, place your index finger on top of your thumb instead of below it, this helps with your grip. Now, look at your hand from the side when you are gripped up, make sure your knuckles are facing the ceiling; this will straighten your wrist out by doing this. Just remember to keep everything tight and pull towards you.
One of the biggest mistakes new people make is that they push their opponents arm to try and win. Arm Wrestling is all pulling, once you start to feel yourself pushing, you’re doing it wrong.
Tips & Tricks1. ALWAYS look at your hand. This drastically lowers the chance of you breaking your arm during a match...and if you look at your hand, you focus more on the angles of attack and position of the fingers and elbows of yourself and your opponent.
2. Shoulder Distance Keep your shoulder and hand tight together (roughly a fist distance) at all times whether it is in the winning or losing position, this will help increase the torque you need to remain in the match, just don’t allow your shoulder to touch your hand.
3. Finger Placement Place your index finger on top of your thumb not below it when setting up your hand, this will allow you to finger walk more easily and also allows you to stop a person’s Top Roll.
4. TRAIN!!!...Get to a real Arm-Wrestling table as this is really the only place to really learn and better...Start hitting tournaments even though you don’t "think" you’re ready, it’s a great way to understand what you have to do to be ready.
5. Look at the refereeThis is during the "ready, go", it will help you on timing it perfectly. That Nano-second really does go to your advantage. Focus on those two little words and you will see great improvements.
6. Elbow PadYou have 49 square inches of elbow pad. USE IT. So many new people plant there elbow in the centre of the pad and don’t utilize all that space. Concentrate on the angle of the arms and counter using your pad. It can change the whole outcome of the match. Practice using each corner against the same opponent to see how it feels for you, then start drag motions going from front to back in a half moon shape.
7. Losing PositionTry to always train in the losing position. I notice new people in the sport starting getting good, but when they get into the losing position, they give up because they straight out do not know what to do..."In order to win, you must first learn how to lose"...this has been my motto for quite some time....
8. Joint ProtectionIf you are serious about staying in this sport, invest in a good joint supplement. If you are looking for an everyday health supplement with a Multi-Vitamin - ORANGE TRIAD from Controlled labs If you are looking for and everyday basic repair supplement - ANIMAL FLEX from Universal Nutrition If you are looking for a serious Supplement for tendons, ligaments, and joints for healing - SUPER CISSUS from USP Labs. It is well worth the investment
9. Dedication and Consistency = Success.You have to really stick with this sport to be successful. Don’t expect to win the 1st tournament you go to. Some people are gifted and can, but most of us wait a year before we win our 1st event. Consistency pays off in this sport and your gains are slow at the beginning but are very recognizable when they start getting better. Always remember, you are never as good as you think you are. Anyone can be beaten at any time. Stay focused and always train to your potential.
10. The Weakest LinkAlways train where you are weakest. If your hook is lacking, train it constantly at practice, vice versa with your top roll. You’re better off being really good at one move but also hold your own on other moves. Find what works and what doesn’t and use regular circuit tournaments to work on new moves. Don’t wait until a big event to try something you haven’t practiced before.
11. thingyy vs ConfidentNever underestimate your opponent. There is a fine line between being confident and being thingyy. Anyone can be beaten on any given day. Don’t think you’re the best. If you’re not nervous before your event, you’re not testing yourself enough.
12. Too much TrainingListen to your body. Do not over-train; this can lead to injuries, especially in your hands, wrists, and elbows. I would rather not train in the gym and compete injury free than hit the gym for strength and compete injured. If your joints are sore going into a tourney, it will beat you mentally.
13. Mix up Your MovesIf you lose against someone, don’t keep doing the same move, try something different even if you feel weaker in that move try it. That person is bound to have a weak spot, keep trying stuff until you find it.
14. Arm PlacementKeep your non-competing arm off of the table. Having you arm lay on the table holding onto the peg at the side limits your manoeuvrability and can prevent you from pinning your opponent. Keep your elbow in the air and take it out of the picture.
15. To Counter a HookThere are two Options for this
Option 1 Assume a basic Arm-wrestling position
- drop your wrist downwards so the top part of your thumb is facing the ceiling not yourself
- apply pressure down on your elbow into the elbow pad
- apply pressure upwards from the thumb.
- apply a little side pressure from your wrist just below the thumb joint
- as he goes to hook, you will top-roll form the lower part of your wrist
Option 2Assume a basic Arm-wrestling position
- keep your wrist riser in a neutral position, so not high and not low like the last option listed above
- apply lots of side pressure from the bottom of your palm where the wrist meets the palm.
- try not to squeeze with your fingers on the back of your opponents hand, instead, of pressure in your fingers and let them sit just above your opponents hand
16. RespectBe respectful to all members at the table including the opponent across from you and mostly the referees. Remember that the referee's word is always final. Disrespect at the table whether you win or lose is the worst thing that a competitor could display at a competition
17. Recovering from the losing position in a hookThis is a tough spot but definitely recoverable. Once in the losing position you have to concentrate on your finger position. You have to drive your elbow forward to the top of the pad while turning your fingers so they are facing the ceiling and in one motion pull your opponents hand towards you using your lat for power. Almost the same idea as a chin-up using your opponents hand as the bar. This move will put you in a more offensive position.
18. Foot Positioning This is very under- rated. In order to generate power to its potential you must be balanced at the table. If pulling right handed, place your right foot centered under the table, your left foot should be pressed against the left outside table leg, you should have a small bend in your legs also. What you want is to feel like you would fall backwards if you let go of your opponent’s hand. When you begin, you are posting off of your right leg and assuming a squat position with your left leg, ensuring that you don’t twist your body when you drop down for the pin. Your shoulders should remain level and squared with the table at all times.
19. Power-Pulling As I have stated before, your hand and wrist take a lot of abuse in this sport and can fatigue very easily if you're not careful. If you would like to generate more power in a static position, i.e. losing position, centre table position, then power pulling is for you. It eliminates the pressure on your hand and wrist and allows you to train harder and longer in these positions without reaching failure.
In order to do this you must set up with your training partner (at the table) with your wrist on wrist...not grabbing each other’s hand like normal Arm-Wrestling. Just make a fist with your hand and lock wrists together. This usually puts you into a hook position.
In this position you have the ability to pull hard without fatiguing or injuring your hand and wrist. You can build a lot of stopping power using this method and I believe it should be implemented into your training schedule if you want to develop a great stopping move against your opponent.
20. Effective Strap UseSome people never see the straps in a tournament and get confused when the referee asks if you want them high or low. Meaning the positioning of the strap on the back of your wrist. This is something that should absolutely be practiced in training. You lose your mental game when you get confused with simple questions like high or low. This gives your opponent an upper hand when he answers fast and with confidence.
When the straps are placed and the referee lets your hands go, immediately drive your elbow to the top of the pad keeping your wrist high and straight, then in the same motion, drag your arm back to centre of the pad, still with your hand and wrist high and straight.
If you complete this move first, you will have an advantage on your opponent and his/her hand should be dropped slightly.
21. Loose Grip vs Firm Grip (To load or not to load)This is another common question. Should I squeeze my opponents hand and show how strong I am, or should I leave my hand really loose and surprise him/her.
To a certain extent, this is by preference. The Japanese Arm-Wrestlers are well known for having an extremely loose grip where their fingers sort of hover on the back of your hand. The advantage for this is speed.
You can practice this just sitting on your couch. Put your arm into an Arm-Wrestling position, now squeeze your hand and flex your whole arm. Now try to hit as fast as you can. Now try it with a loose grip and loose arm. You will see a huge difference.
The problem with a loose grip is that you can get caught out of position with your hand, or, if you’re not that fast, lose the ability to stop someone else’s hit.
A firm grip has pros and cons as well. By squeezing your opponent as hard as you can (primarily called loading), you can intimidate your opponent if you can generate enough pressure and it allows you to slow down an opponent’s fast hit.
The problem with a firm grip or loading is that it can tell your opponent what you are going to do. Just by the pressure of your fingers in certain areas can give away your move and give your opponent and advantage. Also with loading, you can actually burn yourself out before the match begins.
The ideal way for me (again this is personal preference) is somewhere in between. I like to have pressure in my arm giving some back and side pressure, but with a medium grip. This allows me to have the stopping power for a fast hitter, the ability to hide what move I am trying to do, and have stamina left to pull off that move.
This is something that certainly should be tried at practice multiple times to see what works for you. It may vary from opponent to opponent.
Devon Larratt Discusses Grip22 - Learn How to Use Your Fingers and WristThis is more of an exercise rather than a tip but it can be used in either application.
Arm-Wrestling (Suicides)Pretty much 50-60% pressure from each person, moving from winning to losing position at a slow rate, building up to a fast rate never pinning the opponent just getting the motion and the pressure. Try this for 60 seconds each arm in a top-roll then switch to a hook. Complete 3 sets of each style of pulling.
When you're doing this, concentrate on how your wrist is being affected in the winning position and also the losing position. See where your fingers are and how changing the pressure on each finger can increase or decrease your leverage strength. Each time you change the area that you concentrate on with your fingers, you change the way your wrist is used during your match.
I noticed right away that in the winning position (top-roll) that I have more torque when utilizing finger pressure at the tips of the fingers where-as in the losing position, I found I was better defensively when I utilized my finger pressure not from the tips, but from the first joint down from the tips.
This exercise is also great for building up your stamina
