1. Arms Regulation
Arm wrestling dates back to the ancient Egyptians who etched images of people competing in the sport dating back to 2,000 B.C. The American Armsports Association officially regulates the sport--once known as "Indian Wrestling" because of its similarity to a Native American game--in the United States and is a member of the World Armsport Federation who sponsors events worldwide. The first organized arm wrestling contest took place in 1952 at a bar in Petaluma, California. Today, official competitions take place around the world.
2. Getting the Upper Hand
While the novice simply uses brute strength to win an arm wrestling match, the more experienced wrestler knows there's more to it. Including special moves will help you overpower your competitor. The hook is a common move done by curling your wrist around your opponents, and using your body to push his arm down. Another move is the toproll. To use this you must get your hand high up on your opponents to get better leverage over his arm. Then use your strength to pull his arm down. The press is another move in which you get your hand on top with your opponent's palm facing up. From this position, you can press his arm down for an easy victory.
3. A Whole Arm Workout
Arm wrestling isn't just about huge biceps. You use every part of your arm when competing in this sport and must strengthen all of them. Strengthen your triceps by doing partial bench presses using lots of weight. Doing hammer curls with heavy weights will strengthen your biceps. Forearm and wrist strength are key elements to successful arm wrestling. You can strengthen these areas by lifting weights with only your wrist, being sure to do so in every direction your wrist will bend. Finally, strengthen your hand and fingers with grippers, a heavy spring with handles that provides resistance when you squeeze it with one hand at a time. Training will help you win and avoid arm wrestling injuries.
4. Put Your Right Arm In
Arm wrestling tournaments are serious business and occur in nearly every state in the U.S. A typical event includes right and left-handed classes and both professional and amateur competitions. Some events also have women arm wrestling divisions. Winners of local tournaments can qualify to compete at higher levels and maybe become the world arm wrestling champion by winning the world championship tournament held in Switzerland since 1992.
5. Setting the Table
If you're serious about arm wrestling competition, you'll want to purchase the right equipment. The essential item is a professional table, which consists of 2 elbow pads, 2 pin pads and a grip for each person to grab their other hand. These come in full tables as smaller more portable table tops. Weights and grippers made specifically for your arm wrestling workout are also important pieces of equipment for the sport.
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