How To Prepare For A Big Armwrestling Tournament

What I do to prepare for a big armwrestling tournament: - These preparations have led me to over 30 years of national medals ;

Cardiovascular training

• Get in better shape by excercising. Having good cardiovascular health will help you focus on strategy rather than trying to catch your breath. To make my lungs stronger, I walk first and then slow jog. I start by walking to get my muscles warmed up and then I jog untill me heart rate gets into the fat burning zone. I like to make this as least difficult as possible and stay in my confort zone by walking when I feel fatigue and jogging when I feel like I can do so. As you improve, you will be able to jog for longer amounts of time. I like to start with 1 minute of jogging and 4 minutes of walking.

Weight Loss

• I always try to get into the lowest weight class I can for important tournaments.
• Fat reduction that has worked for me in the past: - I ensure that my daily calorie intake is always less than my calories burned. I use websites to determine the approximate colories I burn daily and count the calories that I take in.
• I examine the weight classes available in the tournament I am competing in. I choose the weight class that is lower and best for me. I always go to a lower weight class that is within 8-10 lbs of my current weight.
• There are two main ways to lose water weight. 1 = Exercise (fast walking or riding a stationary bicycle or using a treadmill) and 2 = a sauna or hot bath tub. Of these three methods, I prefer the hot bath tub soaking for weight loss. I look at where the tournament is going to be located and ensure that the hotel I am staying in has a bath tubs in the room or a sauna. Most hotel rooms in Canada and the USA have bath tubs in the rooms and this is more private.
• I have lost up to 8.8 lbs of water weight prior to weigh ins. Any more than this can take away more strength than you gain by going in a lower weight class.
• Weigh-ins at big tournaments are generally the day before the tournament. This is great because you can cut the water weight needed the day before the tournament which does deplete your strength and energy. You can then re-hydrate, sleep and compete the next day.

Specific Arm Wrestling Training

• If you have an armwrestling table and someone to practice with, take advantage of this and practice. This includes table time and going through exact move from neutral to a finish winning position. If a third person is available, ask them to act as a mock referee. The referee should set up the arms straight and fairly and call the start. Have one of the two training people be defensive and give only 50% resistance so the offesive person can practice the exact move to win. When being offesive, use the move that you are strongest at. I find that going back and forth seems to work well. I be offensive 5 times and them let my training partner be offensive 5 times. Do this as long as possible until tired.
• Use straps as much as possible and you will learn how the straps work the best for you.
• Use table rules and referee rules as much as possible and use them to your advantage! Practice makes perfect.
• I have found that it takes several days and up to 2 weeks to recover from heavy arm wrestling and after tournaments, it has actually taken me 1 1/2 weeks to fully recover.

Practice Starts 

• The start will either be: (don't move, go) or (ready, go). Practice both of these start calls.
• Replicate what the head referee will say and do whenever possible: align the shoulders, straighten the arms both right and left and from opponent to opponent, straighten the wrists, and use a start call.
• If by yourself, you can use a recording machine to play the start. I have done this in the past which works well. I record five starts about 45 seconds apart. I record - center the hands both ways, align the shoulders, straighten the wrists, don't move and I call the start. I play the recorder and do the exact move that I would actually do. This is similar to shadow boxing - practicing without a training partner.
• Be fast by using either good timing or quick reflex speed. Determine which works best for you and maximize your speed.

Gym Strength Training

• Strength training can be done in any gym to replicate Arm wrestling movements. I use handles with straps like in the picture above which forces your wrists to get stronger. Using bars that hang down is less demamding on the wrists. While doing movements to work each body part, while doing the movement, I curl my wrist into a top-roll position and then on the next repitition turn my wrist into a hook position.
• I use a three day split to ensure I work all my body parts. Upper body day 1, upper body day 2, and legs on day 3. I work my abs, lower back, and hands every day because they recover very quickly.
• Always ensure you are fully recovered prior to a tournament.

Practice in straps

• In every tournament, if losing your competitor will try to slip out. This in non preventable and having practice armwrestling in the straps is very important. Try to make this part of your training routine..

I try to attack all these areas prior to any important tournament. For a deeper look and further help, I offer personal training in any fitness gym or armwrestling table.