Even thought armwrestling is one of the world’s oldest “sports”, there really aren’t many scientifc studies on the best type of strength training exercises/programs for armwrestling such as for so many other mainstream sports. So I was wondering given your vast experience, what type of strength training program would you implement? Or your program would greatly depend on the person’s neurotransmitter type?
I’m not gonna lie, I have no experience training arm wrestlers. So I can only theorize about what would work best for them from what I’ve seen of the sport and my understanding of it.
I do have a friend of mine who competed at a fairly high level so his training (he was training mostly strongman-style with additional grip and arm work) can give me some ideas.
From what I know, strength is obviously very important, especially in the upper body/arms, although it seems like the technique has evolved to rely on the whole body. BUT I think that power/explosiveness is just as important if not more.
It seems to me that the person who can go from zero to max force in the smallest amount of time has a huge advantage. This would require both a quick reaction time and a very high level of starting strength (the most rapid form of power).
I also don’t think that you should get overly specific with your strength movements, especially if you include a good amount of technique work.
Again, since it’s not my area of expertise I’m actually using the this “answer screen” to do my thinking “out loud”, this helps me gradually work things out.
So, I’ll start by some general thoughts.
Things that I think would be very beneficial:
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Heavy arm flexor work focusing on both the concentric, eccentric and overcoming isometrics. I think that Zottman curls might be especially interesting (for the eccentric emphasis portion)
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Explosive arm flexor work like heavy cheated hammer curls and barbell curl drop and catch
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Standing shot put. This essentially throwing a shot (12-16lbs) as far as possible without using the spin or glide. Just a body turn and arm push while staying in place
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Medicine ball throws using only the wrists. Imagine wanting to throw a free throw but with both hands equal on the ball (directly behind it), keeping the arms straight and only throwing by whipping the wrists (ok it’s nothing like a free throw). I think that an 8-15lbs med ball would be best, speed being more important than load.
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Various grip exercise. I really like farmer walk for this.
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I think that a strong lower body is also going to help greatly, but I think that training with stuff like the deadlifts and power cleans (or power snatches) from the hang or blocks would be better than squats and other traditional lower body work.
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Speaking of deadlifts, I think that a Goerner progression might be a good way to train the deadlift/lower body while also improving grip strength tremendously. Basically, it’s a multi-exercises continuous ramp.
Note that until mentioned, all grip types are double overhand.
- Start light and deadlift the bar using only the index finger of both hands
- Increase the weight gradually from set to set
- When you can’t add weight with one finger, switch to two fingers per hand (index and middle finger), continue to ramp up the weight each set
- When you can’t add weight with two fingers, hold the bar with 3 fingers per had (index, middle, ring) and gradually ramp up from set to set.
- When you can’t add weight with the three fingers move on to a full grip, double overhand and continue ramping up
- Finally, when you can’t ramp up anymore with the double overhand grip, switch to a mixed grip and continue to ramp up.
I like sets of 3 reps for those.
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I think that pectorals and anterior deltoids will also be important, but ironically the peck deck machine, power DB flies and cable flies might be a better option than bench pressing, although I’d still bench heavy.
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Finally. I think that moderately heavy work on cable internal and external rotations would be important.
For the next step, please help me help you. Review the info above and let me know your thoughts. If it’s not totally idiotic, I’ll think further about how to potentially structure the training.
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You rock, man. You give out so much awesome information.
This is exactly why you are the Elite Coach! And thank you very much for taking some time out of your very busy schedule.
The person who can go from zero to max force in the smallest amount of time does have the biggest advantage as they are able to place the other guy in a much worse lever-position, which means even if the guy is weaker, he can still beat the stronger guy (unless of course the other guy is significantly stronger – then he will just stop and reel back in the quicker guy).
In armwrestling there are 3 main moves/techniques – the Top Roll, Hook and Press.
The Top Roll has a heavy focus on strong radial deviation, pronation and brachioradialis. You drive by rising/pulling backwards to pull the opponent to your side and then turn your body to the side to pin them. It is seen as an outside move (similar to boxing inside and outside).
The Hook has a heavy focus on forearm flexion, supination, bicep and pec/shoulder. You drive inside via hip rotation while locking in your forearm flexion, supination, bicep and shoulder. It is seen as inside move as you’re not running away from the opponent.
The Press requires strong triceps, but in order to implement it you need to get your body behind your arm first, otherwise there is a high chance of having your arm broken. It is also seen as an inside move.
Obviously, all muscles are used to some degree in each technique, but each technique has more emphasis on particular muscles.
Since we are visual creatures, a much better explanation of the above can be seen here:
So you’re first suggestion on heavy arm flexor work is exactly what is needed! The Zottman curls, heavy cheated hammer curls and barbell curl drop and catch are definitely really good choices.
Currently, I train 5 days a week (Mon to Fri) and I am a natty. My training routine was inspired by you, Poliquin, kneesovertoesguy and Westside Barbell – hopefully too many cooks did not spoil the broth.
My armwrestling training (upper body) occurs Mon-Wed-Fri. The Christian Thibaudeau (CT) inspiration is that each day is dedicated to one type of contraction – Mon-Concentric (10rep range), Wed-Eccentric (5rep range), Fri-Isometrics(10-10-10sec hold at three different angles). The Poliquin inspiration is that my workout is structured on pull-push exercises, such as pull-ups/overhead press, ring rows/ring push-ups. My focus is always to start with a pull exercise followed by a push – as pulling is more important to me than pushing. For amwrestling training there are numerous different types of handles out there that put more pressure on the wrist or fingers. So every week I alternate between a handle that focuses more on wrist or fingers (that is the Westside Barbell inspiration).
On Tues-Thurs I do my lower body training, which are the kneesovertoesguy lower body exercises.
In case the above isn’t that clear the summary would be:
Mon – concentric focus (10reps) pull/push (compounds, pulling exercise using armwrestling handle and isolations)
Tues – deadlift + kneesovertoesguy lower body
Wed – same as Mon but eccentric focus (5reps) pull/push
Thurs – squat + kneesovertoesguy lower body
Fri – same as Mon but isometric focus (10-10-10sec hold at three different angles)
I do the above routine in 4-week blocks and If I get fatigued then I take a CT “peaking week”.
What are your thoughts of the above? Did too many cooks spoil the broth!?
The standing shot put and medicine ball throws using only the wrists are a really really good idea! Would that mean that I would need to add an explosive day for Saturday? OR just do those two exercises during my “peaking week”?
I will definitely add the Goerner progression to my Tuesday (replace my normal deadlift) and add the power cleans or power snatches to my Thursday (replace my squat).
As for your comment about “the peck deck machine, power DB flies and cable flies might be a better option than bench pressing” – they definitely are due to the side-pressure movement in armwrestling.
I finish my Mon-Wed-Fri workouts with standing cable external rotations – what would be a healthy ratio between internal and external rotations? Like if I can standing internally cable rotate 50kg then I should be able to externally rotate 25kg (2:1)?
Also, what is your view on the JM Press (a lot of pro-armwrestlers swear by it)? Which exercise do you think would be a better alternative? Or JM press is one of the best for building tricep tendons?