Guide to Armwrestling: Armwrestling

About the author

Michael Green has over 20years experience as a competitive armwrestler. Michael’s armwrestling career began in 1985 during his college days at Birmingham Polytechnic where he was studying design.

During this time in Birmingham, no contests existed. The only real way to compete was in the bars, pubs and clubs of Longbridge, Mike’s hometown. As he felt his talents were developing, Mike toured the pubs and clubs of Birmingham, speaking to Landlords and patrons to organise a competition circle.

Whilst still at college, Mike organised his first competition and was overwhelmed by the response. It was held at the Dog and Pheasant in Bromsgrove! The pub was packed out with over 40 contestants, both male and female and over 200 spectators. It was then that Mike knew he was on to something!

With the aid of his brother Alan, a toolmaker by trade, Mike designed and built his own bench.

Mike went on to organise over 40 contests over the next 4 years. As he got more involved in the co-ordination of the contests, he found less time to train and compete. He did however, manage to armwrestle all the winners and remain unbeaten. After a couple of years Mike followed his career and moved out to Salgau, Germany, where he joined a local gym and continued his weight training regime. One of the other members of the gym told Mike one day that the South German armwrestling championships was coming up. Along with a handful of other gym members, Mike entered the competition, which, much to his fellow contestants amazement, he went on to win in the heavyweight class. Just for good measure, he also armwrestled the middleweight winner, whom he also beat!

The official title of South German Heavyweight Champion was taken by Mike in1993. Unfortunately, as Mike was not originally from Germany, he wasn’t allowed to compete for the all-German title.

Due to a heavy work schedule and a lack of Internet and other such communication tools, Mike found it difficult to find out when and where the competitions were being held. Although around 2 years later he managed to compete against the then middleweight European Champion when he was making a guest appearance at Esslingen. A contest was organised at a nightclub there, which Mike went onto win. Whilst collecting his trophy, he was asked if he wanted to compete against the “special guest.” Mike agreed and upset the champion by beating him, the organisers, however, seemed amazed at the outcome!

Mike looked at the prospects of putting all his knowledge and experience down on paper to help others learn about and compete in the sport. He has also researched armwrestlers, judges and films on the sport, and put together, the most detailed book on armwrestling. The book, Guide to Armwrestling covers training, stamina, diet and focuses significantly on the 17 techniques most widely used within the sport of armwrestling today.

This book has been endorsed by Dave Davato of the World Armwrestling Federation and David Shead Ex British world judge and world authority on Armwrestling techniques.

This book should be used as a reference guide only.