Arm wrestling is a type of wrestling between two people using only the upper body. Each competitor places their elbow on a raised surface with their arms bent at about 90 degrees angle, with the hands tightly gripped. The aim of the competition is to pin the opponents arm onto the surface, with the winner's arm over the loser's arm.
Arm wrestling has been a legitimate sport since the 50's, made famous by Wide World of Sports Petaluma World Wristwrestling Championships during 70's and 80's.
The movie 'Over the Top' with Sylvester Stallone featured the sport in 1987. And today there are world Championships that feature over a thousand competitors from 47 countries around the world competing.
In 2017, the World Armwrestling Federation was given 'observer status' by the Global Association of International Sports Federations, paving the way for it to be considered officially a sport.
Similar Sports
- Beeni Wrestling — also called Asian arm wrestling, involves two competitors attempting to break free from their competitor’s hold.
- Mas Wrestling — participants sit and face each other with their feet braced against a board and each with both hands on a stick. The aim is to pull the other player over to your side.
- Strongman Events — a sport that tests competitors' strength in a variety of different ways.
- See the unusual sports of toe wrestling and finger wrestling
Related Pages
- About Types of Wrestling
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports