Pulling Well into the Future
Thoughts after 2023 Worlds
Im just back from my second tour of the IFA World Arm Wrestling Championships and it still fascinates me how unique the sport of Arm Wrestling is and how tight knit and helpful the community is.
On this trip I had some time to look around and take in more of what it means to a lot of the competitors who have travelled from across the globe to compete. Some of whom coming from the USA stopping in Dubai to watch King of the Table in person, which was very smart thinking.
The IFA Worlds is an easy place to be inspired as you watch each competitor from each nation take the stage. The shouts of support and the cheers of celebration for the winner. There is also the consoling of the loser as they come off stage. Everyone gets a second chance to show what they can do. It’s always against someone else who has got their second chance and these matches can be the closest and most exciting to watch. Back to the wall and the loser goes out, can give you that extra edge you need to pick up your game. To dig deep and find that extra bit of grit needed to win.
As I was standing watching I thought it’s a stark difference from the training sessions in Northern Ireland where I am often explaining or convincing people it’s a real sport and to give it a go.
Standing in the thick of the Worlds with everything going on around you I couldn’t help but think of the competitors who use up their free time training, use up their holidays, who put off hip operations until after the comp or who use their yearly savings to get on the world stage. Some of whom know a medal is way out of reach this year or the next but know the experience gained will help towards one in the future. The dream they chase that someday they will stand on the world podium with a well-earned medal.
The side/practice table sitting 6 and 7 rows deep with arm wrestlers wanting to get on and pull against anyone just for the love of it. Easily 40 arm wrestlers wanting to pull for fun at every side table.
Other thoughts I had were of the unwritten etiquette of coming to the table, shaking the other competitor’s hand with the opposite arm that you are competing with. It resonates a mutual respect for your opponent. It’s more than a touching of gloves its the acknowledgement that you know how hard they have worked to get to the world stage. You know there is no quarter given or love lost once the ready go is called but you respect your opponent for stepping up and putting it on the line. This is truly unique to the sport and after the match 99% of the time you are congratulating or consoling your opponent.
It’s a sport where winning isnt always the Gold medal. It can be just making it to the table after injury or sickness. In a sport where split seconds can be the difference between first and last place or the half of the draw that you get in the competition. The perfect path through the last opponent is rarely the perfect path through the next. It’s the pursuit of the perfect Arm Wrestling performance which doesn’t exist but the pursuit of it does. There are so many moving parts and factors to control and so many that are out of your control. This is what makes it so addictive and fun.
I have the utmost respect for anyone who puts their arm on the table. May it be on a practice table for the first time or on the World stage for the 40th year running. This sport can grab hold of your life and its easy to go down the rabbit hole of researching Technique, building Strength, training Angles, and the pure combat side of it.
Saying you meet like-minded people from every corner of the world is an understatement. Such a vast array of backgrounds with 1 common goal to compete and advance Arm Wrestling in their country, representing their country in a world competition. Once they arrive home it’s a quick well done from Friends and family and its back to the training table for next year.
It’s also somewhat of a leg day when the finals are on as everyone stands to acknowledge and respect the winners national anthem.
Being the PAA Vice president I had the honour of attending the IFA congress meeting this year. It was a fascinating insight to the thought process of the IFA back-room team. Being able to run competitions that don’t restrict anyone from taking part is a major selling point and so it should be. With the recent banning of athletes and referees of other organisations this is always reassuring.
The resilience of IFA to keep going even though there are many rugs being pulling out from under them at so many turns. This shows to me the true nature of Arm Wrestling. The never give up and the good days will come. Keep putting in the work and the results will pay off. IFA is clear with their vision of a single united Arm-Wrestling federation. Run for the arm wrestlers by the arm wrestlers.
No one on their committee are paid, they receive travel expenses, they don’t do it for the money it’s for the love of the sport. This is also apparent during the event. You can easily get time to speak to any of the organisers and they will take your points on board.
Greece is the next country to host the IFA World Championships in 2024. We will be running or helping to run at least 4 events in Ireland next year with a possible prize money comp, including what could be a major surprise event.
We have seen the standard and numbers rise here in Ireland but there are so many more that could do really well on the Irish, UK, European and World scene.
We are still very much a growing nation, but the good news is we have Adrian O’Dwyer IFA World Champion, Kyle Hutchison competing in East V West, Adam Johnston pulling Arm Wars, Arm Gods running comps in Ireland and Stanley Hamilton pulling for the over 40s getting world medals.
That’s not to mention various British & Irish Novice champions. All the new novice guys training hard to make a name for themselves and other high-level pullers from various countries living in Ireland. This has now put us firmly on the Arm Wrestling map. We are keen to pick this up and run with it to help get more people into the sport.
Here's to a big 2024 for Irish Arm Wrestling and to Pulling well into the future...
Im just back from my second tour of the IFA World Arm Wrestling Championships and it still fascinates me how unique the sport of Arm Wrestling is and how tight knit and helpful the community is.
On this trip I had some time to look around and take in more of what it means to a lot of the competitors who have travelled from across the globe to compete. Some of whom coming from the USA stopping in Dubai to watch King of the Table in person, which was very smart thinking.
The IFA Worlds is an easy place to be inspired as you watch each competitor from each nation take the stage. The shouts of support and the cheers of celebration for the winner. There is also the consoling of the loser as they come off stage. Everyone gets a second chance to show what they can do. It’s always against someone else who has got their second chance and these matches can be the closest and most exciting to watch. Back to the wall and the loser goes out, can give you that extra edge you need to pick up your game. To dig deep and find that extra bit of grit needed to win.
As I was standing watching I thought it’s a stark difference from the training sessions in Northern Ireland where I am often explaining or convincing people it’s a real sport and to give it a go.
Standing in the thick of the Worlds with everything going on around you I couldn’t help but think of the competitors who use up their free time training, use up their holidays, who put off hip operations until after the comp or who use their yearly savings to get on the world stage. Some of whom know a medal is way out of reach this year or the next but know the experience gained will help towards one in the future. The dream they chase that someday they will stand on the world podium with a well-earned medal.
The side/practice table sitting 6 and 7 rows deep with arm wrestlers wanting to get on and pull against anyone just for the love of it. Easily 40 arm wrestlers wanting to pull for fun at every side table.
Other thoughts I had were of the unwritten etiquette of coming to the table, shaking the other competitor’s hand with the opposite arm that you are competing with. It resonates a mutual respect for your opponent. It’s more than a touching of gloves its the acknowledgement that you know how hard they have worked to get to the world stage. You know there is no quarter given or love lost once the ready go is called but you respect your opponent for stepping up and putting it on the line. This is truly unique to the sport and after the match 99% of the time you are congratulating or consoling your opponent.
It’s a sport where winning isnt always the Gold medal. It can be just making it to the table after injury or sickness. In a sport where split seconds can be the difference between first and last place or the half of the draw that you get in the competition. The perfect path through the last opponent is rarely the perfect path through the next. It’s the pursuit of the perfect Arm Wrestling performance which doesn’t exist but the pursuit of it does. There are so many moving parts and factors to control and so many that are out of your control. This is what makes it so addictive and fun.
I have the utmost respect for anyone who puts their arm on the table. May it be on a practice table for the first time or on the World stage for the 40th year running. This sport can grab hold of your life and its easy to go down the rabbit hole of researching Technique, building Strength, training Angles, and the pure combat side of it.
Saying you meet like-minded people from every corner of the world is an understatement. Such a vast array of backgrounds with 1 common goal to compete and advance Arm Wrestling in their country, representing their country in a world competition. Once they arrive home it’s a quick well done from Friends and family and its back to the training table for next year.
It’s also somewhat of a leg day when the finals are on as everyone stands to acknowledge and respect the winners national anthem.
Being the PAA Vice president I had the honour of attending the IFA congress meeting this year. It was a fascinating insight to the thought process of the IFA back-room team. Being able to run competitions that don’t restrict anyone from taking part is a major selling point and so it should be. With the recent banning of athletes and referees of other organisations this is always reassuring.
The resilience of IFA to keep going even though there are many rugs being pulling out from under them at so many turns. This shows to me the true nature of Arm Wrestling. The never give up and the good days will come. Keep putting in the work and the results will pay off. IFA is clear with their vision of a single united Arm-Wrestling federation. Run for the arm wrestlers by the arm wrestlers.
No one on their committee are paid, they receive travel expenses, they don’t do it for the money it’s for the love of the sport. This is also apparent during the event. You can easily get time to speak to any of the organisers and they will take your points on board.
Greece is the next country to host the IFA World Championships in 2024. We will be running or helping to run at least 4 events in Ireland next year with a possible prize money comp, including what could be a major surprise event.
We have seen the standard and numbers rise here in Ireland but there are so many more that could do really well on the Irish, UK, European and World scene.
We are still very much a growing nation, but the good news is we have Adrian O’Dwyer IFA World Champion, Kyle Hutchison competing in East V West, Adam Johnston pulling Arm Wars, Arm Gods running comps in Ireland and Stanley Hamilton pulling for the over 40s getting world medals.
That’s not to mention various British & Irish Novice champions. All the new novice guys training hard to make a name for themselves and other high-level pullers from various countries living in Ireland. This has now put us firmly on the Arm Wrestling map. We are keen to pick this up and run with it to help get more people into the sport.
Here's to a big 2024 for Irish Arm Wrestling and to Pulling well into the future...
