Strength is very important in armwrestling. Speed and Strength together makes you very good. Speed, strength and technique makes you AWESOME. When I first started it was 100% strength cause I didn't know anything. I learned how to start so I mixed in the speed. I later learned a little technique. The funny thing is when at events all the local guys from the gyms that woudl show up. I mean I have seen guys when you look at them you would think no way in the world could they ever lose. they woudl go up against a guy who barely looked like he lifted a weight in his life. But the problem for the big guy was is that the little guy knew what he was doing. He had speed and technique.
Speed is very important cause you want that little edge or big edge at the start. It's allot harder to bring a guy back from a losing position than to have the upper hand by being able to go down on the guys arm. That's where speed is most important.
Technique comes into effect when you are losing or when you need to get that advantage to get that guys arm coming back or go down.
Strength comes in when the match lasts more than 2 seconds. When I first started I always started in the losing position. But I was so strong that I could hold the guy and then press him out. Ric Zumwalt and others always told me I was easily the strongest armwrestler out there. The only thing is I need more technique. I basically only competed. I didn't practice much except the "start" when I would do that on my own. I lifted allot and RayMentzer had me doing allot of very heavy negatives.
It's the tendon that goes and gets allot of the work in a match. DOing so many negatives made my tendon strength very high. Heavy negatives in the bench, preacher curls and barbell curls.
A perfect example where technique, speed, strength and tendon strength come into play look at John Brezenk. Easily the best armwrestler in history. He doesn't look like he ever lift weights. But if you ever felt his tendon in his right arm it is ridiculous in size and thickness. He just armwrestles and and wrestles to improve his strength. Hardly any weight lifting.
Another example of strength just not being enough is Kazmaier. he got smoked in New York by guys way smaller and weaker than him.
Of all the lifting I did, after an event my right arm was in a sling cause it hurt so bad for 2 to 3 days. I used to do exhibitions all over the country and challenge everyone. I once armwrestled 150 guys in two days at a huge event in Long Beach, Ca. It was something to do with the Grand Prix. In Richmond, VA I wrestled we thing over 200 guys in 2 days at some mall or something there. Most of the people just wanted a picture, or women, or kids. Not often did a real guy come up to challenge me. A bunch of guys came in Richmond but I beat 3 or 4 of the biggest guys quickly so the others didn't want to do it.
