Arm wrestling
Arm wrestling is a strength sport that stems from classic arm wrestling , but is now clearly different from pub fun. The English name "Armwrestling" is therefore also used in German-speaking countries for better definition. As a competitive sport, armwrestling is subject to the rules of associations such as B. the World Armwrestling Federation . This usually results in different movement sequences, so that technique and speed are more important.
regulate
Fighting takes place while standing at a 101.6 cm (40 inch) high table, which, unlike arm wrestling while sitting, allows for a much greater dynamic. The opponents' free hands hold a handle on the edge of the table and must not let go of it during the fight. The elbows of the fighting arms are positioned on elbow pads.
The hands of the opponents must be over the middle of the table, the wrists of both competitors must be straight before the start, the shoulders must be parallel to the table before the start. A referee takes care of the correct line-up - after the start of the fight, free movements are allowed.
On the command of the referee - "ready" and as the start signal "go" - the fight begins. The winner is whoever forces the opponent into a cushion with the back of his hand. Violations of the rules are counted as a "foul", if there are two fouls a fight is counted as lost. Classic fouls are: early start, deliberately letting go of the hand or raising the elbow.
Professional tournaments are held in different weight classes according to the so-called double elimination system , which means that the arm wrestler is only eliminated after two defeats.
Armwrestling in Germany
As part of the filming of the film Over the Top with Sylvester Stallone , arm wrestlers were wanted for the World Cup in Las Vegas. In nations without their own national armwrestling team, the production company held tournaments in collaboration with the AAA (American Association of Armwrestling) to find suitable athletes. These tournaments were also the qualification for this World Cup. A tournament was held in Munich in autumn 1985. After several regional and national tournaments, the German Armwrestling Organization was founded as a subsidiary in 1988. National championships have been held as qualifications for world and European championships for men and women since 1988, and there are also several regional and national championships. In 1998 the first high-class international tournament "Over the Top" took place in Wolfsburg. There has also been an arm wrestling Bundesliga in Germany since 2008.
Reporting on TV
For some time now, live or as live reports from European and World Championships, especially in Eastern European countries, such as B. Russia or Bulgaria, but also in western countries such as the USA, Canada, Sweden or England. In 2009, the sports broadcaster Eurosport started a half-hour, weekly armwrestling magazine as the last broadcast before the broadcasting deadline on Monday morning at 5:22 a.m. Three six-round duels between top European arm wrestlers are shown. Several German fighters appeared in this series, such as the German champions Robert Kornek, Kevin Berberich, Dieter Spannagel, Eric Hoppe and Matthias Schlitte .
Web links
- Website of the German armwrestling organization
- Report on the Armwrestling Bundesliga
Individual evidence
- ↑ HISTORY. In: armwrestling.de. Deutscher Armwrestling Verband eV, accessed on July 1, 2020 .
- ↑ Württembergische Tafelrunde celebrates. In: Esslinger Zeitung. October 10, 2018, accessed January 2, 2019 .