In the first article we have presented a subjective opinion of a newbie armwrestler. Now we hear from a seasoned contestant-coach – Sergey Tokarev.
Let’s start with the fact that a newbie armwrestler is a strange creature, freshly hatched and defenseless against harsh reality. For one to grow into a real fighter, I’ve prepared a list of necessities.

1.Arms – a priority, one cannot do anything without them in armsport.
2.Head and/or a coach (depending on level of skills). There are enough savvy people in every gym, but no one knows your body better than you do. The first mission for every coach is to teach your head to work with your body.
I keep meeting people who weigh 40 – 50 kg and have trouble exercising with 5 kilo weights.
3.Motivation – a core value for any sportsperson. It’s an engine that will power you up to the top, if you keep on pushing the gas.
4.Pen and pad – two very important items at the start. Life dictates rules; higher level sportspeople train “on instinct”, listening to their body.
5.Iron – indeed the last on the list, because you don’t need a gym to show what you’re made of. A bucket filled with sand is no worse than any dumbbell, as shown by golden European medalists (laughs).
Not all is lost, my list was similar to Sergey Tokarev’s!
To sum up – if you’re new to armwrestling, it is important to listen to your own body. Next – listen to your coach, keep researching available knowledge. It’s the quality, not quantity, that counts.


Anastazja Kisilyova