Is a fluid transition from bodybuilding to armwrestling possible? What about a guy who wants to sacrifice 10 years of experience and change disciplines? We're talking to Grzegorz Lukashevski to find out.
When I was 14, I was practising martial arts – says Grzegorz. - One day my brother showed me his “Flex” magazine collection. I've read every issue carefully, and got hooked on bodybuilding. And that was when my first coach, Boris Rayev, who also coached the famous bodybuilder Alexander Vishnevsky, invited me to his gym.
It was just a basement gym in an old building.
At the age of 23, I started to compete – recalls Grzegorz. - It was a fitness comp, but with the dawn of classic bodybuilding, I got into that, and as a result I won Petersburg championships 3 times. I also took 2nd place in Russian championships. Hard work got me good scores.
In 2010. Grzegorz moved to USA, to Miami. A year later he won the havyweight class in Miami championships. Two years later he's decided to prepare for the Arnold Classic 2013.
It was a year of hellish trainings – says Grzegorz. - No coach, no sponsor, just my own dedication. I fought hard and I won my category. But with this victory came realization, that a classic bodybuilder just makes his life shorter. Did I want that? Surely not.
At the age of 33, Grzegorz realized that he doesn't want to be a bodybuilder anymore, byut he didn't want to quit sports completely.
I wanted to stay in power sports – says Grzegorz. - I've met a great armlifter, Alexey Tyukalov, who trained my grip strenght. Then I've met Artem Taranenko, from Orlando. He's only 19 years lod, and already an accomplished armwrestler. He introduced me to armwrestling and tutored me further. He also invited me to his city, to a local competition. I went without any technical preparation, so I just used my strenght against averybody.
How did Grzegorz do in his first competition? How has sport changed his life? Read on in part two of this article.
Artur Grigorian