What is the main muscle used in arm wrestling? | Asian medalist armwrestler explains about it
The author, an Asian medalist, answers questions about arm wrestling.
The question this time is "What is the main muscle used in arm wrestling?".
I will tell you the answer.
Muscles required for armwrestling
The muscles required for armwrestling are listed below in order of importance.
1. Forearm muscle
2. Biceps
3. Latissimus dorsi
4. Pectoralis major
5. Rotator cuff
6. Triceps
There are two techniques for armwrestling, and the important muscles differ depending on which technique you use.
The two techniques of arm wrestling are "top roll" and "hook". I will briefly explain the technique.
Top roll
With the elbow as the fulcrum, lift the opponent's fingertip with the "principle of leverage".
The "top roll" is the same movement as the "nail puller" that lifts the opponent's fingertips.
In "Top roll movement trajectory", you perform the following three movements in a circular motion.
1. Lift the opponent's fingertips
2. Pull the opponent's fist
3. Roll your fist
Hook
This is a technique that requires muscle strength.
Here's how to do it.
1. Wind your wrist.
2. Pull back.
3. Press sideways.
Forearm strength is very important, as arm wrestling is also called "forearm sports".
For this reason, most armwrestling training is forearm training.
As you can see, the top roll and hook have completely different movements, so the required wrist strength factors are also different.
It is as follows.
1. Wrist strength required for top roll
Radial flexion & Pronation
2. Wrist strength required for hook
Palmar flexion & Supination
The specific parts of the muscle are as follows.
Top roll = brachioradialis muscle
Hook = flexor muscles of the forearm
The biceps brachii is an important muscle for both top rolls and hooks.
However, the strength in this case is not the "force to bend the elbow".
Among the biceps muscle strength, what is required for armwrestling is "the power to maintain the elbow angle at a right angle".
There are three types of muscle contraction. It is as follows.
1.Concentric contraction : the contraction when bending the elbow.
2.Eccentric contraction ; the contraction that resists when the elbow is stretched.
3.Isometric contraction ; the contraction to keep the angle of the elbow.
Fixing the elbow angle is very important in armwrestling, which requires an "3.isometric contraction".
For this reason, in weight training for arm wrestling, it is important to do with the elbow angle fixed.
Even with arm curls, you don't have to actively bend and stretch your elbows, you should do it around a right angle.
Back muscles, such as the latissimus dorsi, are important for top rolls to put back pressure on your opponent.
However, instead of moving your arms backwards as in rowing training, you use your back muscles to secure your arms backwards.
The pectoralis major is an important muscle for hooks and is used to apply side pressure to the opponent. This is also used to secure the arm to the front of the body, rather than moving the arm as in fly training.
The triceps brachii is mainly needed for hooks. Of course, it's not used to stretch your elbows.
In addition to the movement of extending the elbow, the triceps brachii also has the movement of adduction of the upper arm (the movement of closing the armpit), which is necessary to bring the upper arm closer to the trunk and fix it.
The rotator cuff is the muscle that connects the scapula to the upper arm and is important for armwrestling.
This muscle works to keep the upper arm close to the trunk and hold it in place.
The typical training methods for each muscle required for armwrestling described so far are as follows.
1.Training with arm wrestling handle,Wrist curl
2.Arm curl, Chin up
3.Pull up, Lat machine pull down
4.Chest press, Chest fly
5.Internal rotation
6.Triceps press down
These workouts are best done on a cable machine or dumbbells.
This is because the training done in these ways has a flexible trajectory and is effective for the muscles needed in the actual game.
For more information on armwrestling, please see the following article.
Asian medalist armwrestler explains armwrestling techniques (top roll) and training equipment