So today I wanted to share with you all some deeper insights into this photo. This photo is from me 7 years ago, where I was some 6 months into the sport. At the time I weighed 85kg and my wrist measured 7". (I know this because I still have an old metal clasp watch that I used to wear, and its internal diameter measures 7")
Fast forward 7 years, the next two photos show a very different wrist and forearm. The measurements now are 8.5" and the thickness and density of my arms has changed drastically. I now weigh 95kg and am significantly stronger.
So, the theme of today's post is about reflecting in what armwrestling has turned me into.
Note, in my 7 years between these photos I have only conducted armwrestling specific training methods and table time. In this time also I have had almost 600 official readygo starts in tournaments from state level to zloty and WAL.
What's interesting to me is to look at the way the sport has developed my body, knowing that I've never bench pressed, never deadlifts, never done any base power.
I still have what I consider underdeveloped pecs and deltoids, but unmistakably I have bigger arms. In total I am not sure, but with my upper arm now at 17" and my forearms at 16" I feel like I've out on two inches across the board. I unfortunately don't know what my biceps and forearms measured in the earlier photo.
So, at the end of all this, what does it mean? Has my training method been succesfull? Would I have been more successful if I trained differently? I guess we will never know. I for sure do feel like it has been a big success. I feel like an absolutely different person, and I don't feel like the progression and trajectory of progress is slowing at all. I think in another 7 years the gain will be almost as significant again.
Take from this what it is ...not advice or any sort of recommendation of how to train, but simply data in what this 7 years has done to me.
Keep killing it and stay consistent.