Wrist Factor – Hong Kong arm wrestlers are turning their favorite pastime into a serious combat sport

It’s probably not one of the first things that comes to mind when you think of martial arts. In fact, you might not consider it a martial art at all.

Records of arm wrestling date back to 2000 BC. BC back; Historians have found traces of the sport in Egyptian cave paintings. It’s understandable why; It’s a simple test of strength, requiring little more than two willing opponents, who may or may not be of equal strength.

Anyone who’s watched the countless YouTube videos of a skinny guy beating a 250-pound bodybuilder will be wondering what a delicate balance of technique and strength it takes to consistently win against opponents.

And as with many seemingly trivial activities, you’ll find kids competing for the title of strongest in the schoolyard and friends challenging each other over a few beers. But then there’s the likes of Antony Yam, who has turned his rooftop into a full-fledged gym, using weights and other homegrown equipment to give himself an edge over his opponents.

“To be honest, I didn’t really think of it as a sport myself,” says Yam, when he first became curious after watching YouTube videos. “And then I realize that it was actually a very serious sport, with people competing internationally.”

In his attempt to connect with the local armwrestling community, he came across the Hong Kong Armwrestling Association, founded in 2016 by then-student Tommy Kwong, and immediately immersed himself in the club.

Yam admits he wasn’t particularly interested in athletics before arm wrestling. When he first joined the club two years ago, team meetings were held pretty much wherever there was space.

“Sometimes we would meet in public areas of housing developments or parks,” he says. More recently, the club set up their gym and Yam has been boosting the club’s social media presence in hopes of attracting more to the sport. The club are looking to host classes as Covid restrictions ease later this month.

“Now we have our own space; Members and anyone interested can come and train on our equipment,” he says. The club has also introduced an arm wrestling machine to help members improve their game alongside the weights and machines you’ll find at a typical gym.

“We also make our own gear,” shares Yam; Weights tied around a karate belt are some of the most handy pieces of equipment in the gym.

While most associate winning an arm wrestling match with a strong bicep and a loud grunt, Yam says there’s a lot more to it than that. From grip strength to building chest muscles, Yam has gained significant gains throughout his journey through the world of arm wrestling.

As he explains, winning technique has a lot more to do with complete upper body coordination than brute force.

“We need finger and wrist strength to bring down an opponent’s wrist, bicep strength to lift an opponent’s elbows and arms, and to be able to use our shoulders to pivot and attack.” As Yam explains, goes It’s not about pulling someone’s arms down, but rather pulling their opponent’s back so they can’t unleash their full power.

The 26-year-old, who works in logistics during the day, trains for an hour three days a week and credits the sport with bringing a boost of determination and passion to his life. He’s so committed to exercising that he’s turned his rooftop into a personal gym, complete with equipment he designed himself.

“I used to be very skinny. But seeing my improvement when I wrestle my friends and other club members has been a lot of fun and fulfilling – I don’t see myself ever stopping.”

How his training has affected his life beyond arm wrestling, he responds with a pinch of humor. “Not much, to be honest. But whenever my mom needs to open a jar, I’m the one she comes to.”