page_title: Arm wrestling
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Arm wrestling / Description
caption_attribution_description: Svenska: Armbrytning i världsklass, Dubai 2006 - Taras Ivakin VS Devon Larratt
context_page_description: Arm wrestling, also known as "armfighting" is a sport involving two participants. Each places one arm on a surface with their elbows bent and touching the surface, and they grip each other's hand. The goal is to pin the other's arm onto the surface, the winner's arm over the loser's arm. In the early years different names were interchangeably used to describe the same sport: "arm turning", "arm twisting", "arm wrestling", "Indian arm wrestling", "twisting wrists", "wrist turning", "wrist wrestling". Organized armwrestling tournaments started being held in the 1950s.
context_section_description: Various factors can play a part in one's success in arm wrestling. Technique and overall arm strength are the two greatest contributing factors to winning an arm wrestling match. Other factors such as the length of an arm wrestler's arm, muscle and arm mass/density, hand grip size, wrist endurance and flexibility, reaction time, as well as countless other traits, can add to the advantages of one arm wrestler over another. It's sometimes used to prove who is the stronger person between two or more people.
  In competitive arm wrestling, as sanctioned by the United States Armwrestling Federation (USAF), arm wrestling is performed with both competitors standing up with their arms placed on a tournament arm wrestling table. Arm wrestling tournaments are also divided into weight classes as well as left and right-handed divisions. Furthermore, strict rules such as fouls given to penalties (such as the competitor's elbow leaving a matted area where the elbow is meant to remain at all times, or a false start), and trying to escape a possible arm pin by breaking the grip with the opponent may result in a loss at the table. Paraphrasing USAF rules, arm wrestlers must straighten their wrists without a time lapse of one minute during competition.
  The World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) was the universally recognized global governing body of professional arm wrestling and comprises 80 member countries.  However, due to the labeling of referees and competitors that were associated with PAL/URPA with the status of "Not in good standing" thus being suspended from WAF, many countries are jumping ship.
  The International Federation of Armwrestling (IFA) is a democratic non-profit sport organization registered in Zurich, Switzerland and is recognized by TAFISA, the Association for International Sport for All.
caption: An arm wrestling competition
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