What is back pressure? Imagine you only have one arm. Now imagine you are using that one arm to pull a floor-mounted level that takes 2,000 lbs of pressure to pull towards you.
Now, close your eyes.
What is your stance like? How are you planting your feet? How is your arm moving? How does your back feel? Well, that lever is your opponent’s hand, and his arm is planted firmly against the table. That pressure you are feeling is your back pressure trying to pull him across. Remember The Trick: Armwrestling is pulling, not shoulder rotation.
How Can I Implement Back Pressure?
Super simple: grab your opponent, or training partner’s arm from across the table, and lean backward. It’s as if you could lean back fully without your legs and still hold yourself upright. Use your weight and your grip to pull backward – like tug-of-war on a table.
How Can I Train For Back Pressure?
There are two primary movements that can help you improve quickly: chin-ups and isometric holds at 90 degrees.
Chin-Ups: These are a pulling movement where your palms are supinated, face up (facing your face), and you pull your body up on the bar. This captures what movement in armwrestling looks and feels like quite well for calisthenics. To up your game, add a weighted belt, or try to hold the chin-up position for as long as you can.
Isometric Holds Over A Preacher Bench: Your arm, or arms, can be bent in front of you as you hold dumbbells in a supinated curl, or pronated position in a hammer curl for 10-30 seconds. Armwrestling matches can be upwards of a minute long of high intensity power and strength. When you are ready, inch up the weight or the time. This will build your strength and endurance. You can also do this over a bench or a preacher curl pad, which allows you to keep your arm bent at 90 degrees consistently.
