Never pulled before? Start here.
What your first time is like, and how classes keep it fair.
Your first time
You do not need to be strong or to have done it before. Most clubs have beginners at every session.
Find a club and ask to come along. Watch a few pulls, start with someone your size and listen to the referee. Stopping is never weak.
How classes work
Matches are fair when people are a similar size and age. So pullers are sorted first:
- By hand. Left and right are separate brackets.
- By weight. You weigh in on the day. See the official classes.
- By age. Juniors, adults and masters pull in their own groups.
- Women and men separately.
If only one person turns up in a class, Armstrong merges thin classes into the next one up, so nobody travels to pull one match.
Children never pull adults, and never pull up a weight class. A child with nobody in their class is told, not quietly moved up.
Quick answers
Do I need to be strong?
No. Technique matters as much as strength, and classes match you with people your size.
Can children arm wrestle?
Yes, in their own classes. Never with adults, and never in a heavier class.
Is it free?
Finding and joining a club is free. Events set their own entry fees.
What if there is no club near me?
Start one. A club page takes a couple of minutes.