Meet Cody Melvin, the owner and trainer behind our local Workout Anytime and a powerhouse in a surprising sport — competitive arm wrestling. In this exclusive Q&A, we delve into Cody’s journey from gym owner to arm wrestling aficionado. Cody sat down with us to share a little bit about his own experience in the arm wrestling world and what drew him to the sport.
How did you first become interested in competitive arm wrestling?
It actually started because I was powerlifting, but I ruptured my left pec major. That muscle is one-third of a power lift, so I couldn't bench press for a while. I had to quit training and wanted to find something where I could compete with only one arm.
How often do you train and compete?
When it comes to competitive arm wrestling, you don’t compete as often as you do in powerlifting. I train about three times a week and do actual competitions a couple of times a year.
What does training look like?
The main way you train is by actually getting in table time, where you practice by arm wrestling with other people. So the biggest piece for me was finding people I could train with who are better than me. Aside from table time, it’s pretty similar to training for powerlifting. I do exercises like wrist curls, pronation and supination lifts, neutral grip curls, etc.
What advice would you give a newcomer to arm wrestling?
The most important thing is to find people you can practice with who are better than you and nice. The “nice” part is key because there are safe and unsafe ways to arm wrestle. When I’m practicing with someone, I always value their safety over me winning.
The “nice” part is key because there are safe and unsafe ways to arm wrestle. When I’m practicing with someone, I always value their safety over me winning.