An interview by Pete Ryan from the Vegan Society Magazine. 

Being a strength athlete was there any concerns that you might lose strength when you first changed your diet, & what did you find when you did make the change?

I was concerned at first but didn’t care. I made a conscious and ethical decision to give up meat and was willing to face the consequences. It is more important to practice what I believe in than to worry about being a strength athlete.

My body did not feel right at the beginning and it took a couple of weeks to adjust with out the meat. Eventually, I began to gain energy and consistently lost weight. I have never felt better in my entire life and it was one of the smartest decisions I ever made. 

Most people will have tried arm wrestling at some point, but most of us think of it as something to do in a bar, after a few pints, not really an athletic pursuit, how did you get involved in the sport of arm wrestling?

I was always strong at arm wrestling, getting the genetics from my mom. She could beat most men, including my dad, and even competed in a tournament before I was born. In High School, I met a guy that competed professionally and he talked me into giving it a shot. My first tournament was in North Carolina back in 2000. I ended up taking fifth place and have been addicted ever since.  

What sort of training do you need to do to enter your sport?

The best way to train for this sport is to get on a table and arm wrestle. It’s hard to simulate and hit the right angles at the gym, almost impossible. Try to find some pullers in your area and see if you can practice with them. Some useful websites are armwrestlingtv.com andarmwrestlersnearyou.com. 

As well as being an athlete & highlighting veganism through your strength you are also active with several animal rights groups.  Do you think that now strong guys like yourself are appearing on the vegan scene we’re starting to smash the stereotypical image of the pasty, wimp of a (male) vegan & do you think that this might be a good way to get more guys involved in the vegan movement (by highlighting more male vegans with strength & power)?

I am pasty but definitely not wimpy! Most people are shocked when they find out I am vegan and don’t understand how I am strong without meat, milk, eggs and etc. I have been doing the best I can with educating, inspiring, and breaking the typical stereotypes. 

You look like you’ve got massive arms, just how big are your guns?

Ha ha. I actually haven’t measured by arms in years, I’m not that kind of guy. I hardly train for size rather for strength. It’s a huge miss conception that the bigger the bicep the stronger the arm wrestler. This sport is a precise combination of technique, speed and entire body strength. Also, if you don’t have a strong hand and wrist then you won’t be successful.  

Would you suggest that other vegans get involved in the sport of arm wrestling & if so how would you begin to get involved?

I think other vegans and vegetarians should give it a try, who doesn’t like to arm wrestle? It’s the biggest underground sport that is about to explode on the scenes. There is a great new documentary called Pulling John that will bring our sport to the next level, like Pumping Iron did for bodybuilding.

If you had a sentence or two to convince someone to try out a vegan diet, what would you say to them?

If not for the awesome health benefits then at least make an effort for the animals. If being a vegan seems impossible then cut back on meat a few days a week, every effort counts. People don’t realize the harsh cruelty and suffering these animals go through before eventually ending up the meat in your sandwich. Being vegan also means being green, it is the absolute best thing for our environment!