Accessible, raw and brutally simple, armwrestling is booming worldwide. Canadian world champion Devon Larratt explains all about the arms race that’s going from strength to strength
Ahead of his blockbuster re-match against Russia’s Vitaly Laletin, arm-wrestling legend Devon ‘No Limits’ Larratt spoke to Men’s Fitness about his journey into the sport, its constant training demands, and the magnitude of the challenge he faces this weekend in Cologne.
Men’s Fitness: Devon, can you tell us how you got into armwrestling?
Devon Larratt: My first experience was actually with my grandmother! This was before I even went to school – armwrestling her was basically a reward for good behaviour. It’s one of my best memories with her. Later on, I armwrestled on desks in school just for fun. After I graduated high school in Canada, I went out west to Alberta to work in the oil fields – and everybody armwrestled there. That’s where I met a real arm wrestler, a professional, and that’s when I started taking the sport seriously.
MF: The sport seems to be growing rapidly. Why do you think that is?
DL: A lot of it is accessibility. Some sports are just out of reach for most people – they require equipment, money, or facilities. Armwrestling is the absolute bottom level in terms of entry. If you’ve got an arm, you can do it. It has a very raw, base appeal. Anyone can relate to it.
MF: What does training for armwrestling involve?
DL: Like any sport, practising the sport itself is the most important thing. If you want to get into armwrestling, join a club and train a couple of nights a week – that’s your foundation. At a professional level, it’s full-time. I train all day. My whole family is involved – my son’s a professional too – so we can practise whenever we want.
Physically, it’s very demanding on the hands, wrists and elbows. It’s mostly pulling movements, with a focus on forearm and grip strength. The key actions we prioritise are rising, cupping and rolling. One unique aspect is the strain on connective tissue. Everyone gets tendonitis at some point, so we do a lot of work to strengthen and maintain those structures – high reps, blood flow, recovery work. You need strength like a powerlifter, but also resilience to stay healthy.
MF: Do you follow a specific diet?
DL: I’ve experimented with everything. Right now, I’m in the super heavyweight division, so there’s no weight limit – it’s basically an all-you-can-eat approach. I try to eat healthy, but I’m not strict like a bodybuilder. I just eat a lot to build my body. When you’re in a weight class, it’s different – then nutrition becomes more strategic. A lot of athletes use things like carnivore-style diets to cut weight while maintaining strength. But for me right now, it’s pretty relaxed.
MF: It’s possibly the closest of close combat sports, there must be a psychological element – do you goad each other or use trash talk?
DL: There’s definitely a lot of that. Whether it works is debatable. At the world level, most athletes aren’t too affected by it. I think it’s more something that enhances a victory rather than creates one. If you’re already winning, it’s like icing on the cake – it can really compound the damage – but it won’t win you the match on its own.
MF: Are there rules around what you can and can’t do?
DL: At the East vs West contest we use World Armwrestling Federation rules featuring best-of-5 or best-of-7 super-matches. The setup is really important – everyone tries to gain an advantage before the match starts, so the referee plays a big role in keeping things fair. There are definitely fouls. The main ones are starting early, lifting your elbow off the pad, or crossing the centre line with your shoulder. If your hands slip, you’ll get strapped together, which changes the dynamic. Once the match starts though, it’s all-out force.
MF: You’re up against the Siberian Bear’ who defeated you in a ‘left-hand’ match previously. Now it’s a right-arm bout – how important is this for you?
DL: This is one of the biggest matches of my career – a real defining moment. I’m up against an incredible opponent in Vitaly Laletin, he’s probably the hottest name in the sport right now. He’s the current left-handed world champion, and he’s trying to hold both left and right titles at the same time. He’s huge – about 6’9”, 335-340 pounds – and he’s been winning his whole life. He’s right at his peak. It doesn’t get more important than this.
MF: It’s a sell-out for the competition in Cologne this weekend. What role does the crowd play?
DL: It’s incredible. I don’t know if it changes my performance massively, but it makes the experience so much more meaningful. When you’re in a packed arena doing what you love, you’re definitely not giving anything less.
• Armwrestling’s East vs West 23 (EVW 23) brings together Canadian legend Devon Larratt and Russian powerhouse Vitaly Laletin. The event takes place on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at the Unihalle in Wuppertal, presented by EVW Sports live around the world via pay-per-view on evwsports.com.
