Yoshinobu has become the 80kg WAF world champion in 1998 (both right and left handed) and again in 1999 (right handed 80kg). Shigeki has won right handed 110+kg at the WAF World Championships in 1999. They have been undefeated for the past few years and are leading armwrestling in Japan. They were both born in and reside in Akashi-city, Hyogo prefecuture, Japan.

Yoshinobu
Date of birth: February 10, 1976 Height: 175cm Weight: 90kg

Shigeki
Date of birth: May 10, 1978 Height: 185cm Weight: 150kg

My father, who was an amateur sumo wrestler in college, may have influenced me. I have tried different martial arts and combative sports since I was a little child. I was pretty big and strong. Since the 8th grade I started practicing judo spending a lot of time on it. Armsport (called udezumo meaning "arm sumo" in Japanese) is a fairly common game in Japan, and I was good at it, too. I grew up near a fishing port and used to armwrestle with fishermen. I started beating them and other adults when I was in the 4th grade or so. I first got to know armwrestling as an organized sport when I watched the video of "Over the Top" at age 14. I was very impressed to know something I had thought of as just kids' play being a respected sport. But I had no idea where I could start practicing the sport. Then when I was in the 12th grade, I had my left knee dislocated and had to give up judo. It was a very difficult time for me. Then I accidentally saw a newspaper ad of a local armwrestling tournament (Hyogo prefectural championships). That was 1994. I was a total novice in the sport, but I won the championships beating all the top-class local armwrestlers.

The winning of the first tournament was truly the biggest turning point in my life. As a kid, I had been struggling to find something worth devoting my life to, but I couldn't find one. When I started armwrestling, I was sure that this was the one. I am very grateful that I got to know armwrestling. Since then I have done everything I could think of, training everyday. I also conditioned my body to be best able to compete in the sport. When I started armwrestling I weighed about 130kg but lost weight to 70kg in 6 months. I won All Japan Arm Wrestling Championships for the first time in 1996. Then the year 1997 was a very difficult year for me. I had a major  injury in my elbow and wrist, and lost several matches including one to a total novice wrestler. I almost gave up the sport at the time. Then in 1998, I won the WAF World Championships in Canada both right and left handed in 80kg class. It was awesome and unbelievable.

I never thought that I could win because I hadn't done well at previous WAF Championships. That was my third challenge at the WAF (No victory in the preliminary in 1996 and placed 6th in left handed 75kg in 1997). Moreover, I participated in a heavier class than the previous year, and I couldn't guess the strength of other wrestlers. So I just prepared myself as well as I could. At the 1998 WAF, I just focused on doing my best, and I found myself the winner after the matches. People at the tournament were surprised, including the members of the Japanese team because it was the first time that a Japanese won a world championship in the middle weight class both right and left handed, although there had been several Japanese champions in lighter weight classes. The winning in 1998 made me appear on several newspapers, magazines, and TV shows. It was nice to see the sport get more attention in Japan.

Personally the year between 1998 WAF and 1999 WAF was extremely difficult both mentally and physically. I had a lot of pressure--both from others and within myself-- to win again to prove that my previous victory was not pure luck but real. Weight control was tough, too-- I ran 20km daily to lose 11kg in 3 months prior to the tournament.  At the 1999 WAF, I lost in the preliminary of left handed. It was disappointing. But I managed to win right handed next day. I had to go through several tough matches. The most difficult one was against Neil Pickup from Great Britain. He has a very strong wrist. Another memorable thing at the tournament was Super Match. I could wrestle with John Brzenk, whom I admire greatly. I felt his enormous strength.

I am not sure about this year, but certainly I am setting my sights on 2002. I am gradually increasing my weight, and perhaps I will compete in 90kg class next time.

I built a gym specializing in armwrestling in October 1998. I train various muscles of my upper body, arms, hands, and fingers using equipments at the gym every day. I use quite heavy weights-- 65kg dumbbells for arms, 160kg barbell bench press, etc. I armwrestle about twice a week with my brother and other fellow armwrestlers.

I am hoping to go to the U.S. in the near future. I hope to participate in big tournaments and armwrestle with top armwrestlers. I want to feel their strength. I also want to practice with such armwrestlers. I want to feel how they use their fingers and wrists, etc. I am eager to learn and develop my skills further by exchanging information with them. Especially it would be great if I could meet John Brzenk in person and learn from him.
My dream is to become the No.1 armwrestler regardless of weight classes. I am increasing my weight and want to challenge myself in heavier weight classes in the future.

My other goal is to promote armwrestling to the public. I am currently teaching about 70 members at the gym I own. I am also heading a local armwrestling organization (Akashi-city Armwrestling Association). In cooperation with the educational board of the city, I plan to provide local elementary schools with armwrestling tables to set up armwrestling clubs. I also plan to hold new armwrestling tournaments. I feel that to better the environment for armwrestlers is also important. In the future I want to see serious and good armwrestlers be able to live financially from the sport, just like athletes in major sports like baseball and soccer.

I am looking forward to seeing you in the U.S. I hope to have good time with you guys.

Thanks.

Since I was a little kid I have always looked up to my older brother, because he is very strong. I was a very big kid, too, but unlike my brother, I did not get involved in any particular sport. A while after my brother started armwrestling, he told me to be his practice partner because I was the biggest guy around. We started practicing on the armwrestling table in our garage with a few other kids. It was like an extracurricular activity for me, having no other exciting things to do.

I've been just following my brother wherever he goes, then I found myself being the world champion. I feel having our own gym since October 1998 motivated me, too. I started practicing armwrestling more seriously especially after my defeat at All Japan Championships in 1998.

I do not do weight training. I armwrestle at the table about twice a week.

The WAF in 1999 was my first world championships, and my initial goal was to win just one match. I lost at an early stage left handed, and it never occurred to me that I could win right handed. I pulled with Mike Gould from Canada at the final. He was extremely powerful. I lost the first one and I had to fight three matches against him. The last one lasted about two minutes. My hand was almost pinned by him, then I reversed. I was just focusing on not letting my hand go down, and I could win. I am proud of myself for the victory. The match has become the most memorable one in my armwrestling career.

Q. Are you going to compete in world championships again?

I don't have a plan for this year, but definitely I want to try again, although I know it won't be easy to win again.

I just want to become stronger. My current goal is to become better than my brother. Although I am 60kg heavier than him, I am no match for him. I also want to go to the U.S. in the near future and wrestle with strong armwrestlers, because there is no armwrestler who can compete with me in Japan besides my brother.