The Sarnia Arm Wrestling Team is hoping to attract new members as the sport gains in popularity.
It was founded during the COVID pandemic by Adam Shanks, who drew inspiration from a YouTube video called "School Boy Takes on New York", about a 16-year-old boy arm wrestling people on the streets of the Big Apple.
The team operates out of the Power Haven Gym on Devine Street which was offered to them, free of charge, by owner and pro bodybuilder Mike Compton.
Shanks, who lives with epilepsy, said arm wrestling has certainly helped him in his day to day life.
"I've had three brain surgeries, and then the most recent surgery was to install a VNS (vagus nerve stimulation) implant," said Shanks. "It's a little electronic computer that they put on your heart with a wire that goes up to your vagus nerve, inside your voice box. It notices you're about to have a seizure, which is an irregular heartbeat, then it electrocutes you which is like a 'control, alt, delete' and your brain is all better again. The arm wrestling has helped one hundred per cent. Once I started, I became a thousand times healthier than I ever was. I cared about strength so I had to eat healthier. I worked out a thousand times more than I ever did. I noticed that having a strong body and a strong mind can help fight off a grand mal seizure."
Shanks said club members are taught how to arm wrestle safely and with the proper positioning.
"It's more of a pulling-back than when you look at the average person, they just put their arm out and go left to right," he said. "We like to make sure people know the proper way of doing it. Either you're going to do a top roll to get hand control or, if you're strong enough and you know how to press, your hand and elbow are in front of your shoulder."
He said one of their club members, Alex, is a silver medalist after he captured second place at the Table Monkeys Spring Fling event.
"He's semi-new, he's only been in two or three competitive events," said Shanks. "The guy who did beat him, he was in 25 events that year. He's very strong, our guy. He did amazing, he had awesome hand control and very good strength. He did everything he should have, when he should have."
Shanks said while the club is competitive, there's a sense of camaraderie. One of the main goals is to push one another to make them better.
He thanked the Royal Canadian Super Store for sponsoring the club, and said they're always looking for more support in that regard.
Those interested in joining, or sponsoring, the Sarnia Arm Wrestling team can contact Shanks by visiting World's Strongest Epileptic on Instagram.
He's also on TikTok at @epilepsyadamandlambo.