Arm and the man: Novato wrestler vies for top honor
On Sunday, June 26, Kindt, 33, heads to Las Vegas for the World Armwrestling League championship, where he is the favorite to take home another title: top athlete in the sport for the entire world.
“People need to keep an open mind and respect arm wrestling as any other professional sport in the world and to realize how much time, energy and effort goes into being the best at anything,” he says.
After finishing up his 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily work schedule at the garbage-truck shop, Kindt heads to the gym every day for countless one-armed pullups and wrist curls.
Kindt found his way into the unusual sport at a young age.
A friend’s father was a notable arm wrestler years ago, when it was still called “wrist wrestling,” and Kindt and his friends became fascinated with the sport.
In high school, arm wrestling became a way for Kindt and his friends to stand out.
“In high school, I was a beanpole — never really considered strong,” Kindt says.
Kindt competed in his first arm-wrestling competition in Petaluma back in 2001, at the age of 18.
The sport was still referred to as wrist wrestling in 1952 when the city began hosting its world arm-wrestling championships, which ran through 2003.
[...] the sport has steadily grown in popularity.