Devon Larratt: The World’s Greatest Arm Wrestler | E63

Welcome to another episode of In Search of Excellence! My guest today is Devon Larratt, one of the greatest arm wrestlers in the world.Devon is a Canadian professional arm wrestler and a former member of the Canadian Army Forces. He has won multiple world championships and is considered to be one of the best arm wrestlers of all time. He is also a fantastic person and one of the most entertaining and charismatic sports figures!We talk about this very unusual sport, his grandmother who was “the best arm wrestler in Alberta," underground arm wrestling competitions, his military career, and more!Time stamps:00:00 Is arm wrestling really a sport?Arm wrestling is a very simple sportIt has federations with rule setsIt is done on a professional tableThe size of the arm wrestling tableThe elbow must stay on 7” plain surfaceWhat does it take to winNeutral position startTake a grip, ready go, pin your opponent, win the match Advantages and disadvantages of different anatomiesHow Sylvester Stallone influenced arm wrestlingThe movie Over the Top09:39 How popular is arm wrestling in US?It is very popular, but doesn’t have government support3 prominent professional leaguesArmors, King of the Table, East vs. WestAmateur arm wrestling – WAF and IFAArm wrestling as a sport is growingWorld Arm Wrestling LeagueThe deciding factor is does it bring moneyToday it does have sponsors13:50 Devon’s backgroundGrew up in Big Island, Ontario on a farmHe was a high energy kidHis grandma was an arm-wrestlerNever beat his grandma in arm wrestlingHis brother showed him The Pumping Iron bookWas fascinated with Arnold SchwarzeneggerIdentified strength with being a manObsessed with strength, fitness, performanceTraining from a very young ageAfter high school worked in oil fieldTon of young man worked thereHe arm wrestled with them and beat everybodyDion Angel was unbeatableAt the time, arm wrestling was completely underground25:08 Are mentors necessary for success?A goal is a light in the distanceSometimes you meet people who have been where you are goingThey can be amazing guides Dion was one of those peopleMentors provide guidance and save you timeWith Internet mentors are much more available27:30 Joining the Canadian MilitaryJoined the army in 1996Combat tours are scaryIt takes time to develop psychological strength to fight Spent 20 years in arm forcesComplications from arm wrestling made him leaveYou chose to serve your country and fightBeing shot you realize how lucky you areStuck for 4 days, had to take extremely strong antibioticsDestroyed gut flora and was sick for 6 monthsBeing a follower and a desire to be the best41:49 Devon’s vision of war and sportsLife is a gift and one of our jobs is to be happyOne key to happiness to find things that make you happyDevon was always attracted to fightingAbout Randall Kaplan: Randall Kaplan is a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, executive coach, co-founder of Akamai Technologies, founder and CEO of JUMP Investors, and host of In Search of Excellence. Through his Extreme Preparation™ methodology, he helps founders, executives, business owners, and ambitious professionals improve strategy, communication, decision-making, and execution.Coaching and Staying Connected:1-on-1 Coaching | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | LinkedIn | X