The Covid lockdowns have had many knock-on effects – but perhaps one of the less well-known is a boom in arm wrestling contests.

Our reporter Brad Harper went along to one of the sport’s “grand slams” in Whitstable at the weekend and tried to get to grips with the strange new craze gaining popularity in Kent...

The two men wrap hands on a steel-framed table, poised like cobras ready to fight to the death.

The crowd jeers at one of the competitors: “Look how much he’s sweating!”

One onlooker drops to his knees near the small stage to ensure his pal’s opponent doesn’t lift his arm from the elbow pad – for which a foul can be given.

They are facing each other with their bent elbows placed on the table and hands firmly gripped.

The men tangle one leg around the table for support and tense their arms as the referee makes last-second adjustments before shouting: “Ready... go!”

Both hands swing violently towards the crowd and are just inches away from the pin pad, which would mean a win for the more baby-faced player.

But his brawny opponent, who had been mocked for his excessive sweating, brings the arms back towards the stage and finally sinks his opponent’s hand down onto the table.

I’m at Seaview Holiday Park near Whitstable, where more than 40 people from across the UK are competing in the Beast of the Beach arm wrestling competition – a sport usually reserved for settling petty disputes.

The air is rife with the stench of body odour and beer as friends, family and fellow entrants watch the action on the clubhouse’s stage.

It is the first time in years that such a competition has been held in Kent, with the sport reportedly booming in the county since the Covid lockdowns.

Michael Britchfield co-founded the Gravesend-based Bulks Gym Arm Wrestling in 2021 with Bulgarian national champion Slavi Zarahrive.

“There was a corny film in 1987 with Sylvester Stallone called Over the Top,” the 59-year-old tells me.

“After that, they held the world championships just down the road in Gillingham. I thought it was going to take off then but it didn’t.

“It is quite harsh on the system and it does hurt on occasions. But over the past four years, clubs from miles will chuck their names into a hat and be paired with someone with similar size and ability so we get good quality matches.”

The club in Gravesend now has 20 members of varying shapes and sizes as the sport isn’t just for those boasting Love Island-type bods.

In fact, there are women, over-60s and youngsters here at the competition in Whitstable.

The European Grandmaster champion, crowned last month, happens to be a retired grandad who got into the sport three years ago following a near-death experience.

Mark Waldon, 53, reveals how his granddaughter calls him “The Hulk” and his seven-year-old grandson always beats him.

“Three years ago, I was on my deathbed from Covid,” the grandad says.

“I was watching arm wrestling videos on YouTube and I thought it was a great sport.

“When I was well enough, I started training at Milton Keynes Arm Wrestling Club.

“I lost my first few competitions but then I started winning.

“I went to the European Championships last month in Finland and I won the Grandmasters.”

He tells me he wanted to win the competition for his dad who sadly died a few weeks before.

The sport doesn’t come without its risks. Mark has already racked up a number of injuries, including tearing a ligament in his elbow before Christmas.

“I have a few injuries now, purely because I have done too many pulls recently,” he adds.

“I need a couple of weeks rest from the table and I’ll be fine.”

There are plenty of videos online of horror arm wrestling injuries, which I’m told are very rare by those gathered here.

But Mr Britchfield adds: “I have never seen an injury but I heard one.

“I was in south London and I thought someone had been shot but it was someone’s arm breaking. It was horrible.”

He explains the main injury is distal biceps tendonitis, which is a pain at the front of the elbow and upper arm caused by swelling.

But for many, the fact the sport is so physically demanding is one of the key attractions.

Denis Lisicins, from Gravesend, explains how he does arm exercises three times a week.

“The sport is madness and there is nothing like it around,” the 38-year-old says.

“You have pain during the day and during the night. I would like to become stronger.”

Meanwhile, European champion Mark Waldon says there are 1,001 ways to train but the key to success is “dedication”.

“I train twice a day,” he says. “I do half-an-hour in the morning and an hour to an hour-and-a-half in the gym every day of the week.

“If you can stick to your training, you will definitely get stronger.”

At the side of the stage, I’m shown all sorts of training equipment which are specially designed to improve arm and hand strength.

But I’m told normal training is similar to other sports where competitors attend the gym a few times a week.

They limit the amount of “table work” they do, which is the amount of time they practice with other arm wrestlers, due to how taxing it is on the body.

Scientist Charlotte Byford is one of the few women in the UK who competes in the sport, but she tells me how she “pulls” - which means arm wrestles - with men.

The 28-year-old, who lives in Broadstairs, got into it two years ago when her ex-boyfriend showed her videos on YouTube.

“I was really ignorant to it and I thought it was a meathead sport,” she says.

“But then I saw the little guys beating the big ones, and he explained it was all about the technique.”

The former footballer says she got involved after “pulling” with her boyfriend who encouraged her to get into it.

“I have only competed in one supermatch but I’m going to America in a few weeks for my second one,” she added.

“I have pulled with men but I don’t think they want me to.

“I have just been to Sweden for a training session. The women out there are elite so it was really daunting.”

She says while she is focused on getting better, she wants to encourage more women to get involved in the future.

And inclusivity is a topic many competitors are passionate about and they stress how the sport is open to anyone.

Organiser Dubs O’Driscoll, from Circle of Arms, says the popularity has grown “exponentially” since the lockdown where people had free time to do research.

And he believes a lot of people “stumbled into the sport by accident”.

“One of the things I was attracted to was not always seeing the bigger person or gym guy win the match,” he says.

“You would see a bodybuilder against a smaller human and think the big guy will win easily. But the match happens and the small guy wins.

“This time last year I was facing one of Britain’s strongmen - I think he got fifth or sixth in a strongman competition.

“I was holding him and I’m looking at this giant of a man thinking it shouldn’t be happening.

“We have strong female arm wrestlers here today who could beat the average man easily.

“It is just a really inclusive sport. If you have an arm, you can compete.”

From my experience at Saturday’s event, I think respect is the key to the sport’s success.

Apart from some banter, players are incredibly civil to each other, shake hands after matches and support each other at the sideline.

There is also the chance to practice before a match or continue the fun after on tables set up in the wings, which I feel helps reinforce the community-feel the event has.

But ultimately, players all share one key goal: to be stronger, which puts them in a better place to win.

Denis, who moved from Russia to the UK 13 years ago, probably sums arm wrestling up the best.

“It is a very private sport as you’re standing man-to-man,” he says.

“You have to not be scared of losing or winning – you have to be ready for that.

“It’s a nice sport but it can be painful.”