I'm Just Saying with arm wrestler Kent Borowski DaMore

At some point in the near future, you might see Kent Borowski DaMore of McHenry on your TV screen. This year, he traveled to Las Vegas for a casting call to compete in the second season of AMC’s reality show titled “Game of Arms.” Borowski DaMore is a longtime arm wrestler after stumbling into the sport as a teenager. He also recently signed a three-year contract to compete in tournaments with the World Armwrestling League. On Aug. 23, he is scheduled to compete in a tournament at the Hard Rock Cafe in Chicago. He typically competes in about 14 to 16 tournaments a year. To help grow the sport’s popularity, he also hosts arm wrestling seminars Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at the Long Shot Sports Pub in Lakemoor.

I started at age 19. I was at an arm wrestling tournament at a bar in Crystal Lake called the White Buffalo. We were doing a co-ed thing on an arm wrestling machine. Me and a girl against a guy and a girl. The guy across from us got his arm broken. I went to leave the bar because I didn't want to hurt anybody. Then about 30 guys were chasing me. Me and my girlfriend ran to the car. We got in, then they came to the window and said you have to come back. I said, 'What's the deal?' 'We're from the Midwest Arm Wrestling Association. This is your first tournament and we want you to join our club.' So, I get back into the tournament, everyone dropped out of the class and we automatically won first place.

My favorite thing is winning. But if you were to come out and see these guys, it's really insane. We're on the table for 30 seconds and we hate each other's guts. But as soon as we get off the table, it's one big family. All these guys help each other train. And everybody knows when somebody is getting married, or somebody is having a baby. That's an important part to me, how good these people really are.

It's how dedicated these guys have to be to compete in arm wrestling. It's hours and hours of training. Not only just going to the gym three times a week, but it's also arm wrestling a couple times a week on top of it. It's a little more dedication than even a weightlifter prepares. I train with some guys who are just absolute beasts. It's hard for me to get a pool in this area, but I've kinda been dominating this Illinois area for years, so it's hard to get someone to compete with. I have my own arm wrestling table in my living room with all kinds of contraptions that I use to make me a better arm wrestler. It's as simple as a bucket of sand. You're watching TV with a bucket of sand and reach in and squeeze to get your hand stronger. Do that for about 30 minutes straight.

When I was raised, my mother was left-handed and my sisters were right-handed. So my mom would teach me how to do things left-handed and my sisters right-handed. I go both arms. You have better chances of winning because you're in different classes, so I guess it's an advantage.

• I'm Just Saying is a regular Sunday feature. If there's someone you'd like to see featured, write to me at jkaufman@shawmedia.com or send me a message on Twitter @joeyrkaufman.