Devon Larratt: Inside the Career of Arm Wrestling's 'No Limits' Legend

Ask a casual fan to name one arm wrestler and there's a good chance they'll say Devon Larratt. Nicknamed "No Limits," the Canadian puller did more than win titles — he took a niche strength sport out of smoky bars and VFW halls and put it in front of millions of people who'd never watched a match in their life.

From special forces to the table

Larratt, from Ottawa, Ontario, didn't come up through arm wrestling gyms. Before he was a full-time competitor, he served for years in the Canadian Armed Forces, including time with special operations units and overseas deployments. That background shows up constantly in how he talks about training: methodical, unsentimental, built around repeatable systems rather than raw talent alone.

He carried that mindset into arm wrestling and turned it into one of the most decorated careers the sport has seen — multiple world titles across weight classes, on both the left and right arm, at a level very few pullers ever reach in one arm, let alone both.

The match that changed everything: Larratt vs Cyplenkov

If you only watch one classic arm wrestling video, it's probably the 2011 left-arm supermatch between Larratt and Ukrainian powerhouse Denis Cyplenkov at a Vendetta All Stars event. Two of the strongest pullers on the planet, evenly matched, grinding through a set that's still cited as one of the greatest arm wrestling matches ever recorded. It didn't just settle a rivalry — it showed a new generation what the top of the sport actually looked like.

Larratt vs Björnsson: arm wrestling goes mainstream

A decade later, Larratt did something almost no other puller has managed: he pulled arm wrestling into mainstream sports media. His matches against Icelandic strongman Hafthor Björnsson — best known as "Thor" from Game of Thrones and multiple World's Strongest Man titles — drew audiences who had never followed the sport before. Larratt took the left-arm win; Björnsson answered on the right. The rematches racked up millions of views and introduced arm wrestling's East vs West storylines to an entirely new audience.

That crossover moment lined up with something Larratt had already been building for years: a YouTube channel, run with his wife Jodi Larratt, that turned training sessions, travel, and match breakdowns into regular content. It's part of why "No Limits" is a household name in strength sports circles even among people who couldn't name a single EVW weight class.

Still competing, still relevant

Most combat and strength athletes are winding down by their mid-40s. Larratt, now in his late 40s, is still stepping up to elite tables against pullers half his age — including recent East vs West meetings with Eastern European stars like Vitalii Laletin. That longevity isn't an accident; it's the same disciplined, load-managed approach to training that defined his military years, adapted to a body that's been competing at the top for over two decades.

What pullers can actually learn from him

Strip away the highlight-reel matches and Larratt's real influence is on how seriously arm wrestlers now approach training. A few habits worth borrowing:

• Train the whole system, not just grip strength. Larratt has always emphasized shoulder, back, and rotational strength alongside forearm work — arm wrestling is a full-body pull, not a wrist contest.
• Track everything. Structured programs, logged sessions, and measurable progress replaced the old "just show up and pull" culture he came up in.
• Manage recovery like an athlete, not a hobbyist. Two decades of competing at the top requires treating rest and load management as seriously as the training itself.

That last point is exactly where most amateur pullers fall short — they train hard but never log sessions consistently enough to see what's actually working. If you're serious about building strength the way top competitors do, that's the gap ArmProgress is built to close: log every pulling session, track your numbers over time, and see your progress the way athletes at Larratt's level do.

The takeaway

Devon Larratt's career is proof that arm wrestling greatness isn't just about a single gold medal — it's about longevity, cross-training discipline, and knowing how to bring a sport to an audience that's never seen it before. Whether you're chasing his level or just trying to beat your own numbers from last month, the same principle applies: train with structure, track it, and show up again.