Post by Kev on May 5, 2004 6:38:45 GMT -5
From Garston, south Liverpool
CLASSICALLY-trained violinist Daniel Axworthy has found a unique way to strengthen his fiddler's elbow - world championship arm-wrestling.
The former member of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra has already been crowned British Novice Arm Wrestling Champion.
And last month he beat off some of Europe's finest to clinch a bronze medal at the Swiss Open Championships.
Now, Daniel, 43, who has recorded movie soundtracks and is one of the North West's leading session violin players, will take on the current world arm-wrestling champion at a bout in Manchester.
The father-of-one, recently played the violin on the soundtrack to the film The Virgin of Liverpool and has played with pop group China Crisis and Liverpool-born singer Jennifer Ellison.
Less than a year ago, 10-and-a-half stone Daniel, from Garston, south Liverpool, agreed to a bet with a group of friends which saw him arm-wrestling a 17-stone nightclub bouncer during a night out in Liverpool city centre.
After a sensational victory his friends persuaded him to train as a competitive arm-wrestler.
Daniel, who works with orchestra and recital groups across the North West, said: "It was always something I was very good at.
"I could always win arm-wrestling fights with normal people but last year I decided to take it a bit more seriously.
"I've been training now for seven months at a gym in Blackburn.
"My mentor has been Neil Pickup, who is a former world champion.
"I managed to beat the bouncer with no real technique, so I thought if I trained properly I could become really good at this.
"There has been plenty to learn and it will take years before I hit top form."
He says the regular bouts have strengthened his fingers, hands and arms and improved his violin playing.
"The arm-wrestling really helps my playing. A lot of people think it is all about arm strength but it is important to have strength in the little finger and the finger next to it," he said.
"My training for arm-wrestling is often about strengthening those two fingers and that helps violin playing."
Daniel, who plays a violin once used by 1970s progressive rock group ELO, currently splits his time between recording studio string arrangements with renowned German conductor Sebastian Morawietz, violin teaching and training for the Arm Wars championship.
The competition in Manchester later this month will probably pitch Daniel against world bantam-weight world champion Steve Rogers.
Daniel added: "I have to get in lots of practice for arm-wrestling so I try and spend time doing shadow arm-wrestling in the rests between musical movements.
"The Arms Wars will be a really big test for me. I'm likely to face Steve Rogers but if I miss him, I could progress quite far in the tournament."
His ambition is to compete in the US - where every state has its own championships - and wrestle at the 2006 World Championships in Manchester.
CLASSICALLY-trained violinist Daniel Axworthy has found a unique way to strengthen his fiddler's elbow - world championship arm-wrestling.
The former member of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra has already been crowned British Novice Arm Wrestling Champion.
And last month he beat off some of Europe's finest to clinch a bronze medal at the Swiss Open Championships.
Now, Daniel, 43, who has recorded movie soundtracks and is one of the North West's leading session violin players, will take on the current world arm-wrestling champion at a bout in Manchester.
The father-of-one, recently played the violin on the soundtrack to the film The Virgin of Liverpool and has played with pop group China Crisis and Liverpool-born singer Jennifer Ellison.
Less than a year ago, 10-and-a-half stone Daniel, from Garston, south Liverpool, agreed to a bet with a group of friends which saw him arm-wrestling a 17-stone nightclub bouncer during a night out in Liverpool city centre.
After a sensational victory his friends persuaded him to train as a competitive arm-wrestler.
Daniel, who works with orchestra and recital groups across the North West, said: "It was always something I was very good at.
"I could always win arm-wrestling fights with normal people but last year I decided to take it a bit more seriously.
"I've been training now for seven months at a gym in Blackburn.
"My mentor has been Neil Pickup, who is a former world champion.
"I managed to beat the bouncer with no real technique, so I thought if I trained properly I could become really good at this.
"There has been plenty to learn and it will take years before I hit top form."
He says the regular bouts have strengthened his fingers, hands and arms and improved his violin playing.
"The arm-wrestling really helps my playing. A lot of people think it is all about arm strength but it is important to have strength in the little finger and the finger next to it," he said.
"My training for arm-wrestling is often about strengthening those two fingers and that helps violin playing."
Daniel, who plays a violin once used by 1970s progressive rock group ELO, currently splits his time between recording studio string arrangements with renowned German conductor Sebastian Morawietz, violin teaching and training for the Arm Wars championship.
The competition in Manchester later this month will probably pitch Daniel against world bantam-weight world champion Steve Rogers.
Daniel added: "I have to get in lots of practice for arm-wrestling so I try and spend time doing shadow arm-wrestling in the rests between musical movements.
"The Arms Wars will be a really big test for me. I'm likely to face Steve Rogers but if I miss him, I could progress quite far in the tournament."
His ambition is to compete in the US - where every state has its own championships - and wrestle at the 2006 World Championships in Manchester.
