EMLENTON — To be the best, you have to beat the best.

That’s Adrian Southworth’s way of thinking when it comes to arm wrestling.

Southworth, 38, of Emlenton has been involved in the sport for four years and has a goal of competing at the world championships in Rio de Janeiro either this fall or elsewhere in the not too distant future.

His good friend and workout partner, Mike Eckman of Grove City, have worked with a contingent of arm wrestlers in Erie that include Dave Chaffee, the 2010 world champion in the 242-pound class.

“They’ve got a four-person team up there and they are all at the elite level,” Southworth said. “I feel like I’m ahead of the learning curve because of what those guys have taught me.”

Southworth has been power-lifting off and on for the past six years. Eckman got him interested in arm wrestling and Southworth has finished second at the annual East Butler arm wrestling event.

“It’s an intriguing form of competition that I really enjoy. There’s a ton of technique involved to be world-class,” Southworth said.

In tournaments, many arm wrestling marches end instantaneously. Southworth said nine seconds can be a good match and few last over a minute.

When Southworth and Eckman arm wrestled each other recently, the latter suffered a torn left triceps muscle and is out of action for a year.

The injury made a sound Southworth will never forget.

“It was like a shirt being ripped. It was a horrible sound,” he said. “He (Eckman) said it wasn’t my fault, but I felt responsible.

“I almost quit the sport. But injuries happen in it. Mike wanted me to go on and so did I. You never try to hurt somebody, but you have to be aggressive at the same time.”

Through his association with the Erie group, Southworth met and worked out with Kevin Harris, a former national champion from Nebraska.

He lost to Adis Turchnovic of Pittsburgh in the finals of the East Butler tourney last year. Turchnovic has also had success at the national level.

“I had to beat seven or eight guys to get to the finals and I held my own with Adis,” Southworth said. “I’m getting there.

“What I need most is table time, more pulling with the top guys. I’m planning on going to Erie at least every other week between now and nationals.”

Reno, Nev., will host the national arm wrestling championships in May. Anyone can enter that event, but only the top three in each weight division can advance to the world event.

Southworth tore a pectoral muscle two years ago and “I’m only getting to be 100 percent from that now.”

Southworth is 6-foot-2, 265 pounds. He pulled with 6-0, 147-pound Rodger Notwaske — another champion from Nebraska — in Erie.

“He pinned me in two seconds,” Southworth said. “That’s what great technique does. Technique is 90 percent of this sport.”

Before his injury, Southworth traveled to Atlantic City to compete in the A.C. Challenge and finished third. Eckman was second in that event and there were 96 competitors in the heavyweight division.

With his goal of competing on the world level someday, Southworth said he uses Chaffee as “a sounding board” in his efforts to get there.

“Mike and I have yet to beat him,” Southworth said. “We call him an alien because it’s un-earthlike what he can do in arm wrestling.”