[Physics] Why do people with bigger hands/wrists have bigger torque advantages in arm wrestling

Question

I have arm wrestled people with less strength than me who win simply because they have thicker wrists, or larger hands. It has nary to do with having better technique either, because their wrist size alone seems to be a big advantage.

I want to know why, as explained by physics, why the torque they produce is so much larger, even with less muscular force by the axis than with me having greater strength, but smaller wrists & hands?

For example, I have 7-inch wrists, and 7.2-inch hands.

My opponent has 8-inch wrists, and 8.2-inch hands.

They have been tested to have less physical power in every muscle group used in arm wrestling compared to me, yet, they win, and they have no technical advantage over me in the sport either.

I have noticed that this advantage goes beyond arm wrestling, but to ANY angular/torque-like position of some grasping another's hand/wrist outwards in front of their bodies:

Please tell me why this is.

EXTRA: This question, or a question of this nature, has never been asked on this site, so please cut me some slack here! I know the question is poor at best, but some insight would be nice!

Answer 1

There are many variables that come into play in an armwrestling match, but one answer as to why a person with a larger hand and wrist has an advantage in armwrestling has less to do with strength, and more to do with leverage. In armwrestling, you and your opponent lock hands and attempt to pin each other to a pad on either side of the table. To pin your opponent, you must pull his arm/hand down. Doing so requires not only enough strength to move his arm, but also a secure grip of his hand and wrist. The simple fact that a thick hand and wrist are more difficult to maintain a secure grip on give a person with a thick hand an advantage, and the fact that a long hand can cover more of an opponent's hand gives the person with a longer hand an advantage. Imagine palming a basketball vs palming a shot put. Why is it more difficult to maintain control of a 22 ounce basketball with one hand than it is to maintain control of a 16 pound shot put? You can get a more secure grip on the shotput, that's why.