Ropes for tug of war: choose the right one. Tug of war: rules, techniques and tricks of the competition School subject and object of intangible heritage

Take small steps back. The entire team should move in small steps so that both of the strongest muscles in the body (the hips) hold the rope on your side. If the steps are large, you are more likely to fall or trip. If you feel your team is starting to dominate, you can transition to a power retreat by slowly walking backwards sideways with your chest facing the other end of the rope.

Push off with your feet. Use all the muscles in your legs, don't relax your arms or waste energy trying to pull the rope with your hands, otherwise you will quickly become exhausted and weaken your grip. As you slowly back away, roll your shoulders back slightly. Be sure to stay in the "almost falling" position and never allow your legs or body to get behind your hands while still chugging under the rope with your arms extended in front of you. You will not be able to extract any strength from such a situation.

Work as a team. Everyone on the team must pull at the same time. Only then will you achieve the maximum strength that your team is capable of. Just like the command of a dragon boat - constant and well-coordinated movement can easily move the “boat” forward, which in this case is the opposing team.

Tug of war is a classic game often played at children's parties and family gatherings. The game involves 2 groups who stand on opposite ends of a rope and try to fight for the rope until most of it is on the winning side. However, the activity is not as simple as it seems! There are many strategies that go into winning a tug of war. Much attention should be paid to the distribution of the team and their technique.

What do I get out of tug of war?

Winning will boost your confidence. Loss teaches you to be resilient. In the meantime, you have fun exercising with your friends and it's a good muscle workout!

Working with the team

Tug of war is exclusively a team game. Therefore, the correct placement of participants is required to win. This is the secret of success. Now let's look at the technique of how to defeat any opponent with the help of proper teamwork.

1. Gather 8 people of varying sizes and strength levels

The great thing about tug of war is that you can learn to win as a group, even if you have the advantage in strength! For organized competitions, 1-2 extra people can be taken as an alternative if someone falls or misses a match.

2. The first team member is the strongest

This person will act as the group leader. As a rule, this is a well-balanced participant of average height who has participated in tug-of-war before. This person must be able to maintain a good grip on the rope and have great lower body strength.

3. Find a group leader and place him in the middle to encourage collaboration.

This is definitely a person who can inspire people to act together and believe in victory. He may be a less experienced and less powerful participant in the game. This person's job is to set the pace of the pull, while less experienced teammates can build up endurance and strength in waves. Yes account can be used. For example, the leader might count to three and have you all pull as hard as you can.

4. Place someone with good stamina behind

So what do we have? There are strong ones in front, the group leader in the center. The team will be invincible if a person with good leg and torso endurance is placed at the end of the group. In this way, he can, like an anchor, consolidate the achieved level step by step until victory.

Sometimes the anchor wraps the rope around the back, which is not prohibited by the rules, but can lead to accidents during the game.

A person as an anchor will still be effective if he has a good body weight. In this case, he will be a good fixer of the result, while the task of the strong participants is to take steps back.

5. Step by step

In this way, the leader inspires the team in jerks, taking a step back every 3-4 seconds. For added stability, chalk can be used as an additional way to improve your grip on the rope. You can buy chalk at a sporting goods and equipment store.

Tug-of-war technique

The pulling technique is also important. The technique is as follows:

• You need to firmly grasp the rope and place your hands close to each other.
• Squat and lean back, pressing your heels into the ground when the leader asks you to lunge.
• Take small steps back as a group. It may be several centimeters.

Need a good rope

And of course you will need a high-quality rope to play tug of war. The rope must be free of defects that could cause additional retention or friction. Make sure the rope is long enough to accommodate all your players. All players must have space to grab the rope and stand next to it. 10 meters will be enough for any competition.

Cotton ropes are an excellent option compared to other ropes that can cause burns. Such ropes are light and reliable. In the Sports City store you can buy tug rope at prices from the manufacturer with delivery throughout Russia!

conclusions

So, the most important thing is to pull at the same time! This is possible if there is clear coherence in the team! In this case, the force becomes 2-3 times greater than a chaotic tug of war.

Play and win!

Tug of War- one of the sports in which two teams (8 people each of a certain weight category) measure strength on a platform at least 36 meters long, tug-of-war (length - 33.5 m, circumference - 10-12.5 cm) with several marks : central and two side ones, located 4 meters from it. Before the start of the competition, the central mark is placed above a line drawn on the ground, and after the judge’s signal, each team begins to pull the rope in its direction.

This sport originated in ancient times, and at first it was part of religious ceremonies of various cults. Information about actions of this kind was found in many countries of the world: in India, Korea, Burma, New Guinea, countries of Africa and America, Hawaii and New Zealand.

Over time, tug of war lost its mystical meaning and became one of the team sports. On the walls of one of the tombs found in the Sahara, an image of this type of competition was found. In Europe there are also many references to competitions of this kind, the most ancient of which dates back to 1000 AD. As legends say, it was then that the “Games of Power” were held - sports competitions in which athletes from Germany and Scandinavia could demonstrate their prowess in many disciplines, including tug of war. In the 15th century, this type of competition was very popular in Great Britain and France, where it was called “tug-of-war” or “rope shooting” (French tir à la corde), and in the 19th century - in Russia (especially among sailors).

From 1900 to 1920, tug of war was included in the list of Olympic sports, first as one of the athletic disciplines, and since 1912 - as a separate sport. Later, due to a decrease in the number of participants, tug of war was excluded from the Olympic register, which, however, did not lead to the loss of position of this sport.

At first, tug of war was part of the association of athletics sports, but later there was a need to create independent organizations, since athletic associations paid too little attention to the development of this sport. In 1933, an independent tug of war association appeared in Sweden, in 1958 an organization of this kind was created in England, in 1959 in the Netherlands, and a year later, on the initiative of George Heaton (chairman of the Great Britain Association), the International Tug of War Federation was created ( Tug of War International Federation, TWIF).

The first international competitions in this sport (“Baltic Games”) took place in 1964 in Malm (Sweden), and a year later the first European Championship was organized in London, which was held regularly until 1975, when, after non-European countries joined the TWIF The first World Tug of War Championship was held. Since 1981, this sport has been included in the program of the World Games.

Our ancestors considered tug of war as a symbol of the struggle of mystical forces. This is true. For example, in Burma, before the onset of the rainy season, a tug-of-war competition was held, with one team symbolizing the drought, the other the saving rain. Competitions of this kind could also be a symbolic reflection of the struggle between good and evil (held during funeral ceremonies), bad weather and good weather, the fruitfulness and barrenness of the earth, etc. Nowadays, this sport has practically lost its mystical significance, but echoes of traditional rituals still exist in some places. For example, the Eskimos at spring festivals during a tug-of-war are divided into groups according to the time of birth: people born in the fall and winter compete with those born in the spring or summer.

In ancient times, there were many varieties of tug of war. This is true, there was a huge variety of both styles of dragging and the equipment used. For example, residents of Afghanistan used a board during competitions, and in Korea they held their hands on the belt of the person standing in front (as a result of this, people with the strongest grip became team captains - after all, they were the ones who served as the link with the opposing team). And the Eskimos of Canada competed in a sitting tug-of-war, one-on-one. Nowadays, in some countries, competitions of this kind are also held according to rules that are somewhat different from the generally accepted ones. For example, in Russia, during the celebration of Maslenitsa, competing teams are positioned not facing each other, but with their backs to each other. In the province of Gyeongsangnam-do (South Korea), at traditional festivals a rope is used for competitions, the diameter of which is 1.4 m, weight - 54.5 kg, length - 251 m. The weight of the equipment used during the All-Russian Summer Rural Sports Games is 720 kg. And in the city of Naha (Okinawa Prefecture, Japan) for 400 years in a row, many people have been happily taking part in the “big celebrations” of the city, and one of them is accompanied by a tug of war with a giant rope consisting of two parts, called “male” and “female” , interconnected. In 2004, thousands of residents and tourists, divided into “eastern” and “western” sides, took part in tug-of-war with this 200-meter rope weighing 40 tons. In total, this event, listed in the Guinness Book of Records, attracted about 400 thousand participants and spectators. A lighter rope (3 tons), but one kilometer long, was created in 2008 for a symbolic competition dedicated to the Beijing Olympics. The competition, held on January 9 in Changsha (Huan Province, China), was attended by 2,008 people (students, television announcers and pop stars).

The rules for tug-of-war competitions were developed at the beginning of the last century. No, the regulation of competitions of this kind began much earlier. For example, back in the 15th century, teams were made up of the same number of people of equal weight.

Victory in the competition will go to the team that drags the central mark to their side by at least a meter. This is not entirely true - in order to win the competition, the stronger team needs to pull the rope until the line drawn on the ground is crossed by the side mark on the opponent’s side (i.e. the rope will have to be pulled at least 4 meters ). Also, victory is awarded to a team if one of the opponents falls or sits down (this state of affairs is called a “foul”).

In order to successfully perform in tug-of-war competitions, you should develop tenacious and strong hands. Strong upper limbs are an important, but not the only factor. People who want to achieve victory in this sport must be harmoniously developed - strength and endurance of the muscles of the feet, hips, back and especially forearms are important. Good coordination of movements and the ability to repeatedly endure maximum power load are also required (after all, the duration of one round (pool) is 10 minutes, the match consists of 3 pools, and during the competition, which usually lasts only one day, there can be from 16 to 20 such matches ). An athlete’s resistance to stress is no less important. Therefore, training in this sport is very diverse and is a combination of strength exercises, cross training, endurance exercises and development of reaction speed with tactical and psychological training.

Only athletes of a certain height and build can participate in tug of war. No, height in this sport is not decisive. And an athlete on a given team can have almost any weight. The fact is that when determining the weight category, the weight of all team members is taken into account, and not each individual player. Therefore, people of different builds can perform on the same team. But if the team is formed, and at some point you have to look for a replacement for one of the players, close attention will really be paid to the weight of the newcomer.

The best system for tug of war competitions is elimination. This is what is used during international championships. At competitions in this sport, two systems are used: round-robin and elimination. The advantage of the knockout system is that it allows a large number of teams to take part in the competition. However, a serious drawback of this system is the elimination of inexperienced teams at the very beginning of the competition, as a result of which juniors gain almost no experience and may lose interest in this sport. The round-robin system involves each team competing with all other participants, but in the case of competitions based on this system, no more than 10 teams can take part in them. However, it is the round-robin system that is becoming increasingly popular in competitions of various kinds, since it allows a more objective assessment of the capabilities of athletes, and also provides an opportunity for inexperienced athletes to gain experience. Both national and world tug-of-war championships are held on a round-robin basis, with only the finals of the national competition using a knockout system.

Athletes participating in tug of war do not wear any protective equipment. This is not entirely true. In addition to the usual sports uniform (sports shirt, shorts and knee socks), athletes can wear protective belts (“athlete anchor” - special protective equipment, the thickness of which does not exceed 5 cm) with the condition that these devices will be hidden under the clothing of the competitors. Hooks, gloves or any other devices that reduce hand slipping are prohibited.

The shoes worn by athletes should not have any metal parts. Yes, if we are talking about competitions held indoors. In this case, the soles of athletes' shoes must be either rubber or another material that provides traction with the floor surface, but does not lead to its destruction. If competitions are held outdoors, shoes with metal heels can be used, provided that the thickness of the metal does not exceed 6.5 mm and it does not protrude beyond the bottom of the heel and the sole as a whole. But equipping shoes with a metal toe or spikes attached to the sole is prohibited.

In order to grip the rope more tightly, athletes use various substances that prevent their palms from slipping. During tug-of-war competitions, athletes can only apply rosin (a glassy substance obtained from the resin-resin of coniferous trees) to their palms. The use of any other substances that facilitate grip is prohibited.

Rope markings should be as static as possible. Wrong opinion. The marks (most often colored tape) are fixed so that if the rope is pulled or shortened, they can be easily moved to the desired place.

Tug of war is a team sport. Most often this is true; the standard number of athletes in a team is 8 people. However, sometimes competitions are held between teams of 4 people, and among people involved in bodybuilding and arm wrestling, one-on-one competitions are becoming increasingly popular.

Tug of war is an easy sport to learn. And you can’t always work at full strength - no one will notice. A completely wrong opinion. Experienced athletes claim that only after several months of regular training does a person begin to understand how to pull a rope correctly, which muscles should be used as much as possible, and how to calculate their efforts so as not to “run out of steam” after the first round of competition. And it is simply impossible to quietly loosen your grip during competitions - this cannot be hidden from team members.

If a competitor falls, his team loses. Yes, however, in the event that an athlete who has fallen or touched the ground with his knee immediately jumps to his feet, the violation (foul) will not be counted.

In Russia, tug of war has long been a very popular sport; it was included in the official register at the beginning of the last century. This is not entirely true. In Russia, competitions of this kind often accompanied various holidays and folk festivals and were especially popular among sailors. In the USSR, tug-of-war competitions were included in the program of sports competitions (regional and all-Union). However, athletes from the Soviet Union did not compete in this discipline at the Olympic Games held at the beginning of the last century, nor did they take part in international tug-of-war competitions for a long time. And the mentioned sport had to wait quite a long time for official recognition in the USSR, and then in Russia. The first regional Tug of War Federation was created in Leningrad only in 1992, at the same time the Russian Cup was held, and a year later the first Russian championship in this sport was held in the city on the Neva. The All-Russian Tug of War Federation appeared in 2004, in May 2005 it was accepted as a member of TWIF, and since 2006 athletes began to take part in the World Championships in this sport. But only on March 28, 2006, tug of war was officially recognized as one of the sports in Russia.

Like many simple hobbies, tug of war has its secrets, invisible at first glance. Focus talks about the sport of big ropes, which the Queen of England loves and in which Ukraine is no longer in the last place.

Gentleman show

“The principle is that the harder it is for you, the harder you need to push. You can growl, grind your teeth, but just don’t quit. If the team is united, they will understand your condition, support and insure you,” explains the head coach of the Ukrainian national team, Mikhail Geraskevich. Although the height of skill is considered to be the ability to hide one’s feelings. Your opponents are watching you and your partners, and they will instantly react to a second of weakness.

Rivals, by the way, can even screw you up. It is considered a vile act in tug-of-war when the clearly losing team deliberately lets go of the rope before the referee's whistle. For those on the other end, such a focus is fraught with injury. However, this is perhaps the only unscrupulous technique; otherwise, rope is a sport for the honest and polite. “In the heat of battle they would spit on their opponents or use foul language against them, I don’t know of that. In our form, fair play is not a formality,” says Geraskevich. One of the most striking manifestations of gentlemanliness in tug-of-war was the episode in the final of the World Sports Games - 2009, when the Swiss, having learned about the injury of one of their opponents in the German team, removed their man from the squad and fought on equal terms - seven on seven.

In addition to good manners, the “tractor” also needs intelligence. In rope fights at the highest level, tactics are important - the ability to quickly calculate the weaknesses and strengths of opponents, their tone in the fight (pool). For most of the pool, teams can conduct reconnaissance and study each other: once a showdown lasted for 54 minutes, this is a record. The ability to tune in to a fight, force yourself to endure, and be calm is the highest skill, requiring, in addition to strength, psychological preparation and an understanding of the philosophy of sport. “Everyone on our team has a higher education – it just so happens. We understand each other at a glance during training and during tournaments,” admits Nina Gerya, captain of the Ukrainian women’s national team.

The Case of the Cowards

Chief on the ropes. Coach of the Ukrainian national team Mikhail Geraskevich is forced to rely on enthusiasm in his work

“It’s difficult to get real rope in Ukraine. Those that we produce in Kharkov stretch and spring, and this is unacceptable,” Geraskevich describes the situation. But even if you managed to find the main weapon, an equally difficult task lies ahead - finding equipment. For rope battles on the ground, you need, for example, special boots (for the gym - no less special sneakers), which cost about a thousand hryvnia, and finding them is a problem. Our team was packed with such “shoes” only in Taiwan. It’s easier with clothes - regular sports shorts and a long-sleeve T-shirt will do. True, in problem areas - say, the armpits - you will have to sew foam protection separately. Otherwise, the rope will easily rub off the skin.

By the way, at official competitions, team members can only be replaced under the control of the judges - in front of them. This procedure is associated with a comical episode from the history of our men's team. At the 2006 World Championships in Holland, it was urgently necessary to make a replacement; for this, the athlete leaving the team had to take off his equipment, go through the weighing procedure (the replacement, according to the rules, should not be heavier) and give the equipment to a colleague. During the broadcast, it turned out that the person undressing was without underwear. The audience had fun, and the judges noted the determination of the Ukrainian participant.

But even if there is neither a rope nor panties, but there is a strong desire to be a pro in this matter, it makes sense to contact the Federation of the Strongest Athletes of Ukraine and Tug of War. It’s better to find like-minded people in advance. “We will only be glad to have another team and will try to provide all possible assistance, because we really lack competition in Ukraine,” admits Geraskevich.

Budget full of holes

Tug of war could be included in the program of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, since this sport is one of the favorite sports of Queen Elizabeth II. Alas, it hasn’t worked out yet. In our federation they assume that the reason for this is the poor funding of the rope sport throughout the world - Olympic bosses are better off focusing on those disciplines where there are many sponsors. For “tractors,” this occupation gives moral satisfaction and prestige. “It doesn’t bring in any money. An activity for pleasure, which I combine with work at the fitness club,” says Nina Gerya. Our national teams often look for funds to travel to tournaments themselves. “In our country, sports have been turned into just football - it’s the opium of the people. Moreover, if a species does not receive the attention of TV, it has no prospects for development,” says the head of the federation, Vladimir Kiba.

But even in such Spartan conditions, we are not trailing behind: our women’s team is currently fifth in the world, the men are not yet at that level, but are progressing. It is difficult to compete with Taiwan, where tug of war is a separate school subject, or Switzerland, where this sport is actively supported by the state. Perhaps something will change when ropers join the Olympic family - after all, in Ukraine, officials are more loyal to events that smell of medals at this level. As for the Olympic prospects, this is no joke, by the way: from 1900 to 1920, tug-of-war was included in the games program. A century later, this tradition may return.

Tug of war is a fun and entertaining game for children. But it is also a team sport, and it has its own tricks, subtleties and even tricks. And, of course, this cannot be done without certain rules. Violation of these rules may result in the player being disqualified, as well as the entire team being suspended from further competitions.

History of origin

Initially, tug of war was a ritual rite. It appeared in ancient times. For example, in ancient India they tried to cause rain in the dry season in this way. Over time, ritual rites underwent significant changes, and tug-of-war ceased to be something mystical. But it turned out that in one of the tombs they found a picture of several athletes pulling a rope. This was a kind of power play that became widespread in modern Europe. Tug of war competitions are now quite popular and are considered one of the most interesting team sports. Not to mention, it's a good way to have fun with friends or keep the kids occupied for a while.

Basics and Rules

Before you start the game, you need to familiarize yourself with its basics. The rules of tug of war are not at all complicated:

1. To participate, you need at least 8 people on each team (if this is a children's game, then less is possible) and one judge.
2. The tug-of-war rope must be at least 33.5 meters long and strong enough (10-12 cm thick).
3. There should be several flag marks on the rope (one strictly in the middle and the other two on the sides at a distance of 4 meters). On the ground or floor - a line above which there is a central mark.
4. At the referee’s signal, the teams begin tug-of-war, each in its own direction. The loser is the one whose extreme mark crosses the control line.
5. You cannot move your hands on the rope.
6. It is prohibited to change places during the process.
7. Do not use any means to facilitate the grip of your palms and the rope, except rosin.
8. The team whose player falls during the tug-of-war loses the competition. However, if a person touched the ground with his knee and then immediately stood up, the violation is not counted.
9. You cannot move the marks on the rope. A team caught doing this will be disqualified.
10. All players must be in the same weight category. Neither team can exceed the other in total estimated weight.

Varieties of the game

Tug of war has several varieties. For example, this game is used in physical education classes at school to train teenagers’ strength and endurance, the will to win, and team spirit. Among the official competitions, there are such subtypes as “one-on-one”, when only two players participate, and “drag-and-elimination”, when several teams participate at once.

Round game

No more than ten teams can participate. The point of the competition is that the same team takes turns (in a circle) to compete with the other nine. Leaders are determined by counting victories. Practice shows that this is the most acceptable option, since it allows even beginner teams to gain experience and not lose interest in this sport.

Elimination game

Tug of war is a game that develops not only agility and endurance, but also fosters team spirit. It is impossible to relax and play at half strength, otherwise your partners will notice it. And this is not fair to them. The knockout game is most popular in Europe at championships and various kinds. The point is that an unlimited number of teams can participate on the principle of “lost - left the competition.” Unfortunately, young and inexperienced teams often fly out of competitions very quickly, and some lose interest in the game altogether.

Technique

The tug-of-war technique is quite simple. Initially, you need to place your hands so that it is comfortable, since it will not be possible to rearrange them. Secondly, it is forbidden to wrap a rope around your hand, which means you need to position your palms so as not to get injured or tired in the process. Thirdly, the tug-of-war technique involves a lot of stress on the legs. Stand so that your feet are shoulder-width apart, but your leading leg is slightly in front (for a left-handed person, for example, this is mostly the left leg). Bend your knees slightly to gain stability. To really have a chance of winning, you need to create a truly team game, the movements of each player must be synchronous and coordinated. Only this can ensure a good result.

Tricks

There are little tricks that can lead a team to victory in a tug of war. Firstly, you need to line up according to height (from shortest to tallest). This will ensure uniform pulling of the rope and correct distribution of forces in the team. Secondly, the one who stands first (closer to the central mark) can afford not only to press his feet into the ground with all his strength, but also to practically lie on his back while pulling. All the power emphasis falls on this player. It would not be amiss to choose the most persistent and strong one in his place. Third, position the team players in (one on each side of the rope). This ensures force distribution and ease of pulling. Fourth, pull in small jerks. The more there are, the greater the chances of winning. Fifthly, a strong opponent can be bypassed by cunning. Hold your side, but don't pull too hard on the rope. Let your opponents run out of steam to turn the game in your favor. These small tricks will help, if not win, then significantly increase your chances of winning.

How to entertain children with this game

Children always have enough energy. And in order to put it into a peaceful direction, you can invite them to play this simple game. Remember that tug-of-war requires a very strong rope so that it does not break during the process and injure the players. Explain the rules to the children, distribute them into teams, and give them a start. Tell them that you cannot let go of your hands during tug-of-war, otherwise there is a risk of falling yourself or dropping and injuring your opponent. For a home game, four children are enough, who will happily try their hand. Control marks can be made from colored ribbons (secure them statically so that they do not move). Supervise children to ensure they follow the rules and do not accidentally injure themselves or others. Don't judge strictly, but be fair. This game will help unite children, develop team spirit and have fun and useful time.