Q&A for How to Win at Tug of War

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Would it be effective to line people up according to height?

Community Answer

Not really, as height doesn't signify strength. It might look good, but what if the tallest person is also the weakest?

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Question

If I'm a fast runner, where should I position myself in tug of war?

Community Answer

Probably towards the middle. Being a good runner won't help too much with tug of war since it's primarily about strength, but running does build strong leg muscles so you can use those to hold your rope steady.

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Question

Would it help if one person acted as the leader to call out the movements that should be worked together?

Community Answer

Yes. For example, the leader could count to three so that you all pull as hard as you can at the same time.

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Question

Is it better to put heavier people at the ends?

Community Answer

Yes, the heaviest should go at the end to act as extra weight.

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Question

Is it legal to pull while I am seated on the ground?

Community Answer

As long as you fell during the Tug-of-War, you will be fine. Just try to get back up.

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Question

Does lifting weights help me in the tug-of-war competition?

Community Answer

Yes. As you can see in this article, you need strength by pulling and strength by keeping your position so it is 50% hands and 50% legs (Also a little bit of stable body). Therefore, if you lift weights you have 50% of what you need.

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Question

If we arrange the members in a zig zag manner, will it be more effective?

Community Answer

No, it would actually make everyone fall. If you make your team arrange in a zig zag position, you would have the strength divided and you will be pulled.

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Question

How do I tie the rope to the last person?

Community Answer

There's no rule or regulation about how to tie the rope, so you can tie it however you like. As this article has mentioned though, no player should tie their arms around the rope as it can cause accidents during the game.

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Question

Should shorter people go in the front or back?

Community Answer

I would say it depends more on their strength. The strongest people should go in the back, so if the person is short but strong, they should go in the back. If they're weaker, keep them in the front.

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Question

Should I use dirt to get a better grip on the rope?

Community Answer

No. Regardless if you are using gloves (which is recommended) or no gloves, do not use dirt.

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Question

Is it better to wear shoes or not while playing tug of war?

Community Answer

You should wear shoes with decent tread on the bottoms to avoid the possibility of slipping.

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Question

Could anything be designated a "foul" in this game?

Community Answer

Yes. Letting go of the rope and making the opponent fall is a foul. The opposing team might get injured and they will all fall. This is an automatic lose for your team. Other than that there are basically no rules. If your hands slip and they fall, however, this is not a foul as it was beyond your control.

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Question

What if I can't plant my feet into the ground because the ground is flat and hard?

Community Answer

In this case, you need to try good rubber shoes or boots. They will help you in grounding your feet.

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Question

How do I keep from sliding?

Community Answer

If you are outside you can dig your feet in the ground a little bit and when you lean back, don't lean too far.

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Question

How do I improve my grip on the rope?

Community Answer

You could use gloves. You can also do exercises to work on your grip strength.

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Question

What happens if all the power is at the front?

Community Answer

It does not matter how powerful a person is; the whole team should coordinate.

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Question

If we have a heavy person and a strong person, who goes in the very back?

Community Answer

The heavy person should go at the very back and the strong person can go wherever they want, it doesn't matter.

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Question

Is hand over hand pulling allowed?

Community Answer

Yes, it is allowed.

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Question

Is it better to put the tallest and heaviest in the back and another heavy person in front of him or spread the weight out?

Community Answer

You should put the heaviest at the back to be the anchor. The tallest should be in the middle.

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Question

What do I do if it's raining?

Community Answer

Champion American League Tug Of War (CAMLTOW) rules state it is not to be played in the rain.

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Question

How can I get a proper coaching manual?

Samantha L. Campbell

Community Answer

There are a few abridged coaching manuals available online if you search "Tug of War coaching manual." If you're looking to coach for a team that plays in a local league, contact the league to see if they have any specific manuals or rules that they require coaches to follow.

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Question

Should I arrange my team according to our weights? For example, I am not heavy but I probably have the strongest chest and legs. My friend weighs around 300 pounds, has a good grip and leg.

Samantha L. Campbell

Community Answer

Some teams choose to have the heaviest person with the most lower body strength at the back of the rope to be the anchor and hold everyone in place. It's best to stagger people based on their strength, rather than weight. That way, less strong people will stand in between stronger people.

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Question

If our opponent is stronger than us, what should we do?

Community Answer

Since tug-of-war is a strength game, if your opponents are simply stronger, they'll probably come out the winners. If you wanted an even, fun game, you could switch around some of the participants to evenly balance teams.

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Question

What is the person standing at the end of the rope called?

Community Answer

The person at the end of the rope is called the anchor.

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Question

Can I win the game even if I am weak?

Community Answer

Yes! It's a game of teamwork, it doesn't matter if one person on the team is weak. Just try your best.

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Question

How is the winner determined exactly?

Community Answer

There is a mark, like a colored strip of fabric, tied on the rope between the two teams. When this middle mark reaches far enough on either team's side, the referee will declare them the winner.

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Question

Is it good to keep the lightest person in the front during tug of war?

Community Answer

Probably. The biggest and heaviest person should go to the end to act as extra weight.

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Question

Which direction should I pull and go?

Nigah Hussain

Community Answer

Tug of War is the game to pull opposition to your own side; therefore, you need to go toward your backside. It's an interesting feature of this game: if you go back, then you've won.

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Question

How can I contribute to the strength if I am a small, weak person?

Community Answer

Sneak out to the playing field the night before and bury sticks or bricks in the ground on the side your team will be one in order to give your teams shoes a better grip on the ground.

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Question

Which side should my team line up on?

Community Answer

It does not matter which side you line up on, as long as you have your strongest people mixed in among the weaker people.

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