Win at Tug of War
Tug of war is a classic game that has been played at children's parties and family gatherings for years. To win the game, all your team has to do is to prove stronger than the other team by pulling the rope over to their side. However, if you want to make sure you win, then you have to know all of the tricks. If you want to win at tug of war, just see Step 1 to get started.
Steps
- Maximize your team's strength. You should put the strongest person in the back so that he can use his strength the most and will have the least chance of slipping. Some people say you should put the strongest person in front; the problem with that is that if this player slips up, you will lose your strongest player right off the bat. You can put the strongest person in the back while keeping one of the other strong players up front. In general, you should mix up your weakest and strongest players so you don't have a row of several weak players keeping you down.
- If each end of your rope has a loop to place a player in, then your strongest player should go into the loop.
- Get in the right position. First off, do not wrap the rope around your hands or wrists. This is guaranteed to harm you and possibly lead to a broken bone or a sprain. You should hold the rope with an underhand grip, keeping your arms as extended as you can so you can lean back most effectively. Remember that winning tug of war isn't about using your hands to pull the rope; it's about using your legs to push against the ground while holding onto the rope with your hands. If you plan to win just by pulling, you will get tired -- fast.
- Keep your arms and body almost straight as you lean backwards with your upper body while planting your feet into the ground, using both of your legs as anchors. Pretend like you're sitting back into a seat that is very reclined.
- Your feet should be positioned a little wider than shoulder width apart.
- You and your teammates will all be positioned on one side of the rope, with your arms gripping the rope from both sides.
- Take small steps backward. Everyone should move in small baby steps so that both of the strongest muscles in the body (the thighs) can keep the rope on their side. If you take huge steps, you'll be much more likely to fall or trip. If you feel that your team is really beginning to dominate, you can do the power walk, by slowly walking backward sideways, with your chest facing the other side of the rope.
- Push back with your legs as much as you can. Use all your leg muscles; arms should be locked out; don’t waste energy trying to pull with your arms or you will quickly run out of energy and will lose your grip. As you slowly walk backwards with your feet, rotate your shoulders backward slightly as you inch your arms and legs backwards. Make sure to always remain in the "nearly falling" seated position, and to never let your legs or body get behind your arms, so that you're scrunched up under the rope with your arms ahead of you. You won't be able to get any power from this position.
- Use teamwork. Everyone should pull at the same time. This will generate the maximum amount of force that your team is supposedly capable of. Much like a dragon boat team, a good fluid and coordinated motion can easily propel "the boat", which in this case the opposing team forward.
- Keep practicing. It may take a while for your team to find a winning rhythm. As you practice together more as a team, you will find the best coordination and the best order of team members that will lead to your success. Don't get frustrated right away; once you master the technique and the teamwork, you'll be well on your way to being tug-of-war champions!
Tips
- Try digging your feet into the ground when you pull.
- Always work together as a team. No one person, no matter how strong, can win tug of war by themselves.
- Use your arm muscles and leg muscles to push as hard as possible back with a rhythm that you and your team can come up with during practice.
- Try pulling hard at once as a team to maximize your strength to win the game.
- Try to find a good strong support, such as a rock on the ground.
Warnings
- Keep your back as straight as possible; most injuries in Tug Of War are caused by people trying to pull using their back.
- You can get hurt while doing this, do not use gloves(these might make the rope to slip) and be careful.
- Use a safe rope, preferably a POWERPULL tug of war rope. They ensure safe fun, with no rope burns or scrapes. These are the newest in technology in tug of war ropes.
- Also if the other team is stronger than you then you definitely won't win with this technique!
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