People have been testing their strength through tug-of-war competitions since 500BC. It’s a simple procedure. You take a long piece of rope and have two teams with each team grabbing opposite ends. Both teams pull the rope as hard as they can in opposite directions. The winner is the team that pulls the other team over to its side. The game can be over very quickly. Sometimes it takes much longer. But it’s great entertainment, with people cheering and encouraging their favourite team.

These days, tug-of-war competitions are often seen as entertainment at festivals and fairs. Not so long ago, it was taken much more seriously. In fact, between 1900 and 1920, tug of war was an Olympic sport. After the 1920 Olympics, the Organising Committee decided there were too many sports within the Olympic Games. Thirty-three sports were removed, including tug of war. As a result, many different countries began creating their own Tug of War Associations.

Tug of War competitions are usually based on the weight of each team. At tug-of-war events, there are scales on which each team member is weighed. There are usually eight members of a pulling team. You would think that the heavier a person was, the more likely they would be to find a place in the team. However, fitness and all-round body strength are extremely important. Long-distance running is good training for a champion tug-of-war team. Sprint training designed to burn fat and build muscle, cycling and weight training are also recommended.

To increase the chances of a tug-of-war team winning, it is important that the team works together. Each team member should remain in the same pulling position as the others and all work together as if they were a machine. Discipline is very important – just like most other sports.

And like all other sports, there are rules to be followed. The events should take place on a flat and open area of grass. The rope should be a minimum of 36 metres in length and no more than 12.5 centimetres in circumference. Team members should not wear football boots with studs or running spikes.

Question:

Watch the different techniques used by the tug of-war teams at the Scottish National Tug o’ War Championship in 2019

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