3 Ways To Win at Tug of War

11/10/22, 4:12 PM 3 Ways to Win at Tug of War - wikiHow
How to Win at Tug of War

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Tug of war is a classic game that's frequently played at children's parties and family
gatherings. In a game of tug of war, 2 teams stand at opposite ends of a rope and try to
tug the rope until the majority of it is pulled over their side of the center line or marker.
However, the game isn't as easy as it seems! There's plenty of strategy that goes into
winning tug of war, and a lot of it has to do with the team's positioning and their
technique.
Method
Method 1 of 2:
1
Positioning the Team
Gather 8 people of varying sizes and strength levels. The great thing
1 about tug of war is that you can learn how to win as a team, even if you
don't have the strongest people on your side! For organized leagues, you
might also want to recruit 1-2 extra people as alternates in case someone gets
hurt or has to miss a match.[1]
If you're planning to play in a league, make sure the combined weight of
the people on your team is less than the stated rules, which can vary
depending on the age group.
Place a more experienced team member at the front to lead the tug.
2 This person will act as the “leader” of the group. Choose someone who is
a medium height for the team and has played tug of war before. This person
should be able to keep a good grip on the rope while in a squatting position
and have a lot of lower body strength to keep the front of the line from
becoming too strained.[2]
It might be helpful to have the teammates stand from tallest to shortest and
then pick one of the people close to the middle to be the lead tugger.
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Stagger the middle teammates based on their skills to encourage

3 teamwork. Position a less experienced member in between 2 more
experienced members of the team so they can communicate throughout the
https://www.wikihow.com/Win-at-Tug-of-War 1/5
game. That way, the knowledgeable teammates can set the pace of the tug
and less experienced teammates can work on building up endurance and
strength.[3]
Talking and communicating throughout the game can be helpful for some
members, but remember not to give away your strategy to the other team!
Position someone with good endurance at the back of the team.

4 Choose someone with good lower body strength and put them at the end
of the rope so they can “anchor” the team. Make sure they're strong enough to
continually pull the team back while maintaining a tight grip on the rope.
In general, the anchor normally wraps the rope around their back and
keeps the team moving backward.
Normally, the anchor will set the pace for the tugging by taking a step back
every 3-4 seconds. If the rest of the team can't keep up, it's up to the
anchor to keep their grip and slow down so the rest of the team can
reposition themselves.
Tip: Try putting your heaviest teammate at the back of the rope as the
anchor. They can help pull the rest of the team backward when they lean
back.
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Method
Method 2 of 2:
2
Perfecting Your Technique
Grip the rope firmly with your palms up and hands positioned close
1 together. Stand on the left side of the rope and pick up the rope with your
right hand. Cradle the rope with your palm up, and place your left hand either
right in front or right behind your right hand. Close your fist around the rope so
that your thumbs are facing upward.
Some sources recommend dusting your hands with chalk to help you grip
the rope. This works well for some people, but you can still win without it!
Warning: Avoid wrapping the rope around your hands to grip it. While it
may seem like a good idea, if the rope begins to slip, you can strain your
wrists or break a bone.
Squat and lean back to dig your heels into the ground when the
2 whistle blows. When you line up for the game, position your feet so that
they're about shoulder-width apart, and squat down so your knees are bent
slightly. When the game begins, lean back at a 45-degree angle with your back
straight to dig your heels into the ground and hold yourself in place. Don't pull
or tug on the rope just yet, and instead let your weight do the work for you![4]
If you bend your back or knees too much, you can cause unnecessary
muscle strain, which can harm your endurance.
Take small steps backward as a team, digging in with your heels.

3 Before the match, talk to your teammates and plan to take a step back
every 3-4 seconds, starting with your left foot. When the game starts, carefully
lift and plant your left heel about 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) behind where it
began. Then, repeat this with the right heel to slowly move backward, moving
the other team. If you can, try taking larger steps as the opposing team begins
to get tired.[5]
You shouldn't be pulling or tugging on the rope. Instead, just hold it tightly
and keep it close to your body as you move back.
You can talk to the player in front of you and listen to the player behind you
throughout the game. However, avoid saying things like “pull” or “move
back” during the game, as the other team might hear you and have time to
get into a better position.
Keep your left leg straight and push off of it as you move back to
4 counterattack. If you're losing your footing, try turning your body toward
the rope on your right side to set up a counterattack move. Dig your left foot
into the ground horizontally to slow any forward movement, and push off of it to
propel your body backward. Shuffle your feet back 1 inch (2.5 cm) at a time as
you push yourself backward.
If you can't pull back, just try to stay in place until the other team gets too
tired to keep pulling. Then, it might be easier to start moving again.
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Community Q&A
Question
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?
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.
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.
See more answers
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Tips
Warnings
Never wrap the rope around your hands to tug. This can cause you to strain
your wrist or break a bone in your hand.
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References
1. https://www.csuci.edu/recreation/basictugofwarrules.pdf
2. https://www.menshealth.com.sg/fitness/tug-war-tougher-you-think/
3. https://www.menshealth.com.sg/fitness/tug-war-tougher-you-think/
4. https://youtu.be/6YNLwicEaG4?t=39
5. https://youtu.be/6YNLwicEaG4?t=76
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11/10/22, 4:12 PM 3 Ways to Win at Tug of War - wikiHow

How to Win at Tug of War

Stagger the middle teammates based on their skills to encourage

Position someone with good endurance at the back of the team.

Take small steps backward as a team, digging in with your heels.

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

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

See more answers

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