1952-53

1!
668
TUG-OF-WAR
Old Boots—as long as the soles are reasonably good and the
boots comfortable the general condition of them does not
matter. For competition work, however, really sound boots
should be worn. They should be " broken in " beforehand.
Boots must not be " faked " in any way, i.e., the sole, heel and side
of heel must be perfectly flush. For Service Competitions, however,
the normal issue boot may be worn.
Men should be encouraged to change into vests and shorts before
doing any rope work. After training, every man should have a
good rub down.
The standard size of a Tug-of-War rope is 140 ft. long and not
less than 4 ins. in circumference. The length is immaterial as far as
training is concerned, but it is advisable to have a rope of the correct
thickness. The rope should be kept as clean as possible and all grit
removed from it. ,
No knots. or loops may be made in the rope, nor may it be locked
across any part of the body of any member of the team. Crossing
the rope over itself constitutes a loop. Any act, other than the
ordinary grip, which prevents the free movement of the rope, is a
lock. The end or Anchor man may grip the rope under the arm and
pass it over one shoulder, the remaining slack therefrom must be
free.
A derrick or gyn is useful during training. The
"t
weight " should
be an old coal box filled with scrap iron, so that the weight can be
easily varied. Wire should be used to connect the " weight " to the
Tug-of-War rope. The wire should run round the pulley at the top
of the derrick, and then round a pulley at the base
so
that the loop
to which the rope is attached is at a height of
-
not more than 18 ins.
above the ground.
TRAINING
Training
for
Tug-of-War cannot be hurried and great harm can
be done physically and morally
.
if the team is overworked at the
start. Stamina must be built up gradually, and the training in
general should start easily and get increasingly difficult as time goes
on. It takes about three to four months to get a team up to the
standard required at Olympia.
It is suggested that the training period should be divided into two
periods :
First Period
The first month should be devoted to strengthening exercises,
roadwork and mastering the technique of the rope as far as the
individual is concerned. The body should be strengthened
generally, and particular attention paid to developing the abdominal,
dorsal and heaving muscles.
Rope-climbing without the use of the legs is a good exercise for
the grip and for the heaving muscles. Roadwork will develop the
t
t