Terminology

The Oxford English Dictionary says that the phrase "tug of war" originally meant "the decisive contest; the real struggle or tussle; a severe contest for supremacy". Only in the 19th century was it used as a term for an athletic contest between two teams who haul at the opposite ends of a rope.^[1]

Formal rules

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Two teams of eight, whose total mass must not exceed a maximum weight as determined for the class, align themselves at the end of a rope approximately 11 centimetres (4.3 in) in circumference. The rope is marked with a "centre line" and two markings 4 metres (13 ft) either side of the centre line. The teams start with the rope's centre line directly above a line marked on the ground, and once the contest (the "pull") has commenced, attempt to pull the other team such that the marking on the rope closest to their opponent crosses the centre line, or the opponents commit a foul (such as a team member sitting or falling down).

Lowering ones elbow below the knee during a 'pull' - known as 'Locking' - is a foul, as is touching the ground for extended periods of time. The rope must go under the arms; actions such as pulling the rope over the shoulders may be considered a foul. These rules apply in highly organized competitions such as the World Championships. However, in small or informal entertainment competitions, the rules are often arbitrarily interpreted and followed.

A contest may feature a moat in a neutral zone, usually of mud or softened ground, which eliminates players who cross the zone or fall into it.

Tactics

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Aside from the raw muscle power needed for tug of war, it is also a technical sport. The cooperation or "rhythm" of team members play an equally important role in victory, if not more, than their physical strength. To achieve this, a person called a "driver" is used to harmonize the team's joint traction power. He moves up and down next to his team pulling on the rope, giving orders to them when to pull and when to rest (called "hanging"). If he spots the opponents tries to pull his team away, he gives a "hang" command, each member will dig into the grass with his/her boots and movement of the rope is limited. When the opponents are played out, he shouts "pull" and rhythmically waves his hat or handkerchief for his team to pull together. Slowly but surely, the other team is forced into surrender by a runaway pull.



Steps

1. 
   

   {"smallUrl":"http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/4/43/Play-Tug-of-War-Step-2.jpg/360px-Play-Tug-of-War-Step-2.jpg","bigUrl":"http://pad2.whstatic.com/images/thumb/4/43/Play-Tug-of-War-Step-2.jpg/760px-Play-Tug-of-War-Step-2.jpg","smallWidth":360,"smallHeight":270.26865671642,"bigWidth":760,"bigHeight":570.5671641791}
   
   
    
   You need at least two players. For an experiment, see what the difference is if you have more people on one side, or one strong person versus a weaker person, or if two people can break the rope.
    
2. 
   
   

   {"smallUrl":"http://pad1.whstatic.com/images/thumb/d/db/Play-Tug-of-War-Step-3.jpg/360px-Play-Tug-of-War-Step-3.jpg","bigUrl":"http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/d/db/Play-Tug-of-War-Step-3.jpg/760px-Play-Tug-of-War-Step-3.jpg","smallWidth":360,"smallHeight":270.26865671642,"bigWidth":760,"bigHeight":570.5671641791}
   
   Draw a line on the ground in the middle of where the rope will be. That is the line you want to pull the other player across. 
   
    
3. 
   
    

   {"smallUrl":"http://pad3.whstatic.com/images/thumb/d/d5/Play-Tug-of-War-Step-4.jpg/360px-Play-Tug-of-War-Step-4.jpg","bigUrl":"http://pad1.whstatic.com/images/thumb/d/d5/Play-Tug-of-War-Step-4.jpg/760px-Play-Tug-of-War-Step-4.jpg","smallWidth":360,"smallHeight":270.26865671642,"bigWidth":760,"bigHeight":570.5671641791}
    
   Read the rules. Let the other players know about them. They are here:
   • The object of Tug-of-War is to pull the other player or team across the center line. To do this, you must use a rope and pull against one another until they come across the line in any way, or if they choose to forfeit. Each side must have an equal amount of players, and it does not matter the physical strength or ability.
    
   
    
4. 

   {"smallUrl":"http://pad2.whstatic.com/images/thumb/8/8d/Play-Tug-of-War-Step-5.jpg/360px-Play-Tug-of-War-Step-5.jpg","bigUrl":"http://pad1.whstatic.com/images/thumb/8/8d/Play-Tug-of-War-Step-5.jpg/760px-Play-Tug-of-War-Step-5.jpg","smallWidth":360,"smallHeight":270.26865671642,"bigWidth":760,"bigHeight":570.5671641791}
    
   Play! More fun variations are included in the tips