Introduction and Context

• Part 2 of rudimentary games series on "Stuff You Should Know" podcast
• Hosts: Josh Clark, Charles "Chuck" Bryant, Jerry (producer)
• Following up on rock paper scissors discussion
• Squid Game influence on renewed tug of war interest

Historical Background

• Universal game spanning millennia across cultures
• Vikings and Nordic sports practiced it across streams
• British Navy 1845: settled propeller vs paddle wheel ship debate via tug of war (propeller won)
• India: Rasakashi tradition from Punjab region
  • Still featured on modern game shows with serious competition
  • Konark Sun Temple (13th century) depicts tug of war on walls
• Native American tribes may have played before European colonization
• Sometimes used as friendlier alternative to violence for settling disputes

Major Festival Traditions

• Korea: Kijisi Jewol Darigi Festival (14th century origin)
  • 200 meter long rope (600 feet)
  • 1 meter thick, weighing 40 tons
  • Hundreds of participants with smaller ropes attached
  • Rope constructed annually
• Japan: Naha, Okinawa festival (17th century)
  • East vs West town sides
  • 1995 world record: 270,000 attendance, 15,000 participants
  • Rope stored in hangar between events
  • Community building focus over competition

Olympic History (1900-1920)

• 20-year Olympic period, frequently dissolved teams
• One Olympics only awarded gold and silver (only 2 teams remaining)
• 1908 Olympics: British police teams swept podium
  • Liverpool Police (silver), City of London Police (gold), Metropolitan Police K Division (bronze)
  • Big boots controversy with US team protest
  • Police training included tug of war for sail hoisting skills
• Club teams allowed, not national teams
• Often secondary to other events (shot putters pulled from teams)

Modern Organization and Rules

• Tug of War International Federation (TWIF) founded 1960 by George Hutton and Swedes
• 1999: IOC recognition of TWIF
• 2001: IOC stated need for better funding and international participation
• 73 countries are TWIF members as of 2020
• September 2022: World Championships in Netherlands

Competition Specifications

• 8 people per team in international competition
• Weight classes required (combined team weight limits)
• Rope specifications:
  • 33.5 meters long (110 feet)
  • 10-12.5 centimeters circumference (4-5 inches)
  • Natural fiber mandatory (less prone to snapping/stretching)
  • No knots allowed
• Center line marked on rope, 4 meters to sidelines each direction

Rules and Techniques

• Palms up grip only (no hand-over-hand climbing)
• Anchor person only one allowed to wrap rope (figure-8 pattern over shoulder, around back, under armpit)
• No lying down, must stay on feet
• Coach/driver coordinates unified pulls during rest periods
• Matches: best 2 out of 3 pulls
• Scoring: 3 points for 2-0 win, 1 point each for 1-1 tie
• "No pull" call for stalemates or non-participation

Equipment and Strategy

• Footwear crucial for friction and grip
• Heavy boots allowed outdoors (regulated for competition)
• Supportive gear: belts, knee pads, weight belts permitted
• Leg power primary force (not arm strength)
• Strategy focus on unified timing and positioning

Squid Game Analysis

• Strategy shown: lean back, look up, sit still initially
• Coordinated rope release to unbalance opponents
• Espar magazine study tested strategy with mixed results
• Theory suggests initial stance could work but not as dramatically portrayed

Safety Concerns and Injuries

• Rope snapping major danger (synthetic ropes worse due to stored energy)
• 1997 Taipei incident: 2 people lost arms from rope snap
• Amputation risks from wrapping rope around hands/wrists
• Crushing/trampling when large groups fall backward
• Guinness World Record attempts particularly dangerous
• Death cases reported from rope snap incidents

Current Status

• Regular competitions continue (Sundays 11 AM standard time)
• Local leagues exist alongside dart/bocce/kickball recreational sports
• Military still uses for training and morale building
• Not exciting enough for Olympic reinstatement despite recognition