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Team relay

Tug of War

Also called Hilahan ng Lubid, Hilahang Lubid, Rope pull

Two teams pull opposite ends of a rope; the first to drag the center marker over their line wins.

people
8–40
time
15 min
energy
High
materials
Cheap to buy
Kids-safeHR-safeChurch-safe
Watch it played
What you need4
How to play4

Before you start

Lay the rope straight on flat grass with the ribbon over the center line. Mark a line 2 m from center on each side. Balance the teams by number and roughly by size.

  1. 1Each team lines up on its half, holding the rope with both hands, palms up, one player behind the other.
  2. 2On the whistle, both teams pull. Feet stay on the ground; no sitting or lying down.
  3. 3A team wins the pull when the ribbon crosses its 2 m line.
  4. 4Best of three pulls; teams switch sides after each pull.
What to say3
  1. 1“Hands on the rope — palms up, no wrapping!”
  2. 2“Ready… PULL! PULL! PULL!”
  3. 3“The ribbon is over the line — team Blue takes it!”
Host tips3
  • Players wrap the rope around a hand or wrist to grip harder — this is how fingers and hands get amputated when a team surges. Check every hand before each whistle and stop the pull the moment you see a loop.
  • When one team gives up and lets go, the other team falls backwards like dominoes. Blow the whistle to end pulls instead of waiting for collapse, and tell everyone “if you're losing, keep holding until the whistle”.
  • Cheap plastic rope from the hardware store stretches and can snap and whip back. Borrow a proper manila rope from a school or barangay hall.
Variants2

  • Four-way

    Tie two ropes into a cross in the middle; four teams pull toward four markers. Smaller teams, short pulls.

  • Kids vs. adults

    Ten kids against three adults. Adults pull with one hand. Huge crowd moment.

Safety4
  • Never wrap the rope around hands, wrists, arms or the waist, and never tie a loop in it.
  • Use natural-fibre rope only; synthetic rope can snap and recoil with dangerous force.
  • Mismatched teams cause falls — keep kids and adults in separate pulls except for the deliberate kids-vs-adults variant.
  • Not for pregnant guests, people with heart or back problems, or anyone in heels or slippers.
Good for

Occasions

FiestaTeam buildingSchoolReunion

Venues

Outdoor
If this one dies early1