Postgraduate V.N. Loginov¹
Associate Professor P.I. Sobakin²
N.N. Sivtsev²
PhD E.P. Fedorov^2
1St. Petersburg Scientific Research Institute for Physical Culture, St. Petersburg
²Churapcha State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports, Churapcha, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Keywords: mas-wrestling, inside/ outside grip, left/ right hold, carpal strength, offense, defense, tug stick (mas), physical qualities.

Background. Many analysts tend to consider competitive performance in modern mas-wrestling as an acyclic maximal-intensity work with some cyclic elements in long bouts of equally strong competitors. Modern long-term training systems in mas-wrestling give a special priority to the technical skill set excellence aspects based on versatile general physical conditioning and special age- and skills-specific physical training elements focused on certain physical qualities, technicalities and tactics. Generally, every training system is designed to secure the theoretical and practical training elements being perfectly harmonized with the individual progress in physical qualities, otherwise even a single deficient physical quality may undermine the individual progress on the whole. The physical qualities excellence components should be well combined with and supplemented by the technical and tactical excellence training elements.

Competitive rules in this traditional ethnic sport require the competitors sit opposite with their feet propped against the dividing board to tug on a wooden stick (mas); with the winner expected to pull his opponent over the board or wrest the mas out his hands. It is not unusual in the mas-wrestling bouts that a loss of an inside/ outside grip loses the match. This is the reason why the technical trainings in mas-wrestling make a special emphasis on the stick gripping technicalities and the carpal strength building elements [1, 2] plus special endurance trainings to prevent fatigues of the forearm/ carpal muscles in long bouts [6]. Generally a competitive success in the modern mas-wrestling is secured by versatile exercises to excel the tug stick holds and pulls, with original technical inventions in the stick controls, plus perfect well-trained pacing of every technical/ tactical action in the matches.

Objective of the study was to rate benefits of the right-/ left-hand-up inside/ outside gripping techniques for competitive progress in mas-wrestling.

Methods and structure of the study. We analyzed for the purposes of the study 186 competitive bouts including 123 bouts with a right-hand outside grip; 63 with a left-hand outside grip; 123 with a left-hand inside grip; and 63 with a right-hand inside grip. Having analyzed and classified the competitive techniques into the startup grips (offensive, universal reactive and defensive) and board control actions, we categorized them for simplicity into the “right-up” and “left-up” positions – with the right and left palms up, respectively [4, 5].

Result and discussion. Having analyzed the latest records of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) Mas-wrestling Championships, we found the competitors’ options dominated by the right-up outside grips followed by left-up outside ones (66% and 34%, respectively). The right-up outside grippers were reported to win 63% and lose 37% of 123 bouts; and the left-up outside grippers won 35% and lost 65% of 63 bouts. A further analysis showed that the inside grip contact area averages 21.6±1.6 cm i.e. 43% of the half-stick, versus 57% for the outside grip. The stick was tested to move horizontally within the 45°±1.9 angle. We used hand dynamometers to meter the right/ left carpal strengths – that were found to average 54±6.8 and 48±7.4, respectively. The carpal strength tests of the right-up grippers showed their right hand being stronger than the left (54±6.6 versus 49±8.5, respectively); whilst the left-up grippers were tested with a stronger left hand (53±7.6 versus 48±8.0, respectively).

More detailed analysis showed that the strong hand drives and the weaker hand backs up in a bout; and this is the prime reason why the wrestlers opt for the strong-hand-up outside grip to facilitate the stick control versus the prop board. In the offense actions, when the tug stick moves towards the winner, the outside grip position is not that important – in contrast to the defense actions when the stick butt drifts off the parallel line and the wrestler has to rather hold the stick tight than pull. It may be pertinent to mention that 53% and 47% of the analyzed bouts were won with the outside and inside grips, respectively.

Conclusion. The study data and analyses showed that presently the right-up positions dominate in the elite competitive mas-wrestling; with wrestlers generally opting for the strong-hand-up outside positions – mostly the right-up outside grips in our sample. The choice of a starting left- or right-up position generally determines the range of the bout control techniques and tactics.

References

1. Zakharov A.A., Zakharova Ya.Yu., Kudrin E.P. Definition of the informational content and reliability of the test exercise "hanging on the special twisting beam. Uchenye zapiski universiteta im. P.F. Lesgafta. 2013. no. 10 (104). pp 63–66.
2. Zakharov A.A. Building hand muscle strength and endurance in skilled mas-wrestlers using technical means. PhD diss.. Malakhovka, 2017. 138 p.
3. Kudrin E.P. Development of technical and tactical actions of skilled mas-wrestlers using technical means. PhD diss.. Malakhovka, 2017. 196 p.
4. Loginov V.N. Combat style-related features of competitive performance of mas-wrestlers. Fizicheskaya kultura: vospitanie, obrazovanie, trenirovka. 2019. no. 4. pp 11-14.
5. Loginov V.N. Basics of sports training in mas-wrestling. Teaching aid. ChSIPCS: Churapcha, 2018. 48 p.
6. Fedorov E.P. Rehabilitation of skilled mas-wrestlers in annual training cycle. PhD diss.. Lesgaft SPbSAPC publ., 2019.  192 p.

Corresponding author: ssvjakutija@yandex.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to analyze the effects of the internal and external stick hold positions on the outcome of a bout.

Methods and structure of research. During the study, we analyzed 186 bouts, 123 of which - with a right-hand external grip, 63 - with a left-hand external one, 123 - with a left-hand internal grip and 63 - with a right-hand internal one. Having studied the peculiarities of the grip selection, and taking into account the contest rules, starting position (attack, waiting universal wagon, defense) and movements along the board during a bout, we decided to use the terms "right-hand position" (right hand is palm up) and "left-hand position" (left hand is palm up).

Results of the study. The data obtained during the analysis of competitive performance at the mas-wrestling championship of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) showed that 66% of bouts were conducted with the right-hand (external) stick hold position and 34% - with the left-hand (external) one. Out of 123 bouts with the right-hand position (external grip), 63% were won, 37% were lost. Out of 63 bouts with the left-hand position (external grip), 35% were won, 65% - lost.

Conclusion. At this stage of mas-wrestling development, it is the right-hand position that dominates. The study showed that when choosing a stick hold position, in case of an external grip, athletes are guided by the strength of their hands and thus take the stick with their strong hand, in our case - the right-hand grip. The choice of the grip type directly affects the starting left-hand or right-hand position and, in general, the algorithm of technical and tactical actions.