The following Rules taken from The World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) "Rules of Armwrestling Sit-down and Standing" Originated Sept. 1994 Revised September 2024 :
5.3 Setting up / Start of Match
5.3.1 The grip is palm to palm, grip at thumb, thumb knuckle must be visible. Gripped hands should be level on a plain at the forefingers. Free hand will grip the hand peg provided at the table edge. This arm may or may not touch the tabletop. Fingernails should be trimmed so as not to injure your opponent. Stickum/ rosin/ chalk are permitted.
5.3.2 Back pressure to the extent that it pulls your opponent arm across the marked centre of the table will not be allowed. This infraction will be deemed the same as a false start.
5.2.3 Shoulders will be kept square to the table. They may slope to either side before the start.
5.2.4 There will be a hand width between the shoulder and forearm of each competitor as well as between the chin and hand prior to the start.
5.3.1 The signal given by the Head Referee is “Ready...Go!” in an unspecified cadence. At the end of the match the referee will say “Stop” and indicate the winner by raising his arm towards him/her. All effort must be made by the referee that the competitors are aware the match is stopped.
5.3.2 A pin is when any part of the natural wrist line to fingertips, touches or goes below the touch pad.
5.3.3 Competitor’s legs can be wrapped around the table leg or braced against an opposite table leg prior to the start of the match, providing they are not interfering with their opponent. Feet can be off the ground during competition and legs can be moved in any fashion as long as they don’t interfere withtheir opponent.
5.3.4 In the event of an injury during competition, the competitor’s name will continue to be brought forward until he/she has fulfilled the two-loss commitment. The match that a competitor was injured in will be regarded as a loss.
5.3.5 There is no time limit during an actual bout. However, if in the estimation of the Head Referee or a WAF authorised physician, that a competitor is deemed unfit to continue, the match will be stopped.
5.3.6 Competitors can start a match in strap or in referee’s grip or in referee’s grip in the strap if both agree to do this.
Section 7 – Warnings
7.1 Any early movement with shoulders, arm, hand or fingers will be a warning unless competitors are in a referee’s grip. Then it would be a foul.
7.2 If one competitor is causing a delay “locking up” the referee will give the offender a warning.
7.3 Letting go of the peg will result in a warning being called to the offender, without stopping the match. If an advantage is gained prior to re-gripping the peg, the match will be stopped, and the offender will be given a foul. Contact with the peg must be above the table. One armed or one hand persons do not have to grip the peg.
Section 8 – Fouls
Note:
Two warnings will equal one foul.
Two fouls, competitor will lose that particular match.
8.1 Fouls
8.1 Fouls
8.1.1 If competitors fail to come to the table in the 60 seconds allotted, they will be given a loss. Their name will be dropped to its proper slot, the same as a loss in an actual bout. If they already have a loss, they will drop out of the tournament for that particular weight class.
8.1.2 Competitor’s shoulder must not cross the “centreline” between pegs during competition. This will be a FOUL.
8.1.3 Competitor cannot touch any part of their body such as chin, shoulder, or head. A foul will be given.
8.1.4 Intentionally pushing of your own hand into an opponent shoulder will result in you getting a FOUL.
8.1.5 When a competitor starts to put themselves in a “dangerous position”, the referee will caution the competitor loudly so that the competitor understands the caution. Referee will instruct the competitor to face their competitive arm, so as to keep the hand, arm and shoulder in a straight line. Competitors must never force their shoulder inwards, ahead of their arm or hand, towards the table.
8.1.6 Competitors cannot drop the competing shoulder below the level of the elbow pad when in a neutral or losing position. This will be considered a dangerous position.
The neutral position defined as the starting position down to 2/3 of the way to the losing side of the table.
8.1.7 Any obviously intentional action that causes your opponent to get a foul will result in no foul for the opponent and you receiving the foul instead. Example obviously intentionally pushing your opponent off the back of the elbow pad.
8.1.8 30 second rest is permitted after a FOUL.
8.1.9 Foul language, poor sportsmanship or abuse towards an official will result in a FOUL. If it continues, competitor or official will be barred from the tournament.
8.1.10 Any foul given when a competitor is more than 2/3 of the way down to the pad is a loss
8.2 Referee Grip
8.2.1 Competitors have 30 seconds to “Grip Up”. If in that time, they have not gripped up, they will be given a “referee’s grip”.
A referees’ grip consists of the following procedure :
8.2.2 Before the referee starts the referees grip, the referee asks the competitor if he/she wants their thumb up (on top)? Or down (below their finger)? By indicating to them (with their own thumb) at the same time saying the words “up?" or “down?”.
If one competitor already has one foul the referee will inform both them and the spectators by indicating with one finger you have one foul, the referee will then indicate the start of the referees grip by putting his open hand to the centre of the table and say open hands table centre. Then the competitors hands are placed palm to palm by the referee, the thumbs are placed appropriately by the referee, the referee will say this hand first (at referees discretion) then fingers are wrapped by the referee, first one competitor, then the other. Thumb knuckles will be showing, forefingers level, wrists straight and arms centred.
Competitors are not to move from this set up, when the hands are completely closed the referee will use the standard start position that is used to start all matches in Section 5 Competition Rules 5.2 General Guidelines 5.2.4.
8.2.3 Examples of movement are fingers re-gripping, back pressure, bending wrists, early start or elbow lifting off the pad.
8.2.4 Any movement by any competitor will result in a foul being given against the one that moves.
8.3 Elbow Fouls
8.3.1 A foul will be given when a competitor’s elbow loses contact with the elbow pad. A competitor is considered to lose contact with the pad when :
8.3.2 The elbow lifts vertically off the pad, no matter how insignificant, as long as there is clearance between the pad and the elbow. It is not considered an elbow foul if the elbow has lifted off the pad, but the competitor still has contact with the elbow pad with their triceps or their forearm.
8.3.3 An elbow foul will be called if the competitor is riding on their triceps or forearms and the elbow extends beyond any side of the elbow pad.
8.3.4 Any foul that occurs simultaneously with a foul by your opponent will be considered coincidental, the march will be stopped and restarted and no foul will be given.
8.4 Slip Outs
The referee will call one foul for “causing a slip out” when :
8.4.1 You lift your fingers off your opponent’s hand prior to a slippage
8.4.2 You close your fingers as to make a fist inside your opponent’s hand
8.4.3 You’re in break wrist position and you pull your fingers inside your opponents hand, therefore you are unable to hold your grip.
8.5 Straps
8.5.1 Straps will be used when any match ends by way of a slip-out not resulting in a foul. A slip-out occurs when both competitors have lost complete contact with one another. The official must becertain of the circumstances preceding the actual slip out before calling a foul. If the official is uncertain as to who caused the slippage or it was caused by the actions of both competitors, then straps will be used and no foul will be given.
8.5.2 When straps are employed, the officials will ask competitors to place their elbows to the centre of their respective elbow pads, place their hands palm to palm, fingers extended and thumbs up. Opposite hand will grip hand peg. In this position the strap can be quickly installed. Only the official can adjust the strap. Competitors may ask to loosen it or move it if it’s uncomfortable. The strap cannot be lower than 2,5 cm (1") below the natural wrist line.The new fairer wrap will be used. The referee will always wrap the buckle side wrist first. When going around the last wrist the strap will be threaded above the strap on that wrist.
8.5.3 After the strap is installed, competitors may take their grip and place their elbow to their choice of position.
8.5.4 If a competitor intentionally slips out during the match in a losing position (losing position is determined by being more than 2/3rd of the way down to the pin pad), the competitor will lose that particular match. Any intentional slip is an automatic FOUL.
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The above Rules taken from The World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) "Rules of Armwrestling Sit-down and Standing" Originated Sept. 1994 Revised September 2024
Ref : www.waf-armwrestling.com