The language of the sport

Force that pulls the match toward your own body and side of the table.

In an odd-numbered group, the round an athlete sits out. Recorded, not pulled. It scores no points and is not a win. Every athlete byes exactly once.

3v3: Named by the team at the start of each game, for the +1 Captain Win bonus only.

8v8: Chosen by the Manager at the start of each game as the face of the team; earns +1 for each match won.

The embroidered circle in the exact center of the MAC Table.

Bending the wrist to bring the match closer to your own body and arm.

The only time a gamble or timeout can be called: between matches, before the next match starts.

A competition built by sex, then arm, then weight class. Right-arm and left-arm competitions are separate divisions.

The elbow crossing past the red border of the MAC pad, which runs along three sides of the pad.

Moving the hand, wrist or arm before "Go." A stop foul.

3v3: Unsportsmanlike conduct. The offender loses the match, which the opponent takes with the points earned in it so far, and is out for the rest of the Showdown: each later match is a forfeit at a flat +5.

8v8: Unsportsmanlike conduct. The opponent takes the match as a +5 win. The Head Referee may eject, and the league reviews every flagrant foul.

No Elim: The athlete is out, like an injury or a forfeit: that match is a normal loss, every later match is a +5 auto win for the opponent, and the athlete is not ranked and takes no medal.

A pin within 0.5 seconds of "Go," verified by the Head Referee. Worth +1.

A Manager's review of a call, ruled from footage by the Head Referee. A failed review costs a timeout.

A match given to the opponent because the athlete is not present when it is called, or, in the 3v3 and No Elimination, cannot continue after an injury. A flat +5 to the present opponent, with no bonuses and no foul swing. In the 8v8, an injured athlete's match is not a forfeit: the opponent takes it and scores it as it stood, and the Manager covers that spot from the team's 8 athletes in that game.

A team's call to double everything in a match, including the Pulling Up bonus; tripled if both teams gamble the same match.

3v3: One per team per game, called by the athlete who is pulling, before the match starts.

8v8: Two per team per game, called by the Manager.

A contest between two teams.

3v3: 4 rounds, 12 matches.

8v8: 4 rounds, 32 matches.

The round robin inside a group: every athlete pulls every other athlete, on the fixed-anchor rotation.

Bringing the opponent's arm closer while applying biceps force, keeping the match wrist to wrist.

Dropping the competing shoulder below the elbow pad in a losing position. A foul.

Not at the table before the clock reaches 0:00. A foul that resets the clock to 30 seconds.

Who pulls in each class. Declared before each game, one lineup for both arms, locked before the game's first match starts.

Using back pressure or palm side pressure before "Go." A foul.

The table every TAWF match is pulled on, created by Ian Carnegie and named after MAC (Major Armwrestling Championships). Its elbow pad has a black legal zone with a raised red border on three sides; the back of the pad has no border.

The team's key decision-maker. Picks who pulls each match, calls substitutions, and is the only person who may challenge a call.

A win when any part of the opponent's wrist to fingertips breaks the pin line on the winning side of the table.

A win, when one athlete forces the opponent's hand (wrist line to fingertips) to the pin pad or below the parallel pin line.

Points scored minus points given up, added up across the tournament. The second ranking step at a 3v3 Team Showdown.

The referee's command "look at your hand."

3v3 and 8v8: For awareness only, never a warning, no foul.

No Elim: Given once; if the position is not corrected, it leads to a Position foul.

Failing to correct arm or shoulder position after the command "look at your hand." No Elimination only.

Using shoulder and upper-arm strength to press down on the opponent's hand, often from a losing position.

Rotating the wrist to compromise the opponent's cup.

An athlete pulling in a heavier class than their own, for a bonus.

No Elim: Registering in a class heavier than your weight, never a lighter one, set at registration and confirmed at weigh-in; +1 per class above the athlete's own on each win.

3v3: Any number of athletes may pull up, each at or above their own class; +1 per class jumped on each win.

8v8: The Manager's pick; +1 per class above the athlete's own on each win.

Force applied to push your pointer knuckle higher than the opponent's.

8v8: A part of a game that runs one match per arm for each weight class, 8 matches.

3v3: A quarter of a game: 3 matches, one per class, on one arm. Also one of the two qualifying rounds of a 3v3 Team Showdown.

No Elim: One turn of the Group Battle rotation, with its matches pulled side by side.

The way the referee sets the hands before the start, followed by "Close your thumbs. No loading," "Don't move," and "Go!"

A team sweep of a weight class, worth a flat +5 that is never multiplied by a gamble.

3v3: All 4 matches in one class, both arms.

8v8: All four matches in one class and arm.

Force that pushes the match toward your pin pad and winning side.

The tiebreak for a 3v3 game tied after 12 matches: a 13th match. After a coin toss, the winner picks the weight class and the loser picks the arm. The athlete who holds that class in the locked lineup pulls it, and the result is added to the final score and decides the game.

TAWF's three-tier ladder: No Elimination (Amateur), 3v3 Team Showdown (Semi-Pro), and the Official 8v8 Franchise Game (Full Pro).

A team that enters a 3v3 Team Showdown when registration closes on an odd number, so no team takes a bye.

Every foul. The action stops the instant it happens, with no warning.

A device connecting both wrists to prevent slipping, applied after a slip or by mutual agreement.

Rotating the wrist to compromise the opponent's pronation.

Injury timeout, 3v3 and 8v8: One per match, 2 minutes, for treatment, not rest. No Elimination has no timeouts.

3v3: Two timeouts of 2 minutes per game, called by any team member before the match starts.

8v8: Two timeouts of 2 minutes per game, called by the Manager for strategy, injury or a regroup.

Applying pressure to the opponent's hand and wrist to roll it back into a weak position.