Get On Your Feet for Toe Wrestling
Your toes help you maintain your balance when you’re walking, running, or jumping. Having strong toes helps you execute activities that require weight bearing. If you want to show off the strength of your toes, maybe you should stand up for the great sport of toe wrestling.
Arm wrestling is too macho. Thumb wrestling is too wimpy. Toe wrestling is just right.
As with many weird sports, it all began in a pub, Ye Olde Royal Oak Inn in Wetton, Derbyshire, United Kingdom. The first World Toe Wrestling Competition was held there in 1976.
The event became so popular that the championships were moved to the Bently Brook Inn. If you decide to go, it’s near Ashbourne on the Staffordshire/Derbyshire border.
The Toe Wrestling Match
Toe wrestling matches are between two men or two women. They sit opposite each other and take off their shoes and socks.
They then put their feet in the 'toedium' which is a flat wooden board with two side boards. The competitors then lock their big toes. Their non-wrestling feet must stay off the ground so they can’t get unfair leverage. Palms and bottoms must stay flat on the ground.
When the referee says “toes away,” the match begins. The object is to force your opponent’s foot to the side board or ground.
Official World Toe Wrestling matches are best of three matches. First match is the right big toe. Second match is the left big toe. If a third match is required, the competitors go back to the right big toe.
The Championships
Below is a video from the 2012 Toe Wrestling Championships in England in which Predatoe (Paul Beech) was toe to toe with his arch rival, Alan Nasty Nash. Since records were being kept in 1994, one of these tip top toe wrestlers has held the championship toe wrestler title. As if you couldn’t guess, Predatoe is the one in the Predator mask, but Nasty Nash was the winner.
Preparing for Battle
Toe wrestlers from around the world are invited to compete in the championships. So start getting ready by doing your toe exercises now.
Toe stretchers might help. These items stretch the toe and muscles, which, they claim, will increase your blood flow to those areas. This is supposed to improve your toe flexibility and mobility which would be a definite plus in toe wrestling.
I think I’d prefer a nice, relaxing, heated foot massage.
But if you’re a glutton for toe punishment, try a few years of ballet.
However you do it, good luck beating the Predatoe or Nasty Nash.
