# Fundamental Skills of Sports – Kabaddi

## Overview

This chapter introduces the basic offensive and defensive skills in Kabaddi. It explains techniques like raiding footwork, hand touch, toe touch, and kicks, along with various defensive holds such as ankle-hold, thigh-hold, and chain-hold. Each skill is presented with steps to learn, warm-up and cool-down exercises, and lead-up activities to reinforce learning.

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## Key Topics Covered

### 1. Introduction to Kabaddi

- A team sport where the goal is to tag players from the opposing team and return safely to one's half.
- Develops physical strength, agility, speed, coordination, and teamwork.
- Popular in many countries and played in the Asian Games.

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### 2. Raiding Footwork

**Objective**: To touch opponents and return safely using strategic foot movements.

**Steps to Learn**:
- **Stance**: Feet apart, knees bent, body balanced, and slightly forward.
- **Execution**: Quick footwork in multiple directions with anticipation.
- **Follow-through**: Regain balance and redirect body toward the midline.

**Types of Raid**:
- Leading Leg Raid
- Shuffling Leg Raid
- Natural Run Raid

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### 3. Hand Touch

**Objective**: Touch a defender with the hand and return to your court.

**Steps to Learn**:
- **Stance**: Diagonal or parallel position, free executing hand.
- **Execution**: Target-specific hand movements like vertical, diagonal, sideward swing.
- **Follow-through**: Regain balance and quickly change direction.

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### 4. Toe Touch

**Objective**: Use feet to tag defenders and return.

**Types**:
- Same stance
- One-step back
- Running toe touch
- Drag back
- Feinting

**Steps to Learn**:
- **Approach**: Diagonal stance, crouched position, shifting body weight.
- **Execution**: Straight, diagonal, or curved leg movements.
- **Follow-through**: Crunch body and quickly return with balance.

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### 5. Kick

**Objective**: Use the leg to tag opponents during a raid.

**Steps to Learn**:
- **Approach & Stance**: Diagonal/parallel stance, upper body crouched.
- **Execution**: Kick without knee flexion, use pivot leg.
- **Follow-through**: Pull leg forward and retreat toward midline.

**Types**:
- Back Kick
- Side Kick
- Roll/Curve Kick

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### 6. Defensive Skills and Positions

**Key Positions**:
- **Corners**: Extreme ends; initiate tackles.
- **Centre**: Positioned centrally; main raider.
- **Ins**: Between corners and covers; protect corners and help in catching.
- **Covers**: Between ins and centre; often filled by all-rounders.

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### 7. Ankle-Hold

**Objective**: Defensively catch the raider at the ankle to stop their raid.

**Steps to Learn**:
- **Body Position**: Wide stance, knees flexed, eyes on target.
- **Approach**: Observe foot movement, bend towards ankle.
- **Execution**: One hand on ankle joint, other for grip.
- **Follow-through**: Pull raider, lift or drag to prevent escape.

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### 8. Thigh-Hold

**Objective**: Stop the raider using a firm grip on the thigh.

**Steps to Learn**:
- **Body Position**: Diagonal stance, bent knees, eyes on target.
- **Approach**: Analyze foot path, place shoulder on raider’s hip.
- **Execution**: Grip thigh below knee joint, align shoulder.
- **Follow-through**: Hold firm, pull raider or change direction.

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### 9. Knee-Hold

**Objective**: Immobilize the raider using a knee grip.

**Steps to Learn**:
- **Body Position**: Diagonal stance, bent knees, forward lean.
- **Approach**: Judge raider’s movement, place hands near knee.
- **Execution**: Elbow/wrist/palm grip.
- **Follow-through**: Firm grip to shift raider’s direction.

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### 10. Wrist-Hold

**Objective**: Stop raider’s movement by holding their wrist.

**Types**:
- Hold from above
- Hold from below

**Steps to Learn**:
- **Approach**: Judge hand movement, relaxed position.
- **Execution**: Grip firmly, pull with support hand.
- **Follow-through**: Use body weight to counter raider.

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### 11. Waist-Hold

**Objective**: Stop raider with grip around waist.

**Steps to Learn**:
- **Body Position**: Diagonal stance, eyes on target.
- **Approach**: Skip forward to cover raider’s back.
- **Execution**: Grip from behind, encircle waist.
- **Follow-through**: Drag, lift or rotate raider.

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### 12. Chain-Hold

**Objective**: Team-based grip to trap raider.

**Steps to Learn**:
- **Chain Formation**: Wrist/palm holds to form a strong link.
- **Approach**: Cover raider’s path, maintain grip.
- **Stance**: Wide, shoulders aligned.
- **Execution**: Chain on abdomen, lift using support hand.
- **Follow-through**: Lift or push raider to prevent escape.

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## New Terms – Simple Definitions

| Term | Definition |
|--------------|------------|
| Raider | Player who invades the opposing half to score |
| Baulk Line | A line 3.75 m from midline that must be crossed during a raid |
| Toe Touch | A skill to tag opponent using the foot |
| Chain Hold | A team defense technique where players form a linked chain |
| Thigh Hold | A defense move where the defender grabs the raider's thigh |
| Anticipation | Ability to predict the opponent's moves |
| Grip Strength| Strength of the hands/fingers to hold opponent |
| Follow-through | The movement after executing a skill to regain control |
| Midline | Central dividing line of the kabaddi court |
| Defensive Court | The half of the court where defending players stand |

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## Practice Questions

### Easy (3)

1. **What is the main aim of the raider in kabaddi?**
→ To tag opponents and return to their side without being caught.

2. **Name any two types of kicks in kabaddi.**
→ Back kick, Side kick.

3. **What is the purpose of the baulk line in kabaddi?**
→ It must be crossed for a raid to be valid.

### Medium (2)

4. **Explain one difference between wrist-hold and waist-hold.**
→ Wrist-hold targets the raider’s arm while waist-hold secures their mid-section to stop movement.

5. **What does the defender aim to do in a thigh-hold?**
→ Catch the raider by gripping the thigh and preventing them from escaping.

### Difficult (3)

6. **Describe the correct stance and execution for a toe touch.**
→ Diagonal or parallel stance, crouched posture, lead leg movement forward with balance to tag and return.

7. **List all four positions on the kabaddi court and explain their role briefly.**
→ Corners (initiate tackles), Ins (support corners), Covers (all-rounders, block mid), Centre (main raider or anchor).

8. **What are the steps of forming a chain-hold effectively?**
→ Form firm hand grips, align shoulders, maintain wide stance, cover raider, execute lift or push.

### Very Difficult (2)

9. **How can a defender transition from ankle-hold to an effective follow-through?**
→ By pulling the raider towards the shoulder, shifting body weight back or dragging towards end line to prevent escape.

10. **A raider performs a running toe touch. Which defensive strategy is best suited and why?**
→ Knee-hold or thigh-hold, as these stop the raider's leg movement and momentum, preventing return to midline.

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