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ABOUTTHEFEDERATION
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TECHNICSOFTHEGAME:KABADDI
THERAIDITSMECHANISM
Kabaddiisthecameofattackanddefense.Attackisalsoknownas'raid'andtheattackeriscalledthe'raider'in
Kabaddi.Thesingularityofthegameisthatattackisanindividualeffortwhiledefenseisacombinedeffort.Offense
inKabaddi,isasumtotalofraidingtechniquesandtacticsinwhichfootworkoftheraiderplaysacrucialrole.Since
morepointsarescoredthroughraids,theraiderisinthelimelightandtherecipientofthepublicadulationor
brickbats.
WHATDOESRAIDMEAN?
RaidisthefocalpointofKabaddi.Acoupleofgoodraidersintheteamcanchangethewholetempoofthegamein
minutes,withtheirtechniquesandtactics.Foranindividualraidertofaceuptosevenopponentsorantis,andcome
backsuccessfullywithpointsfortheantistouchedbyhiminthecourseoftheraid,isnomeanachievement.Thisis
whattheraidisallabout.Raidisthemaintooloftheoffenseforscoringpointsagainsttheopponentteam.Itisa
continuousprocesssinceplayersfrombothteamsraidontheopponentcourtalternatively.If,forexample,when
therearetwoteams,team'A'andteam'B',whenaplayerfromteam'A'raidsonteam'B',theplayerfromteam'A'
becomestheattackerorraiderandteam'B'becomesthedefendingteamwiththeplayerstakingontheroleofantis.
Similarly,whentheplayerfromteam'B'raidsonteam'A',itistheturnofteam'A'totaketodefense.
AspertherulesofKabaddi,theplayerwhoenterstheoppositecourtwith'cant',allthewhilewithholdinghisbreath,
isknownastheraider.'Cant'isthecontinuouschantingoftheapprovedword'Kabaddi'bytheraiderwithouttakinga
breath.Theroleoftheraider,whileintheoppositecourt,istotouchasmanyantisaspossible,withoutbeingcaught.
Simplyenteringintotheopponent'scourtwithcantandreturningtohomecourtunscathedwillnotmaketheraid
successful.Tomaketheraidsuccessful,theraidermustentertheopponent'scourtwithcantandeithercrossthe
baulklineortouchoneormoreantisandreturnsafelywithcanttohishomecourt,withoutbreachofrules.
RaidisthebackboneofKabaddi,andtheraiderplaysaveryimportantroleinscoringpointsfortheteam.Heisca
ableofscoringanumberofpointsinasingleraidwithhisindividualskillandenterprise,whilethedefensegetonly
onepointintheeventofhisbeingcaught.
ANALYSISOFARAID
Theraidisofacomplexnatureandseveralfactorsaretobeconsideredtomakeitsuccessful.Agoodraidershould
havetheskill,tactics,counteractionabilitytoextricatehimselffromdifficultsituations,andaboveall,goodfootwork
toscorepoints.Acombinationofallthesefactors,withanabilitytomakespotjudgmentsofthesituationwillmake
theplayeratopclassraider.Weshallnowgointothestructureofaraidandthedifferentstepsassociatedwithit,to
understandtheraidanditsconstituents.
STRUCTUREOFRAID
Themainconstituentsofaraidcomprisepreconsiderations,cant,entry,settlingandpathofattack,footwork,skills,
tactics,andretreat.,
PRECONSIDERATIONSOFARAID
'Preconsiderations'meansplanningthetechniqueandstrategytobeadoptedbytheraiderbeforeheentersintothe
opponent'scourt.Thisistomentallypreparetheraidertomakehismovedependingonthenumberofdefense
players,theirpositionsetc.Theraiderhastoconsiderthefollowingpointsbeforestartinghisraid.
Wheretoenter?
Numberofplayersintheopponent'scourtandplayersputout
Strongdefensepositionsandabilitiesthereof
Systemofplayadoptedbythedefense
Makingamentalplanoftheattack
Choosingthetarget
Situationofthegame
Bonuslinegame
Entryintotheopponent'scourtwillaffectthepathoftheraid,distancetobecovered,and
retreattohomecourt.Assuch,theraidermustchoosetherightplacetomakeanentry
intotheopponent'scourt.
Kabaddiisagameinwhich,thedefenseplayerskeeponvaryinginnumberduring
courseofplay.Atanygivenmoment,theremaybeanynumberofantisrangingfrom
onetoseven.Theraider'sattackshouldalsovarydependinguponthenumberofplayers
intheopponent'scourt.Whilekeepinginviewthenumberofantis,theraidermustalso
makeanoteoftheantisoutofcourt,sinceanineffective,raidmaybringinastronganti
andrevivethedefense.Theraidermustbeawareoftheabilitiesofthedefenseplayersas
wellastheirpositions,inordertoeitheravoidtheirholdsorcounteractagainsttheirmain
skills.
Theraidermustobservethesystemofplayadoptedbythedefense.Inthechainsystem,
therearevarioustypesofplaydependinguponthenumberofantisinthecourt.Forexam
le,withfourantisinthecourt,theteammayadopt22,121,or112systemofplay.
Theraidermusttrytodiscernthechainsystemandthestrategyofthedefendersbefore
embarkingonhisraid.Thisisavitalpreconsiderationbeforearaid.
Beforestartingonanyventure,onehastopreplanandconditionone'smindtoadopta
certainstrategy.Soalso,theraidermustmakeamentalplanoftheraidbeforeembarking
onit.Araidwithoutpriormentalplanningmayprovedangerousandcosttheoffense
sideapoint.Theraider,whilemaking.amentalplanofhisstrategy,mustalsochoosehis
targetanddirecthisattacktowardsthistarget.
Thesituationofthegamerelatestowhethertheoffensesideisleadingorotherwise.The
raider,keepinginviewthesituation,mustdecidewhetherhehastoplaysafeorscore
pointedandthetimetobespent.Sometimesasuccessfulraid,i.e.crossingthebaulkline
willsuffice,whereas,ifthesituationiscritical,theraidermayhavetogoinforanattack
inordertoscorepoints.
Inthebonuslinegame,whichisnowinvogue,theraidermustplanhisraidkeepingin
viewthenumberofantisincourtontheoppositeside.Hecanscoreabonuspointby
crossingthebonusline,withoutastruggleifthereareminimumsixantis.Ifthereareless
thansixantis,hehastogodeeperintothedefensestrongholdandbepreparedfora
struggletoscorepoints.
CANT
OneoftheuniquefeaturesofKabaddiisthecant.Theraiderhastowithholdhisbreathduringtheentirecourseof
theraidandkeepupacontinuousandaudiblechantofthewordKabaddiuntilhereturnstohomecourt.Thisis
knownascantinKabaddiandifhehappenstoloosehiscantduringtheraidorstrugglebeforehereacheshome
court,hewillbedeclaredoutandtheoffensesidewilllooseapoint.ThedefinitionofcantascoinedbytheAmateur
KabaddiFederationofIndiarulesreads'Therepeatedwithoutbreakandatastretchandclearutteranceofthe
approvedword"Kabaddi"withinthecourseofonerespirationshallbecalledacant'.Inotherwords,cantcanalso
bedefinedastheimeasurementofraidsincethelengthoftheraidcanbedeterminedonthedurationofcant.
Raidbeginswithcantandendswithcant,immaterialastowhethertheraiderreacheshomecourt.Ifraiderstops
cantintheopponent'scourt,hewillbedeclaredout,eveniftheantisdonotcatchhim.Assuch,cantisthe
inseparablepartoftheraidandtheraidermustcontinuetheaudibleutteranceofthewordKabaddiinonebreathuntil
hereturnstohomecourt,forasuccessfulraid.Togetherwithphysicalprowess,&technicalsupremacyaraiderhas
tomaintainpropercant.Anybreakincant,lackofclarityorchanceoftheapprovedwordmayprovedetrimentalto
theraider.
ThecantinKabaddihasacloserelationtoPranayamaofyoga.Thisisagame,probablytheonlyone,inwhich
physicalprowessandvitalcapacity,i.e.respirationgohandinhand.Pranayamaassociatesmentalprocesseswith
respiration.ItisaprovenfactthatPranayamaortakingadeepbreathandwithholdingit,isgoodfortheheart,helps
tocalmdownoneselfandassistslongevity.DrSunderRam,whostudiedthecantanditsimplicationsingreatdepth,
broughtoutapaper,whichstatesthatfast,andshallowbreathersareeasilyexcitablewhereasslowanddeep
breathersare'calmandcoolandenjoyalongerlifespan.Hecomparesthelifespanofamonkey,afastbreatherto
thatofatortoise,aslowbreather.DrRamrelatesasoundcanttoasoundmind,andconcludesthatKabaddi
exercisestheinternalorgansthroughrespirationcontrolalongwithexternalorgansandthusrealizestheultimate
aimofsportsviz.
'Asoundmindinastrongbody'.
Canthasalonghistoryandwentbydifferentnamesindifferentpartsofthecountry.Whileitwentbythename
CheduguduorguduguduinsouthernIndia,itwasknownasHaduduinEasternIndiaandHututuinMaharashtra
inwesternIndia.Alltheseformsweresynthesizedtoformthepresentword'Kabaddi',whichhasuniversalapproval.
Manyphysicaleducationistsandexpertshaveconductedinnumerableexperimentsoncantanditsimpacton
playersandhaveestablishedthefactthatKabaddiplayershavemorevitalcapacityascomparedtononKabaddi
players.
ENTRY
Theentryoftheraiderintheopponent'scourtdependsonthreeconsiderations,i.e.
Thepositionoftheraiderwhenheispartofhisteam'sdefensesystem
Thesidefromwhichhestartshisattac
k
Thedirectioninwhichhemoves.
Theraidercantakeanentryfromeithertherightzone,leftzoneorthecenterzone.
Normallytheraiderplayingfightcomerpositionstartsfromtherightzone,theleftcomer
playersstarfromtheleftzoneandthecenterzoneplayersstartfromthecenterzone,
whicheverisnearesttoavoiddelay.However,thisisnotcompulsory.Theraidercan
takeanentryfromanyofthethreezonesbutcareshouldbetakentostarttheraidwithin
5secondsaftertheopponent'sraid,foranydelaywillrendertheraidunproductive.The
raidermustalsotakecaretostartcantbeforeenteringintotheoppositecourt.Ifhe
touchestheoppositecourtwithoutcant,alatecantwillbedeclaredandtheraidwillbe
cancelled.Attimesraidtakestheformofapursuittotaketheretreatingraiderofthe
opponentsbysurprise.Heretheentryhastobeveryquickwithoutbreakinganyrulesof
play.
SETTLING&PATHOFATTACK
Settlingmeansgettingsetbeforeanattack.Normally,afterentryintotheopponent'scourt,theraidertakesafew
secondstostudythesituationanddecideuponthepathofattack.Inthesefewseconds,hechoosesatargetand
makeshismovesaccordingly.Ifhedoesnotgetsetbutchargesblindlyintotheopponent'scourt,thereismore
likelihoodofhisbeingcaught.Forexample,inpursuit,whentheraiderchargeswithoutgettingset,heexposes
himselftotheriskofbeingcaught,sincehedoesnottaketimetoplanthepathofattackorthinkoftheconsequence
ofhismoves.Theraidermusttakecarenottogotoodeepintotheopponent'scourtorbesurroundedbytheantis.
Hemustalsoplanhispathofretreattohomecourt.Hemustinvariablyselectapathtothecenterlineforretreatafter
attack,forwhichhemaychoosetoturn,gooutside,ortakeasidewardmovement.
FOOTWORK
FootworkinKabaddimeansthemovementsmadebytheraiderwithhisfeet,duringthecourseoftheraid.The
factorsinfluencingfootworkincludethestanceoftheraider,bodyposition,movement,speed,agility,etc.Araider
hastomovequicklyfromonespottotheotherduringraid,completehistaskandreachhomesafe.Forthishe
dependslargelyonfootwork.Footworkcanbroadlybeclassifiedintofourtypes,i.e.LeadingLegRaid,Shuffling
Raid,NaturalMethodandReverseStepRaid,whichwillbegoneintoindetailinthechapteronbasicoffenseskills.
SKILLS
Skillistheautomaticapplicationoftechniquewithoutconsciousthought.Skillcanalsobedefinedastheabilitytoco
ordinatedifferentmusclesinordertoperformacombinationofspecificmovementssmoothlyandeffectively.
Techniqueshouldbeappliedwithdexterity,economyofmovementandeasily,withouttension.Masteryoverthe
techniquesofthegameiscalledskill.TheskillsusedbytheraiderinKabaddiarecalledoffensiveskills,whilethe
skillsusedbytheantisarecalleddefensiveskills.Duringraid,theraiderhastomakemaximumuseofhislimbsto
comeincontactortouchtheopponentsinordertoscorepoints.Thisisaccomplishedthroughlegtouchessuchas
toetouch,foottouch,squatleg,thrust,kicksetc,withlowerlimbsandthroughhandtoucheswithupperlimbs.
Apartfromthesebasicskills,theraidermustalsolearnadvancedskills,suchascounteractionforescapefrom
differentholds.Askillfulraiderisonewhohasgainedmasteryoverallthesetechniques.
TACTICS
Tacticsmeansexploitingagivensituationtoone'sadvantageorcreatingasituationtosuitone'spurpose.
InKabaddi,theraideristheprincipalperformerwhocanchangethetempoofthegame.Dependingonthegame
situation,theraidermayincreaseordecreasethetempoofthegame.Inordertodothishemayadoptapassive
raidoranaggressiveraidbycreatingasituationforastruggle.Sometimestheraidermaypasstimeinthelastfew
minutesofthegame,especiallywhenhisteamisleadingandtheopponentsareplayinganaggressivegame.All
thesearethetacticsadoptedbytheraiderkeepinginviewthegamesituation.Tacticsandtechniquesgohandin
handforanysuccessfulraid.
RETREAT
Unlesstheraiderreturnstohomecourt,safelyafter.theraid,theraidcannotbetreatedassuccessful.Thisiscalled
retreat.Theraiderhastopreplanhispathofretreatbeforestartinghisraid.Whileretreatingtohomecourt,the
raidershouldkeepthefollowingpointsinview.
Hedoesnotgiveroomforpursuit.
Heregainshisdefensivepositionquicklybeforetheopponentteam'sraiderbegins
hisraid.Unlesshedoesthis,hemaydisrupthisteam'sdefensesystem.For
example,whentheraiderassumesleftcomerpositioninghisteam'sdefense,but
entersfromtheright,theopponent'sraidmaybeginbeforehereacheshisdefense
position,puttingthedefenseinjeopardy.
Toreturntohomecourt,theraidermustpassthroughthemidlineonly.
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