American Armsport Association
Rules & Regulations
from the AAA Constitution
All rules listed below are to be used at all AAA sanctioned events


ARTICLE IV - MEET DIRECTORS
All meet directors must follow all rules and regulations set forth within the Constitution, By-Laws, and Amendments of the American Armsport Association as well as the following:
1. Submit a sanction form and $10 sanction fee to the AAA prior to hosting an event for approval.
2. Provide sanction approval number, results, story, and photos to the AAA for inclusion on the AAA website and in the ARMBENDER magazine.
3. Use official American Armsport Association equipment, categories and weight classes, scoresheets, and officials.  Minimum of one qualified AAA referee must be hired and paid per table used.  A listing of qualified referees may be obtained from AAA headquarters.
4. Must provide all official equipment necessary for hosting an event, i.e. tables, straps, chalk, plywood, drills, band aids/tape, scoresheets, etc.
5. Must provide a minimum of 3 official straps if hosting a National event, 1 official strap for all other events.
6. May choose to compete OR referee, but may not compete AND referee in a local/state event.
7. May compete in a National event.
8. May not allow anyone to compete and referee in the same weight class in a sanctioned event.
9. May not consume alcoholic beverages before or during a sanctioned event.
10. May not conduct a state or prize money contest the week prior, of, or following a sanctioned National or International event.
11. Must hire and pay a minimum of one qualified AAA referee per table used.  A listing of qualified referees may be obtained from AAA headquarters.
12. May run an event in a neighboring state if there is no state director.  If there is a state director, contactmust be made prior to setting up the event.

 
ARTICLE XII - SECTION A - RULES FOR SANCTIONED EVENTS
All sanctioned events must abide by and adhere to all rules and regulations as set forth within the Constitution, By-Laws, and Amendments of the American Armsport Association, as well as the following:
1. The minimum age required for competing at all National Championships is 16 years old.  Parents must be present to sign permission or have submitted a notorized letter of release.
2. All events will be double elimination competition.
3. Stand up competition will use a minimum of 2 referees per table.
4. Sit down competition will use a minimum of 3 referees per table.
5. Luck of the draw system will be used, absolutely no seeding.
6. Events may be right and left hand, masters, and novice when available.
7. Competitors may compete Novice only until winning 3 sanctioned events irregardless of weight class/category or placing 1st thru 3rd at the AAA National Championships.  Tournament Directors may, at their own discretion, refuse entry into a Novice division.
8.  AAA to allow one minute total for competitors to arrive at table and attempting to grip.  Competitors will receive call number one, and then call number two thirty seconds later.  Failure to be at the table gripping up within time limit will result in a loss.
9. Each weight class will be run on one table only.
10. Each weight class will be run until the last four competitors, 2 winners - 2 losers, remain in that class.
11. The last four competitors remaining in each class will be run to 2 competitors, then finals run for all classes.
12. Light men's classes will start first, with the women's classes run between the 86kg and the 95kg men’s classes.  The exception is women’s classes will start the competition at all National Championships.
13. Each weight class that starts on a given day will end on the same day, unless approved by AAA.
14. No contestant will be matched twice against the same person unless it is for place, i.e. 1st, 2nd, 3rd.
15. No weight allowance will be given.
16. All competitors must weigh in in order to compete during designated registration times only.
17. Competitors may choose, at the time of registration, to compete in the weight class they weigh in or one weight class higher, if offered.
18. Notification is to be given to any competitor being the sole entry in a weight class in order for that competitor to exercise their option to compete in the next class higher.  Competing in the next higher class will result in a forfeiture of any place or winnings of the lower class.
19. Competitors may not wear anything on their competing arm or hand.  However, in the event of a bleeding injury, a competitor MUST stop the bleeding to the referee’s satisfaction.  No more than 3 minutes will be allowed.  Use of a Band-Aid or a piece of tape the size of a Band-Aid on the wound is allowed.
20. Competitors may wear wedding rings on their competing hand, at the referee's discretion.
21. Referee's decision will be final at all times.
22. No referee will be allowed to officiate a weight class involving a member of his/her family or team, if another referee is available.
23. Once a referee is on a table, he/she may not be replaced for any match.
24. Referees will only touch competitors in case of foul or win.
25. Stickum, rosin, or chalk is permitted. No ammonia/smelling salts or any other substance will be allowed in competition area or at table.
26. Straps will be used if slip of grip occurs within the "neutral zone" of the table.  Neutral zone is determined by using a clock as a guideline - inside 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock is neutral area.
27. Round dowel rods will be used for buttock fouls in sit down competition.
28. Seat belts may be used for sit down competition.
29. Platform shoes or risers may be used for height compensation in stand up competition.
30. Sportsmanship will prevail. Failure to comply will result in a foul or immediate barring from contest.
31.  Any individual(s) attempting to alter weight by not following proper weigh in conduct/procedure will be disqualified from the event.
32.  Without prejudice, any competitor wearing an artificial limb may not remove the limb to weigh in.

 
ARTICLE XII - SECTION B - RULES FOR COMPETITION
All members of the American Armsport Association at all sanctioned events must abide by and adhere to the following listed competition rules at all times.
1. Competitors are allowed one minute total to arrive at table.  Competitors will receive call number one, then call number two thirty seconds later.  Failure to report will result in loss.
2.  Free hand must be in contact with the peg at all times.
3. Shoulders must be square to the table before start of match.
4. Competing elbow must be placed on the elbow pad at all times.
5. Thumb knuckles must be showing on competing hands before start of match.
6. Referee must be able to pass closed fist between biceps and forearm of competitor before start of match.
7. Competing wrists must be straight before start of match.
8. Gripped hands must be in center of table, in line with pegs.
9. Competitors must have both feet on the floor under the table for sit down competition.
10. Competitors must keep one buttock on the seat in sit down competition.
11. Competitors must equal their opponent’s side and/or back pressure before start of match, if possible.
12. A period of thirty seconds will be allowed to grip properly.
13. Referee's grip must be administered after thirty second time period has lapsed.
14. No movement will be allowed during or immediately following administration of referee's grip.
15. Competitors may waive the thirty second time period if both agree, thereby starting the match in a referee’s grip before thirty seconds has lapsed.
16. Audible signal given by referees must be "ready, go".
17. Competitors may not intentionally delay the competition, i.e. not staying at the table, not attempting to grip up, etc.
18. A thirty second rest period may be permitted after a slip grip or foul upon referee's discretion.
19. Competitors must be stopped if believed to be in a dangerous position at any time during a match.
20. Competitors may not use any part of the body to pin their opponent.
21. Competitors may not intentionally slip grips.
22. Straps will be used if slip of grip occurs within the "neutral zone" of the table.  Neutral zone is determined by using a clock as a guideline - inside 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock is neutral area.  Outside of neutral zone may be determined as a loss depending on hand/arm position.
23. Competitors may not intentionally attempt to cause a foul for themselves after the “go”, i.e. picking up elbow.
24. Competitors may not intentionally attempt to cause a foul for their opponent, i.e. shoving of elbow.

 
ARTICLE XII - SECTION C - INFRACTION FOR COMPETITION
All members of the American Armsport Association at all sanctioned events must abide by and adhere to the following listed infractions that will result in fouls being called at all times. ALL COMPETITORS MUST RECEIVE ANY COMBINATION OF TWO FOULS IN ORDER TO LOSE A MATCH UNLESS THE COMPETITOR IS IN THE LOSING POSITION. ONLY ONE FOUL WILL CONSTITUTE A LOSS IF COMPETITOR IS IN THE LOSING POSITION.
1. Failure to maintain contact of the peg at all times.
2. Failure to keep competing elbow on the elbow pad during the match.
3. Failure to square shoulders after thirty second time lapse.
4. Failure to straighten wrists after thirty second time lapse.
5. Failure to line up in center of table after thirty second time lapse.
6. Failure to keep both feet on the floor and under the table during sit down competition.
7. Failure to keep one buttock on the seat during sit down competition.
8. Movement of any kind during or immediately following administration of "referee grip".
9. Intentionally causing a delay in competition.
10. Competing in a dangerous position.
11. Use of any part of the body to pin opponent.
12. Intentionally slipping grips.
13. Slipping grip when their arm and hand are in the losing position.  Losing position is determined when the arm is below two-thirds of the way to the pin pad and hand is not in an offensive grip.
14. Intentionally attempting and/or creating or causing any foul after the “go”.
15. False starts will result in a foul on second and/or third offense.  First offense is a warning.
16. Failure to use only stickum, rosin, or chalk while in the competition area or at the table.

 
ARTICLE XII - SECTION D - MANNERS OF WINNING FOR COMPETITION
All members of the American Armsport Association at all sanctioned events must abide by and adhere to the following listed manners of winning a match:
1. PIN PAD TOUCH
Competitors must touch any portion of their opponent's shoulder to fingertips on the pin pad. If competing right handed, the winning competitor must touch the opponent to the winner’s left hand side pin pad. The opposite will be for left handed competition.
2. LOSS OF GRIP
Loss of grip when a competitor is in a losing position will result in a foul, which will constitute a loss.  Losing position will be determined by referee discretion as to arm and hand position on the table at the time of the slip.
3. PARALLEL PIN
Competitors must pass any portion of their opponent's wrist to fingertips below the pin pad.  If competing right handed, the winning competitor must pass the opponent below the winner’s left hand side pin pad, with the opposite for left handed competition.  The exception will only be if the competitors are in the center of the table
4. FOUL OUT
Competitors must receive any combination of two fouls, one foul while in the losing position, or one intentional foul.
5. POOR SPORTSMANSHIP
Failure to demonstrate good sportsmanship at all times will result in an immediate foul.  Competitor may be removed from contest, resulting in loss of any and all matches remaining and forfeiture of any and all placement and awards.
6.  INTENTIONAL FOUL
Intentionally creating or causing any foul after the “go” will result in a loss of match.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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