On June 25, 2023, IMADA held an SDGs event for kids called “TUG-OF-WAR Challenge ～Gain Confidence by Force Gauge～” with a professional basketball team, San-En NeoPhoenix in Toyohashi city. We have been sponsoring this local professional basketball team since 2017.
This event aimed to provide an exciting learning opportunity for kids to understand how they can improve their physical performances using their bodies.
Thanks to a good weather and an entertaining lesson by professional basketball players and coaches, both kids and even their parents enjoyed the event. Let’s close look at the event by timeline.
How strong can kids pull the rope?
In the TUG-OF-WAR Challenge, the participants were able to experience how the pulling forces change by using their body in more proper movement. Of course, difficult to tell if the power was just with that. So, first, the kids individually pulled the rope from the IMADA’s special rope pulling force measuring device, the IMADA Load Cell, with the Display.
The kids were enthusiastic about finding their pulling force instantly displayed in easy-to-understand numerical values. It was amazing to see how the values increased as they pulled hard. Some kids made a few attempts to check if there were any differences, and of course, they wanted to show more Power.
The Lesson : How to use your Body Correctly!
After collecting the pulling force data, the Kids moved to the outdoor grass for a light warm-up, pulling the rope to get a feel for the Challenge with their parents and the NeoPhoenix members.
Then, the actual physical training started following the instruction of the NeoPhoenix coaches.
In the meantime, it was the parents’ turn to check their pulling forces, getting ready for the tug of war against the kids in training, getting prepared for their Challenge in full power after their physical training class coached by the professionals.
Followed by their physical training session, the kids were back to check how much they had improved from learning how to use the body to pull the rope correctly with more power.
The changes were evident, and everyone increased pulling power from the previous measurement. Some as much as 10 kg! The kids have definitely learned to improve their body power from the lesson.
The Tug-Of-War challenge, here it comes!
Once the kids learned their power had increased, they were ready to challenge adults with tug of war. The body warm-up exercises wake the body senses before the actual challenge, ensuring no one gets hurt.
More valuable hints provided to kids in preparation for facing the physically larger and more powerful adult opponents.
Finally, the Tug-Of-War Challenge! The Team Adult with 10 parents with the San-En NeoPhoenix members, Players, Coaches, and their Cheerleaders, against the 30-Powerful Kid Warriors, bring the best of what they had learned from the lessons earlier on to convey their powers!
The winner is … the Team Adult! Moms and Dads look forward to your next challenge, kids!
More Measurements Continued
After the tug of war challenge, the event ended with a photo session with the participants.
However, the kids continued their force power measurement session with the IMADA measuring instruments, which they never got to touch and experience. They were fascinated with what and how they could measure using different measuring instruments. The kids not only got to meet their Hero players from Team NeoPhoenix and had chances to share their experiences through physical exercises, but also we could provide them with opportunities to learn and feel a bit about Force Measurements. We also had a lot of fun and very happy to have participated!
IMADA is also an SDGs Promotion Partner Company for Toyohashi city, and we are delighted to participate in related activities, one of which was the Tug-Of-War Challenge, sponsoring activities for the local communities and children. Our philosophy of contributing to society, companies, and individuals in the community through hard work, which underlies the culture that IMADA strives for, overlaps with many of the diverse goals of the SDGs, and we hope to share our activities on SDGs on the Force-Channel.
