2
$\begingroup$

Assume this species is naturally born and has evolved to not have arms. The members of the species are extremely capable of performing tasks like opening doors with their feet and mouth. Also, this species lives on a planet extremely similar to Earth, and have built a civilization almost exactly the same as ours. However, while human children (and some adults) use arm wrestling as a playful test of strength, our unnamed species unfortunately has no hands. Keeping in mind that they can accomplish most basic tasks with their feet (and sometimes the assistance of their mouth), what type of activity could serve as a suitable replacement to arm wrestling?

enter image description here

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
6
  • 2
    $\begingroup$ How could this species achieve our level of development without arms? Our hands, in particular, allow us a level of fine motor control which greatly influenced our development. Having just two limbs and rather poor balance when trying to use one of them to do anything ... I just don't see these guys even surviving from an evolutionary standpoint, let alone building impressive structures, or developing fine technologies, etc. $\endgroup$
    – AndreiROM
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 1:52
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ I've got to say that while this species is as good a basis for interesting speculation as many others, there are other questions I would have asked about their civilisation before the one about arm wrestling. $\endgroup$
    – Lostinfrance
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 12:41
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @Lostinfrance be as that may, arm wrestling is what is relevant to me on my world. Also, downvoting because there were other questions I should've asked before this one is not a valid reason for downvoting. $\endgroup$
    – fi12
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 13:09
  • $\begingroup$ @fi12, I have not downvoted your question. $\endgroup$
    – Lostinfrance
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 13:27
  • $\begingroup$ What these guys need is tails. Maybe prehensile tails aren't likely if they evolved from runners rather than climbers, but a tail would still solve the balance problem. $\endgroup$
    – Lostinfrance
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 13:45

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
9
$\begingroup$

There is an option that already exists...it's called Indian Leg Wrestling.

The two contestants lie on their backs beside each other, facing opposite directions, hips roughly on-position with each other's shoulders, and hook their right or left legs together at the knee.

The goal is to flip your opponent into a backwards somersault.

It looks like this:

Leg Wrestling

A bit of googling will give you videos, tactics, and other info.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ And absent arms, how do they get back up...? $\endgroup$
    – user
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 12:58
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ @MichaelKjörling Sit up, bend your knees, sit up so you're on two knees, pull up a leg so you're on one, raise yourself up. $\endgroup$
    – Thomas Jacobs
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 13:44
4
$\begingroup$

Since leg wrestling has already been covered I will have to move down a step

Toe Wrestling

enter image description here

Possibly a not entirely serious sport, but a sport none the less.

Toe wrestling is similar to arm wrestling. To play, players must take off their shoes and socks as the game is played with bare feet. It is common courtesy for each player to remove the other player's shoes and socks. Players must link toes and each player's foot must touch flat on the other person's foot. The opponents proceed to attempt to pin (capture or trap) the other's foot for three seconds while avoiding the same. There are 3 rounds played on a best 2 out of 3 basis. First with the right foot, then left, and right again if necessary.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toe_wrestling

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
4
$\begingroup$

Just look in the animal kingdom to see all sorts of examples, mostly in mammal mating displays.

Some species use loud voices.

Some use ornate dances.

Some decorate homes.

Some smash into each other head first.

There are all sorts of similar displays of skill or strength that are possible without arms. For example imagine some sort of tug of war between two people each holding the rope in their teeth. Or a form of wrestling where they try to barge each other out of a ring. The possibilities are endless...

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ Do you mean holding the rope between their teeth $\endgroup$
    – TrEs-2b
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 17:35
  • $\begingroup$ @TrEs-2b Yep, well spotted :) $\endgroup$
    – Tim B
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 21:57
3
$\begingroup$

There are a lot of great answers here, so I'll just add my 2 cents. Below are a bunch of photos of armless people doing various sports;

  • Archery

enter image description here enter image description here

  • Karate

enter image description here enter image description here

  • Ping pong

enter image description here enter image description here

All sports we consider very arm heavy. You gotta hand it to them, they prove us wrong.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
6
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ They use implements developed by us two handed folk, however. I'd love to see one of them manufacture that bow, donning that harness, or building that ping-pong table. $\endgroup$
    – AndreiROM
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 1:54
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @AndreiROM yeah, but a species like this wouldn't be able to build an advanced civilization anyway so those small things don't matter. $\endgroup$
    – TrEs-2b
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 4:58
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ OP actually claims they have a civilization "almost exactly the same as ours". $\endgroup$
    – AndreiROM
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 11:24
  • $\begingroup$ @AndreiROM then if their civilization is the same as ours then your point is pointless. $\endgroup$
    – TrEs-2b
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 15:37
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ My point was that humanoids such as ourselves who never developed arms, and had to rely only on their feet since the dawn of time would never be able to develop the implements you show us in your answer. Because they don't have any members of their society with arms to have invented and created all this for them. $\endgroup$
    – AndreiROM
    Commented Jun 7, 2016 at 17:11
0
$\begingroup$

Headbutt duels

You can consider headbutts as a possible way for your species to exercise its strength and establish hierarchy within their society.

A lot of current and past species on Earth used it, from the goat to the pachycephalosaurus.

Pachycephalosaurus duel

It would be sound that your species would exhibit dedicated features, such as horns or an extra layer of bone over their skulls. Because headbutting in regular humans is a very bad idea.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .