Before any tuggers jump into a trench or take on a rope, they first must go through a process probably more important than any: They must tape up.

The process of taping up involves covering a shoulder, underarm and part of a forearm with padding, towels and tape to prevent what some tuggers call the worst injury of all – rope burn.

The process has two main steps, but they can be long, and many rolls of duct tape and athletic tape may go by the wayside. And it can be slightly strenuous. Because of the muscle straining and heavy breathing, tuggers need to remember to flex their muscles and stick out their chests while being taped so they have more movement and can breathe easier while competing, said Scott Parker, a senior marketing major and Tau Kappa Epsilon tugger.

Tuggers usually begin by placing a forearm pad on the arm the rope will rest on. Tuggers alternate right and left, depending on which trench they will be in.

The arm pad for some is just a soccer shin guard cut to fit. Others use a large plastic cup or even PVC pipe cut to fit, Parker said.

After the arm is complete, tuggers will pair up and tape each others’ shoulders and underarms. As with the forearms, tuggers alternate which side they tape, depending on trench location.

The process involves placing a towel under the arm and taping it around their shoulders so the rope can rest comfortably under the arm.

“The rope will move … You need to make sure you cover as much skin as possible,” said Andrew Richard, a sophomore kinesiology major and Delta Chi tugger.

For Richard, taping up is especially important because he is the team’s anchor. As the last in line, the rope rubs against him more than anyone, Richard said.

“I’ve got more physical pain from rope burn than from being sore,” Richard said.

Dan Bazigos knows firsthand how much rope burn can hurt. The freshman finance major and Pi Kappa Alpha tugger has a deep cut a few inches long on his shoulder from the rope.

It hurts when he showers, Bazigos said, but he keeps practicing.

The procedure of taking the tape off is not always easy, either. After a recent practice, sore Pi Kappa Alpha tuggers took up to 15 minutes to remove all the tape on their bodies.

“It pulls off your hair when you pull it off,” Richard said.