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Hang tough

The contender had 60 seconds to negotiate a grid of gymnastics rings to get to a platform on the other side of the course, while trying to avoid a Gladiator who was swinging against them and trying to pull or knock them to the ground.

If a contender managed to swing all the way to the opposite platform, they earned 10 points (they had to be on the platform without holding any rings, or it didn't count). 5 points were earned for a draw or a disqualification of the Gladiator (a delayed penalty; the referee would announce it after the game, or either a referee or game judge would raise his hand, ice hockey-style, to announce a delayed penalty, which Mike Adamle would announce during the game). Furthermore, if a player would have made it to the opposite platform but was impeded by a cameraman (which happened in at least one situation), the official would award an automatic win on account of cameraman's interference.

Hang Tough was introduced in the second half of season two. After the preliminary round, the scoring was modified until the end of that season before returning to the original scoring. For the quarterfinals, the rings were divided into three strips to encourage forward movement. If the contender did not get passed the the first section of rings (colored blue), they would not earn any points even for a draw. If the contender reached the middle section, (remaining silver) and earned a draw, they won 4 points. If the contender reached the final section of rings before the opposite platform (colored red) and managed a draw, they earned 7 points. Reaching the platform still scored 10 points. This format was also used for the alumni episode in that qseason. The changes were rolled back at the start of season three, though some of the rings retained a hint of their former color scheme. For the finals of each half of that season (which appear to have both been filmed after the prior rounds of both halves of the season), the blue rings near the contender's platform were re-introduced (but not the red) with the contender having to get past the blue rings before being eligible to earn 5 points for a draw.

Two standing rules were in place: the Gladiator could not hit the contestant above the shoulders or use their uniform to pull them off, or they would be disqualified. The contender and the Gladiator also had to make an effort to go forward and could not stay in one place for longer than 10 seconds unless in contact with each other or stuck on one ring, or else they would be disqualified.

The revival used similar rules, but losers splashed into the water instead of a crash pad. The first season of the revival featured a very short Hang Tough course, but the second season featured a much longer course that is similar in length to the original run of the show.

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