Indian clubs

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A number of Pahlavans with their Mil, Tehran 1977

The Great Gama carries a Gada, the weapon of warriors in the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics

Indian clubs are a category of exercise equipment popular in the late 19th and early 20th century in Europe, the British Commonwealth and the United States. They comprise bowling-pin shaped wooden "clubs" of varying sizes and weights, which are swung in certain patterns as part of an exercise program. They can range from a few pounds each, up to special clubs that can weigh as much as 50 lb. They were used in carefully choreographed routines where the clubs were swung in unison by a group of exercisers, led by an instructor in the front, similar to modern aerobics classes. The routines varied according to the group's ability and the weight of the clubs used.

Indian clubs derive their name from the much larger and heavier objects of similar shape traditionally used by martial artists and Kushti wrestlers in India to train for strength. The practice of swinging such clubs to develop physical fitness was first introduced to England by British soldiers who had studied the discipline while stationed in India during the 1800s.

They were exceptionally popular during the health craze of the late Victorian era, used by military cadets and well-heeled ladies alike, and even appeared as a gymnastic event in the 1904 Olympics. Gymnasiums were built just to cater to club exercise groups. The popularity of the Indian Club waned in the 1920s and 1930s as organized sports became more popular. Regimented exercise routines, like those requiring Indian clubs, were relegated to professional athletes and the military, who had access to more effective and modern strength training equipment.

Jugglers even now regularly incorporate specially designed "juggling clubs" into their routine, though they are often mistaken for bowling pins, these items are really just modern versions of the Indian club. Former President of the United States James A. Garfield used them to build his muscles.

There are current physical fitness enthusiasts who have revived the popularity of Indian clubs in the modern day, citing the aerobic exercise and safety advantages over traditional free weight regimines. There are nostalgic replicas of the original clubs being manufactured, as well as modern engineering updates to the concept, such as the Clubbell.