Mallakhamb

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mallakhamb is a traditional Indian sport in which a gymnast performs poses and feats while hanging from a vertical wooden pole or rope. Mallakhamb also refers to the pole used in the sport.

The word Mallakhamb is comprised of Malla, which denotes a gymnast or a man of strength, and khamb, which is a pole. Mallakhamb, therefore, can be translated as a gymnast's pole.

1 Mallakhamb as a Competitive Sport
2 Mallakhamb as a form of Exercise
3 Types of Mallakhamb
4 Sources

[edit] Mallakhamb as a Competitive Sport

Of the states in India, more than 14 participate in Mallakhamb competitions at the national level.

[edit] Mallakhamb as a form of Exercise

Mallakhamb can be used as a form of exercise or as strength training for police or other jobs requiring a high level of fitness.

[edit] Types of Mallakhamb

There are three main variations of Mallakhamb.

[edit] Pole or Fixed Mallakhamb

In this variation, a vertical wooden pole is fixed in the ground, and the participant performs various acrobatic poses and feats while hanging on the pole.

The Mallakhamb pole used in competitions is a straight pole made of teak or sheesham wood, standing 2.6 m in height with a circumference of 55 cm at the base. It gradually tapers to a circumference of 35 cm at the top.

[edit] Hanging Mallakhamb

Similar to the pole Mallakhamb, the hanging Mallakhamb is a wooden pole that is shorter in length than the standard Pole Mallakhamb and is hung from hooks and a chain, leaving a gap between the ground and the bottom of the Mallakhamb.