Mallakhamb
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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.
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[edit] Mallakhamb as a Competitive Sport
Of the states in India, 29 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.
[edit] Rope Mallakhamb
In this variation, the participant performs exercises while hanging from a rope suspended from a support.
[edit] Sources
- IndiaPress.org. Listing of traditional games and sports of India. Retrieved on April 1, 2007.
- mallakhamb.org. Maharashtra Amateur Mallakhamb Association. Retrieved on April 1, 2007.
- mallakhambindia.com. Mallakhamb: The Authentic Indian Sport. Retrieved on April 1, 2007.
- aquafishsilver.com. "MALLAKHAMB" – A Great Traditional Ancient Art of Indian Physical Culture.. Retrieved on April 1, 2007.
- (1950) "the Encyclopedia of Indian Physical Culture". Baroda: Sree Ram Vijaya Printing Press, Edited by D.C.Mujumdar.