Aparajito and Indian Club Exercises

Take a sledgehammer and wrap an old sweater around it. This is your "shovelglove." Every week day morning, set a timer for 14 minutes. Use the shovelglove to perform shoveling, butter churning, and wood chopping motions until the timer goes off. Stop. Rest on weekends and holidays. Baffled? Intrigued? Charmed? Discuss here.
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reinhard
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Aparajito and Indian Club Exercises

Post by reinhard » Wed May 04, 2005 3:22 am

I was watching the classic Indian movie "Aparjito" for the first time in years, and was stunned when a scene comes on showing a guy doing (essentially) shovelglove with a heavy sack on the end of a stick. Hadn't noticed that first time around! The guy was remarkably buff (especially in comparison with the rest of the rather scrawny cast), and parked on a raft outside a temple on the Ganges. Presumably there was a religious element to his exercises. What's more, I'm sure this guy wasn't a professional actor, that the director just caught him doing his thing. The movie was filmed in the 50s and set in the 20s, and I'm sure this ritual goes back much farther than that. Talk about authentic! The smoothness of his motions was impressive (and I thought I was good!), and it was remarkable how he brought his full body into play. I'll have to rent it again and try to replicate them...

This is a movie worth watching for more than its vintage exercise scenes. But be warned, it's number 2 in a trilogy, so a bit of a time investment.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ ... k_code=as1

On a related note: though I'd read about Indian club exercises a while back, my understanding was superficial. I recently came across a facsimile of a manual from 1887 that enlarged that a bit:

http://ejmas.com/pt/ptart_dick_0101.htm

Great detail and illustrations, very shovelglove like. Not quite what the guy in the movie was doing, but close.

JCS60
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Clubbells

Post by JCS60 » Wed May 04, 2005 12:50 pm

Scott Sonnon has a whole line of clubs, a book, and a video.

http://www.clubbell-exercise-training.com/

http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/34/

Jay

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gratefuldeb67
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Hi Jay

Post by gratefuldeb67 » Wed May 04, 2005 7:12 pm

Hey Jay!
Welcome to the group and hope all the systems serve you, and your wife well! I think you will find they will as they are very enjoyable and the group is very fun too :D
I heard about Dragon door from a friend, who had been posting on SG, named Richard, aka Lokityrus... He was all into kettlebells, tires and the like. Maybe he will join us again one day... All that old school strongman stuff is really great and it all seems like good fun.
That guy Pavel, on DD.com looks incredibly strong, but all those products make me think "what's the real intention here?" I love Reinhards systems because they are for *all* our benefit, and he is not just peddling some book or video.
I love Shovelglove!
(that rhymes :wink: )
Peace,
Deb

JCS60
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Post by JCS60 » Wed May 04, 2005 7:42 pm

Deb,

I like the idea of the SG, but I already had the KBs. Besides, I'm pretty sure that they train the same energy systems & produce a similar effect.
If you like SG, you may also like this:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... D92GAG3OHC

It looks like fun!

Jay

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Post by Samurai » Wed May 04, 2005 9:34 pm

JCS60 wrote:Deb,

I like the idea of the SG, but I already had the KBs. Besides, I'm pretty sure that they train the same energy systems & produce a similar effect.
If you like SG, you may also like this:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... D92GAG3OHC

It looks like fun!

Jay
O M G!!!

What a great link! Thanks for posting it, Jay!! WOW! LOL I will definitely have to take a look at that.

Thanks again.
One should not be envious of someone who has prospered by unjust deeds. Nor should he disdain someone who has fallen while adhering to the path of righteousness. - Imagawa Sadayo (1325-1420)

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gratefuldeb67
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Sword program

Post by gratefuldeb67 » Thu May 05, 2005 12:13 am

Hi Jay :D
I don't know if I could trust myself with a sword these days..
I'd feel sorry for the first guy who looked at me funny! :P

Thanks though!
My favorite Samurai is still John Belushi, in "Samurai Delicatessen"! LOL...
I think, at the end of the skit, he got the sandwich order wrong so he commits Harekire! LOL..
That was a classic....

As for Kettelbells, I have never tried them, but since they are without a handle, I'm sure the dynamics and body mechanics involved are quite different than with a sledge. But that's just my guess.
So, you don't have a SG yet?
Get one now! LOL :P
I use a twelve pound one, but there are some guys here who actually use 16 and even 20 pounders.
We are talkin manic hardcore
SG Heads!

Take it eez :wink:
8) Deb

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Post by JCS60 » Thu May 05, 2005 9:50 pm

Deb,

Sometimes, when I get buned out on the KB, I'll do a few weeks of the Bullworker ( http://www.thebullworker.com/ ) & some pushups. I may try the SG in the future. :wink:

Jay

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Fri May 06, 2005 3:20 pm

How about a samurai scenario, Samurai? It's right up your alley on both counts. And there's precedent (not that precedent is necessary): I mention something about "sledgehammer kendo" on the home page.

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