Indian clubs', or 'Iranian clubs' belong to a category of exercise equipment used for developing strength, and in juggling. In appearance, they resemble elongated bowling-pins, and are commonly made out of wood. They come in all shapes and sizes however, ranging from a few pounds each, to fifty pounds, and are commonly swung in certain patterns as part of exercise programs. They were often used in class formats, predominantly in Iran, where members would perform choreographed routines, led by an instructor; remarkably similar to modern aerobics classes. This work is a reprint of a classic publication on the use of 'Indian Clubs' and along with a brand new introduction, includes a series of exercises to help you get in shape the old-fashioned way.

Emerging in colonial India, the fitness fad that was Indian Club Swinging became a global exercise practice in the early 19th century. Used by physicians, soldiers, gymnasts, children and athletes alike, clubs were used to solve numerous social concerns and ills, and often prescribed to treat everything from depression to spinal abnormalities. This book provides a definitive account of the rise and spread of club swinging as it spread from India to Europe and America, asking why and how it became so popular. Discussing the global, commercial fitness culture of the 19th century, Indian Club Swinging and the Birth of Global Fitness explores how the popularity of this exercise reflected much deeper global and domestic concerns about body image, military preparation and education. Addressing broader questions about nationalism, gender, race and popular commerce across the British Empire, it highlights the origins of our modern transnational fitness culture and shows how it intersected with global and colonial understandings of health, medicine and education.

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