Chapters: Ch 1 · Ch 2 · Ch 3 · Ch 4 · Ch 5 · Ch 6 · Ch 7 · Ch 8
Indian & Persian Traditional Martial Arts
Silambam Kuthuvarisai A1 — சிலம்பம் குத்து வரிசை (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg2rzpdIj3aZdXPaWP-ZvuA
Channel dedicated to Silambam (silambattam) — the ancient South Indian stick-fighting art — and Kuthu Varisai, the empty-hand combat system associated with it. Both are indigenous Tamil martial traditions with roots in the Sangam period (c. 300 BCE–300 CE). Silambam uses a bamboo staff approximately the height of the practitioner; Kuthu Varisai incorporates the footwork and body mechanics of the weapon system into bare-hand combat. [→ martial-arts; indian-ma]
Pahlavani — Iranian Traditional Wrestling & Physical Culture (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOs8SxKDY1wdaYzZQJDJaQA
Pahlavani (پهلوانی) is the traditional Iranian wrestling and athletic tradition practiced in a zurkhaneh (house of strength) — featuring varzesh-e bastani (ancient sport) with ritual movements using heavy implements (mil/clubs, sang/shield, kabbadeh/chain bow). Directly connected to the Indian kushti and gada (macebell) traditions, reflecting the shared Vedic-Iranian physical culture. [→ martial-arts; indian-ma; health-fitness]
Gyan Indian Jori — Indian Mace & Club Training (YouTube) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCybw0yqdPymx4yNaM8gQffQ
Traditional Indian Jori (paired clubs) and gada (mace) exercises as practiced in the akhara (traditional wrestling school) system. The jori and gada are pre-modern Indian strength training implements used by pehlwan (wrestlers) — the same physical culture that fed into Pahlavani across the Iranian plateau. [→ martial-arts; indian-ma; health-fitness]
South Indian Gada Training — Kalaripayattu (YouTube, Watch History) Video documenting gada (macebell) training within the Kalaripayattu tradition — the ancient Kerala martial art considered one of the oldest codified fighting systems in the world. Kalaripayattu encompasses weapons, empty-hand combat, and an associated medical tradition (marma therapy). The gada sequence shown here reflects how Kalaripayattu integrates strength training within its combat curriculum. [→ martial-arts; indian-ma; health-fitness]