A young #Pehlwan training in the morning with #gada. The gada (mace) is a club associated with Hanuman. An exercise gada is a heavy round stone attached to the end of a meter-long bamboo stick (as seen in the picture). Wrestlers may start training as early as 6, but most begin formal training in their teens. They are sent to an #Akhara or traditional wrestling school where they are put under the apprenticeship of the local guru. Their only training attire is the #kowpeenam or #loincloth. #Vyayam or physical training is meant to build strength and develop muscle bulk and flexibility. Exercises that employ the wrestler's own bodyweight include the Surya Namaskara, shirshasana, and the danda, which are also found in hatha yoga, as well as the bethak. Sawari (from Persian savรขri, meaning "the passenger") is the practice of using another person's bodyweight to add resistance to such exercises. #travelporn #travelphotography #serenejourneys #indianwrestling #kushti #solowanderer
