Effect of Specific Core & Yoga Training on Mallakhamb Players

Mallakhamb is an ancient Indian martial art and has also been recognized as a traditional sport fighting to bag its spot in today's sports world. The name mallakhamb derives from the terms malla, meaning wrestler, and khamb, which means a pole. Literally meaning "wrestling pole", the term refers to a traditional training implement used by wrestlers. Competitively, there are several Versions of mallakhamb sport introduced but currently three variations such as pole mallakhamb, hang mallakhamb and rope mallakhamb are in practice. All are practiced by both men and women, though pole mallakhamb is more commonly practiced by men and boys, and rope mallakhamb by women and girls (Holland, 2010). All mallakhamb competitions are organized under the rules made by the Mallakhamb Federation of India. In Pole Mallakhamb variation, a vertical wooden pole made of teak wood or sheesham is fixed to the ground. The pole is smeared with castor oil, which helps to minimize excessive friction. Participants perform various acrobatic feats and poses while hanging on the pole. Wrestlers mount, dismount, and utilize the pole for various complex calisthenics designed to develop their grip, stamina, and strength in the arms, legs, and upper body. There are a number of pillars, although the most common is a free-standing upright pole, some eight to ten inches in diameter, planted into the ground. The pole used in competitions is a straight pole made of teak or sheesham wood, standing 2.6 meters (8.5 ft) in height with a circumference of 55 centimeters (22 in) at the base. It gradually tapers to a circumference of 35 centimeters (14 in) at the top. Hanging Mallakhamb is similar to Pole Mallakhamb, but it uses a wooden pole shorter than the standard pole in Pole Mallakhamb. The pole is hung with hooks and a chain, leaving a gap between the ground and the bottom of the Mallakhamb.