Move with the mudgar: How the traditional workout helps builds strength

Have you heard of HYROX Crossfit or the perennially trending pilates What about the mudgar the gada or the samtola While pop culture will often show you these ancient warrior training tools in the hands of exaggeratedly buff wrestlers swinging them around akhadas they are far less intimidating in real life Aakash Shah a certified strength and conditioning coach is reintroducing the traditions to timestrapped Mumbaikars in a way that feels familiarAakash Shah swings a maceA graduate from the National Strength and Conditioning Academy in the USA Shah fell in love with the OG workout routines in 2023 through Bengalurubased Indian clubs and mace community Tagda Raho ldquoWhat surprised me the most was that the workouts were not only for shoulder mobility You can build raw power improve core and hip strength and move easier in your daily liferdquo he recallsShah practises with the samtolaShah has trained children as young as 14 and assures us the forms and routines can be tweaked to fit age and fitness levels ldquoLightweight mudgars and basic swings can be the perfect gateway for those new to strength training Newer mudgars are modular meaning you can dismantle and rebuild them in different weightsrdquo he adds We learn that the tools are especially helpful for those who regularly play tennis golf or cricket where grip strength plays a vital role and for martial arts athletes who rely on strength and conditioningLog on to the_athletewayPrachiti Nagpurkar trains with the mudgar a variety of exercises makes it easy for new learners to take up the disciplineThe real dealTo gauge how well the maces and clubs blend in with your regular workout routine midday invited two MMA fighters who tested out a session with Shah in GirgaumForm factorA plunge with the gada mace helps build lower body strength and stability for athletes and sportspersonsAs someone who has been an MMA athlete for 19 years I found many overlaps between my discipline and the traditional practices I walked in with a knee ligament tear and was concerned if I was fit enough to train with the mudgar Thankfully the flexible nature of the workouts ensured there was not much load placed on my lower body As a firsttimer there was a short learning curve before I got comfortable handling the maces and clubs I would recommend two days a week of mudgar training between your traditional gym training for the perfect balancemdash Nikhil Kunder president MMA Sports Federation of IndiaRange and recoveryThe first thing that struck me about the mudgar and samtola is the wider range of motion compared to gym weights I believe the freeflowing nature of movements will do wonders for athletes who are in recovery but still want to keep in touch with their strength training I could feel all my muscles engage in the simplest of mudgar movements something you wonrsquot see with dumbbells or barbells One tip I would share is to always train under a certified trainermdash Shirish Dethe MMA athleteFrom left to right The gada mudgar and samtolaTake your pickgtgt Mudgar Basic swings and light parikramas rotations for those testing the watersgtgt Samtola More challenging rotations that build coordination and core strengthgtgt Gada Great for pulling motions focussing on back deltoids and shouldersMudgar vs KettlebellExperts weigh in on how the familiar kettlebell below from modern gyms performs against the mudgarMudgargtgt Wider range of motiongtgt Better for building coordination and overall strength gtgt Longer and safer gripKettlebellgtgt It has a shorter more focused range of motiongtgt Better for targeting specific musclesgtgt Smaller and familiar gripInformation courtesy Aakash Shah Nikhil Kunder and Shirish Dethe