The Physical Body: Indian Wrestling And Physical Culture

5 Responses

1. J. Reiss

   July 19th, 2010 at 5:13 pm

   1

   Strong DVD for insight to traditional Indian wrestling training methodology. It showed different strength training methods (clubs, poles) that I’d never seen. The photography was well done with training sequences done for the camera as they would train. The documentary feel allowed me to appreciate their training process. As a practioner of yoga, it was nice to see wrestlers practicing Yoga with a military intent instead of the sport club and holistically minded environment. It was nice to see it in reference to a more warrior mindset… Can’t wait for future DVD’s like this.
   Rating: 5 / 5

2. Mark S. Hewitt

   July 19th, 2010 at 6:17 pm

   2

   As a long time combat sports researcher and author I found this DVD to be excellent. Well researched and well done, it goes a long way in helping to preserve the oft overlooked wrestling heritage of India.
   
   While my primary focus is North America and catch-as-catch-can wrestling I thoroughly enjoyed this journey to the land that is likely the cradle of much of the grappling arts.
   
   Gama the Great would be proud.
   
   Keep up the good work Vincent.
   
   Catch Wrestling: A Wild and Wooly Look at the Early Days of Pro Wrestling in America
   Rating: 5 / 5

3. Richard L. Maguire

   July 19th, 2010 at 7:27 pm

   3

   I will just say simply if I could have given this more stars I would have. This DVD covers two topics I love .Wrestling and rare ancient forms of exercise. I have been involved in Martial arts for over forty years . I presently teach club swinging and can say there is nothing on the market that deals with these topics as this DVD does. The author did a splendid job capturing for the first time on film the almost lost exercise arts of India. Yoga has been done to death but it seems no one has captured these other ancient forms of exercise before. I personaly visited the Library of Congress in Washingtom DC over one hundred times while researching ancient forms of wrestling . I looked up over four hundred old or vintage books . I also cornered the curator of the Asian Studies area of the library and had him help me search for all books in print or movies on India and its wrestling .Many books only exist on Microfilm. Trust me nothing like this DVD exists.
   
   After seeing the film I came to discover the Filmaker and author did this documentary on his own dime and after many trips to India. The information captured is priceless to some one like myself. It allowed me to see for the first time the actual practices I had up till viewing this DVD had only read about. There is one old book that realy encompasses the the traditional styles of exercise in India. It is the Encyclopidia of Indian Physical Culture written in India in 1950. This DVD is a great companion to that old book. The footage of the Mallakhamb is worth the price alone. If you are looking for an instructional this is not for you . If however you are looking to see actual people of India doing Dands(push ups), Baithaks (Hindu Squats),Heavy Jori (clubs) swinging,Gada(Mace), Mallakhamb (pole /Vine)and tradition wrestling practice this DVD is a must have.
   
   I look forward to other materials produced by this Author. He definately delivered.
   Rating: 5 / 5

4. bodhisan717

   July 19th, 2010 at 7:28 pm

   4

   I loved this video. You can tell that this was done on location and contained interviews of authentic practioners. It does not have the “staged” feeling we find in too many alleged documentaries that are presented on televsion and in film. I appreciated the work done by this author. You can tell that he knows his subject and that it was well researched. He gives us a great view into this rarely seen subject. I highly recommend this video to all martial art, history, and physical training enthusiasts. I look forward to the next video in the series.
   Rating: 5 / 5

5. N. Vijay Nirmal Kumar

   July 19th, 2010 at 9:31 pm

   5

   Unlike my other purchases from amazon(chad waterbury,dos remedios,million dollar financial practise),i found this one below par!!!this is a very basic product with no research or depth…the author seems to have visited india with a camera and in the process visited a few akhara’s in may be 3 days max to film this…this kind of footage can be found in you tube!!!i was expecting some decent background work but none exists and to me this seems like marketing gimmick!!-he visits a few akhadas,shows us a glimpse of the exercises …some wrestling footage and bling the cd is over!!!poor value for money and one would be better off watching this kind of stuff on you tube…!!!dump this!!!
   Rating: 1 / 5