Mungli Club – Pakistan

The art of lifting and swinging massive heavy wooden clubs from Pakistan.

War and Peace

Historically the Pakistani’s have always been very fond of sports. The two important aspects of social life over the years were warfare and social interaction. Every man was expected to be an active soldier capable of doing military duty in times of war as the land had to bear the brunt of multiple invaders.

Recreational Sports

However, during times of peace, the people of Pakistan indulge in recreational sports amongst other pleasures and past times.

For example, after a long day’s work, villagers would gather in a common place where all the young men would participate in a variety of sports.

Mungli Pherna

Mungli Pherna is the collective name for the art of lifting and swinging massive heavy wooden clubs and stone lifting. Old texts refer to Mungli Pherna as a game rather than a sport.

Mungli Club Video

Mungli Club Lifting

The Mungli Club is a massive wooden club, which has a long handle so that it can be gripped with both hands. These clubs are swung as a single club due to their enormous size and weight.

The athlete lifts a Mungli Club with a weight of his choice and swings it around his body, picking it from the front, moving over his head and swinging it behind his back and then bringing it to the front upside down.

It a game of sheer power and technique because the heavy weights involved starting from 50kgs and go beyond 65kgs (this info is approximate at the time of writing). Judging by the video footage body contact is allowed.

Jori Club Swinging

Jori Clubs are lighter than Mungli and swung in pairs, in the Fire Jori video clip you will note that the clubs are swung in an inward alternate format similar to Nail Jori with no body contact (Persian style), with the hands and elbows held very high at shoulder level.

At this stage, I have no more information as to how Jori are swung in Pakistan if they have not been set on fire. They may use the same sliding style that can be found in northern India, but that is pure speculation on my part.

Mungli Club – Rules of engagement

 

1) Right-hand grips the handle close to the shoulder of the club, thumb downward.

2) Left-hand reaches under the right forearm and grips the handle above the right hand with the thumb down. Legs in half squat.

3) The club is lifted by straightening the legs and swung behind the left shoulder.

4) The club swings out to the left on the frontal plane.

5) The club is swung behind the body, achieving full triceps extensions.

6) Club swings up and is pulled up and over the right shoulder.

7) The legs perform a half squat to absorb the weight of the club.

8) The Club drops in the front of the body.

9) On completion, the legs straighten and the athlete stands holding the club upside down on the right side of his body

10) The club has to be turned right side up with the handle uppermost, to do this the left-hand moves from the handle to the middle or the base of the club.

11) The club is supported by the left arm, at the middle or the base of the club depending on the size of the club.

12) The left-hand lowers the base between the legs which assume the half-squat position.

13) The legs straighten out of the half squat and the left-hand moves to the middle or the base of the club and pushes out towards the left shoulder.

14) The left hand is transferred quickly back to the handle in preparation for the next swing.

REPEAT

Mungli Club – Extra Notes

The Mungli Club can be swung over the left or the right shoulder.

To relaunch the Mungli Club into the second and subsequent swings the club cannot touch the ground.

The Mungli Club can touch the body.