History
of Indian Clubs
Club swinging is believed to have originated in India by soldiers
as a method of improving strength, agility, balance and physical ability. During
the annexation of India, British officers witnessed the graceful motions and
essential property of expanding the chest and exercising every muscle of the
body. The British brought the Indian Clubs to Europe where the Germans and Czechs
adopted club swinging into their physical training systems. German immigrants
brought the clubs to the United States in the mid-1800s, where they were soon
introduced into both American school physical education programs and military
physical readiness training. Indian Club Exercises lost popularity in the 1920s
in exchange for sports and games.
