The Mystical Force Club, or 'Kallithenos' Indian Club: “Nothing ever used or conceived like it!”

Join us as we examine and use one of the rarest Physical Culture exercise tools that I've ever had the good fortune to come into contact with: the Force or "Kallithenos" Club. Invented in 1899 and patented in 1900, the club was marketed as an almost mystical object, described as “The Club with Life in it”. Other descriptions from the period proclaim: “The New Power. The Beautiful Force. It is a wonderful invention.” “Nothing ever used or conceived like it!” “Tremendous Muscular Force, Endurance, Energy, and Alertness quickly acquired by the use of the Force Club... Gives robust health, magnificent development, grace and celerity of movement.”
Special thank you to Todd Key, who made this video possible.
DISCLAIMER:
This series is for historical interest only. It is not intended to be instructional, and is not a replacement for a qualified instructor or therapist who can guide, observe and correct you in person. The original historical directions for these exercises, which are not fully quoted and explored in the video, are very precise-the positioning, alignment of the joints, feet, hands, etc.. And if you get that wrong, it’s definitely possible to injure yourself.
This video is an EXPERIMENT, and many of these historical methods are as of yet untested in modern times. I don’t even know if I’m going to recommend them myself after practicing them for weeks or months. It is possible they could lead to injury.
I have and will be using the actual antique apparatus intended for these methods. I can tell you that if you swap out the light wooden historical apparatus that you see me use in the videos with heavy modern mass-produced apparatus, such as modern clubs or dumbbells, it is definitely possible (if not probable) to injure yourself.
For all of these reasons I caution you not to try to follow along and do these exercises at home, but to perform such exercises only under the supervision of a qualified and experienced instructor or master. For the benefit of viewers, I will be linking to such instructors and masters in some of these videos.

[@toddkey6212]

Great video Ben. Good job, as always, of researching and digging up references to the club and endorsements from the time period. You made a great point about how futuristic it would have looked at the time and I think the comparison to the "Edsel or Delorean of Indian Clubs" was spot on. I know the first time I looked at the club I thought, "This can't possibly be from the late 1800s" because it looked so new. From watching your demo on use of the club I still believe the club was nothing more than "hype" and a "cash grab" by the manufacturer. Still.... what a cool club! One thing you didn't touch on.... Most Indian Club exercises are done with "TWO" clubs in synchronous or alternating swings. Do you think the Kallisthenos club could be used this way or does the shovel grip make that too dangerous?

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Thanks very much, and thank you, it was all your doing! :) Regarding the use of two clubs. A couple of those exercises I have done many times with Indian clubs. The first one where it circles behind the head, and the one toward the end (filmed outside) where you extend the arm on either side and alternate downward swings in front of the body and behind the head. I really had to concentrate with those to make sure the hand turned just right so as not to get “trapped” in the shovel grip. I would definitely be nervous to try those with two clubs. Of course anything is possible though, so with lots of practice it definitely would be possible for someone to do it! Another thing is that the shovel grip does not allow you to open your hand and get the same angles as an Indian club can, making some of the exercises more difficult. In other words, the club has to be more aligned with the angle of your forearm, than required by the standard pommel type grip.

[@manjitrupbikram]

Thanks from India for discovering the kallithenos club and sharing its details with us.🙏🙏🙏

[@davidmiller6642]

Thank you for watching and for your kind words! 🙏

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

You are very welcome! 🙏

[@davidmastro5406]

An interesting implement. Odd, but interesting. I can see why it didn't last, though.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Yes indeed. Wish you could have seen this in person, Dave!

[@Wolkowinski]

Thank you for bringing the Kallithenos club to life Ben, and thanks to Todd for making this happen. Aesthetically the club looks amazing. Judging by the exercises you performed, I think that the Kallithenos club was created by someone trying to cash in on the popularity of Indian Clubs at the time. The Kallithenos prescribed exercises explore the use of the shovel handle rather than focus on swinging the club itself. Imagine a club swinger of the day (circa 1899-1900), who is used to swinging a club with a pommel, being presented with the Kallithenos club with the shovel handle as a superior alternative to the tried and tested Indian Club and its pommel. If it was me it would be a non-starter. It is not surprising that it disappeared into oblivion within a year. Great video.

[@fechtbodenzimmermann3418]

Nice video, interesting find! The back leaning posture at 10:48 is also recommended by Sandow for front raises, and according to my friend Rupert, is still around in Ashtanga Yoga.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Thanks for the info Tobias, I will have to check that out! It was a very awkward posture to swing the force club from!

[@terencefree]

Great video on a unique piece of exercise equipment.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Thank you most kindly!

[@mikelasnier1121]

Excited to see your future piece on the Hercules club; I have 2 of those in my collection.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Will do, thanks! 🙏

[@duck8dodgers]

You didn't really mention the springiness of the internal weights after you swung the club. Did you find the mobility of the weights to have a big impact on either you form or quality of exercise?

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Although it was nice to be able to adjust how heavy the club was; the weights moving around inside didn't do much... except to make an interesting squeaky noise.

[@davidnorden1972]

“Take off flesh” is quite a graphic way of saying “to lose weight”!

[@rosagraciabarton6321]

Great video. I really enjoyed it. I am going to try some of these exercises but with regular Indian Clubs.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Thank you for the kind words! Happy swinging! :)

[@rbabydill]

Excellent video Ben. I wonder if Tom Burrows would have able to set an endurance record with that baby!

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Ha! Very intriguing question! :)

[@triskellfit2080]

Astonishing

[@satchy7922]

Thanks

[@Lardfist0]

Very interesting. Thank you.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Thanks!

[@Lardfist0]

@@PhysicalCultureHistorians You should check out Mark Wildman on KZbin. He is the best instructor of heavy clubbell swinging.

[@Fred-px5xu]

I almost mist this brilliant video lecture on shovel or spade handle club. And I will agree to certain extent that the apparatus was trying cash in on the Indian Club popularity. It is designn with a different exercise regimen in mind. Again thank you Sir for producing another brilliant video lecture.

[@robindavis7023]

Thanks.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

You are very welcome!

[@normapadro420]

I like your videos. I stopped following other exercise routines for bodybuilding, because of aging. I use my own body weight as resistance. This way I can control the movements. I'm more in touch with my body now. I stopped doing situps, and crunches. They didn't do anything for my body, but wasted energy. I use movements that tense my whole body as one. I can feel all the muscles getting tighter as I go along. I created my own routine. Once you learn what your body can do you don't need all the other exercises that are out there today, or yesterday. Not all exercises are useful.

[@ColeDano]

Very interesting gizmo, if only for the history. A pity there wasn't the pommel handle, it seems so much more practical. Did the spring loaded weights have any real effect?

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

I didn’t really notice much of a difference with those sliding weights, although it made a neat sound. :)

[@bluestrue]

Hi, I wonder if adding a small spring pivot bobbing in and out between the handle and the club would add value. The pivot would hence add limited mobility.

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

That sounds interesting, but I’m not sure if understand, can you elaborate?

[@bluestrue]

@@PhysicalCultureHistorians yes, making the joint between the spade handle and the club semi mobile, in the axial direction.

[@peterjaimez1619]

Hi, you answered my question before! So it is a technical failure. Cheers

[@floridamusings5244]

Original shake weight. We really haven’t changed much😂

[@PhysicalCultureHistorians]

Ha, indeed!

[@peterjaimez1619]

Hi, you didn't mention how does the internal mechanism works, and if it does how it feels. Cheers