{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-572d6a42.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-f4d0de30.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='Iranian martial art is one of world\u0026#39;s oldest sports' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d7e3d8eafeecae20fa0e' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d7e3d8eafeecae20fa0e' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nIranian martial art is one of world\u0026#39;s oldest sports\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eLEADIN              Traditional Iranian martial arts that are part callisthenic and part gymnastics are totally hypnotic to watch.               The exercises are performed to the beating of a drum and athletes use instruments such as...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eLEADIN\u003cbr/\u003e              Traditional Iranian martial arts that are part callisthenic and part gymnastics are totally hypnotic to watch. \u003cbr/\u003e              The exercises are performed to the beating of a drum and athletes use instruments such as large wooden clubs and heavy wood panels as weights. \u003cbr/\u003e              STORYLINE\u003cbr/\u003e              For five days a week, the sound of a goblet drum is heard beating out from this traditional gymnasium.\u003cbr/\u003e              It's a musical accompaniment for a group of men training in Iran's oldest sport: Varzesh Bastani (ancient sport) also known as Varzesh Pahlevani (heroic sport). \u003cbr/\u003e              The traditional Iranian system of athletics blends gymnastics, callisthenics, martial arts, music, spiritual and resistance training, art and literature.\u003cbr/\u003e              The sport takes place in a Zoorkhane which translates as \"house of strength\".\u003cbr/\u003e              It's inscribed under \"Pahlevani and Zoorkhanei rituals\" by UNESCO, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010, as one of the world's longest-running forms of such sport.\u003cbr/\u003e              The ancient sport has been practiced as a means of training warriors for the battlefield since the Achaemenid Empire (550 BC-330 BC) and was systematised as the sport we see today about 700 years ago.\u003cbr/\u003e              Having warmed up, athletes enter the octagonal pit, called the Gowd, which is sunken around 1 metre into the floor of the Zoorkhane.\u003cbr/\u003e              Stone seats are built around the Gowd for spectators. The roof of the Zoorkhane is high, shaped like a dome and has windows.\u003cbr/\u003e              The walls are decorated with pictures of athletes, holy places, verses and war martyrs.\u003cbr/\u003e              Athletes must form a circle around a veteran athlete called the Pishkesvat (mentor) or Myandar, they then follow his lead.\u003cbr/\u003e              The training is usually carried out in the evening after the participants have finished their daily work.\u003cbr/\u003e              Each training session lasts from two to four hours depending on the course's intensity.\u003cbr/\u003e              Morteza Ashrafi is a former Varzesh Bastani champion who has been practicing the sport for 35 years and now leads the workout rituals at Zoorkhane Shirafkan.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"It is a sport of chivalry, generosity, respect and politeness,\" he says. \"The entrance of a Zoorkhane is built low so that you have to bend over and leave your ego behind the door when you step in the pit.\" \u003cbr/\u003e              There are around 1000 Zoorkhanes around the country and officials are planning to double the number within four years.\u003cbr/\u003e              Ali Ghassemi works out at the Zoorkhane every other night.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"I have become so addicted to this sport and if I do not work out at least every other night I feel like something is missing. Both officials and athletes should help this sport to grow and become popular again,\" he says.\u003cbr/\u003e              The beginning of the ritual is marked by the Morshed, or master, beating a goblet drum. The Morshed is the highest rank in the Zoorkhane.\u003cbr/\u003e              He sits at the most elevated, altar-like spot of the club and sings religious tunes, heroic poems from Persian literature, verses of Quran or repeats names of Islam's saints to pump up the athletes.\u003cbr/\u003e              Ali Masoumi, has been the Morshed of Zoorkhane Shirafkan for 18 years and is the son of Majid Masoumi, the owner and keeper of the club.\u003cbr/\u003e              He says that the heroic Persian sport is the only type of training in the world that is practiced along with live music.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"Morshed is in charge of playing the music and singing to excite and pump the athletes up. Athletes also should coordinate themselves to the lead athlete and rhythm of the Morshed,\" he adds.\u003cbr/\u003e              Zoorkhane moves and tools have an exclusive terminology and the instruments used by the athletes symbolise ancient weapons.\u003cbr/\u003e              The three main instruments found in every Zoorkhane are 'Meels' wooden clubs that resemble war maces,  'Kabadeh', an iron rod with a hand grip on one side connected with chains on its ends which symbolises bows used in ancient wartimes and 'Sang' or enormous, heavy panels that resemble shields. Sang literally means stone and in the past they would be made of stone. But these days they are mainly made of heavy wood.\u003cbr/\u003e              Push-ups and spinning are also compulsory rituals of the Zoorkhane. According to some sources, Zoorkhane spinning is aimed at strengthen balance and is similar to Sufi whirling or Sama (Sufi) meditation.\u003cbr/\u003e              Zoorkhane Shirafkan, meaning Lion Killer, where these athletes practise is one of the oldest Zoorkhane in the capital Tehran.\u003cbr/\u003e              Located in southwestern Tehran, the building is about 100 years old but was fully renovated eight years ago. It now has three levels including a modern gym on the top floor.\u003cbr/\u003e              Majid Masoumi is the owner of the Zoorkhane Shirafkan who has been managing it for 40 years.\u003cbr/\u003e              The ancient sport runs in Majid's family: his father, Khosro Masoumi, was a renowned champion and Majid, and his children and grandchildren have followed in his footsteps.\u003cbr/\u003e              \"My father was a Zoorkhane keeper and the Zoorkhane pit was my playground when I was little. My soul is so attached to this pit, heroism, sportsmanship, bravery and the humbleness of this sport. My children also followed my path. The same pit here was their playground as well. Now it is handed down to my grandchildren,\" Masoumi says as his 5-year-old grandson, Taha Masoumi, takes a spin in the pit.\u003cbr/\u003e              Pahlevani and Zoorkhanei rituals were inscribed in 2010 on the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.\u003cbr/\u003e            \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e              ++ Associated Press is adhering to Iranian law that stipulates all media are banned from providing BBC Persian, VOA Persian or Manoto 1 any coverage from Iran, and under this law if any media violate this ban the Iranian authorities can immediately shut down that organization in Tehran.++\u003cbr/\u003e              ASSOCIATED PRESS - No Access BBC Persian / No Access VOA Persian / No Access Manoto TV\u003cbr/\u003e              Tehran, Iran - 8 July 2018\u003cbr/\u003e              1. Mid of Zoorkhane athletes entering the pit known as Gowd to start their workout\u003cbr/\u003e              2. Close of Morshed (master) playing goblet drum\u003cbr/\u003e              3. Pan from Morshed to athletes exercising with special clubs called Meel to the rhythm of goblet drum\u003cbr/\u003e              4. Various close of athletes' faces as they exercise with Meels\u003cbr/\u003e              5. Tilt-up from little boy working out in the pit to athletes exercising with Meels\u003cbr/\u003e              6. Close of man's face \u003cbr/\u003e              7. Reverse of Morshed playing drum with athletes exercising in the pit in background\u003cbr/\u003e              8. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Morteza Ashrafi, Lead athlete of Zoorkhane sport \u003cbr/\u003e              \"It is a sport of chivalry, generosity, respect and politeness. The entrance of a Zoorkhane is built low so that you have to bend over and leave your ego behind the door when you step in the pit.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              9. Various of athlete spinning in the middle of the pit as part of a ritual\u003cbr/\u003e              10. Tilt-up from athlete exercising to Morshed playing drum\u003cbr/\u003e              11. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Ali Ghassemi, Zoorkhane athlete \u003cbr/\u003e              \"I have become so addicted to this sport and if I do not work out at least every other night I feel like something is missing. Both officials and athletes should help this sport to grow and become popular again.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              12. Various top shots of athletes doing push-ups in the octagonal pit\u003cbr/\u003e              13. Mid of athletes doing push-ups \u003cbr/\u003e              14. Close of hand\u003cbr/\u003e              15. Various of athletes doing push-ups \u003cbr/\u003e              16. Mid of Morshed playing drum\u003cbr/\u003e              17. Close of Morshed singing\u003cbr/\u003e              18. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Ali Masoumi, Morshed (master) of the Zoorkhane: \u003cbr/\u003e              \"This is the only sport in the world which is accompanied by live music. The Morshed is in charge of playing the music and singing to excite and pump the athletes up. Athletes also should coordinate themselves to the lead athlete and rhythm of the Morshed.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              19. Close of of athletes and the lead athlete, spinning\u003cbr/\u003e              20. Close of spectator recording a video of athletes on his phone\u003cbr/\u003e              21. Mid of athletes training in the pit with spectator in foreground\u003cbr/\u003e              22. Pan from spectators to athletes training\u003cbr/\u003e              23. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Rasoul Masoumzadeh, veteran Zoorkhane athlete and wrestler: \u003cbr/\u003e              \"The Kabadeh resembles a bow and arrow. When you exercise with Kabadeh, it is like you are using the bow in past times. When the athlete lies down on his back and exercises with the Sang (stone panels), it is as if he is building a bridge for his weaker comrades to cross and move toward greatness. The Meels (wooden clubs) resemble maces that were used in wartimes. Zoorkhane tools all represent old weapons.\" \u003cbr/\u003e              24. Various of Ashrafi exercising with a Kabadeh in the pit\u003cbr/\u003e              25. Various top-shots of Ashrafi training with Sang or stone panels lying on his back in the pit assisted by other athletes\u003cbr/\u003e              26. SOUNDBITE (Farsi) Majid Masoumi, owner and manager of Shirafkan Zourkhaneh: \u003cbr/\u003e              \"My father was a Zoorkhane d keeper and the Zoorkhane pit was my playground when I was little. My soul is so attached to this pit, heroism, sportsmanship, bravery and the humbleness of this sport. My children also followed my path. The same pit here was their playground as well. Now it is handed down to my grandchildren.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              27. Close of Taha Masoumi, grandson of Majid Masoumi spinning in the pit\u003cbr/\u003e              28. 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