Zurkhaneh

A taxte-ye šeno, or shena board, is a push up board used in the zurxāne in Iran. It is a critical tool and used more than any other. It is also an incredibly easy and inexpensive piece of equipment to make.

Here is the video on YouTube and the step-by step guide on how to make a taxte-ye šeno is below:

All you will need to make the shena board is thick scrap wood parts of various sizes, nails and basic tools – saw, hammer, sandpaper at a minimum.

The top board is 39 inches long, by 2.5 wide. It should be around 1 inch deep. take some 1 inch thick wood and cut out the length and width you need. Then sand the sharp edges and smooth out the wood with sandpaper.

The feet are trapezoidal. They should be between 1.5 and 2 inches across. The top of the trapezoid is the same width as the board – 2.5 inches – while the bottom should be 5.5 inches across for stable footing. plan out the cuts on the first foot and cut it. Then use the first foot as a template for the second. sand off the edges and make sure the top edge is level so it can be attached to the board.

Now you need to attach the top to the feet of the taxte-ye šeno. You can glue it in place first if you like and drill pilot holes, but the only necessary step is to hammer nails through the top. You can then use a punch to make sure the heads are lower than the wood surface. You could also use screws, but make sure they do not stick out above the top of the board.

Now you have a complete shena board that will serve you well for years to come. you can stain it or paint it, but it can also remain as bare wood.

The zurxāne, or zurkhaneh, is the Iranian “House of Strength” where men of all ages come together to engage in a powerful physical and spiritual practice.

The zurxāne is where the pahlavānān (athletes) practice the ancient ritual of strength known as varzeš-e pahlavāni (“heroic sport”). Sometimes called varzeš-e bastani (“ancient sport”), the athletes train in physical practices which are geared towards fighting and utilise training tools which emulate weapons of war.

“Almost every traditional neighbourhood has a zurxāne. Found in the back alleys of cities, they are almost invisible from the outside. They have an unassuming, almost unnoticeable exterior. Only a small sign usually announces that it is a zurxāne. The zurxāne has a small door so that everyone who enters, regardless of station in life, must bow and show humility and modesty to enter. Shoes must be removed at the door. A narrow corridor then leads to an expansive domed inner chamber reminiscent of the Mithraic cave of initiation or a Ṣufī lodge.” Tom Billinge, WarYoga Zurxāne

In the centre of the high-domed room is the go’d (“hollow” or “deep”), a sacred sunken pit in which the activities of the house of strength take place. Here the athletes swing perform their exercises and accompanying prayers. They perform šeno push ups and swing mils. They lift sang and sway the kabbadē.

The go’d faces the sardam, an elevated platform which is the seat of the moršed (“master” or “guide”), who plays the drum and bell while chanting poetry by Persian masters like Saʿdī, Ḥāfeẓ, Rūmī, and Ferdowsī.

This holy place is where men are turned into champions, and champions are turned into legends: legends who transcend mundane existence and wage the Greater Holy War against the lesser self.

For a deep look at the zurxāne and its place in Iranian culture, buy the WarYoga Zurxāne book.

The Sang are wooden shields used in the Zurkhaneh (“House of Strength”) in Iran. The word literally means “stones,” as the original iteration were made of stone.

The purpose of the Sang is to build excellent pushing and pressing strength, while in a state of motion, rather than in a static position used in the modern bench press. The Sang are normally lifted in the go’d (pit) before the full Zurkhaneh ritual.

In the video, Mr Azim Rahemi, multiple time nation champion of Iran demonstrates the proper technique for the basic use of the Sang.

First, he prays facing the Sang, before turning his body to the right, lying prone in position to pick up the shields. Then he reaches up and grasps them by their handle bringing them into the top position of the Sanggereftan-e Jofti (double press). his feet are together, with the big toe of the right foot over the big toe of the left. In this top position, the back of his head and his spine touches the ground while his shoulders are off the ground. The flat edge of the Sang at the top are very close to each other, but not touching.

He lowers the Sang, allowing them to go horizontal. His head raises to look through the space between them and his elbows touch the ground with the arms at 90 degrees to the body. He then lifts them again, putting them back into the vertical alignment, lowering his head to the ground once more. This is normally done 17 times before moving on to the next phase: Sanggereftan-e Qaltān (turning lifts).

From the top position, Mr Azim then bends his legs into a tabletop position, keeping his knees together. He then turn to one side, lowering one Sang, while fully extending the other. His legs are extended at 90 degrees to his torso. He then bends his knees and turns his body, lifting the bottom sand and lowering the top one. This is done for as many repetitions as the athlete is able to perform.

Many thanks to Mr Azim Rahemi and Mr Mehsam Refahi for teaching this to me in the famous Zurkhaneh Mortazar Ali in Ardekan, Fars. They are both renowned national champions and gentlemen.