The Pehlwan Journal
Strength, at home.
New articles every day on home training, equipment and the akhara tradition.
The Dumbbell Overhead Press: A Practical Guide for Home Training
The overhead press adds a useful pushing movement to your home routine. Start light, check the space above you and learn to finish each repetition without leaning back.
Read article →27 October 2026The Dumbbell Row: Build a Steady Pull into Your Home Training
A one-arm dumbbell row gives you a straightforward way to train your back and arms at home. Start with a stable position, keep the movement controlled and let the weight follow your technique.
Read article →26 October 2026The Suitcase Carry: A Simple Dumbbell Exercise for Small Spaces
You do not need a long stretch of floor to practise carrying a weight well. Learn the suitcase carry, with a standing option for homes where walking space is limited.
Read article →25 October 2026The Supported Split Squat: Train One Leg at a Time at Home
You do not need a complicated exercise to make light weights feel demanding. Learn the supported split squat, a practical way to train each leg without making balance the main challenge.
Read article →24 October 2026The Dumbbell Floor Press: Upper-Body Training Without a Bench
You do not need a bench to make pressing part of your home training. Learn the dumbbell floor press, from a manageable setup to controlled repetitions and steady progress.
Read article →23 October 2026Keep Your Training Appointment: A Home Strength Plan for Darker Evenings
As the evenings draw in, a reliable training routine needs to fit the household rather than compete with it. Here is how to protect your time, privacy and training space through the autumn.
Read article →22 October 2026Working Towards Your First Pull-Up at Home
A first pull-up starts with controlled practice, not repeated attempts at a rep you cannot yet finish. Here is a practical way to build towards it at home, with short sessions and clear signs of progress.
Read article →21 October 2026Learn the Hip Hinge: A Practical Guide to the Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
The hip hinge is a useful strength-training skill, but it can feel unfamiliar at first. Learn the movement step by step, then put it to work with a simple dumbbell Romanian deadlift session at home.
Read article →20 October 2026Your First Cable Session: A Simple Home Strength Routine
Cable training need not mean a long list of attachments or complicated exercises. Start with three movements, a light load and a repeatable routine that fits an ordinary evening at home.
Read article →19 October 2026The Day Between Sessions: A Practical Recovery Routine at Home
You do not need to fill every day with another workout. A simple approach to rest, food and preparation can make home strength training easier to keep up.
Read article →18 October 2026Your First Smith Machine Squat: A Practical Home Guide
A Smith machine squat deserves its own set-up, rather than a copy of your barbell stance. Here is how to find a comfortable position, practise the movement and build a straightforward session around it.
Read article →17 October 2026The Two-Day Dumbbell Plan for Busy Family Weeks
You do not need a clear diary to build a consistent training routine. This two-day dumbbell plan gives you a practical starting point, with simple ways to fit sessions around family life.
Read article →16 October 2026Before You Buy: Planning a Home Gym in a UK House
A useful home gym starts with a tape measure, not a shopping basket. Here is how to plan space, access and storage so your training fits the house you actually live in.
Read article →16 October 2026Bring the Akhara Home: Why We Started Pehlwan
Long before there were gyms, there were akharas. Here is why we build strength equipment for the desi household.
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