What are Indian Clubs?

Indian Clubs are a versatile fitness tool with a rich history that dates back hundreds of years. These clubs originated in the Indian subcontinent and were initially used as training tools for physical fitness and martial arts. Today, Indian clubs are used by fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and practitioners of various martial arts as a way to improve shoulder mobility, grip strength, and overall physical fitness.

What are the benefits of Indian Clubs?

Indian Clubs have become more popular in today’s fitness environment because if the many benefits that come from their use. The benefits have a wide range that extend from increasing strength, increasing range of motion or flexibility, and improving trunk/core activation. Some benefits of Indian clubs are:

1. Improved Shoulder Mobility and Flexibility:

Indian clubs are an excellent way to increase overall shoulder mobility and flexibility. The circular, swinging patterns used during an Indian Club workout help increase the movement of the shoulder joints. This improved mobility in the shoulders can reduce the chance of injuries with various physical activities like weightlifting and sports.

2. Enhanced Grip Strength and Development of the Forearm:

Gripping and swinging Indian clubs challenge your hand and forearm muscles. If you perform workouts with Indian clubs regularly, you can see an increase in grip strength and improved forearm development. Stronger forearms and a powerful grip can have functional benefits in daily life and other fitness pursuits, such as rock climbing and martial arts.

3. Core and Postural Strength:

A lot of Indian club exercises promote core engagement and proper posture to execute the movements correctly. The core provides a stable base from which the Indian clubs move. This helps strengthen your core muscles and encourages good posture habits. A strong core and improved posture can alleviate back pain, enhance overall stability, and improve your body’s alignment and balance.

4. Cardiovascular Endurance:

Swinging Indian clubs in a continuous and rhythmic manner can provide an option to individuals who need a low-impact, aerobic workout that elevates your heart rate. This improves cardiovascular endurance over time. Consistent use of Indian clubs can be an excellent addition to your cardio training regimen, especially for individuals looking for alternatives to traditional cardio exercises.

5. Mental Focus and Stress Reduction:

Focus and coordination are paramount to performing Indian club exercises. This improves mental focus and can reduce your stress as you must maintain the specific rhythm and pattern while swinging the clubs. The concentration required in this type of training can help reduce stress and improve mental clarity, making it a meditative and enjoyable form of exercise.

What Size Do Indian Clubs come?

Indian clubs come in multiple sizes or weights ranging from 1 pound up to 15 pounds on most websites. Indian clubs can be swung with one hand or with two clubs, one in each hand.

Typical Workout…

With Indian clubs more is not necessarily better. The focus is on getting a smooth rhythm and maintaining control throughout the motion. Because of the aerobic effect from Indian clubs, Indian club exercises are often used as a warmup to other exercises. An example routine can be 20 repetitions of each movement up to a total of 200 swings.

Three Basic Indian Club Movements…

To get started with Indian Clubs, it is important for you to become familiar with the basic moves or exercises. Here are three common exercises to perform when getting started with Indian Clubs.

Arm Circles:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding an Indian club in each hand.
2. Begin with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) and extend your arms straight out in front of you.
3. Perform the following sequence with both arms simultaneously:
   • Circle the clubs outwards in a clockwise motion.
   • Continue the circles overhead and behind you.
   • Bring the clubs back to the starting position.
4. Repeat the exercise for a specific number of repetitions or a set duration.
5. You can then reverse the direction to perform counterclockwise circles.

Front Swings:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, Indian club in the left hand, and the right hand at your side. Shoulders are rotated to the left a little.
2. Hold the club with an overhand grip (palm facing forward) and extend your left arm straight out in front of you.
3. Initiate the movement by swinging the club downward in a pendulum-like motion:
   • Swing the club in front of the body to the right side ending with the left palm facing backwards and shoulders rotated to the right.
   • Allow it to swing back to the left side in a controlled manner as before.
4. Keep your core engaged, and make sure the motion is fluid.
5. Perform the desired number of repetitions and then switch to the other hand.

Shoulder Casts:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, Indian club in one hand, and the other hand at your side.
2. Hold the club with an overhand grip (palm facing forward) and extend your arm straight out to the side.
3. Begin the exercise by casting the club over your shoulder:
   • Swing the club across the front of your body and over your shoulder.
   • Allow the club to continue behind your back to the other side.
4. Catch the club with your free hand, which should be positioned behind your back, and switch to the other hand.
5. Perform the exercise by continuously casting the club back and forth over your shoulder.
6. Maintain a smooth and controlled motion and a strong core throughout.

These three basic Indian club exercises are an excellent way for a beginner to begin building shoulder mobility, grip strength, and overall upper body coordination. It’s important to start with a suitable weight of clubs to ensure safety and proper form. Gradually increase the weight and complexity of the exercises as you become more comfortable with these foundational movements.

Summary:

As you can see, Indian clubs can be very beneficial to you overall fitness and mobility routine for many reasons. In addition to getting the heart rate up with the aerobic effects of continuous movements, strength of the wrists and forearms, increased motion of the shoulders, and core activation are also great benefits. If you are interested in purchasing some Indian Clubs, check out my post on the top 5 clubs to by for a beginner.