Indian clubs are a great way to enhance or maintain your posture and shoulder mobility.  They can be used as part of a dynamic warmup for the upper body, prior to sports or a workout.

Weighted clubs have been used for physical training for centuries in India and neighboring countries – heavier clubs for strength, and lighter clubs for coordination and mobility.  They could be found in many turn of the century or early 1900’s gymnasiums.

I’ve used Indian clubs weighing 1or 2 pounds for a while now and they are a great way to warmup.  The circular movements train the wrist, elbow, and shoulder at the same time, lubricating the joints.  There are many different patterns that can be used, from simple to complex.

Someone who has lost some mobility and maybe has some posture issues can start with basic pendulum moves and gradually add more complex patterns.  The more difficult patterns increase upper body coordination – teaching all the joints to work together.

They force you to expand your ribcage as you swing them overhead – perfect for someone sitting at a desk all day with poor posture.  I think that they work well with joint mobility programs that are done with bodyweight.  They add just enough resistance to make additional demands on the body.

They can be used by the older golfer, baseball player or tennis player who wants to keep from losing their mobility.  They also are great for those doing strength training.

I’ve got some wear and tear on my shoulders from lifting weights with poor posture and they help me keep training intensely, past the age of 40.

Get moving!

Brian Morgan

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