5 Reasons for using The Indian or Power Club in your training!

The Indian club is a primitive tool that has been around for a very long time. This method is or must be one of the oldest methods of strength and conditioning. The Indian club is best described as a bowling pin (1lb small ones) or a heavy bat (heavy ones over 12kg). They can be made from wood or metal. I first became aware of these tools as a young boy in the 1970's when my grandfather Michael O' Neill taught them in schools around Ireland. He was an old army P.E. teacher and taught mainly in Dublin. He wouls store the Indian clubs under our stairs, in as we called the coal house.

1. My first reason for using the Club is the mobility that these tools give you. Notably in the shoulder complex. Also great work around the hip, low back and spine.  At Function & Fitness Ireland F.F.I. we promote mobility as a priority in our health/fitness training. The club movements promote multi planer motions, which train your shoulder joints over a huge range of motion, promoting stability at the same time. This is an ideal way to keep your shoulders in particular healthy, strong and supple. Perfect for anyone involved in Hurling, Golf, throwing, Basketball, racket sports to name but a few.

2. Using the club whether light or heavy, promotes good posture and the recruitment of your bodies stabilising musculature. Yes there is more to the body than THE CORE! If you are all about the core, this method will strengthen the core and more. Like some of the kettlebell movements, the Indian club involves lots of rotational work (Transverse plane) coupled with work in the other main planes of motion Sagittal and Frontal). This makes it so functional to life, sport and what movement training is all about. Now we are getting away from that linear training that fitness gyms tend to promote.

3. Strength is a requesite for all of us in life, never mind sport. The club will strengthen your bones, muscles, tendons, heart, lungs and connective tissues. But the most important thing is that it strengthens your body in ways that you will never experience in your traditional fancy gyms. To pick up a 12-15kg club and swing or swipe it is no joke and a great calorie burner too. You cannot compare this to a 12-15kg Dumbbell as the weight feels totally different. These heavier clubs can be used for hypertrophy training, if that is your goal.

4. The club can be used for the conditioning aspect of your training cycle. Apart from using your heart and lungs the clubs will improve your muscular endurance (stamina). This will also help you burn lots more calories and improve your metabolism. This form of training will tone your muscles without adding too much bulk.

5. When you train with the Club or indeed kettlebells, they train you mostly in the upright position. In other words on your feet. This is where we need to be strong for life. This is where we need to be efficient in movement. In the sports that i mentioned above and more, we need to be strong and fast on our feet, not flat on our backs, you are not much good there? This type of training will have a huge transference over to life movement and sports performance.

Before you pick up the club and start your short outdoor/indoor sessions, ensure you seek instruction from a qualified instructor.

F.F.I. will be running instructor courses in mobility and Indian club training soon.

If you have any queries about Indian Club training in Ireland drop us an email info@ffireland.com

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