Anyone Use Clubbells As Part Of There Grip Workout?

[Steve B.]

A freind of mine brought over some clubbells a while back rangeing from 5lbs to 45lbs.

We missed around with alot of leverage movement with them as well as some clubbell exercises.

Man my forearms and grip were trashed after we were done.These things basically look like metal baseball bats.I know you can do alot of the same stuff withsledge hammers but the clubbells weight is more evenly distibuted and has a metal handle thats simi grippy.

Has anyone else tried them out and what did you think of them?

[Matt Brouse]

I'd like to but haven't found heavier ones with a logical price.

[Steve B.]

That's why you have to make freinds with someone who has them.

[nickr104]

I use indian clubs , but never have used club bells.

[Matt Brouse]

I use indian clubs , but never have used club bells.

Same thing as I understand it, but...

[bentpresser]

I have used them, and honestly, they are awesome tools. Like anything else, the basics work - meaning the mill and swipe will kick your ass. In my previous training, I worked up to one handed work with the 45 and in that process, added significant functional mass to my frame. No joke. Here are a few guidelines that may be useful to you:

If you have lifting experience, and are above average, plan on using a 20 or 25 wth one hand to start. Depending on your base strength, and learning, you may get to the heavier clubs, if that is your goal, within a short time. For quick comparison, I found that repping a 100 kettlebell on snatches to be pretty much the same level as repping a 45lb club on mills. This is just me though. Double pressing the 45s was about the same as double military pressing 100lb kettlebells, for another quick and possibly meaningless comparison outside of my own stats and experience level at the time.

Hope this helps.

[MRabich]

They are fun to play with I got 15 and 25. Mills and swipes will kick your ass, also it's fun tossing a clubbell and catching it on a fat part, not easy even with a 15. Pressing 25 up while keeping the bell up is a challenge, I can do a few reps but my reps are not crisp like the videos I have seen. I think to maximize their use you need a lesson from a CST, which I haven't done. I have a decent strength level (275 bench, 475 dl, 365 sq) but I cannot do certain moves. I wish CST forum was as live as Dragondoor.

[Matt Brouse]

So, ya, where do you alls get yer hands on these bad boys?

[Pachucko]

I got my 20 pounder on the Bay for a pretty good price, new in condition. I also got a pair of solid steel 10 pound clubs from a guy on E-Bay who makes them, also at an awesome price.

Pachucko

[apttdwler]

I was using my homemade ones quite a bit. They are a great workout and grip intensive. Now that I'm in the garage I hope to get back into them. They are fairly easy to make. I think the homemade ones work pretty good, something I wouldn't say of kettlebells.

http://www.geocities.com/fightraining

I have some info on how to make them there. NOTE: I don't have any idea on availability of the red bats I used in construction. I've heard from a few people that they are hard to find.... You should be able to use threaded metal pipe and adaptors to make something simular, if you can't find bats....

I agree on the CTS forum and for that matter the competitions. I think using the 25 for competition my be part of the problem. IMO 25 clubbells are a lot harder rep swipe/mill than a 53 kettlebell is to snatch....

[bentpresser]

re: the 25lb clubbell reps - you need to master the tight-loose-tight grip technique on mills and swipes to get the numbers. Start with a lighter club and toy around with relaxing the grip at various points in the arc.

[MRabich]

re: the 25lb clubbell reps - you need to master the tight-loose-tight grip technique on mills and swipes to get the numbers. Start with a lighter club and toy around with relaxing the grip at various points in the arc.

Bent Presser you a beast if you can double press the 45's, and perform mills and swipes with 45. My grip of clubbels is getting better, like you said you need to relax it at certain point of the swing yesterday I did 30 consecutive swipes with each arm. Performing full affixed at the top snatch with 25's is quiet a challenge too, could you snatch the 45?

Apttdwler great design ideas.

[Sean Dockery]

A decently strong guy ought to be able to do swipes with 45's...The mill is a little more difficult, but entirely doable.

Indian clubs, whatever you make them from, are excellent tools for developing enduring wrist, arm and shoulder strength.

[MARKR]

I have used them, and honestly, they are awesome tools. Like anything else, the basics work - meaning the mill and swipe will kick your ass. In my previous training, I worked up to one handed work with the 45 and in that process, added significant functional mass to my frame. No joke. Here are a few guidelines that may be useful to you:

If you have lifting experience, and are above average, plan on using a 20 or 25 wth one hand to start. Depending on your base strength, and learning, you may get to the heavier clubs, if that is your goal, within a short time. For quick comparison, I found that repping a 100 kettlebell on snatches to be pretty much the same level as repping a 45lb club on mills. This is just me though. Double pressing the 45s was about the same as double military pressing 100lb kettlebells, for another quick and possibly meaningless comparison outside of my own stats and experience level at the time.

Hope this helps.

Bentpresser

Is is nessary to have a pair of clubs or can you get a good workout using just one heavy club?

Thanks

Mark

[MRabich]

I'm not Bentpresser, but you certainly can get awesome workout from one clubbell, the exercise mill one of the two competitive events of the Olympic Clubbell Sport is performed one handed, and it will get you winded and your shoulders and forearms sore, guaranteed.

Also aptdweller you wrote that performing mills and swipes with 25's is harder than snatching 53 kettlebell for competition sake, remember many kettlebell competitions are done with 70 lb kettlebells, so that be a more accurate comparison.

Bentpresser

Is is nessary to have a pair of clubs or can you get a good workout using just one heavy club?

Thanks

Mark

[MARKR]

I'm not Bentpresser, but you certainly can get awesome workout from one clubbell, the exercise mill one of the two competitive events of the Olympic Clubbell Sport is performed one handed, and it will get you winded and your shoulders and forearms sore, guaranteed.

Also aptdweller you wrote that performing mills and swipes with 25's is harder than snatching 53 kettlebell for competition sake, remember many kettlebell competitions are done with 70 lb kettlebells, so that be a more accurate comparison.

Bentpresser

Is is nessary to have a pair of clubs or can you get a good workout using just one heavy club?

Thanks

Mark

Thanks for the reply

Mark

[bentpresser]

Sorry it took so long to respond.

On single club work -

Yes, one is fine. In fact, I would recommend one to climb the learning curve for a month or so. The pendulum and cast patterns take some time to get used to. Some samples for you, using two hands on a single club:

A) Tabata style

Front swipe x 20s (basically looks like a sledge hammer strike)

Flag press x 2-3 reps (straight out in front, like a standing bench press)

* no rest, repeat x 8 rounds.

B) Target reps vs Time

Two handed mill - as many as you can in 10 minutes. Rest is ok.

C) *Press circuit

Side muscle out (like a crucifix)

Flag (like a standing bench press)

Torch (straight up)

Bottom up torch (same, hold club upside down)

Side press (fists at chest height, alternate pressing up on a side angle, right and left)

**Barbarian (club is behind head, pull quickly over top and finish with fists at nose level)

*Do 2-3 reps each with super strict form, progressing one right after the other

**To reasonable failure, say 12 reps

Repeat for 3-5 rounds, rest in between each round as desired.

Hope this helps, and again, sorry for the delay.

[MARKR]

Sorry it took so long to respond.

On single club work -

Yes, one is fine. In fact, I would recommend one to climb the learning curve for a month or so. The pendulum and cast patterns take some time to get used to. Some samples for you, using two hands on a single club:

A) Tabata style

Front swipe x 20s (basically looks like a sledge hammer strike)

Flag press x 2-3 reps (straight out in front, like a standing bench press)

* no rest, repeat x 8 rounds.

B) Target reps vs Time

Two handed mill - as many as you can in 10 minutes. Rest is ok.

C) *Press circuit

Side muscle out (like a crucifix)

Flag (like a standing bench press)

Torch (straight up)

Bottom up torch (same, hold club upside down)

Side press (fists at chest height, alternate pressing up on a side angle, right and left)

**Barbarian (club is behind head, pull quickly over top and finish with fists at nose level)

*Do 2-3 reps each with super strict form, progressing one right after the other

**To reasonable failure, say 12 reps

Repeat for 3-5 rounds, rest in between each round as desired.

Hope this helps, and again, sorry for the delay.

Thanks for the reply thats really helpful

Mark