5 CLUB EXERCISES FOR CORE STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT

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Written by Don Giafardino  

Real core strength development requires more than endless sets of crunches! Find out how to develop functional core strength with these 5 club exercises and start hitting your core from every angle.

Core strength development is one of the hottest issues in functional training these days. Everybody wants it but not everyone knows how to get it. This article with its accessory video is an easy way for trainers or students to learn a quick, challenging modality to build core strength quickly. Exercise clubs or heavy Indian Clubs are the tool of choice for this workout because of their unique leverage obstacle that other tools don’t offer.

EXERCISE #1: CLUB FRONT SWING

The first exercise is the Front Swing, which is the base of most club training exercises. As with the kettlebell front swing, make sure that the body hinges at the waist and that the driving upward force to move the club is generated here – not a pull from the arms. Think deadlift, not squat.

EXERCISE #2: CLUB FLAG PRESS

The next, and probably the toughest exercise in this list to develop core strength, is the Flag Press. This is excellent for the core because in proper form the torso must remain tall, neutral lower back, drawn back shoulders and heart held high. Work on ‘wringing out’ the neck of the club when driving the club forward from the body. This is an important safety tip to reduce stress on the elbow soft tissue. Flag Presses are also great for static holds. Give them a try beginning at 10 seconds for 10 reps. As you get stronger, add time, weight, and more reps to develop massive core strength.

EXERCISE #3: CLUB SIDE SWING

Core Strength is not just working in front of the body, it includes lateral and reward motion. The Side Swing is another base exercise. Learn to perform the Side Swing properly, keeping the elbows locked and letting the arms act as pendulums. Again, the driving force is from the hip snap, not the arms. Use the Side Swing to practice catching Cleans in the Guard Position (2 hands on the club held next to shoulder).

EXERCISE #4: CLUB HAMMER SWING

Hammer Swings are a natural progression from the Side Swings. Perform a few Side Swings to build momentum and continue to swing the club overhead and when, following down employ another hip snap to continue the upward rotation. Remember to keep the arms straight and long and keep the grip loose enough to allow the arms freedom to rotate and not ‘bind’ and allow the elbow points to remain facing forward.

EXERCISE #5: CLUB 2-HANDED MILL

The final exercise in this series to develop core strength is more complicated, as it combines the Side Swing, the Side Clean, and an Arm Cast with torso rotation. This is the 2-Handed Mill. Before beginning the 2 Hand Mill take note of this helpful tip – the hand furthest from the knob on the club handle will be the shoulder you perform a clean to, i.e; right hand, right shoulder. Start off by doing a few side swings, then progress into a clean that crosses the centerline of the body and lands in front of the shoulder on the opposite side of the swing (if you swung your club to the left, it lands in front of the right shoulder).

Next step is to pass the club over the right shoulder (like throwing salt over the shoulder) muzzle first and letting the muzzle of the club drop toward the floor, bringing the elbows upward. Next rotate at the waist to the right and at the same time guide the club toward the left (here is where the hand position mentioned before is beneficial giving the left arm clearence to pass over the head (threading) and pull the club over into another side swing.

These exercises can be performed as single exercises or grouped together. I am a fan of the Tabata and have also done these in rep/set schemes or as AMRAPS. No matter how they are to be performed, they will increase core strength rapidly due to the natural unbalance of the club’s design.

CORE STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE TUTORIAL VIDEO