The old axiom ” practice makes perfect” was altered over the last decades to a more correct “practice makes permanent.” You must practice using the correct motor pathway and technique repeatedly to make permanent the learning.
When learning how to swing traditional Indian Clubs you have a formal stance with your heels together and toes pointing out at a 45 degree angle. When doing techniques from this stance, the pull on the back and hips tax the body is a different way than when executed from a natural stance with the feet shoulder width apart and toes pointing straight ahead.
After you have established your stance, your torso position with chest up, back straight provide the base for you to launch into your differents swings. The catalog of techniques and combination moves become diverse ONLY after you have developed the basic swings to “second nature.”
The progression of learning will be first without clubs just with empty hands, light clubs, medium clubs with the same techniques, heavier clubs with select technique. Select an area that has ample space to swing without obstacles or danger to yourself or others. Grass or carpet will be easier on your ears and the clubs when you are first learning.
Let’s start by standing in a formal stance with you arms at your side. Swing your straight left arm forward and up till the bicep is behind the ear. Lower in the same plane and let it pass your hips and butt. Repeat this several times and focus on the pull upward on your chest and “lats”. On the downward swing feel the front of your deltoid stretching as the arms pass the hips. Repeat this practice with your right hand, then do it with both hands.
Your second technique has the arms swinging in front of your body. Again we will begin with the left hand making circles starting away from the body and circling inward at the top and going outward at the bottom. Repeat on the right hand. Reverse the direction starting inward and circling outward using both hands. When doing the inward and outer circles together, put one arm about 3-5 inches away from the other. This keeps your hands from bumping into each other and later, your clubs.
You can try these exercises at the end of your workout or at the beginning to warm up. These exercises are simple, but will lay the foundation for quicker learning and physical improvements through Indian Club Exercise.
Before I head out of this article, I would like to share a famous story in Indian Club circles. It is about a very wealthy King who had expended much of his energy and time developing his great kingdom. Now he had peace, riches and power beyond his expectations. He now spent his days in his garden, laying around and instructing other in executing his commands. He became lethargic and suffered from a depressing mood. His wise Doctors, the best in the land were at odds finding a cure. They put out a decree that whoever could cure the beloved king would be rewarded beyond their imagination.
A strongly built traveller appeared in the garden of the king with a claim that he could cure the king in a few weeks. He gave orders for the special fruits and dishes that the king was to eat for breakfast, mid morning snack ! Lunch and light dinner. He told the king that he would put special herbs that were activated by swinging in a special club. The king was to awake and swing the clubs with the herbs in the prescribed manner. He was to do it again before retiring. In a matter of weeks, the king had regained his vitality and zest for life. He called the traveller in and offered half his kingdom. The traveller told the king that he had no special herbs in the clubs, but it was the swinging of the clubs faithfully and with purpose that brought the renewal of his health.
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