IGX

I developed chronic elbow pain while powerlifting, and I needed resistance exercise that would let/help them heal. I started by doing sledgehammer rotations for the elbow, a la Diesel Crew, and then I started playing with other leverage moves. Then I started moving a sledgehammer like a meel and was hooked, so I made a pair of inexpensive clubs out of pipe. I outgrew those but still liked lifting clubs, so I decided I had earned the right to buy a purpose-made club.

I chose the Onnit over Sonnon’s Clubbells (tm, got it? TM!!!) because they’re cheaper to buy and ship and they don’t have the smelly polyurethane coating. Onnits are a little shorter than Sonnon’s (but more so at 15 lbs and under), and though I heard the handles were smooth and slick, that might be out of date. My club feels like fine sandpaper.

The interwebs warned me—but I did not fully grasp—that 45 lbs is a fuck TON of club. No one should start at this weight unless he owns some state titles. I expected it to be in the same ballpark as halos and Russian twists with a big plate, or a bottoms-up press with 24kg. Wrong! I’ve pulled 495# and “cast” this club, and the club works the abs more. And I never truly experienced grip or arm work until now. And course the shoulders and lats are highly involved, and the legs aren’t napping either.

I've been wanting to try clubs for years for shoulder and elbow health. Maybe one of these days I will get a pair. Maybe even a mace.

my 5s are good to warm up. my 7# mace does a good job of doing those rotations Chris Duffy likes and is way cheaper than the thing he sells.

I wouldn't mind getting a few more down the road

The 45 is frightening at first. It is good for what it is,.. a tool that really slams the shoulders, grip, bracing, etc.

I purchased 2 x 35lbers not realising it was a different beast to kettlebell equivalent, especially one handed, I have an 15lb club that gets more use.

These are so cheap now, I might get one

I made clubbells by filling wiffle ball bats with sand or lead shot. For rehab, honestly, you shouldn't need more than a 10-15 lb one. I use a 5 lb one when my shoulders need some work and that's perfect. If you avoid the heavy weights, you let the little stabilizers work.

I have a pair of 5s. So a single 45# one would just sit in the corner of the gym and be awesome and unused