Onnit 45lb. steel club

[JasonC]

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than Sonnon’s (but more so at 15 lbs and under), and though I heard the handles were smooth and slick, that might be out of date.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.

[Mickey O'neil]

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.

[Shafpocalypse Now]

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

[TomFurman]

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

[zak-zombie]

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.

[Shafpocalypse Now]

These are so cheap now, I might get one

[syaigh]

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.

[Shafpocalypse Now]

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