How To Perform the Indian Club Single Inside Mill

In today’s video, we’re covering one of the most fundamental Indian club movements every beginner should master, the Single Inside Mill. This movement introduces lateral swinging patterns, forming the foundation for more advanced Indian club exercises.

Starting Position

• Stand tall and proud. Your feet can be in a V stance, military stance, or hip-width apart, whatever feels comfortable.
• Keep your elbows tucked in and your chest up.
• Hold the club in a neutral hammer grip, three fingers on the handle, pinky on the pommel, knuckles facing the ceiling, and the club parallel to the floor.

The Movement Breakdown

1. Cast the club across the front of your body into a saber grip, keeping the bicep connected to your ribs.
2. Let the club drop into the Y position, fully extending the arm and shoulder.
3. Move into sword and sheath position—your thumb should lightly touch the side of your head, creating a triangle between your ear, bicep, and forearm.
4. Perform an inside elbow circle, bringing the club back to the front stack position.
5. Repeat the sequence, gradually increasing speed while maintaining control.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Reaching across the body when casting, keep your shoulders and hips squared.
• Overextending the movement, stop at the triangle position instead of pulling too far back.
• Moving the club with your wrist instead of initiating with the elbow.

Key Differences: Indian Clubs vs. Steel Clubs

• Indian clubs are lighter (1–3 lbs), so you don’t need to shift your weight.
• Steel clubs require more weight transfer to counterbalance the heavier load.
• With Indian clubs, keep your arm closer to your body, unlike steel clubs, where you’d fully extend and whip the elbow around.