What This Program Is
Clubbell Single Arm Program Level 2 is an 8-week steel club workout program that bridges the Level 1 essentials and full mill training. It keeps one clubbell (also sold as a steel club or heavy club) and the same movement-block format, and it prepares your shoulders, grip, and timing for the mill without asking you to perform the full mill yet.
Every session finishes with mill prep, a drill that links an inside circle into a shield cast. Mill prep is the only movement whose volume rises across the eight weeks. Everything else stays at three sets, so the extra work goes exactly where the next level needs it.
Use the Bells and Moves app to run each session, track your sets week to week, and follow the progression without counting anything yourself.
Prerequisite
Complete Clubbell Single Arm Program Level 1 first, or meet its standard: inside circles, outside circles, shield casts, and straight pullovers performed one-handed, on both sides, with control.
The straight single-arm pullover from Level 1 matters most here. Level 2 builds on it with the 180 pullover, which adds the turnover behind the head that mill work depends on.
Program Overview
- Duration: 8 weeks
- Frequency: 3 days per week (Monday / Wednesday / Friday default), at least one day between sessions
- Session length: 15-35 minutes
- Equipment: One clubbell, used at the same weight for the whole cycle
- Key exercise: Single-arm mill prep
- Reps: 5 per side on every movement, except the 180 pullover at 3 per side
- Sets: 3 sets of every movement except mill prep, in every week
- Progression: Mill prep sets rise from 4 to 8 on Days 1 and 2, with one extra set on Day 3
Weekly Training Plan
Complete all sets of one movement before moving to the next, with 1:00 rest between movements. Each set includes both sides.
Each day starts with a simpler arc before the harder behind-the-head work, and ends with mill prep.
- Day 1 - Single-arm inside circle, two-handed shield cast, single-arm mill prep
- Day 2 - Single-arm outside circle, single-arm shield cast, single-arm mill prep
- Day 3 - Single-arm inside circle, single-arm 180 pullover, single-arm mill prep
Mill Prep Sets by Week
| Week | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Emphasis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | Establish positions and breathing |
| 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | Add volume without rushing |
| 3 | 6 | 6 | 7 | First build peak |
| 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | Consolidation week |
| 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | Restart the build from a higher base |
| 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | Higher-volume skill endurance |
| 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | Peak week |
| 8 | 5 | 5 | 6 | Deload before a weight increase or repeat |
Day 3 carries one extra mill prep set because its 180 pullover block uses fewer reps than the shield cast blocks on Days 1 and 2.
How to Execute
- Choose one club and use it for all eight weeks
- Perform the prescribed reps on one side, then on the other
- Complete all sets of one movement before moving to the next
- Rest 1:00 between movements
- Split mill prep into two parts when it has 5 or more sets, smaller part first, with 1:00 rest between parts: 5 = 2 + 3, 6 = 3 + 3, 7 = 3 + 4, 8 = 4 + 4, 9 = 4 + 5
- On the two-handed shield cast, switch which hand is on top so that each side gets 5 reps
Key Points:
- Keep 2-4 sets continuous. Take extra rest whenever technique requires it
- Keep every behind-the-head transition smooth and quiet
- Do not complete a set count at the cost of technique. A shortened session done well is more useful than a full one done poorly
Choosing Your Club
Choose your club based on your weakest movement. In Level 2 that is usually mill prep or the 180 pullover, because both take the club behind your head.
One club is used for every movement in the program, so it must be light enough to keep those transitions smooth at Week 7 volume.
When to Stop a Set
Stop the set, rather than continuing at a lower quality, if any of the following occur:
- The club crashes into the shoulder path or into your body
- Your grip opens, including the top fingers during pullover work
- Your elbow flares noticeably out of position
- You feel any irritation in the shoulder, elbow, or wrist
When to Move Up
Move up one club weight and restart at Week 1 when you can complete peak-volume Week 7 with:
- Clean arcs on every movement
- No club crashing into the body
- A stable grip, with no compromised top finger during the 180 pullover
- Consistent breathing and bracing under fatigue
- No breakdown in the 180 pullover turnover
- No shoulder, elbow, or wrist irritation
If any of these are missing, repeat the cycle at the same weight.
How to Perform Each Steel Club Exercise
The app has a demo video for each movement, for the left and right side.
Single Arm Club Inside Circle
Move the club in a controlled inward circle across the body, keeping your posture tall, your grip closed, and the rotation smooth through the shoulder. In Level 2 it is the simpler arc that prepares Days 1 and 3.
Cues: Stand tall. Keep the grip closed. Follow a smooth path. Guide the club rather than throwing it.
Single Arm Club Outside Circle
Move the club in a controlled outward circle away from the body, keeping the arc clean and avoiding shoulder crash or elbow flare. It opens Day 2 before the single-arm shield cast.
Cues: Keep the arc smooth. Keep the elbow in. Control the speed throughout.
Two-Handed Club Shield Cast
With both hands on the club, cast it behind the shoulder and return it to the guard position, keeping your shoulder packed, your grip closed, and the arc smooth on both sides. In Level 2 it is one compact block on Day 1.
Cues: Keep the shoulder set down. Cast and return along the same path. Change which hand is on top for each side.
Single Arm Club Shield Cast
The same cast performed with one hand, on Day 2. Your shoulder controls the club's path without assistance.
Cues: Keep the shoulder set down. Keep the grip firm. Follow a smooth arc. Return fully to the guard position.
Single Arm Club 180 Pullover
With one hand, pull the club behind your head from one side position to the opposite side and back for one full cycle, rotating through the torso while keeping your grip and shoulder position controlled. This is the 180 near-side pullover: the club stays in the same hand the whole time, and it is not the straight pullover from Level 1.
Cues: Keep the club in one hand. Rotate through the torso. Keep the grip closed through the turnover. Return under control.
Avoid: Letting the club crash into the shoulder at the turnover, opening the top fingers, or switching hands.
Single Arm Club Mill Prep
Link an inside circle into a shield cast as one drill. Mill prep teaches the transition path you will use in full mills, without performing the full mill. It is the key exercise of this level and the only movement that progresses week to week.
Cues: Make the circle and the cast one continuous movement. Keep the transition quiet. Keep the shoulder set down and the grip closed.
Avoid: Treating it as two separate movements with a pause between them, rushing the transition behind the head, or replacing it with full mills.
What Comes Next
Once you can complete Week 7 to the standard above, Clubbell Single Arm Program Level 3 is the next program. It introduces the full mill and reverse mill, trains both directions equally, and moves to four sessions per week.