Mike Romiski

Mike Romiski is the founder and owner of Rosewater Kinetics. I have always admired Mike Romiski’s club making skills, and as part of my Indian Clubs World Tour 2015, I asked Mike if I could visit him at Rosewater Kinetics to talk club swinging, making and finishing. Plus to run a workshop in Kendrick, Idaho.

When did you start swinging Indian Clubs and what sparked your interest in club swinging?

Mike Romiski:- If memory serves me correctly, I started swinging Indian Clubs in 2011. I was trying to recover from a serious condition, and at that time there seemed to be little hope that I would be able to lead a normal life again.

Nothing was Working

The thing about Indian Clubs that struck me, was that I noticed a result quickly when nothing else was working for me. There were other methods that were recommended to me by doctors but it was stuff like light weights and resistance bands that did little to help me. Once I began to swing Indian Clubs I realised that there was a learning period involved with each move and that kept my interest, it was something to reach for.

Improvement in Coordination and Reflexes

The first thing I noticed was an improvement in my coordination and reflexes, you see, the injury I was recovering from left me unable to grip and manipulate things in my hands, that left me dropping things and unable to do tasks that most would think simple.

Heartshaped Swing

After about a week and a half, I had the heart-shaped swing down. Well at least I could do the movement, it took some time to polish it and start the next. I remember I was going out for something and had keys in my hand, and per norm, they slipped from my hand, I remember looking at them falling swooping my arm down (in the same motion that I would swing a club) and snatching them up before they could hit the ground. 

It made me want to CHEER

Right Movement Training

I came to the realisation that instant that there was hope, and one could improve the condition with the right movement training. I then began moving on to other movements that had their own payoffs. the realisation that the brain nervous system and muscular structure all have to work in concert or it’s an incomplete system took my focus. It works, it just works. 

Indian Clubs workshop in Kendrick, Idaho

Can you explain why you enjoy Indian Club exercise?

Mike Romiski:- The reason I find Indian Club exercise so enjoyable is simply put, it’s fun and productive. I will attempt to explain my perspective. I find that most exercise programs to be unsustainable to most people, why? Because they are laborious, sure people start out with the best of intentions but over time (normally a short amount of time) they become bored with the program because it’s the same movements over and over again.

Let’s take going to the gym for example

One will decide to go to the gym to improve their condition and began lifting using various machines that isolate muscle groups usually with unrealistic expectations. After a few weeks, it’s the same old thing and they don’t notice much of a result, at that point they start finding excuses to not go and the routine falls to the wayside. How many people have done this at least once? Join the gym, pay the fee and after a few weeks just don’t go anymore.

My Indian Clubs are in my front room

Indian Clubs are right there in my home, mine are in my front room where I can grab them at any time. Indian Clubs need a certain level, and increasing levels of skill to move on to more complex movements thus always presenting a new challenge and keeping you working for the next level, providing a sense of accomplishment and a desire to move to the next.

Indian Club Swinging is Fun

Simply put, it’s fun to do and it provides results. There is nothing more satisfying to me than being able to move or do something I was not able to do just a few weeks before that can be applied to life or recreation and overall wellness, fun and satisfaction.

Mike Romiski:- The answer to that is both. I like the stability training that a heavier club by its self provides. In fact, I spend as much time with one club as I do two. That’s not to diminish the importance of the patterns of two, but I find it two different schools so to speak.

Single Club

The single clubs seems to be more of a strength type of training, it doesn’t seem to take as much concentration and that lets me focus on heavier weight and a faster turn to work on balance and side muscles.

Two Clubs

I find that the two club patterns help the mind to body coordination and focus, also it can be a great workout as well. If I mix it up between the two I’m never disappointed in my time spent.

Monitor Progress

I tell most beginners that ask about getting started that if they focus on one at a time, first right then left hand that it’s easier to get the muscle memory started. Also I myself notice from time to time that areas in the two club movements need correcting or some polishing, say for instance if my left side isn’t following my right quite right I will use a single club in the left facing a mirror, until I get it going better, then incorporate the other, seems to work for me at any rate. 

Talking with Mike Romiski after the Indian Clubs workshop in Kendrick, Idaho

What are the characteristics of your favourite Indian Clubs?

Mike Romiski:- I think that depends on what I’m trying to accomplish at the time.

Meels

If I’m working with a meel, I like to have a thicker handle with a taper as it seems to engage my forearms to a greater degree. I lose some mobility through the turns but gain a better overall workout. I still struggle with form on Meels but keep working on it.

I watch some (what I think of as masters) one is you Paul Taras Wolkowinski and Steve Angell, and try to reach a point that my movements are as fluid, but haven’t gotten there yet.

Indian Clubs Body Design

In a smaller club, I read that the forward weighted clubs (heavy on the end) are best but don’t think I fully agree. I find that ease of movement to be best to swing a correct turn and I find the clubs such as your design to be best for that, so the short answer on the smaller clubs would be body design.

I guess if those movements become too easy, an increasing forward weight would be a solution. I would increase the weight rather than design to maintain balance, but that’s just me. I also worry that a beginner might try to start with a forward weighted club and overtax their wrists, or worse.

Handle and Pommel Design

I also think that Handle and Pommel design are just as important, but now we’re getting into what you’re trying to accomplish. Personally, I like a smaller Handle and Pommel, which seems to work for me.

Jori Clubs

I don’t use Jori but would like to start so really can’t speak on that subject. I intend to start producing some Jori as soon as some wood issues are solved, so maybe I will have a better answer in the future on that subject.

Living through a Major Recovery

Mike Romiski:- I decided to start making Indian clubs after they did, what they did for me. Having been dealt the health hand that I was dealt and actually living through the recovery I wanted to help others realise for themselves that there is an answer. There is hope and you can help your body to overcome many of the health issues that confront us in this day.

My Awakening

I became very curious and wanted to start connecting the dots, so one day I decided to go look for myself (keeping in mind that I once tipped the scale at 305lbs). Armed with nothing but my wanting to know the truth, I went into town to a fast food place (I won’t say the name of the place) and ordered an ice tea and sat down.

It was lunchtime and folks started to come in, they were a cross-section of the population and this was the first time I paid attention to what people were doing.

By the time lunch was over I was so shocked, I had realised that that was me just a few short years before and I put two and two together. I watched as most came in and ordered without even looking at the menu, they had all eaten there so many times that they knew what they were going to eat, and it was a lot, all in a large size.

Moving Slow with Bad Posture

These people were moving slow and had a bad posture, their skin had a slight grey tone and it was easy to see that their weight, eating habits and sedentary lifestyle were killing them both physically and spiritually.

Not the Best Example Myself

I left the place and decided that even though I was only one guy ” and not the best example myself” that I was going to at least try, to let as many people know that, it didn’t have to be like this, and you can do it yourself.

Furniture Making Skills

I thought if I used my Furniture Making Skills to make clubs, make them attractive (just as big fast-food companies make their product attractive). In addition let them know that this is a fun and sustainable way to change their lives, get off of medication and so on, this was something I was going to try to do.

Honourable Cause and Challenge

I know this is a bit long-winded, but if my experience can help a few of those suffering out there with obesity and ill health, change their lifestyle to live a fuller healthier life then it would be an honourable cause. I am now committed to this challenge and will stay focused, diets don’t work, crash fitness crazes don’t last. Minor corrections in the diet in addition to learning Indian clubs one can change one’s life, this is truly sustainable.

Indian Clubs workshop in Kendrick, Idaho

In your opinion, what are the benefits of Club swinging for the average person?                      

Mike Romiski:- It is my opinion that Indian clubs are for everyone, I try to focus on the average person so to speak. Let’s face it, people engaged in a fitness program need little council if any on the need for movement.

Technology has made Life Easier

I try to explain that everything we have done technologically, has been done to make our life easier. We spend most of our day on our duff with little or no walking or movement. It’s at that point I try to help people see for themselves, that a realisation of what type of animal they are and what their body is designed by nature to do isn’t being done.

The Human Body is an Amazing Machine

I myself realised some time ago that the human body is an amazing machine. It has the ability to adapt to whatever environment we put it in. If that environment is an office, on your butt eating snacks, it adapts to that.

Remember Your Youth

Once again if one just moves in a naturalised motion that our body is made to move in, it will normalise its function. I try to explain, remember when you were young? Remember when you and your friends would run, climb trees, play physical games? What happened? We changed our environment and adapted to it. People say, but I’m older. OK yes but not so old that you can’t enjoy your life, not so old that you can’t go out and do things that in turn make things even better. Some listen, some don’t.

The Reward

It is the average person that needs the help of the trainer. That’s where the reward is. Literally saving lives, helping people get off of medications and so on. So how do Indian clubs benefit the average person? Because of the very nature of how they are used, it could be the passageway to not being average anymore.

Being what you want to be has a starting line, make it sustainable, fun and a way of improving the mind. Make it something that will take a lifetime to accomplish. All the other life changes will take care of themselves.

Here are links to other posts about Mike Romiski and Rosewater Kinetics.

First Article on Rosewater Kinetics

Gus Hill Replica Indian Clubs

Website:- Rosewater Kinetics

Follow Rosewater Kinetics on Facebook

Location:- Mike Romiski and Rosewater Kinetics are located in Kendrick, Idaho