Straight vertical swings are very simple actions, and a similar motion can be often be seen during warm ups for a variety of sports. Adding a little more weight to the hand, however, makes it slightly more demanding for the muscles around the shoulder.
To the front
Start with the clubs low, with straight arms. Keep your arms straight and raise the clubs straight up in front of you, drawing the biggest circle that you can. Take the clubs as far back at the end of the upward swing as you can – use this to help develop the flexibility in your shoulders. Then reverse the motion, bringing the clubs down in front of you again, allowing them to go as far behind you as your shoulders will allow.
Don’t do this too swiftly or violently, and don’t allow the weight of your clubs to increase the stretch unreasonably – that would be how you injure yourself. Remain in control of the movement the whole way through so that YOU are in charge of the stretch, without relinquishing control to the momentum of the clubs.
The following video provides an example of how to do this.
To the side
In a similar fashion, you can draw these large circles with the clubs by raising them to your sides rather than in front of you. Other than this detail, everything remains the same as before.
Do your best to retain a good standing posture as you perform the exercise.
The video below shows this version of the technique.
Combining the swings
Do two of these vertical swings to the front, then two to the sides, then two to the front and two to the sides, and so on. The following video demonstrates the exercise.
These vertical swings are pleasantly simple, but they still work your shoulders, especially with slightly heavier clubs!