I decided to take a moment to do a quick overview of the chi ishi themselves. They are typically 5lbs or less at the end of a wooden dowel 1 inch in diameter that is 18 inches long in total. Sometimes you will see different weights and lengths. I do not recommend going above 5lbs even for a strong adult. Certain muscles are only engaged at low weights so you may be cheating yourself if you overdo it.
One way to make the chi ishi more adjustable is to use a lower weight but leave the handle longer. The further your hand is from the weight, the more difficult the exercise is. This is especially useful if you are a younger student and want to be able to use your chi ishi as you grow in size and strength. The only drawback to this is that it makes some exercises difficult because of the extended handle.
Below I've included a link to a youtube video with an introduction to Indian club training which is strikingly similar to chi ishi.
I have searched for a good instructional video on how to use chi ishi, but have not found one. If you find one during your own research, feel free to post a link in the comments section.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkFtaw9LB6I