After 18 years of steel club and steel mace training I have decided something that may cause some pushback, but hear me out. This isn’t set in stone or a scientific research deduction, but a preference, and you might feel the same way by the end of the blog.
The original tool I began rotational training with was the club and I admit to being partial to it. Having used steel clubs with success to build/maintain strength, build a bit of muscle, increase range of movement and up my fitness greatly, I had no reason to stop using steel clubs. Until Rik ‘Mr. Maceman’ Brown asked ADEX in 2016 about an adjustable mace. Big game changer both in product and in training. So we made him one, and one for me. Coincidentally, I had made two about 10 days before I shipped out the handle the next day, he was surprised about how fast I could have something made. This initial product ended up becoming the Arc.
Mace Training was hot at this time [little did I know how hot it would get] timed 360 and 10-2 competitions were springing up, Mace Flow was popular on social media and at fitness events, kettlebell sport athletes were using them for accessory and mobility work. The steel mace has its place and it’s still a wild and useful piece of training equipment to use. Think about it - the motions of a martial arts long weapon with the ability to build strength. Of course, I got caught up in the mace lifting/swinging sport for 2 reasons, the first being the development of specific mace athlete training routines, and the second, a competition involving a personal physical test. I was in hook, line, and sinker!
Now, here’s the kicker, that perceived contention. After all the reps and sets done. After all the competitions that I have won, lost, bled or threw up at, and after doing at least 80 mace specific videos for the ADEX Youtube Channel, a decision was made that my mace will be my cardio conditioning tool. Yep, my steel mace is now going to be my buddy for my cardio sessions and my reasoning for this is not only simplistic but thoughtful as well. If you have ever trained with both maces and clubs, you may feel exactly the same way, or not.
My reasoning is this, the mace’s long handle keeps the weight away from my head. You’ve read that right, away from my head. How many times have you heard during club training that teeth are expensive? Clubs travel near your head, Steel Maces don’t. Strength training doesn’t necessarily sap your cognition. Cardio usually makes everyone sub 80 on the IQ level - but seriously, cardio does tap into glycogen and glucose stores with continuous neural drive, systematic energy depletion, and repetitive pacing mental and neural transmitter fatigue. I don’t want to chance a 15-30lb piece of metal inches from my fabulous smile while I am experiencing the same mental state as smoking a bowl of 38% medi-juana. Not good!
So, from now on, my mace training will be cardio and competition only. My clubs will be used for my strength portion and the Arc will be my movement/rehab tool. I’m drawing hard lines here, but I find that it blends with my training and allows for periodization throughout the year of training.
Swing strong and stay fit my friends.
Donnie