MACE TRAINING: Worth it or Not? 28 Day Experiment

00:00 Mace Training
00:45 Brands of Maces
01:36 How I applied it to my Training
02:24 Benefits I observed
04:56 Negatives of Mace Training
05:35 Is it Worth It?
07:37 Other thoughts about Mace Training
How To Support The Channel 
Things I have Tried and would Recommend:

Things I have tried and would recommend:
CATEGORY 1: BUILDING MUSCLE & STRENGTH

MEAL REPLACEMENT

WORKOUT SHAKE

CATEGORY 2: PERFORMANCE & PAIN

CATEGORY 3: HEALTH

CATEGORY 4: GUT HEALTH

CATEGORY 5: FAT BURNERS

[brawndothethirstmutilator]

4:56 Lack of variety is a user skill issue, not a limitation of the mace. The mace is extremely varied in what can be done with it, but you have to spend time learning the skills. Easily rivals the kettlebell in that department (just different movement patterns).

I’ve been training with maces for about 12 years. I started with lots of 360’s and 10-to-2’s. Basically only swinging it overhead, which is all that anyone was really doing with maces back then. Once I got into more complex flow movement I discovered it’s an almost limitless tool.

[beclops]

Honestly thought for a second this was a video about training to be maced. If Brian says being maced will make me strong I’ll do it

[francgio]

Emilio Troiano has the best channel about mace training imo, he even implements unusual exercises that you don't find in other channels, wich adds more variation to this fantastic tool.

[brianhopkins]

I started doing heavy clubs about 1.5 years ago (via Mark Wildman). got a couple cheapies from amazon to start and then got an adex adjustable (like 5 to 27.5lbs). I went with clubs cuz it seemed like you still got the rotational movement and there were LOTS of exercises possible. as you say a heavy club is stupid hard, it's a butt kicking exercise and it generally hits muscles in ways that they never really get hit. (def start light, someone said on a video once that it feels like it is pulling your joints apart, and it is kidna like that. everything else in weights is in compression (pushing on you) and most club exercises are in extension (pulling against you).

it has definitely helped my shoulders a ton and as you say grip and forearm. I do the same basic exercises, every 3 days or so, slowly adding weight, reach 15 to 20 sets, and then go up in weight. People think "oh that's not much weight" and it isn't. UNTIL you start swinging it and it's dynamic (much like a kettlebell). And then understanding dawns very quickly. It can be humbling at first.

Is it an end all be all device? no. but it's certainly a good tool in the toolbox. also it looks cool as f*ck when you're swinging.

[dimitriosmeimaridis]

Happy to see you sharing your thoughts on the mace. I've used mace in my training for almost 2 years. I think you got too caught up in the pricetag for the model you got. There are fixed weight options which will be much cheaper. Sure, you won't get the benefit of being able to adjust the weight with the same mace, but these models have a larger role when in comes to movement options. Something that is not talked about in regards to mace and circular training in general is that it counterbalances linear pattern lifts. You get a lot more strenghthening on tendons and ligaments through centrifugal force which is actually pulling these parts during the movement, that's probably why your shoulders felt so much better.

I think you'd benefit a lot more doing single arm stuff with a heavy club (inside circle, outside circle and shield cast) eventually moving on to mills and reverse mills. These are more strenght/size builders than mace. I tore my right labrum last year. Pratically made a full recovery just working on these.

[kirkchurchil]

They make standard bars with threaded weight pins. They’re like 40-50 bucks, take a reciprocating saw and saw one of the threaded ends off file it smooth and boom you have a mace.

[DominiqEffect]

When someone ask: is it worth it? I always answer: depend for whom. If you are a bodybuilder you will profit much less than a martial artist. Your goal determines what is best for you.

[the_jackbadger]

I love my steel mace! However I totally agree with you about the adaptation, so I started swinging it around like it would be used in a real battle, but instead of just giving into momentum, I use muscle force to slow and control it. It makes it SIGNIFICANTLY harder, but also much less boring. Annihilates the core that way too😂

[hulkthedane]

I have never tried mace work, but I have seen several athletes on YouTube talk about it - all saying, it is good for your shoulder health. Most also saying that it is not very versatile...
I have done a lot of KB training, which is very versatile, and I get great inspiration from "The Bioneer" here on YouTube. Amongst many other videos he has a relatively recent one about the benefits of doing the exercise "halo" for high reps with a KB - to my understanding the closest you get to the 360 ° mace around the body exercise, that you did, without a mace. Also doing wonders for shoulder health.
Now, Mr. Alsruhe, as I regard you as a man of knowledge, experience and intelligence, I would absolutely LOVE it, if you would try doing the KB halo for a similar amount of time in the same setting, you did mace swings to give your opinion on the effect - similarities and differences, maybe even recommending one over the other.
I know, you are a busy man, and I do not blame you, if you do not want to spend time on this.
Thank you for a great video 👍. Train hard, stay safe!

[randybowman]

I used vases filled with concrete from goodwill and a bamboo stick with nails in it in for a handle for a while. Now I have some wooden maces/clubs that were hand made and they're amazing. The Adex adjustable maces/clubs are very cool too. My favorite by far is the wooden ones. They're huge so they look cool and feel cool to swing and the wood also feels better in the hand than the metal.

[macabrother]

I have a 5, 10, 20, 35, maces fro 3 different companies and I didn’t even pay $250 for all 4 . I can tell you brother that there is almost no other tool that is as versatile as this even a kettlebell or club bell can’t match the versatility. You just have to see how to incorporate the mace into your preferred exercises.

[Mixer-]

In between pressing exercises is where the mace really shines for me. Heavy mace swings in between sets of light presses, and light or single arm mace swings in between heavy presses. You can make the efficiency work for you by really letting yourself sink into the movement and getting a nice stretch while your at it, sort of like a rotational pullover.

[vicsophios]

I was taught by Rik Brown and please don’t think you can’t do much with it. Mark Wildman has over 100 videos on mace exercises. One workout I do is 30 minutes in length and doing each exercise for a minute before moving on to the next without putting the mace down. Mace training for many people is about movement patterns but also strength and conditioning. The mace can target all muscle groups if you know what movements to do and as you get better you can go up in weight. Cardio or strength and conditioning you can do it with a mace. Anyone looking to build or start a home gym having several maces maybe is all you need without purchasing racks, weights, bench etc. I’m glad you had a go at it Brian.

[ReserveKey-sfgx]

Good for your shoulder Brian!Hope Is doing Better!thanks again for your work!

[jakeku]

Glad to hear you tried the mace Brian. All the movement patterns can be conjugated. Mark Wildman has great videos on the skill tree breakdown. Many years of skill work. Learning the mill is akin to learning the squat. So much contained in one word. Thanks for running the experiment. Happy training

[tommyj]

Shield casts, 10-2, uppercut with lunge, grave digger to shield cast, battle lunges and combos there of. Works for me. Totally agree on helping with the shoulders. This and your sandbag workouts keep this 58 year old moving along. Another thing to try for those interested are fixed maces. I use the ones from Amazon. They have a thicker grip and as they get heavier they get longer to increase the dynamic force you are swinging. Keep up the great work, Thanks

[michaelsenft]

Brian you always produce real, honest and actionable content - thank you. One note: you mention how much better your shoulders feel from regular mace/club work, but then question its value as your skill level increase makes it easier. These sorts of movements have saved me from double shoulder replacements at 65 - isn’t that reason enough to continue to keep it in your program?

[domzbu]

The more efficient you get the more weight you can do. It’s a whole body. In this video you are still muscling it. You need to master it more to pendulum it more. Counter its forces.

[kruschrhoades]

I'm a mountain biker. Mace training is huge for me. The grip strength and shoulder mobility benefits are game changers on the bike.

[moiseslgaristo]

I’ve been subscribed for years and always recommend you and Alan Thrall to anyone who asks about fitness, I hope you keep your spirits up it’s really important to me