Are you interested in adopting a solid gym workout plan that will get you in excellent shape fast? If so, you should seriously consider getting a steel mace. These long metal rods attached to a weighted ball are often found in training studios and standard fitness gyms.
According to Onnit, a steel mace manufacturer and leader in primal fitness, maces have been used as weapons and training tools for thousands of years. Many historians will not hesitate to point out that Hindu warriors were well-known for using maces on the battlefield.
What distinguishes the mace from other equipment used in primal forms of fitness? Let’s use the kettlebell as an example. The kettlebell is great for primal forms of fitness, but it does not have an uneven distribution of weight. This imposes limitations on your gym workout plan. The long narrow rod on the mace offers both of the following benefits:
Multiple Grip Options – The long rod makes it extremely easy for you to can change your grip position during hardcore workout sessions. It’s important to point out that you can change the grip position if you want to add intensity to your workout. For example, you can move your hands further away from the rod’s weighted ball if you want to make the exercise more challenging. Please keep in mind that it will be more difficult for you to keep the long rod under control.
Manages Movements that Involve the Core – The longer rod is designed to extend the distance between you and the weighted ball. This makes it ideal for twisting, pressing, and swinging exercises. An experienced personal physical fitness instructor will tell you that mace training is one of the best ways of developing core strength in your body.
Advantages of Steel Mace Training
If you add steel mace training to your gym workout plan, you stand a greater chance of getting the following benefits:
1. Strong and Broad Shoulders
The shoulder girdle is the weakest joint in your body. This is why you should take careful measures to protect it while working out. Even a simple exercise like a push-up can injure your shoulder girdle.
Swinging a steel mace with a full range of motion will increase the strength of the connective tissue and muscles around the shoulder joint. The flexibility in your shoulder muscles will also be improved.
Maintaining good form is the key to protecting your shoulder girdle. It may be wise for you to start off with a work out with a personal trainer. The personal trainer will create a solid gym workout plan, and make sure that you will not use an improper form that could put too much stress on your joints.
2. Better Grip Strength
Grip strength involves finger, hand, and forearm strength. Grip strength is often overlooked, but it plays a big role in everyday activities. For instance, you need a strong grip to pick up items around your home. You also need a strong grip if you play sports.
You need a strong grip to master the steel mace due to its uneven distribution of weight. Working out with the steel mace (swinging it repeatedly) can increase your grip strength over time.
3. Rotational Core Strength
You must get ready to deal with cross-body swinging motions if you want to add steel mace exercises to your gym workout plan. For instance, the steel mace paddle boarding exercise is based on cross-swinging motions. This demanding exercise will increase your overall core strength. This is why many professional athletes use paddle boarding exercises daily.
4. Overall Body Strength and Cardiovascular Conditioning
You will improve your upper body strength with mace training, but it’s also critical to mention that a mace is also a superb tool for total body conditioning. This is why many trainers believe it should be added to a gym workout plan.
Let’s take a close look at the climber squat and alternating switch forward lunge. These steel mace exercises are great for lower-body strength training. If you’re looking for a good cardiovascular workout, you can add the staggered stance tire slam to your gym workout plan. The staggered stance tire slam is one intense exercise that will get your heart and lungs in good shape.
Changing Your Steel Mace Grip
It may sound strange, but your grip plays a vital role in your steel mace workout. Altering your grip will increase the difficulty of each exercise. The exercise becomes easier if you use a wide grip. This is where you place one of your hands close to the weighted cylinder, and your other hand is placed close to the end of the rod. Exercises with a wide grip become easier because the uneven weight of the mace will be easier to control. The weight of the mace is distributed across your body more evenly.
Would you like a more challenging workout? A close grip is your best option. This is where you grip the metal rod with your hands in a close grip near the end of the bar. Placing your hands in this position will place more distance between the weighted cylinder and your hands. The uneven distribution of the mace’s weight will be off-balance. You need more strength and control when you use the close grip while performing steel mace exercises.
Steel Mace exercises should be incorporated into your gym workout plan if you are serious about physical fitness. If you take heed to the four points listed above, you can see why it would be a big mistake for you to overlook steel mace exercises. They have worked well for many people over the years. There’s no reason why they cannot work well for you.
Steel Mace Workout Program
1. Barbarian Squat
1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. Keep your spine neutral throughout the movement.
3. Keep your abs and glutes tight.
4. Grip the handle shoulder width apart
5. Squat down to parallel whilst keeping your arms in front of you.
6. At the top of the squat perform a pullover action until the mace is centered along your spine.
2. Bent Counter Row
1. Grab the Steel Mace with a shoulder-width grip, and your knees bent.
2. Bend over at the waist with your arms hanging down.
3. With a straight back and tight core, pull the Steel Mace to your chest and then lower back down.
Safety Tip: Maintain core tension throughout the duration of the exercise. Squeeze your upper back as you lift the Steel Mace to your chest, try not to round your back during the lift.
3. Alternating Lateral Lunge
1. Stand in a wide stance, at least 10-12 inches wider than shoulder width apart on each side.
2. Grip the mace handle with one hand close to the macehead and the other at the end of the handle.
3. Perform a lateral lunge on the opposite side to the mace head.
4. Simultaneously lower the mace head towards the floor.
5. Drive through the heel, squeeze the glute and return to the starting position whilst curling the mace ball.
6. Perform a switch at the top.
7. Repeat movement on the other side.
4. Push-up
1. Start in a high plank position. Place hands firmly on the ground, directly under shoulders with mace head under the right hand. Ground toes into the floor to stabilize your lower half. Brace core (tighten abs as if preparing to take a punch), engage glutes and hamstrings and flatten your back so your entire body is neutral and straight.
2. Begin to lower your body—keeping back flat and eyes focused about three feet in front of you to maintain a neutral neck—until chest grazes the floor. Don’t let your butt dip or stick out at any point during the move; your body should remain in a straight line from head to toe. Draw shoulder blades back and down, keeping elbows tucked close to your body (don’t “T” your arms).
3. Keeping core engaged, exhale as you push back to starting position.
Repeat for 5 to 10 reps with good form. Switch Mace to be under the left hand and repeat.
5. Offset Curl
1. Feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep a neutral spine, glutes, and abs tight.
3. Hold the mace horizontally with an offset grip.
4. Both hands should be facing up.
5. Curl the mace, then slowly return back to the starting position.
6. Keep tension on both sides so that the working and stabilizing sides are both thoroughly engaged.
A helpful article by WebMD: 7 Most Effective Exercises
You Might Also Like These Similar Posts
