Steel Mace or Gada Mace
The Steel Mace or Gada Mace is a ball of steel mounted to a long handle with a long history. Originally designed as a weapon dating back to the Persians in the Indian Subcontinent, the mace found new life as a functional training tool – gaining popularity originally in the weight lifting community by strongmen.
Like the kettlebell, the mace is used by athletes of all kind to develop strength, conditioning and endurance.
Rob Sullivan
Why has the steel mace survived so long? Because it is a unique tool that provides unique benefits. While it shares some similarities to a kettlebell or barbell, the use of rotational force gives its user a truly distinct workout.
Rotational strength is a functional movement we use every day. It features our shoulders, hips, and core to generate the necessary power to complete numerous tasks.
Rotation
When we perform a throw, we use rotational strength. When we throw a punch, we use rotational strength. Even when we pivot during a dance, we use rotational strength. You’ll find that there aren’t many day-to-day activities that don’t use this force. However, this movement tends to be neglected in the world of weight lifting, which can result in uneven muscle development.
The steel mace’s use of uneven weight distribution forces the user to use muscles from their dominant and weaker sides evenly which will improve coordination, balance, endurance and strength. Not only that, it significantly strengthens your core, stimulating your abs and back almost immediately.
Recovery
Another important benefit of the steel mace is the recovery attributes. If you strength train regularly, you spend a lot of time pulling, pushing, hinging and squatting under extreme resistance.
In contrast, the steel mace can create force with much less weight. By focusing on high tension and proper form, a light weight mace strengthens tendons and ligaments by improving balance and symmetry in ways other exercise equipment cannot.
Flow
Most call this a FLOW. It can be best described by imagining yoga with an implement of war in your hand. It’s certainly a challenge, but one that someone at any level can complete.
Lastly, the mace is an incredible warm up tool. Having a general understanding of a steel mace will have your muscles firing on all cylinders, helping you reach new heights in training. The level of mobility achievable with a steel mace makes it a near necessity for anyone looking to achieve an all purpose training.
To sign up for our steel mace class…..
