By James Woodall, CPT, owner Woodall’s Fitness and Performance
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: I like to train with kettlebells from time to time as a way to add some variety to my usual weight lifting. It’s helpful to expand my range of motion, strengthen balance and improve stability. So, when James Woodall first told me about mace training I was like, “Say what? Let’s do it!” This training lets you do workouts differently with an abundance of motion and even rhythm. It’s just outright fun and wonderfully challenging. Read this article, watch the videos and then CONTACT James to get scheduled with him to do some training that’s in your mace!
Mace and Indian Club training is nothing new to the world at large. It is an old form of training used primarily for killing or maiming your opponent in battle. [It dates back to 10th century and Medieval times. The closest account of anything like it being used in the Bible is the story of Sampson using a donkey’s jawbone to kill 1000 men.] As long as the sword has been invented, Mace training has existed. Although most maces back then had steel spikes on the end and often shifted the balance of the battle.
AT THIS ‘CLUB’ YOU’RE NEVER ALONE
My first interest in Club training was 10 years ago. I bought a pair of 1 pound Indian Clubs, was provided a DVD and was left to my own devices on how to use the clubs. At this time there were no club or mace instructors in my area and I lost interest.
Then in 2018 a friend and mentor of mine, Frank Dimeo, approached me about a program he had started called Mace Fit. I was intrigued because it involved using clubs and mace. Also at this time in my life I was working my body back into shape from chemo and radiation treatment for Leukemia. Needless to say my joints and tendons had become very tight during the course of cancer treatment. So, naturally I was intrigued at Frank’s suggestion to look into his Mace Fit program.
During this time my company, Woodall’s Fitness and Performance, hosted a Level 1 Mace Fit certification. I attended looking forward to using the mace and clubs, and discovering how using the movements will help with my overall joint mobility.
GET THE GOOD GEAR
There are several mace manufacturers producing a variety of designs and styles. Certainly, some people have used a sledge hammer just to get started. James doesn’t recommend that for the long run.
Woodall recommends a mace designed with good balance and grip qualities. For example the ADEX brand offers an adjustable steel mace.
Personalize your mace workout! US Army Reserve Combat Engineer Pake McNally is owner of Become Stronger Industries where he designs custom loadable maces and clubs. He says, “My mission is to take raw, real material and create Maces and Clubs that are stronger than any other workout mace or club on the market. Instead of using cast iron, which is brittle and nearly impossible to repair if broken, I use mild steel, welding the handle 360 degrees in two different places, making it the most durable workout mace available. Not to mention with my customizable plates, you can add a word or quote that inspires you to work harder.”
Get one of these and you can take it and do your own personal training session wherever you go.
The certification and learning how to use the mace and clubs was amazing! Since that time I have used the mace and clubs on a daily basis and have continued my education. My shoulder and hip mobility have increased and overall strength and stamina have improved as well.
Since I am still dealing with cancer related issues, my blood pressure, resting heart rate and joint mobility are constantly being assessed and tested. My doctors are very pleased with my recovery and how I am able to move in a more productive manner than the rest of their patients. I atribute this to my faith and strength with GOD, surrounding myself with family, friends, coworkers who are of a positive mindset and using exercise tools like the mace, clubs, kettlebells, any odd object-lifting to keep improving or maintaining strength and mobility.
BATTLE TOOL? YES!
Since the mace was originally created for battle, I have embraced this methodology with my training, business practices and life in general. As a Christian I am constantly on the attack from Satan. I know the more physically stronger that I am and feel, the more I am able to withstand the attacks. Physical strength is only a part of my training. There is also mental and spiritual strength. All three of these attributes are connected. You cannot be amazing in one area and lacking in the other two. You need to develop all three in order to achieve balance in your life. If you don’t you are constantly on an uphill battle, which will eventually wear you down, and cause you to feel weak. Once this happens the enemy will attack while your defenses are down.
Think of it this way. In every sport, and business there is a strong push to be strong, mentally, physically, and spiritually. Although the world might call spirituality “the energy of the universe”, that’s ok. Once you or your client, student, athlete, business associate, customer, sees this in you and how you run your life and business, they will trust and motivate themselves to also improve and support your company.
Training with the mace and clubs helps to provide that overall strength in such a way that while you are training with these implements it doesn’t feel like a workout or training session, but a better way to move.
Everyone one of my clients has a 100% compliance rate using the mace and clubs. Meaning they all look forward to using the mace and clubs. They do it not because I recommend it, but because once they’ve held the mace in their hands and use the movements they start to feel better. Once you feel better you want to improve other aspects in your life, including [spiritual development, what Christians call] your walk with Christ.
IT’S NOT ‘JESUS IN YOUR FACE’, IT’S BEING WARRIOR STRONG
It’s not uncommon for me to pray with a client right in the middle of a training session. Prayer is a tool, like the mace, that can be developed. I have a certain group of people in my life that I call prayer warriors. Just like mace training is preparing you [physically] for the battles in your daily life, prayer prepares you for spiritual battle.
Everyday we all face trials and tribulations. That’s part of living life on this planet. Everyone has to face adversity, but are you prepared when it comes? Have you trained your body, mind and spirit to adapt and overcome when this happens?
Another part of my training philosophy with my clientele is to remind them that they are an athlete. They are capable of performing feats of strength and having the mental resolve to go to the next level. Once the client accepts that they can move and perform like an athlete the results are remarkable! That’s when GOD enters and everyone of my client’s will ask me about my relationship with Christ and my battle with cancer. It’s an awesome moment to share my testimony and allow GOD to work in their lives along with the training they are receiving.
TIME TO GET INTO THE SWING OF IT
I regularly conduct the Mace Fit Level 1 certification at Woodall’s Fitness and Performance. The first one for 2021 is January 16-17, 2021. Registration is open. You can learn more, connect with me and register through my website. I want to help you get equipped with the mace and skills you need to get into the swing of this incredible way to train. I also offer online training to client’s anywhere throughout the world.
