The Mace is at least 2,000 years old and has been used as a war weapon by numerous cultures. In India, the Mace is called the Gada, and today it is still used as a training tool by Wrestling Gyms (Akhara). It consists of a bamboo stalk with a concrete ball on the end of it. More recently, in western culture, the Mace has taken on a new look and feel, consisting of the handcrafted wooden Mace and the steel version.
The Mace is excellent for developing good rhythmic movement; you'll move in a relaxed fashion with your upper body as you begin to do things like trunk rotation, foot pivots, and balance routines. The rhythmic movement decompresses the spine, strengths core muscles, and improves mind and body connection. In a mace flow practice, the student aims to reach a "mace flow" state in standing structures, landmarks, transitions, strikes, and rhythms guided by the teacher or by intuition. In the "mace flow" state, the student enters a dance meditation with his or her Mace. To the onlooker, the mace student appears to be dancing, art in motion.
The advantage of learning proven standing structures and landmarks is that many of the moves mimic ancient war techniques. The Mace can be a war weapon and a powerful meditation tool, and your relationship to it will determine its effectiveness in the battle of the mind or ground. Remember, every good relationship requires time, focus, and commitment. Students do not reach a "mace flow" state overnight, much like a warrior doesn't gain his or her strength overnight.
In this section you will find various mace barbells that I have worked with. If you are a beginner, I would recommend the Cap 5-7lbs. If you are a more advanced lifter, then explore the 10-25lbs mace. If you love martial arts, you will be IN LOVE with the wooden clubs. For those of you looking to explore the traditional mace, check out Jeffry! Finally, the perfect starter kit. The complete 8-Week Clubz Workout Program includes an Introduction to Indian Club Training with Jason Sani, 10 Unique 30-Minute Training Workouts, the Bonus Abz City Workout, the Clubz Fitness Wall Calendar, the Clean Eatz companion guide and e-book, and of course a set of our Patent Pending 2lb Beginner Indian Club Weights.
Good luck everyone!