Steel Mace Buyer’s Guide: How to Use Macebells for Functional Training

If you’re looking for one training tool to build strength, conditioning, mobility, and coordination all at once, try something a little unusual: a steel mace.

It looks simple, a long handle with a weighted ball at the end, but start swinging one and you’ll quickly realise that it’s a different kind of training stimulus. Steel maces challenge your grip, core, shoulders, posture, and rotational power in ways that other gym equipment can’t.

This guide breaks down what steel maces are, how to use them, and how to choose the right weight for your training.

What Is a Steel Mace for Fitness?

Steel maces (sometimes called macebells) are an unconventional training tool inspired by ancient warrior training methods. Unlike dumbbells or barbells where the weight is evenly distributed, a steel mace has almost all of its weight concentrated at one end.

As the mace moves, your body has to stabilise, counterbalance, and control the load which means more demand on your grip, core, shoulders, stabiliser muscles, and balance.

It’s one of the most functional forms of strength training you can do and it’s fun too, giving you endless ways to get creative with your training.

Why Use Steel Maces for Functional Fitness Training?

Functional fitness is about more than isolated muscle strength. It’s about building a body that moves well in real-world situations. Steel maces fit perfectly into that because they train movement patterns first and muscles second.

You can use a steel mace like a regular weight (holding it for squats, pressing it overhead, etc.) but it comes into its own for rotational and swinging movements. They’re also great for balancing out repetitive push/pull training and improving shoulder health.

For calisthenics athletes, steel maces are especially useful because they strengthen lots of the smaller muscles that support advanced skills like levers, handstands, and muscle-ups.

Benefits of Steel Mace Training

Steel maces give you a training stimulus that’s hard to replicate with conventional equipment. They’re similar to Indian clubs, but different. Clubs have a more tapered, evenly distributed weight and macebells have all of the weight concentrated in the ball at the end.

Full-Body Strength

Even basic movements with steel maces recruit your whole body because you’re constantly counterbalancing the uneven load.

Shoulder Health and Mobility

Mace flows and rotational patterns help strengthen the shoulders through multiple planes of movement.

Grip Strength

Change the load through your grip and forearms by moving your hands higher or lower on the handle.

Core Engagement

Almost every mace exercise challenges anti-rotation strength and core stability for insane core engagement.

Body Awareness

You can’t mindlessly swing a mace or let your mind wander. Macebell training forces you to focus and think about control.

Variety and Creativity

Sometimes training needs to feel fresh again. Steel maces give you a completely different training experience and tons of creativity.

Why Is the Gravity Fitness Steel Mace Different?

Not all steel maces are the same. The finish, grip, and handle diameter all affect how the mace moves and feels during training.

Gravity Fitness Steel Maces are designed for demanding functional fitness and calisthenics training.

Features

Super heavy-duty steel construction
A grippy matte black finish
Laser-etched Gravity Fitness branding
Lifetime warranty coverage
Carefully chosen handle diameters depending on weight

Which Weight Steel Mace Should You Use?

Our lighter 4kg and 6kg macebells have a 32mm handle, giving better grip control for flows, mobility work, and longer sessions.

Our heavier 8kg, 10kg, and 12kg macebells have a 40mm handle, improving comfort and stability under heavier loads.

How to Choose the Right Steel Mace Weight

Steel maces feel heavier than traditional weights, so start lighter than logic dictates.

4kg Steel Mace

Good for:

Beginners
Shoulder mobility
Learning functional flows
Rehab work

6kg Steel Mace

Good for:

Conditioning
Intermediate flows
Longer training sessions

8kg Steel Mace

Good for:

Strength training
Advanced full-body work
Experienced athletes

10kg and 12kg Steel Maces

Good for:

Heavy strength and conditioning work
Experienced mace users with good technique

How to Use a Steel Mace

Steel maces can be used for strength work, mobility, conditioning, or flowing movement patterns. Some athletes use them for dedicated macebell training sessions. Others use them for warm-ups, rehab, or finishers after calisthenics and strength work.

Best Steel Mace Exercises

There are endless ways to use a steel mace, but these are some of the best places to start.

360 swings – the classic steel mace movement. Amazing for shoulder mobility.
10-to-2 swings – a dynamic variation that trains rhythm, grip, and shoulder strength.
Mace squats and Cossack squats – great for lower body mobility, core engagement, and unilateral strength.
Offset shoulder press – works shoulder stability and anti-rotation strength.
Rotational lunges – great for athletic movement and torso control.
Mace rows – a pulling movement that works the core and upper back.