As a beginner with clubs and maces, and at a venerable age, I'm going slowly. One month in, and I still thinks more time is needed before doing mills and reverse mills with heavy clubs. I'm doing those with light indian clubs. That's just a warm-up maybe, but I'm on the verge of starting this! Actually, I think the most useful things for me is simple exercises such as grawe digger and side swipe low to high. Those hits an old body exactly right, in a way ordinary strengh training can't. It's like doing the physical work I haven't done anytime the last 50 years! Great instruction!
Don’t worry about going slowly. Im no expert but I think for most people you could spend a whole year+ doing circles and shield cast before being truly ready for injury free mills.
I've been doing Mills and Reverse Mills for 5 days a week since these videos. I still working on single-hand inside and outside circles along with a single-hand shield cast. These movements have been extremely helpful for me since I have carried a GPS Land Survey Rover in my left hand to keep my right dominant hand free to enter data for over 20+ years. When my daughter was born in 2021 I realized how lopsided my body was because I had five times the stamina to hold her with my left arm. These movement patterns have been a blessing and I will do this for the rest of my life. Thank you Mark for your wonderful instructional videos. I also love that there is a cool survey monument in the Mill and Reverse Mill videos. I watched these two videos several times.
You have a way of removing styles and tribes from human movement. Boxing would never say it had anything in common with kung fu. The way you put it, all of human history has needed to move in this way. It makes the modern styles seem so narrow in focus
A good boxer would.. 😂 I switched from karate to boxing because I basically got insulted by boxers, but it's basically the same. The stance is higher because no blows below the belt, but would you use the same stance in a street fight?
It goes deeper. Humans are humans because we learned to use sticks to beat up animals. Everything about the body is designed to do that very well. Spears, bows, etc.. came much later in our evolution.
Lately I've been practicing the 180 degree pullover by trying to make it as circular as possible to make it easier to insert the inside or outside circles into the equation
I can see how this will be very complimentary to training in martial systems sych as Hsing-I Chuan, Tai Ji Chuan , Judo, Small Circle Jujitsu, and especially Ba Gua Chang. Also I can see this as being used for rehab for rotator cuff surgery, and eventually spinal surgery/back injuries.. Thanks for the video.
Exercising with maces, clubs and kettlebells has been a revelation to me over the past few years. The strength and coordination benefits have been immense
Add fat bar twirling to your routines. I’ve made some PVC pipes and filled them cement/rebars inside. To twirl it all you have to do is hold the middle and twirl in figure8 slowly and don’t hit your face. PVC pipes i have from 1.5”-2” diameter. My forearms and grips get very good pump every time
I think I am understanding correctly that Mace & Heavy Club develop a whole body exercise with a rotation which torques from the toes to the neck. I am working on the Ten-Minute Daily bit, doing a sort of robot Alternating Mace 360 (to get the movement right) and Heavy Club Two-Hand & Single-Arm Shield Cast. I am working my way to the Heavy Club Mill and Reverse Mill With this video I am beginning to think I should continue with the Heavy Club doing Mill & Reverse Mill, and continue with the Mace doing Mace 360 / Shield Cast. Optimal Mace movement = 360 / Shield Cast? Optimal Heavy Club movement = Mill?
Discovering this tool and type of training that uses it has been a revelation. It not only makes immediate sense upon seeing it, it is even more compelling once you try it. Even if you are used to other kinds of training, these movements will expose you quickly -- in a good way!
thanks not only for this video your whole channel has been inspiring and extremely helpful, and your effort & approach is much appreciated greetings from Greece
I love to combine this with the mill and pendulum swings to create a flow. I do it with my 45lb and 50lb club with two hands and my 30lb with one hand. Feels awesome 😊
That always surprised me when Dan says that considering he did discus and Highland Games stuff like hammer throws. You would think he would recognize the value
As somebody who is not a full-time athlete or powerlifter, tools such as club, maces and kettlebells give me great training value. I have always had quite stiff shoulders, but they have improved a lot over the past few years. My general movement and fluidity of movement is now noticeably better than most other people.
@@lukem2492I’m a huge fan of Dan John and I am only recently beginning to practice with steel club. I believe Dan’s approach is to develop strength and power from the kettlebell and barbell lifts, then develop the skills for sport from practicing the sport. However, I’m finding that for me, someone who does not play a sport, I have been neglecting these throwing and rotating movement patterns. So I definitely feel benefit from training with the club and have to disagree with Dan on this point.
@@deo.strengthspan.project I agree with everything you say and find your statement concise and mostly accurate. I would just add that part of how Dan John addresses shoulder mobility is with dead hangs and TRX suspension trainer exercises like rows and T Y I pulls. But like you, I prefer clubs because I can do them alone at home when it is too hot, cold, wet, icy and dark outside for sport.
a nerdy question: i have a 9kg mace. I need a heavier club than my 8kg which I started with and use it for warming up now. shipping for your adjustable clubs to europe is still extremely expensive (comparable to the price last time i checked, now they're sold out) in any case, just for the sake of being nerdy. a club seems to have a lever (the distance between the middle of the palm to the center of gravity) around 35cm, while the mace (when held in the middle) around 50cm. if i can perform correctly and for long enough times my mills with my mace, is it legit to equate the 9kg mace to a 9x50/35 = 12.8 kg club and go slightly heavier than that? thanks as always
You can't equate that lever math for these exercises or tools. However that jump in weight was a traditional jump with steel clubs and steel mace before adjustables hit the market. That is the 20 pounds to 30 pounds jump, a 50 percent increase in weight so let your tendons an adaptation period before you go straight into high volume on the larger weight. It's not a big jump for 2 hand but it's a sizeable challenge for single hand. I ran the same progression with those 3 tools
From browsing/searching Mark’s videos, I haven’t come across a video regarding the 2 hand reverse mill. I’m thinking the two handed versions of the mill and reverse mill are still appropriate to practice?
While you keep you feet parallel and don't move them you knees slightly cave in. I am wondering if this could do harm to your knees? In martial arts you typically would rotate inward starting from the hip with the whole leg, including movement of the foot turning heel out while maintaining the position of the toes on the same position the whole time. Would this be even possible or make sense with clubs?
Thanks for this video! I find inside mills easy peasy, but adding the mill to the outside makes either arm go all spastic. I'm going to have to review this video frame by frame to get it right!
Yeah I’ve been trying to learn a few mace moves from less succinct instructors & is annoying to say the least. Mark could run a whole other course on delivering quality instruction.
Lightbulbs turned on 💡💡for me. Thank you Mark!!
As a beginner with clubs and maces, and at a venerable age, I'm going slowly. One month in, and I still thinks more time is needed before doing mills and reverse mills with heavy clubs.
I'm doing those with light indian clubs. That's just a warm-up maybe, but I'm on the verge of starting this!
Actually, I think the most useful things for me is simple exercises such as grawe digger and side swipe low to high. Those hits an old body exactly right, in a way ordinary strengh training can't.
It's like doing the physical work I haven't done anytime the last 50 years!
Great instruction!
At 61 and SLOWLY adding club and mace to my KB and BW programming. Fun stuff. My goal is pain mitigation and mobility. Mills next year maybe.
Don’t worry about going slowly. Im no expert but I think for most people you could spend a whole year+ doing circles and shield cast before being truly ready for injury free mills.
My Wildman dopamine hit for the day! Feels good.
I've been doing Mills and Reverse Mills for 5 days a week since these videos. I still working on single-hand inside and outside circles along with a single-hand shield cast. These movements have been extremely helpful for me since I have carried a GPS Land Survey Rover in my left hand to keep my right dominant hand free to enter data for over 20+ years. When my daughter was born in 2021 I realized how lopsided my body was because I had five times the stamina to hold her with my left arm. These movement patterns have been a blessing and I will do this for the rest of my life. Thank you Mark for your wonderful instructional videos. I also love that there is a cool survey monument in the Mill and Reverse Mill videos. I watched these two videos several times.
You have a way of removing styles and tribes from human movement. Boxing would never say it had anything in common with kung fu. The way you put it, all of human history has needed to move in this way. It makes the modern styles seem so narrow in focus
Humans can only move and strike in so many different ways
A good boxer would.. 😂 I switched from karate to boxing because I basically got insulted by boxers, but it's basically the same. The stance is higher because no blows below the belt, but would you use the same stance in a street fight?
I think a lot of modern styles really are narrow in focus.
It goes deeper. Humans are humans because we learned to use sticks to beat up animals. Everything about the body is designed to do that very well. Spears, bows, etc.. came much later in our evolution.
Great stuff as always, Mark, thanks for uploading and sharing it.
Lately I've been practicing the 180 degree pullover by trying to make it as circular as possible to make it easier to insert the inside or outside circles into the equation
I can see how this will be very complimentary to training in martial systems sych as Hsing-I Chuan, Tai Ji Chuan , Judo, Small Circle Jujitsu, and especially Ba Gua Chang. Also I can see this as being used for rehab for rotator cuff surgery, and eventually spinal surgery/back injuries.. Thanks for the video.
Exercising with maces, clubs and kettlebells has been a revelation to me over the past few years.
The strength and coordination benefits have been immense
Add fat bar twirling to your routines. I’ve made some PVC pipes and filled them cement/rebars inside. To twirl it all you have to do is hold the middle and twirl in figure8 slowly and don’t hit your face. PVC pipes i have from 1.5”-2” diameter. My forearms and grips get very good pump every time
Very useful when getting attacked from behind. You'll be able to more quickly pivot and contest for space and grip than if you didn't practice this.
I think I am understanding correctly that Mace & Heavy Club develop a whole body exercise with a rotation which torques from the toes to the neck.
I am working on the Ten-Minute Daily bit, doing a sort of robot Alternating Mace 360 (to get the movement right) and Heavy Club Two-Hand & Single-Arm Shield Cast. I am working my way to the Heavy Club Mill and Reverse Mill
With this video I am beginning to think I should continue with the Heavy Club doing Mill & Reverse Mill, and continue with the Mace doing Mace 360 / Shield Cast.
Optimal Mace movement = 360 / Shield Cast?
Optimal Heavy Club movement = Mill?
Discovering this tool and type of training that uses it has been a revelation. It not only makes immediate sense upon seeing it, it is even more compelling once you try it. Even if you are used to other kinds of training, these movements will expose you quickly -- in a good way!
Been waiting on this one. Thank you.
Damn, delivered with _authority._
(Guys, be sure to give the man the Thumbs Up for his generous contribution to your health.)
thanks not only for this video
your whole channel has been inspiring and extremely helpful, and your effort & approach is much appreciated
greetings from Greece
🙏
Looks like a very useful excirise.
You opinion on the Adex club handle vs. the arc handle. The Adex kit up to 50lbs is very expensive. Was looking for mileage.
Make sword fighting great again!
Excellent! This movement pattern just feels right.
I love to combine this with the mill and pendulum swings to create a flow. I do it with my 45lb and 50lb club with two hands and my 30lb with one hand. Feels awesome 😊
Those are good weights.
Beautiful background of course!
Dan John doesn't like club bells, he says they are useless. What is your take on this?
I think they are useful
That always surprised me when Dan says that considering he did discus and Highland Games stuff like hammer throws. You would think he would recognize the value
As somebody who is not a full-time athlete or powerlifter, tools such as club, maces and kettlebells give me great training value.
I have always had quite stiff shoulders, but they have improved a lot over the past few years.
My general movement and fluidity of movement is now noticeably better than most other people.
@@lukem2492I’m a huge fan of Dan John and I am only recently beginning to practice with steel club. I believe Dan’s approach is to develop strength and power from the kettlebell and barbell lifts, then develop the skills for sport from practicing the sport. However, I’m finding that for me, someone who does not play a sport, I have been neglecting these throwing and rotating movement patterns. So I definitely feel benefit from training with the club and have to disagree with Dan on this point.
@@deo.strengthspan.project I agree with everything you say and find your statement concise and mostly accurate. I would just add that part of how Dan John addresses shoulder mobility is with dead hangs and TRX suspension trainer exercises like rows and T Y I pulls. But like you, I prefer clubs because I can do them alone at home when it is too hot, cold, wet, icy and dark outside for sport.
a nerdy question: i have a 9kg mace. I need a heavier club than my 8kg which I started with and use it for warming up now. shipping for your adjustable clubs to europe is still extremely expensive (comparable to the price last time i checked, now they're sold out)
in any case, just for the sake of being nerdy.
a club seems to have a lever (the distance between the middle of the palm to the center of gravity) around 35cm, while the mace (when held in the middle) around 50cm. if i can perform correctly and for long enough times my mills with my mace, is it legit to equate the 9kg mace to a 9x50/35 = 12.8 kg club and go slightly heavier than that?
thanks as always
Gorilla Sports has club bells up to 20 kg, unfortunately not adjustable but located in several European countries.
You can't equate that lever math for these exercises or tools. However that jump in weight was a traditional jump with steel clubs and steel mace before adjustables hit the market. That is the 20 pounds to 30 pounds jump, a 50 percent increase in weight so let your tendons an adaptation period before you go straight into high volume on the larger weight. It's not a big jump for 2 hand but it's a sizeable challenge for single hand. I ran the same progression with those 3 tools
@@nirpy i suppose i can start with two hands and take it slowly into single
Awesome Thank you!
From browsing/searching Mark’s videos, I haven’t come across a video regarding the 2 hand reverse mill. I’m thinking the two handed versions of the mill and reverse mill are still appropriate to practice?
While you keep you feet parallel and don't move them you knees slightly cave in.
I am wondering if this could do harm to your knees?
In martial arts you typically would rotate inward starting from the hip with the whole leg, including movement of the foot turning heel out while maintaining the position of the toes on the same position the whole time.
Would this be even possible or make sense with clubs?
Another awesome lesson! Actually find the reverse mill easier for my weaker side than the inside mill, is that normal?
Briliant❤
I want to be breathed by the movement, eh I mean... great demo 👍
Thanks for this video! I find inside mills easy peasy, but adding the mill to the outside makes either arm go all spastic. I'm going to have to review this video frame by frame to get it right!
Don't worry. You're not alone on this.
Another banging video.
Excellent summary of your many ideas and coaching cues on club swinging! Thank you Mark!
Please be more concise with your instructions
Lol
Yeah I’ve been trying to learn a few
mace moves from less succinct instructors & is annoying to say the least. Mark could run a whole other course on delivering quality instruction.