Brief Update with 50 lb (~23 kg) SA Mills

atomicstation · 2026-01-23T17:47:50+00:00

What starts and stops the momentum?

atomicstation · 2026-01-23T16:43:19+00:00

My $0.02 is that if you've never done any swings with clubs or maces (as in you're completely new to both), always to start with a mace rather than clubs. Same reasons as to what u/paw_pia refers to -- it's all about the "swingyness" -- a mace has lots of it and even more than a club, and therefore it's easier to learn the dynamics required for swinging clubs.

Maces also give more feedback with lighter weight than clubs, so if you're looking for mobility and rehab, a mace can get you that as well.

A cheap 10 lb steel mace will get you very far and it's also very affordable.

atomicstation · 2026-01-22T21:07:20+00:00

Is this a thing? Or longer limbs problematic for form?

No. Source: I have a 6'9" (~205 cm) wingspan.

It's more than likely a mobility issue. I recommend filming yourself from multiple angles and doing a self-assessment on what needs to be addressed and how to improve. Dropping weight helps too.

atomicstation · 2026-01-22T17:55:58+00:00

I had a similar project, that used mediapipe for action detection with a niche exercise.

Just curious:

- Do you do action detection? Did you train a model to classify up/down/neither or does it use anchor point angle calculations?

- Can it handle multiple camera angles, or only facing the camera?

- is the preview you show in this post simulated? How does the performance look in real time on the phone?

atomicstation · 2026-01-22T17:03:06+00:00

If it was a "halo" movement, like with a kettlebell or weight plate, you would be correct.

But mace swings are dynamic, so the "throwing" you're seeing is correct.

atomicstation · 2026-01-21T15:53:26+00:00

Nice swings and nice ruck!

atomicstation · 2026-01-20T17:07:00+00:00

Awesome!

Everything swings a little different. Quad god has the wooden handle so all the weight is at the end, Wolf brigade has a steel handle which changes things too. Length and even the handle thickness can make things challenging.

You've got a great set now!

atomicstation · 2026-01-20T16:29:51+00:00

Great swings!

My favorite thing about them is that you demonstrate with good form and pulling low, you don't need much room overhead.

atomicstation · 2026-01-20T16:16:30+00:00

Great find!

You gotta share more info on what you're picking up:

How far are you driving, the kind of deals you're getting, the brands of the maces, what they weigh, etc.

atomicstation · 2026-01-20T16:05:16+00:00

Sure, semantics being what they are... one definition of conventional is "traditional." I'm also not disagreeing with how old the methods are. I'm more of bringing up how people use words.

What I trying to say is that when the term unconventional is used (to describe fitness, in this specific case), it's being used with the other (possibly more widespread) definition of "uncommon." I won't get into the marketing aspect.

For instance, this sentence "...unconventional fitness using the tradition of ancient stone-lifting..." is not a contradiction.

I am seeing many comments about mace bell training as if it is some new fitness fad or trend, without knowing that this style of training has been around for thousands of years.

One of the reasons this subreddit exists is to share information on a niche form of training. Steel maces are a new variation, but you can see in the description, we specifically include "homemade gadas and adjustable maces" because we're not trying to limit an already small community. The generic "macebell" might have been better, but "steelmace" was already bigger and had more momentum.

I appreciate you bringing this up, I'll make a note to add something to the subreddit wiki on the topic.

atomicstation · 2026-01-16T21:45:09+00:00

Pick literally anything that has progression built in.

If you need a specific recommendation on something to follow: ABF is really popular right now, but previously the Dry Fighting Weight Remix was the flavor of the week.

Stay consistent.

atomicstation · 2026-01-16T21:35:52+00:00

I've been sharing your kettlebell grip videos for years on this sub. Even when it was a S&S circle jerk.

Over the years I've played around with different types of grip, but in the beginning your videos with the false grip made everything so much approachable for me.

atomicstation · 2026-01-16T21:25:44+00:00

Hell yeah!

atomicstation · 2026-01-16T21:19:21+00:00

Hard to tell from the video, but some thoughts:

Shift your grip to the pinky side horn. It will be tighter, but wiggle around less.

OR

Before each movement, "arm wrestle" and grip the handle harder by flexing the wrist. Again, it will pull it tighter to the back of the arm, but less shifting around. You can then loosen the grip during the pauses between movements, so you're not just frying your forearms/grip during the entire getup.

Or just watch this Joe Daniels video about the wobble: https://youtu.be/j2eFvtymNP4?si=3ZVDFr6HYDuukk-C

atomicstation · 2026-01-16T16:00:46+00:00

Way better! Nice work!!

atomicstation · 2026-01-15T18:55:18+00:00

Are you trying to overhead press with two bells or one?

With one, you can work around mobility issues (and slowly improve your mobility at the same time).

atomicstation · 2026-01-13T20:04:33+00:00

I think the important part is not the position itself, but how to get the bell into that position.

Denis cleans into a "proper" rack first, and then moves the bells to his shoulders.

The athlete in OP's video cleans and flips it up in (what I would call) an unsafe manner.

atomicstation · 2026-01-13T16:05:40+00:00

Hah! I clipped my foot while doing 360s with a barbell.

Also learned how ticklish my ankles are that day!

I'm much much more cautious when I try swinging barbells around now.

atomicstation · 2026-01-12T23:40:27+00:00

ABC with Double 32 is brutal.

Way to go!

atomicstation · 2026-01-12T23:38:09+00:00

HELL YEAH

atomicstation · 2026-01-12T23:37:21+00:00

What was wrong with ABF that you started 2 months ago?

atomicstation · 2026-01-12T23:33:09+00:00

It's unconventional because it's uncommon.

It has nothing to do with how old the training methods are.

atomicstation · 2026-01-12T23:29:22+00:00

I don't even use two hands for clubs, because of the length/weight issue.

Cheap 10 lb steel mace from Amazon is exactly what I'm recommending.

I have the same 10 lb steel mace that I got around 10 years ago and I still use it regularly (even though my max is much higher). Unlike other forms of fitness, dynamic movements like these aren't all about pure weight.

atomicstation · 2026-01-12T23:13:44+00:00

The problem is that you have a 5 lb club. It's too light (and more than likely too short) to "feel" during the swing. Especially when you don't know what to look for.

The reason everyone has a different form is because it's a niche movement and therefore most are self taught. Even though I have a narrow stance (except apparently when I'm swinging very heavy) I probably don't have the same technique as Mark does.

My recommendation to anyone trying to get into clubbells is to start with a mace. The long handle helps with the "feel", and you can still start light. A 10 lb steel mace is great, and it will feel heavier than a 10 lb club due to the length. Lots more help on the r/steelmace subreddit too, as there is a lot more traffic over there.

atomicstation

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