What Is A Macebell?
The mace is over 1000 years old and has been used as a fighting weapon in many cultures.
From the Hindu and Persian warriors of the 13th century to skilled European fighters using such weapons as the pole axe.
The mace is an ancient weapon that has been used with devastating effect.
It’s also one of the very first strength and conditioning tools. Warriors would train with heavy maces to develop strength and power for battle.
The Great Gama (pictured) of then British India was the first athlete to popularise the mace. In his European tour of 1910 the Great Gama defeated many of the top wrestlers of the time, and many of the other best wrestlers of the day simply refused to fight him.
For the next 30-years he beat everyone he fought before retiring in 1952 undefeated. The mace was one of the Great Gama’s secret training tools and in 1922 he was presented with a Silver Mace by the Prince of Whales.
The macebell, also known as the Gada in India, is still widely used by the Pehlwani wrestlers for physical training in the wresting gyms (Akhara).
The Pehlwani wrestlers make the Gada from a bamboo stick set in concrete and Gada swinging competitions are widely held in India to this day.
In recent years, the steel mace has gained popularity in the Western World.
Strength and conditioning coach Jake Shannon introduced the mace to the United States where the wrestling community embraced it.
Now, martial artists, functional fitness pro’s and enthusiasts have begun incorporating mace training into their workouts for the dynamic, high-intensity full body workouts that builds strength, power and develops cardiovascular improvements.