Mace Beginner Program

Spaid Strength & Conditioning

Strength & Conditioning, Martial Arts, Combat Sports, Functional Fitness, Other
Coach
Matt Spaid

This 4-week mace training program is designed to build strength, mobility, coordination, and resilience using a progressive approach. Following a 3-day split, this program gradually increases load, volume, and complexity to help beginners develop foundational mace-handling skills while reinforcing movement patterns essential for tactical professionals and athletes.

Program Structure: Cycle 1 (Weeks 1-3): Master fundamental mace movements with an emphasis on control, balance, and strength. Each week, increase weight slightly or add a few reps for progression. Cycle 2 (Week 4): Introduces longer time under tension, fluid transitions, and advanced variations to enhance endurance and skill refinement. This program provides a low-risk, high-reward training method to develop total-body stability, rotational strength, and mental resilience—perfect for those looking to train smarter and move better.

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Improve Shoulder Health
The mace's offset weight challenges shoulder stability and control, helping to strengthen the rotator cuff and improve shoulder mobility, endurance, and durability—crucial for tactical professionals and athletes alike.
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Builds Trunk and Grip Strength
The uneven weight distribution forces the hands and forearms to work harder to maintain control, leading to better grip strength. Additionally, the core is constantly engaged to stabilize movements, enhancing overall core strength and endurance.
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Develops Rotational Strength
Mace training involves dynamic, multi-planar movements that strengthen the muscles responsible for rotational power—important for athletes, first responders, and anyone needing to generate force efficiently in real-world scenarios.
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Promotes Mental Focus and Resilience
Mace training requires full-body awareness, rhythm, and precision, fostering a deep mind-muscle connection. The challenge of controlling an offset weight also builds mental toughness and patience, reinforcing the antifragile mindset.
Features
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Programming 3 days per week
Daily strength, conditioning, and skill training that’s accessible and challenging for athletes of any level or background
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Exercise Video Guidance
Instructional videos to guide your practice and make execution easy
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Delivered through TrainHeroic
Delivered through Train Heroic
Equipment
Required
Loadable Mace // Small Plates
Recommended
Resistance Bands
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Sample Week
Week 1 of 4-week program
Monday
Week 1 Day 2

A1

5 min mobility flow with band

A2

Mace Rollout with Push Up

3 x 10

B

Mace Front Pendulum

3 x 20

C

Mace Squats

3 x 10

D

Mace Offset Press

3 x 8

E

Mace Step Ups

3 x 5

F1

Mace Overhead Carry

4 x 50

F2

Mace Overhead Tricep extension

4 x 10

Wednesday
Week 1 Day 4

A1

5 min mobility, hip focus

A2

Deadbugs with Mace

B

Mace Split Stance Pendulum with Trunk Rotation

3 x 20

C

Mace Metronomes with Trunk Rotation

3 x 12

D1

Mace Offset Deadlift

3 x 8

D2

Mace Bent Over Row

3 x 8

E1

Mace TikTok Walk

4 x 50

E2

Mace Lateral ISO Hold with Pendulum

3 x 20

Friday
Week 1 Day 6

A1

5 min mobility flow, squat prep

A2

Mace One Arm Pendulum Drops

3 x 10

B

Mace Front/Rear Pendulum

3 x 20

C

Mace 360's

3 x 10

D

Mace Squats

3 x 10

E

Mace Floor Press

F1

Mace Lunges

3 x 25

F2

Mace Rotational Curl and Press

3 x 12

Coach
coach-avatar Matt Spaid

Matt Spaid is a Power Athlete Certified Coach, an Adaptive Athlete Trainer, former fire captain, and combat veteran with nearly two decades of experience as a tactical professional.

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Mace Training to Attack Your Weaknesses

This is a great way to fill in any gaps in the armor. Mace training is great for strengthening supportive muscles that often are not working, while also working trunk and rotational strength.

Get Mace Beginner Program
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Mace Beginner Program