Steel Mace Pendulum: The First Movement to Learn Before the 360

Start with pendulums. Most people don't have enough shoulder mobility to safely swing a mace behind their head yet, and the mace is a high-leverage implement, so you need to get used to holding a leveraged weight. The pendulum is perfect for that: it's a controlled setting, and it lets you know what the pull feels like. Do front pendulums, then back pendulums, until your shoulders loosen up. Spend a couple of days getting used to the movement, then keep a couple of minutes of pendulums as your warm-up every time you do 360s.

Why pendulums before the 360?

Two reasons. Shoulder mobility and leverage.

A 360 takes the mace around and behind your head. Most beginners don't have the shoulder mobility to do that safely on day one. And because the weight sits at the far end of a long handle, it pulls on you harder than the number on the mace suggests. You need to get used to holding a leveraged weight before you swing one around your head.

The pendulum gives you both in a controlled setting. You feel the pull without the risk of the full circle.

Front pendulum vs back pendulum

The front pendulum is just to get used to a mace. A mace is awkward at first because it's so long, and swinging it in front of you is where that awkwardness wears off.

The back pendulum is the one that matters for what comes next. It's the actual arc of the mace in the 360, and it uses the muscles the 360 will use.

Do both, in that order. Front first, to make friends with the length. Back second, to start learning the 360's path.

How long should you stay on pendulums?

It depends on the beginner. For most, it's a couple of days of getting used to the movement.

After that, pendulums don't go away. Once you're ready for 360s, they become a couple of minutes of warm-up before every 360 session.

Where do your hands go?

The same hand position as the 360. Nothing changes when you move on, which is part of the point: the pendulum is the 360 with the scary part taken out.

What weight should you use?

The same as for the 360. Most men start with a 10 lb mace and most women with a 7 lb.

The mistake that causes tendinitis

Gripping too tightly.

You need a relaxed grip that still holds on. The range of motion is a lot for your wrist, and if you grip too tightly, the elbow can't twist properly without causing problems. Squeeze hard enough, often enough, and you'll get tendinitis. It's the same rule as with heavy club circles: let the implement move in your hand.

Do pendulums ever stop being useful?

No. I still do pendulums to warm up.

They're nice because they're essentially the traction part of the 360. You get the pull on your shoulders and the arc of the movement, without the full load of the rep.

Doing the arithmetic

There's nothing to count on a pendulum. That's why Perside treats them as the warm-up before your 360s instead of giving them a cycle of their own, and why The Path draws them as the bridge into the 360.

The counting starts with the 360: 5 sets of 5 per side, one set added every week of training, up to 20 sets of 5. You can do that free with a notebook. Perside just never forgets and never rounds in your favor.

Your first session

Take your 10 lb or 7 lb mace. Hands in the same position you'll use for the 360. Grip relaxed.

Front pendulums until the length stops feeling awkward. Then back pendulums until your shoulders feel loose. That's the session. Do it again for a couple of days.

When the back pendulum feels smooth, you're ready for your first 360 day: a couple of minutes of pendulums, then 5 sets of 5 per side. The 360 guide takes it from there.

Perside programs volume, density, and timed cycles for clubs, maces, and kettlebells. See the full progression at The Path, or size your first implement at getperside.com/learn/start.