The difference between a kettlebell swing and a macebell swing is profound, and damn it, I intend to show you the difference!
Kettlebell swings and macebell swings look nothing alike, although they are both called “swings”.
Both are amazing exercises to include in a workout regimen.
The information below will shed light on the differences between these two great movements.
Kettlebell Swings
Characteristics: Mobile hips, stabile shoulders, front-to-back pendulum/arcing motion, hip hinge (flexion/extension)
Grip for a kettlebell swing involves hands hooked around the handle, side by side. The handle of a kettlebell with be parallel with the floor.
Kettlebell floats nearing the apex of the arc. “Float” meaning the hip snap/drive/extension powers the kettlebell out from between the legs and up the arc, where it has a split second of float (perceived weightlessness) before traveling back down the arc. During the float, you could literally let go of the kettlebell briefly, or at the very least, relax the grip.
Swings have been a staple exercise since they were first introduced to the Western culture back in the early 2000’s.
I use kettlebell swings A LOT. For going on nearly 14 years, kettlebell swings have shown up in my workouts 2-3 days per week, sometimes more or less. I swing using different variations (1-hand and 2-hand), weights, reps and sets.
There are an infinite number of ways to design a workout with kettlebell swings contributing to the session.
Macebell Swings
Characteristics: Stable hips, mobile shoulders, side-to-side circular motion, very little deviation from the standing position (subtle rotation and lateral lean)
Grip for a macebell swing involves stacking the hands near the bottom with fingers wrapped shaft of the macebell.
The macebell swing does experience a similar “floating”, but in a different way, and it’s a little harder to describe.
Macebell 360 swings complete a full circle with every repetition. As the head of the mace descends down, your job is to ready the body for what comes next. The head of the mace gets a taste of gravity’s pull as it travels down and across the midline (posterior). The hands grip tight and resist letting go. The mace “floats” after passing through the middle, traveling up the opposite side of the body. It’s brief, but there is a moment where you can ever so relax the body during the float.
Macebell training is still relatively undiscovered by Western culture, and many who do know about it consider it taboo training.
Using my crystal ball, I predict macebell training will experience a very similar rise to popularity. The circular exercises make for an amazing addition to workouts.
The shape and design is what makes the difference with both exercises and the grip.
The risk of losing your grip during kettlebell swings and macebell swings is about the same. Maintaining grip on the shaft of the macebell to be more difficult. As the head of the macebell whips around, the shaft wants to slide out your hands.
I relate it to hanging from a horizontal bar versus hanging from a rope. The vertical position of the rope can wear out the grip and make the hands feel really weak.
Use Both Kettlebell and Macebell Swings for Fitness
Combining both kettlebell swings and macebell swings into the same workout regimen will expand the ballistic movement experience, and build athleticism using different tools and completely different motions.
Here’s a sample workout:
This is one workout example (of thousands) that mix kettlebell and macebell swings with a few other key exercises (squats, push-ups, etc). It’s a density circuit, so you’re setting the timer and getting a ton of work done within a short time frame.
Fitness is about making gradual gains, exploring and expanding outward.
There are a lot of really useful tools to help make gains. Adding equipment like kettlebells and macebells adds variety to your workouts, options, while building new skills and overall health.
By including kettlebell swings and macebell swings in your daily workouts, you’d getting different benefits from both tools.
Be a skilled generalist, you’ll be happier overall.
And for heaven’s sake, explore and stay curious about different modes of exercise!
M(eaux)tion Fitness 