Where can I do steel mace training in Regina?

Steel Mace Valkyrie at 1933 8th Ave in the Warehouse District is Regina's only dedicated steel mace facility. Their coaches are among the most experienced mace practitioners in Western Canada, and they run group classes plus a free intro for newcomers.

How much does steel mace training cost in Regina?

Drop-in classes at Steel Mace Valkyrie typically run $15-25, with monthly memberships in the $80-150 range. They also offer class packs. The free intro class is the cheapest way to find out if it's for you.

Is steel mace training good for beginners?

Yes — and the 7 lb (4 kg) mace is where everyone starts. I spent my first 6 weeks with a 7 lb before moving to a 10 lb. Most beginners see real shoulder mobility and grip strength improvements in that window.

What does a steel mace workout actually do?

The offset load forces your core to resist rotation in every plane — something barbells and dumbbells don't train well. After 2 years of mace work, my overhead position is noticeably better than it was when I started, and my grip strength is in a completely different league.

Do I need to be in good shape before starting?

No. The whole point of starting with a 7 lb mace and the basic 360 is that it's accessible. The class at Steel Mace Valkyrie had people from first-timers to advanced practitioners when I dropped in for the first time.

Can I just do mace work at a regular gym?

You can borrow or buy a mace and use it anywhere, but you'll miss the coaching. Bad mace form is harder on your shoulders than almost anything else in a gym — I'd want a class for at least the first few weeks before going solo.

Steel Mace Training in Regina: What 2+ Years of 5x/week Taught Me

May 14, 2026 · Updated August 16, 2026 | By Jim · Last reviewed August 16, 2026 · 9 min read

The 10-second version: Steel Mace Valkyrie in Regina's Warehouse District is the only dedicated steel mace facility in the city. I've been training there 5 days a week for over two years. Here's what I wish I'd known before I started — and why I think it's the most underrated tool in fitness.

Most people who ask me about steel mace training in Regina want to know two things: where do I go, and is it really that different from a kettlebell? Yes, and yes. I'll explain both.

What is a Steel Mace, Actually?

A steel mace is a long-handled weight — usually 7 to 15 lbs — with the mass concentrated at one end. That offset load is the whole game. It forces your body to resist rotation in every plane, which is something no barbell, dumbbell, or even kettlebell really trains well.

The movement comes from ancient Persian and Indian club training — weapons-based conditioning that warriors used for centuries. Modern steel mace training strips out the martial applications and keeps the strength, mobility, and grip work. The tool itself looks intimidating until you swing one. Then it just feels honest.

If you've done kettlebell work in Regina, you'll recognize some of the conditioning patterns. But the mace hits different angles. After 2 years, my overhead position is dramatically better than when I started, and my grip strength is in a completely different league.

Why I Started (and Why I Stuck With It)

I picked up a mace because I was bored. I'd been doing the standard strength training circuit for years — squat, press, pull, repeat — and wanted something that engaged my brain as much as my body. The mace demands both. A sloppy 360 will tell you instantly. A sloppy squat just hurts tomorrow.

What kept me coming back was the community at Steel Mace Valkyrie. It's a small facility — fewer than 20 people in a typical class — and the coaching is hands-on. Brandee (the owner) actually watches your form. That's rare.

I'm not going to pretend it's the cheapest option in Regina. It's not. But for the cost of a monthly membership — somewhere in the $80-150 range depending on the package — I've gotten more carryover into my other training than anything else I've tried.

What a Real Steel Mace Class Looks Like

A typical class at Valkyrie runs about 50 minutes and follows this shape:

Warm-up flows (8-10 min): Continuous mace circles around the body, light weight, just to wake up the shoulders and t-spine. If you've been sitting at a desk all day in Regina's brutal winter, this alone is worth the visit.
Skill work (15-20 min): Drills like the 360, the arc, the gravedigger, and mills. The coach walks around correcting form. This is where the magic happens — bad mace form will torch your shoulders.
Flow sequences (10-15 min): Chaining movements together into continuous patterns. This is the "art" side of mace training. It looks impressive and feels even better.
Finisher (5-10 min): Usually a high-rep conditioning circuit. Burpees, swings, carries. You leave wrecked.

The drop-in cost is $15-25 depending on the day, and they run a free intro class for newcomers. If you're even slightly curious, take the gym quiz or just book the free intro directly.

What a Beginner Should Actually Do

Here's the routine I'd give a friend who wanted to start today. It's the same progression I used my first 6 weeks, and it works.

Week 1-2: Just 360s. 10 per side, light weight (start with 7 lbs / 4 kg). Focus on keeping your arms relaxed. Your shoulders will be sore — that's normal.
Week 3-4: Add arcs. 8 per side. The arc teaches you to hinge and grip. If your grip gives out before your shoulders, your grip is the bottleneck.
Week 5-6: Add static holds. 30 seconds per side, mace held at your side, overhead, and behind your back. Time under tension. Your forearms will hate you.
After week 6: Move up to a 10 lb (5 kg) mace. Add gravediggers. Start flowing movements together.

Do this circuit 2x per week for 6 weeks and you'll notice the difference. Not just in your shoulders — your golf swing, your deadlift lockout, your ability to reach the top shelf. It transfers.

The 6 Things Nobody Tells Beginners

Hard-earned lessons from my first 6 months:

Grip dominates everything. If your grip fails, the movement fails. Train grip work separately (dead hangs, farmer carries). I wish I'd known this on day one.
Form beats weight, every time. A perfect 360 with a 7 lb mace beats a sloppy one with a 15 lb mace. The heavier mace just teaches you bad habits.
Your t-spine is the limiting factor. Most people can't do a clean 360 because their thoracic spine is locked up from sitting. Work on t-spine mobility daily. It changed my mace work overnight.
Mace work is humbling. Everyone looks uncoordinated their first month. It's normal. Stick with it.
The community matters as much as the tool. A good class will keep you training. Solo mace work in your garage is where programs go to die.
Wear gloves or accept calluses. I went with calluses. Most people prefer gloves. Both are fine.

Other Regina Gyms With Mace Work

Steel Mace Valkyrie is the only dedicated mace facility, but it's not the only place you'll find a mace in Regina:

New Gen Fitness — incorporates mace flows into some of their functional strength classes. Not the focus, but you'll touch one.
Brickhouse Gym — has a few maces in the open gym area. Worth asking about group programming.
Some CrossFit boxes — mace work shows up in WODs occasionally. The CrossFit gyms in Regina sometimes run mace-specific workshops.

But if you actually want to learn steel mace training — not just touch one once — start at Valkyrie. The coaching is the difference.

Common Mistakes I See Beginners Make

After 2+ years of watching new people start in classes, here are the patterns that slow progress:

Starting too heavy. Ego lifting with a 15 lb mace on day one. You'll develop bad movement patterns that take months to fix.
Skipping the warm-up. Cold shoulders + 360 = injury. Always warm up.
Trying to flow before you can drill. Flow work is beautiful but requires drilling first. Skip the steps and you'll plateau in 3 months.
Training mace like a cardio finisher. It's not a treadmill. Treat it as a skill.

How Much Does It Actually Cost?

Pricing has moved around a bit in the last year, but here's the realistic range for Regina as of summer 2026:

Free intro class: $0 (book through Steel Mace Valkyrie's website)
Drop-in: $15-25
Class packs (5-10 classes): $100-180
Monthly unlimited: $80-150
Private coaching: $50-80/hour

For comparison, a typical Regina gym membership runs $40-80/month, but most don't offer the mace-specific coaching. You're paying for the niche expertise.

Should You Try It? Honest Answer.

Steel mace training isn't for everyone. If you love picking up heavy things and putting them down, barbells and dumbbells will always be more efficient for raw strength. But if you want something that trains movement quality, grip, shoulder health, and core control — all while being genuinely fun — the mace is hard to beat.

The fact that I still train it 5x a week after 2+ years says more than any review I could write. Most fitness tools bore me after 6 months. This one hasn't.

Book the free intro at Valkyrie. Show up. Swing a 7 lb mace for an hour. You'll know within 10 minutes if it's for you.