Interview of Gastón Giorlando,
November 2019
NHR: Please, Introduce yourself and tell us more about you:
GG: My name is Gastón Jerónimo Giorlando. I was born in Argentina and I live in Spain since 2008. I am 43 years old and I am passionate about training. I created the Macelifting (sport of the mace). I am the President of the IMF – International Macelifting Federation; I am ranked in the 25 kg mace category. I dedicate myself to teach Kettlebell Training and Mace Training Instructor certifications and workshops with my wife Sandra Carbonell.
NHR: Tell us more about your past and experience:
GG: I had two beginnings in training with the mace, the first was in March 2010, I performed with a 9 kg mace some two-handed swings, and I did not have a good handling of the mace. The second one was on February 10th, 2013, I felt a strong inner call to perform swings with the mace, but one handed swings, performing high repetitions and applying the principles I had obtained from Kettlebell Training and Kettlebell Marathons, my evolution was very fast and that motivated me to continue.
On May 22nd, 2013 I finished my first Macelifting marathon, it was a 30 minute one, performing Swing 360º with a 12 kg macebell.
I have performed 1,354,353 swings with the mace and I have completed 425 Macelifting marathons (to reach a challenge of 1000 marathons with the mace).
NHR: Can you explain where does Macelifting come from, his history? Is it known in other parts of the world?
GG: The Macelifting arises from a World Record of Swing 360º marathon, 2 hours with a 12 kg mace (3,840 reps non stop), that was held in the "Resistance Challenge" event organized by Stephane Dauvergne on April 4th, 2015, in France. For this reason France and Spain are so important in the history of Macelifting, it´s where it all began. Right now Macelifting is growing all over the world, many countries are joining the circle of Macelifting.
After that event, many people were interested in this new sport, but no one in the world performed marathons with a mace with one hand.
Then this is when I structured the Macelifting, incorporating more disciplines: Biathlon, Swing 360º No limit, and after that, the Strong Biathlon and the Double Mace Swing 360º. It was essential to create a professional competition macebell, since so far there was no universal mace were each macelifters around the world could compete on equal terms. I was inspired by the competition kettlebells, it was difficult to find logic in weights and colors, since it is not the same perception of weight of a kettlebell than a mace.
NHR: Which are the differences between Professional macebells and Bulavas?
GG: They are complementary training materials. The professional macebell measures 1.20 meters and 60 cm the bulava. The weight of the bulava is half of the corresponding mace, the one which has the same color (example: yellow mace 5 kg, yellow bulava 2.5 kg ...)
The macebell has a 4 cm axle and a 5 cm end, the bulava has a 3 cm axle and a 4 cm end. There are certain exercises that can be done with both mace and bulava but in my opinion that is not ideal, the 300º swing with bulava forces you to reinforce a bad technique, since you will not be able to extend the arms correctly in front of the body. The mill with a mace is not practical either, performing it with a bulava is more productive. Each training material has its own function.
NHR: What are the benefits of Macelifting training?
GG: It trains the whole body although we can highlight the reinforcement of shoulders, core, back, arms and grip.
Macelifting focuses on the basic exercises with the mace, performing one handed swings, as a result the technical mastery is achieved.
Endurance is improved and as a result over time it becomes easier to balance heavy maces.
You can learn a new sport and belong to the community of macelifters that integrate it. There are tests for all levels. Athletes who come from similar sports such as Kettlebell Lifting find new physical and mental challenges. Those who come from Powerlifting, Weightlifting, Strongman or CrossFit may challenge themselves with heavy maces.
NHR: What is IMF?
GG: IMF is the Macelifting International Federation. It was created at the beginning of 2019 together with Pascal Delente and Pablo Ramos Artacho, I am the President of the Federation.
Mission: This association aims to discover, initiate, improve, teach, promote, develop and make available to all and for a multitude of means, the discipline of Macelifting (macebells of sport) and all related or complementary activities related to this; At the local, regional, national, European and international levels.
On May, the 16th of 2020, the 1st International Macelifting Championship will take place in Pouillon France. You can compete in Biathlon, Swing 360º No Limit and Strong Biathlon.
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NHR: Where can we train Macelifting?
GG: Getting a professional 5 kg mace already on sale at NHR Macebells, we can train macelifting anywhere. If we have the option of training in a macelifting club it is perfect, in France we can find Yoksuthaï section Kettlebell, Macelifting et Cross Training and the French Macelifting Federation run by Pascal Delente and Frédéric Cassou. In Spain Car el Templo in Antequera, Málaga run by Pablo Ramos Artacho and Pablo Fernando García Ramos.
NHR: What plans do you have for the development of Macelifting?
GG: Soon we will continue to nominate country representatives for the IMF. Now the evolution of the sport will be easier because you can buy professional competition macebells and there are many good macelifters in the world. We will organize and develop national and international events.
