In Person Level 1 Mace Instructor Certification
The Most Comprehensive Mace Certification Ever
We're proud to share the Level 1 Mace Instructor Certification Course of Dutch Flow Academy. This certification is the #1 certification in the world for the mace. The in person weekend will help you connect in a deep manner to the mace, to yourself and to other mace enthusiasts.
Next Certifications:
- Lvl 1 Málaga Spain: 17-19th of Oct
- Lvl 1 Pirque, Chile: 14-16th of Nov
- Lvl 1 Weesp NL: 15-17th of May 2026
Upcoming Certifications
October 2025
November 2025
April 2026
May 2026
History
The mace has its roots in the oldest strength training traditions known to mankind, fighting and wrestling. As far back as we know civilisation has always known and used some kind of throwing, beating, chopping or slicing tool to use in battle or in the household. And in more recent history specific wooden tools were used with techniques to strengthen warriors and wrestlers. These traditions are still found alive in India and Persia. 15 years ago the mace made of steel was reinvented by the inspiration of the Gada found in India. This has propelled the use and innovation of this tool in a rapid pace and has created a completely new movement in the world. You’re about to set foot in this new revolution of movement with the most advanced training method for the tool.
Dutch Flow Method
Dutch Flow Academy is proud to be part of this revolution. Harbert has been flying all over the world to meet and learn from the best teachers out there and document the history of this amazing tool. Through this process he has been able to create a unique approach to the mace which blends the more traditional style of swinging and going up in weight with the more martial arts style of training also known as mace flow or steel mace flow. This process is the result of years of experimenting, coaching, and learning. The Dutch Flow Method adds a unique blend to how you can approach the mace and in combination with spectacularly detailed coaching cues this instructor training is the the most effective and comprehensive mace instructor training ever.
Our mission
As you might know from experience learning the mace is not as easy as it seems and teaching it is a whole other level of complexity. The possibilities of training with a mace are endless and this creates a lot of confusion to the uninitiated mind. Starting from scratch can be a process of trial and error that may take years to master. Dutch Flow Academy is on a journey to spread the awareness and quality of mace training instruction all over the world. Our mission is to provide the highest quality of education to provide flow in your training and in your life. We’re dedicated to empowering our students to become expert instructors, raising the bar of quality coaching in the vast ocean of fitness and health. This will benefit many in their ability to coordinate, move and coach and create a ripple effect that will affect countless individuals.
In Person Certification
This is a really special course. You will learn the fundamental Level Mace Certification material, which will give you an elaborate system or method that you can easily apply to your students. This material will give you the freedom to create endless interesting training sessions with your students and will give you an in-depth understand of all the facets of the mace.
But that’s not all that this certification will bring you. It will also give you an opportunity to connect to other mace enthusiasts world wide during the certification.
The in person weekend is also an all inclusive retreat where we will do more than swinging and learning about maces. We We will sleep in the same vicinity, eat together, share, do breathwork, and other in-depth practices.
What's included?
The Level 1 Mace Instructor Certification will give you a lot. These are the key building blocks for the in person certification:
- Daily breath work and mobility
- Three days of Level 1 Mace Instructor coaching of fundamentals, exercises, coaching cues, workouts, warm up and prehap and rehab
- Professional support, guidance and instruction.
- Access to two online courses to be completed before the start of the weekend
- Online access to the entire certification (the in person certification has been taped)
- DFA Mace Instructor Level 1 Course Syllabus
- DFA Mace Instructor Level 1 Certificate
- DFA Mace Instructor T-shirt
What is Required?
To become an instructor you have to sign up for one of the upcoming events. You’ll receive access to the two online courses to start your pre-learning. Then you’ll have to get to the location in time and book accordingly. Bring your enthusiasm and energy and the rest will flow exactly as it should be.
What to Bring?
- Training clothes for three days
- Warm clothes for the evenings/mornings
- Toiletries for two nights
- Swimmers
Itenerary - Phase 1
The initial phase of the In Person Level 1 Mace Instructor Certification involves completing two online courses, Mace Flow 101 and Gada Flow 101. You’ll be required to finish both courses before the start of phase 2 and send us two videos that will show the effort you’ve put into completing the courses. This is a mandatory step in the process and if not successfully completed you will not be able to join phase 2.
The prerequisite online courses will teach you the fundamental movements and ways to approach the mace. The courses and their completion are mandatory because we are looking for dedicated students who will be able to soak in all the information during phase 2. We believe that your own skill and understanding should be proficient enough before starting to coach others through the process. Having gone through a process of learning yourself will greatly benefit your ability to move through the certification material.
Itenerary - Phase 2
In phase two all of the pending instructors will come together in a weekend full of education and experience. During this weekend we’re going to dive deep into the material of the certification course. Three full days of education, exploration, and testing. We will complete the certification with a test that you’ll need to complete before the end of the weekend. During the rest of the weekend we’ll spend time getting to get to know each other, diving deep into our bodies using breathwork and mobility and have an overall fantastic time. The idea of the weekend is to immerse deeply into the course material and have an amazing off-grid experience with a group of people passionate about the exact same thing with the same purpose in mind.
Itenerary - Phase 3
You’re going to leave the weekend with a feeling of having been immersed in a new reality concerning training and knowledge. This feeling, however, is going to fade once you enter your usual day to day routines. To keep the knowledge and the experience intact, we’ll organise one online session for the group to ask questions and to bring back some of the experiences. As for the knowledge part, we shot the entire course on tape for online certifications. This tape is available to you as reference material for your future coaching endeavours.
Certification Impression
This is an aftermovie from one of the Level 1 Mace Instructor Certifications.
Your Instructor
Harberts life changed dramatically when he reached the age of 21. After a tough breakup he was forced to look deeply at himself for the first time. This altered his state of consciousness as he now shifted from a mindset of scarcity and victimhood to an empowered human being that was able to transform himself through action and discipline. He decided to not pursue his laid out university career and follow his passion instead: personal development, fitness and philosophy. This led him to start Dutch Flow Academy in 2017 and teach people how to move and use unconventional tools for that job. Around that time he discovered the mace and started to train and coach with it. Soon enough he traveled to India and the USA to learn more about this amazing tool and its history. This propelled him on a journey of teaching workshops all around the world, creating online courses, travel to India four more times, and now teach the Mace Instructor Certification of Dutch Flow Academy. He's a well known and respected coach in the swinging arts. The journey is still unfolding and he can't wait to have you on board and help spread the art of the mace.
What Others Say
Reviews (Client Testimonial)
One of the best experience of my life, Harbert is a very competent instructor and also a very special person that can connect people from all over the world and make them feel a family in seconds. I can't wait to attend another workshop and certification with him.
These three days were transformative in many ways. First of all the certification content, information and guidance were top quality - Harbert really is a Master of his craft and he is equally capable of teaching it to others. His love for this humble yet amazing tool is obvious and so is his willingness to pass it on.
Besides laughter and good times all participants brought different views and experiences making it a very inspirational atmosphere and I left with, not only a diploma, but also new friends.
Whole heartedly recommended and look forward to continue the journey with Dutch Flow Academy.
Top experience! Amazing people, amazing place.
Went for a mace instructor certification that exceeded all my best expectations.
Harbert gathered all the best of his experiences and know-how on behalf of this certification.
I’m very grateful for being part of this sharing that goes beyond swinging maces. Breathing exercises, ice exposure, personal and group over achievements. Amazing colleagues from all over the world making it a perfect networking experience.
I was honored to recently attend a 3 day Level 1 Mace Instructor Certification in Zevenaar. The quality of instruction and structure of the overall program were excellent. I am glad I made the decision to fly from Australia in order to attend. I have attended multiple mace related training programs in different parts of the world and the Dutch Flow Academy program is without a doubt the best to date!
An experience that can change your life. Not only is the training with the Mace taught here in a depth that is otherwise hard to achieve, the entire certification course is an enriching experience. Harbert is a very competent trainer and his knowledge of the Mace is unique. He is also an exceptional person who brought the group together in such a short time. A bond was created that can last a lifetime. I look forward to further events with him.
FAQs
Mace training is a niche that is quickly gaining momentum in the world. Maces are sold out all the time and there is a massive shortage of quality coaching and knowledge. In a fitness world where machines and isolation exercises have gotten the best of us, the mace is a radical tool which requires you to be able to coordinate every part of the body in a synchronised manner to create beautifully effective movement. This video dives deeper into the benefits behind the mace.
Good question. Many coaches just start coaching the mace right off the bat, in fact Harbert has done this himself when he started many years ago. There was little education around and little was known about the mace, its movements, and coaching cues. After one year of coaching and trial and error Harbert did go to the US to learn from the best in the business: Leo Savage, Rik Brown and Onnit. He realised quickly that learning from others can rapidly increase your growth as a practitioner and coach. This was the starting point for him to structure and dissect his own findings with his exploration of mace movements. A few years later the Dutch Flow Method was born and we believe that this method is the essence of the mace. Learning and applying the principles and the foundations will give you a framework to directly apply to your own training and your clients. It will help you understand the movement mechanics, the endless possibilities and will be the opening for you to start applying and creating with the mace. Understanding this method, applying it to your own training and perfecting your technique are just the first steps. Actually coaching someone through the material and knowing when to cue and what cue to use is a whole different animal. This certification is designed to teach you exactly that. With a minimal time period of a month you can internalise and apply the Dutch Flow Method on your clients making sure they move in a technically correct and safe way. You’ll be amazed how quickly you can recognise mistakes and correct them after going through this certification. Harbert has seen it all and is convinced there is nothing like what you can experience during this certification course. This certification is an investment in yourself that will quickly pay itself back through the immense growth you’ll experience as a coach and mover. Simply put: you need this certification.
We believe that this instructor certification course is the most comprehensive and in-depth training that is available for the mace in the entire world. The cutting edge movement science, coaching cues, training methods, and mace foundations delivers something that has not been done before.
The amount of expert instruction and information inside this Level 1 Mace Instructor Certification is simply second to none. We’re deeply passionate and skilled in what we teach, and cannot wait to pass on the torch to you. We’re sure it will impact your life and the life of your clients in a deeply positive way. This is your chance to become part of the first Dutch Flow Academy Level 1 Mace Instructors.
We aim to give the best experience and education possible. Both the in person training and the online training have the same tests, movements, syllabus etc. So it’s the same course. Here are some of the differences:
In Person: what you’ll get is a full immersion experience with a group of like minded people away from the daily routine. We’ll do more than training, we’ll eat, sleep, and travel together. This experience has been transformational for many.
Online: what you’ll get is the best online course ever produced for the mace, dare we say for any training tool. Together with eight instructors we put together a course that comes as close to a live experience as possible. The details in the course can be viewed again, and the amount of repetitions can time with the material is much more than with the weekend. In two months you’ll go over through what we discuss in a full weekend with the in person version. There will be online sessions were you’ll meet the other students.
The certification course includes two previously shot online courses including Mace Flow 101 and Gada Flow. Both of these courses need to be completed before the start of phase 2. To make sure you’ve understood the online material there will be a few additional tasks that you’ll need to complete, which we will reveal once you’ve signed up for the certification. How much time this will take will depend on your current skill level and how much time you can spend on them in one time. It’s important for us that you’ve invested time with the mace before the start of the weekend. This will rapidly increase your ability to soak up knowledge during the weekend.
For the online training we will have the same phase 1 as for the weekend. However, there will be a lot more home study in this version. You’ll be required to dive deep into the material and spend a lot of time with the mace. Phase 2 has more of this than phase 3. Luckily most of the study will be physical and you’ll see a lot of physical and mental benefits coming from this.
You can sign up directly through the website through the links provided on this page. Once payed, the process will start. Paying in instalments can be done in consultation and once successfully arranged this will also start the process immediately.
In Person: You’ll receive your certificate at the end of the certification weekend. To be able to receive the certificate you’ll need to have completed the online courses and submissions before the weekend and the assessments during the weekend. When all is in order you will be given your certificate and you can call yourself a certified mace instructor.
Online: After having completed the tests and the course successfully you’ll be send personal certificate to your home.
Yes, this is a possibility. If you’d be interested in this make sure to either book in a 15 min call or send an email to info@dutchflowacademy.com to discuss the possibilities.
Accommodation and food will be arranged for the entire weekend. The exact location will de communicated with you later on after applying to join the certification. Do take into account that there will be two person bedrooms and that you most likely will have to share a bedroom with another guest. If there are any special requests do consider to email us or book a 15 minute call with Harbert.
Yes, we actually recommend this. There have been quite a few instructors who have gone through both already and found it to be unique and adding to their experience even though the material was familiar. You’ll receive a big discount: 75% for the online certification after the live certification, and an opportunity to help out during the live certification once you’re an official DFA instructor (online or live). The Online Certification is also a prerequisite (and included) for the Level 2 Mace Instructor Certification.
Intrigued but not sure?
Instructor maillist
Interested, but not sure? You can subscribe to the instructor mailinglist to stay updated on the certification and future certifications. This list is for everyone who is thinking about becoming a certified mace coach, now or in the future. You can also book in a 15 min discovery call with Harbert to see if this certification is a match for you. At last you can download the Course Syllabus, which includes a lot of information about the certification.
