While there’s no one right way to throw an ax, there are definitely better ways and worse ways to throw. Most of the work of learning ax-throwing is a matter of practice, but learning how the pros do it can help novice throwers correct their stances, improve their aim, and perform better. Read on to find out how to get started.
Maintain a Solid Stance
A solid, balanced stance is one of the most important aspects of ax throwing. Keep the feet planted for the duration of the throw and move the entire body when unleashing the ax. An unsure stance can reduce precision by forcing throwers to compensate for poor balance while releasing their axes.
The best way to learn a proper stance is to find Ax Throwing Near Me and observe how more experienced throwers do it. Most try to keep their starting foot positions right at the 12-foot line to increase accuracy. If everything goes smoothly, the final position should also be at the 12-foot line.
Grip Lightly
An inconsistent grip can cause throwers to wind up using incorrect release points, introducing large margins of error and making it more difficult to control spin. Most expert throwers grip their axes lightly toward the end of the palm, although fast throwers must use a stronger grip. For beginners, it’s better to focus on accuracy than speed.
Having trouble with vertical accuracy? Keep in mind that ideal release points are dependent on things like muscle memory, the strength of the throw, and even how dry the thrower’s hands are when he or she releases the ax. A lighter grip will almost always help to compensate for other issues.
Relax Arms and Shoulders
Those who prefer to keep their shoulders tense during their throw setups must maintain a consistent level of tension to ensure accuracy. For novice throwers, it’s much easier to relax the shoulders before setup. Both tensing the shoulders before starting the throw and flaring the elbow can reduce accuracy and make the ax strike at an angle, so take a deep breath and try to stay relaxed.
Stay in Line with the Target
The ax should be in line with the target at all times, from when throwers first pull it straight back to when they execute their releases. Try to move directly toward the target when executing the backswing and follow-through. It can help to practice the motions in front of a mirror. Stand around six feet back and keep an eye out for large side movements during the throw that could affect its accuracy.
Follow Through
Throwers must continue the forward motion after they release the ax. Don’t even think about ending the throw until the ax is already in the air. Failing to follow through can lead novice throwers to release too early, throw too high, introduce too much spin, or over-rotate. Stopping the arm early can also lead to low throws and reduced power or cause the ax to veer off to the left or right while in flight.
The Bottom Line
Learning from more experienced throwers is always the best way to improve performance. Reading about ax throwing will only get novice throwers so far, though. Once they’re ready to put their newfound knowledge into action, they should find an ax-throwing club that is welcoming new members to practice, network, and learn.