By Allison Clare.
Axes have been thrown since the dawn of civilization, up until the modern ages in war. A war technique employed mostly by foot soldiers and sometimes by mounted cavalry, axe throwing in war is obsolete now. That does not mean it has gone the way of the dinosaur.
The game of axe throwing is, however, not something done since antiquity. It is a relatively modern sport that is increasing in popularity day by day. In essence, the game of axe throwing is simply throwing the axe at a target. Though the roots of outdoor axe throwing lie in ancient war techniques, the game to which axe throwing bears the most resemblance is dart throwing.
Contents
Rules of Axe Throwing
The target board used in axe throwing must be made of wood. The wood generally used for this purpose is either cottonwood, poplar wood, or pinewood.- Every concentric ring on the board has a score, and you can score the highest by hitting the center ring.
- The players must throw the axe from behind a throwing line, which is generally around 12 feet from the target board. The above distance ensures that the axe rotates only once in its trajectory.
- Each player only gets a certain number of throws in a contest (similar to darts or bowling). Generally, the number of throws is 10 for a match. Scores of all the throws are added up to determine the winner.
- In addition, there are generally two blue circles on the board, and hitting any of the two gains the maximum player points. If someone hits one of these, it is known as a ‘kill shot.’ But these are only activated in case of a tiebreaker or sudden death.
- When the axe lands in two rings, there can be two kinds of rules. Either the ring with maximum points can be considered, or the ring with the maximum part of the axe can be considered.
- The axe must remain affixed to the target. If the axe falls off after hitting the target, no points are awarded.
History of Axe Throwing
Axe throwing has been played as a part of timber sports for some time now. But its popularity among the youth can be traced back to the inauguration of ‘Backyard Axe Throwing League’ in 2006.
While axe throwing as a popular sport originated in Europe around 2001, most of the sport was played informally or in woodsman tournaments. Commercial axe-throwing arenas only started in Europe around 2016. Hotbeds of the axe-throwing event in Europe are the UK and Poland.
Gradually, axe-throwing bars have opened up in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and even Thailand. These offer a unique leisure activity one can perform with friends or even family. Various new axe-throwing companies have cropped up in these countries to cater to the growing interest. An axe throwing company provides arenas to practice axe throwing for a fee.
Proper Posture and Grip of Axe Throwing
Axe-throwing has two major stances in which you can throw the axe.
Two-Handed Throw
- Grip: Hold the axe slightly loosely. Gripping it too tightly will make it difficult to throw the axe in a straight line.
- Bring the axe over your head and stretch your arms as you do in a soccer throw.
- Bring the axe forward in a swift motion, and release the axe near your eye level.
- Depending on where the axe hits the target in the first attempt, we can either take a few steps forward or a few steps backward. This is done in order to reach the ideal distance for our throw.
One-Handed Throw
- Grip: Again, the grip should neither be too tight nor too loose. A very tight grip will make the release difficult and unpredictable.
- Bring the axe back next to your ear. We have to make sure that the axe is titled neither left nor right at this point. The axe should be brought back in order to touch the shoulder.
- The axe should then be swiftly brought forward and released when the axe is vertical with respect to the ground. This throwing motion is very similar to how we throw a dart.
- Again, we adjust our position a few steps ahead or a few steps back, depending on how the axe hits the board.
Risks Associated with Axe Throwing
Axe throwing is a sport played with a weapon. Thus, the possibility of it injuring or even killing a person is always present. The casualty could either be the player or a bystander. Nobody is ever allowed to stand behind the target, as there is always a high possibility of the thrower missing the target.
Also, the other participants should stand at a safe distance from the thrower and the target. The path between the throwing line and the target board should also be cordoned off. The handle of the axe should be properly checked before the throw to ensure it does not come off during the throw. A first-aid kit should be readily available in case of an injury.
Benefits of Axe Throwing
Axe Throwing is not just a sport intended for recreation. If done properly, the practice of axe throwing could be a useful exercise. Let us take a look at the possible benefits of the sport of axe throwing.
● Better Alternative to Darts
It is a bigger, badder version of darts. As opposed to darts, here you get the added thrill of throwing a heavy weapon, which lands with a thud and takes more muscle to propel through the air.
● Stress-Reliever
Throwing an axe can be a great stress-reliever, as the activity demands physical stress and mental attention (plus it’s really fun!).
● Great Core Workout
Throwing an axe is a great workout for our core. Throwing an axe requires our core to hold us in position while the momentum of the axe tries to take us forward.
● Stronger Shoulders
Throwing axes can help us get stronger shoulders. Whether it be a one-handed or two-handed throw, the motion of bringing the axe forward engages our shoulders, our arms, and our lats.
● Great Bonding Activity
Throwing an axe can be a great activity to bond with your friends or even your loved ones. A competitive environment brings out the best in us and helps us release our stress. Axe-throwing team building is coming into vogue nowadays.
Conclusion
Axe Throwing is rapidly becoming all the rage. More and more youth are exploring the sport in their spare time. Rather than spend time lying on the couch on the weekend, it is better to visit an axe-throwing bar and engage in something that strengthens the body and heals the mind.
Like every other new activity we perform, axe throwing helps broaden our perspective and helps us know more about ourselves. But proper safety measures must be followed, and an alert mind must be kept while performing axe throwing. After all, the axe is a deadly weapon wielded by our forefathers and should never be taken lightly.
One of the most prominent sports bloggers, Allison Clare, presently serves as a Content Creator at Axe Whooping, an axe-throwing company in Colorado to set the axe-throwing bar higher than ever before. Apart from savoring indoor axe throwing, she loves to help people around her by sharing expert knowledge and updates on the sports industry.
I really want to go to a local axe throwing place, it sounds like it would be a lot of fun!
Isn’t it too heavy? That must be such a rush – throwing an axe!
while I haven’t done this before, I know I will enjoy it. sure, I will be exhausted but it will be worth it..
We want to do this and my husband has done this and loves it! A great way to get that frustration out of your system too 🙂
I have heard so many things about axe throwing lately. It would be fun to try it out!
Never tried axe throwing, but it was so interesting to learn about it. I feel like trying it now or recommend to people
Never tried axe throwing but have always wondered how it would be. I’d love to try this sometimes with the family!
it’s so much fun and I like better than darts actually. However, I think it’s pretty hard to do properly. I need to do it again sometime soon, it’s been ages since I threw anything
My husband and 8 year old son just recently got to do this. My younger boys can’t wait until they are old enough.
I’ve done Axe throwing before, this is so much fun, and would love to do it again….
Axe throwing sounds like such a cool thing to do! We have a few places that offer it locally, but I’ve never tried it.
So glad this post clarified the rules for axe throwing! We have a place we drive by all the time that invites you to throw the axes as entertainment. Now I know what it takes to play the game.
I tried axe throwing last year, and I LOVED it! I couldn’t believe how good I was at it!
I’ve always wanted to give axe throwing a try, reading this makes me want to try it even more now!
I have not done axe throwing but I have seen it and it looks like fun. It sounds like a great way to get a group of friends together for a fun day out. I also appreciate that it’s a great core workout! 🙂
I so want to try this. I have been trying to learn new things and this is on my list.
Somehow I just watched some viral Axe throwing reels on Instragram and here you are writing on the same topic! Cool. I have never tried axe throwing in my life so far. This looks so fun. ‘Backyard Axe Throwing League’??? Now, that’s one way to make it super interesting. I can vouch that it is an immense stress reliever. I should try that now.
I have seen many people playing this interesting axe throwing. I really want to play it once. It must be so enjoyable!
I heard of this just recently when I saw Indian matchmaking on Netflix. It definitely sounds like a fun activity!
Sounds like an interesting and fun activity for a group gathering. In my opinion, the dangerous side is rare to occur if you be careful and follow the rules you already mentioned. Safety comes first before fun.
I live in one of the countries where axe throwing is on trend. There are many axe-throwing bars in Canada. I agree it is a sport and definitely a shoulder work-out! My attention span is pretty short, I like to throw it once or twice, and I’m out! It’s a fun thing to do though as a social activity.
Your article makes axe throwing a less scary activity / sport. I might try it someday.
My husband and I just drove past the restaurant that has Axe Throwing this afternoon. We still haven’t made it there, but we thought about doing it. Good to learn about the safety issue of this game. And I can see this as a stress reliever, but my shoulders will hurt when doing this for the first few games before my shoulders get stronger.
This is the first time I heard about axe throwing. I don’t know if i would be any good, i may throw it the other way ha! it’s good to know it’s a good core exercise too, would like to try it out!
I had an idea what axe throwing involves but I was not aware that it is really a sport and that people do it for stress relief. It sounds like fun though. I have to check if there are possibilities to try it out in Berlin / Germany. —-Just checked it, there is a possibility!
This is interesting, I haven’t tried this game before but would love to do it. Good for family time.
I think people are drawn to the danger part of this and also the novelty part mixed with socializing. We have one that also had a bar which I definitely thought was a real no – no which could easily get out of hand. Needless to say, the bar portion of the business was closed down a short time afterwards and the axe throwing place moved to another location entirely, haha.
It’s funny how something that was an ancient war method has now become a sport! I’ve never tried axe throwing but know a few people who have and said it was a lot of fun!
Wow, this certainly is a bigger, badder version of darts! Unfortunately, I’m terrible at darts so you probably wouldn’t want me throwing – especially with the dangers involved. However, I can see how it would be a fun challenge for someone looking to blow off some steam and exercise their strength. I imagine the targets need to be replaced quite often, too! I would give it a try, but would surely embarrass myself, LOL.
I would love to try axe throwing one day. It always looked fun to me, but now that I know the history, I’m really interested in giving it a try.
Axe throwing is so much fun, and it’s an amazing workout! We did it for the first time a couple of years ago while we were on vacation, and it’s become a regular thing for us now.
I’ve always found axe throwing to be so fascinating. I love the skill involved, and it seems like a great way to relieve stress.
My daughter would LOVE this! Sounds like a fun night out for the ladies!