W Because my friends and colleagues know that I often have chewing gum with me, it happens more often that I want to give them some. In order to come across as completely nonchalant, I often throw the can over and try to catch it again when I return it. But I’m really bad at throwing, so it usually doesn’t look or feel that great.
That’s why I’m very surprised that, without knowing it, I’ve probably been an ax throwing professional for many years. The realization came to me a few days ago when I tried the sport with a friend. To do this I had to go to limbo again, more precisely near Alexanderplatz, because there are a lot of modern/gentrified sports options here, such as paintball. I’ve associated ax throwing with men, lumberjack shirts, beer, hunting, bachelor parties, danger and horror films.
So it’s high time that I reinterpret this image for myself. Unlike packs of chewing gum, I’ve thrown an ax exactly zero times, in fact I don’t think I’ve even held an ax in my hand. If you feel the same way: it feels like a hammer.
So I’m standing in this ax throwing event space with the little ax in my little hands and I’m supposed to throw the device at a very large numbered target. “How many people die like that?” I ask the person who just gave us the throwing instructions? Actually, no one has been injured yet, she replies. While I’m still afraid of ramming an ax into myself or my ax-throwing partner’s head, I’ll just start throwing.
Casual trick throw
What’s unusual is that you have to put your foot forward on the side you’re throwing with. Then you stretch your arm across your body and get the momentum from your whole body. Let go at the right moment and bang, the ax lands perfectly in the middle of the giant tree stump – 4 points. I can’t believe it, but I throw and throw and throw and usually hit good to great. I also somehow completely rip off my girlfriend with a game. And even more satisfying: a group of men have gathered next to us. They all look like they’ve held an ax in their hands at least ten times. But, I throw better than them.
I even get to try out a special ax and am shown a trick throw that looks much more casual than the normal throw. You hold the ax the wrong way round and only hold it loosely by the handle. Then throw it upwards with a slight swing from bottom to bottom. The ax then lands overhead at the target. It works so smoothly, I’m just completely thrilled. And extremely addictive. When the time is up, I start running madly trying to pull the ax out of the stump. Just one more time!
The only thing that happened to me was because I was somehow able to throw an ax naturally: it ended up working out worse. Because then I became too intellectual and thought too much about the movement. I think there’s only one thing that helps: go ax throwing every now and then. The only thing that was too expensive for me was the hourly rate. So: Ax throwers of Germany: Where are you? Can I join? Serious offers only please, thank you.