ADVANCED THROWN WEAPONS INSTRUCTIONS FOR AXE, KNIFE, JAVELIN AND THROWING STICKS by Lord John Robert of York (Jerry Gilbert) Barony of Arn Hold Deputy Marshal – Thrown Weapons Kingdom of Artemisia Society for Creative Anachronism December, 2014 (First Edition: March, 2013) TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface ………………………………………………………………………… 1 Introduction …………………………………………………………………… 2 Understanding What Happens When You Throw a Knife or Axe ……………. 5 Concept of Weapon Rotation …………………………………………. 5 Weapon Release Height ………………………………………....……. 7 How to Throw a Knife or Axe …………...…………………………………… 8 Seven Elements of a Throw …………………………………….…..… 9 Setting Up the Throw …………………………………...…….. 9 Executing the Throw...……………………………………….... 13 Identifying Throwing Problems ……………………………...……….. 18 Alternate Throwing Styles ………….………………………………..……….. 20 Closing Thoughts ……………………………………………………………… 23 Javelin Throwing Techniques …………………………………………………. 24 Throwing Stick and Throwing Club Techniques ……………………………… 29 Appendices • Appendix 1 – Basic Axe and Knife Throwing Grips …………………. 36 • Appendix 2 – Summary- Knife and Axe Throwing Techniques …..…. 37 • Appendix 3 – Throwing Techniques for Different Target Heights …... 42 • Appendix 4 – Setting Throwing Form ....…………………………….. 47 • Appendix 5 – How to Select a Throwing Knife or Axe ………………. 52 • Appendix 6 – Javelin Selection and Construction .…………………… 64 • Appendix 7 – Self-Made Throwing Knives and Axes ………………… 69 • Appendix 8 – Scabbards ………………..............................…………... 82 • Appendix 9 – Target Stand and Target Panel Construction …………… 88 • Appendix 10 – The Zen of Thrown Weapons ………..………………... 90 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS A study of thrown weapon types and throwing techniques is not possible without examples, insights and suggestions from many people. Consistently throwing an axe, knife or javelin accurately is a highly dynamic process that melds personally developed techniques and hard-won skills with a weapon that matches the thrower’s physiology and preferences. Compiling instructions that can help all styles and types of throwers is the goal of this study, and many throwers (both knowingly and unknowingly) have contributed to this goal. Many thanks to the thrown weapons folks in the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) who have shared the insights and techniques they have gained from constant experimentation on the throwing range. Thanks also to the folks (total beginners and experts alike) who have shared without knowing it, as I observed your throwing techniques and styles during practices and competitions. I would particularly like to thank the following throwers: Fred Price (H.L. Blaise). For your enthusiasm and the many hours you have spent with me sharing and critiquing thrown weapons techniques and construction. For your willingness to DO correct form instead of what you thought correct form was and doing so without arguing about it! Clark Otterness (H.E. Bjorn). For starting me on the thrown weapons road in the SCA and for patiently reading and responding to my many e-mails. Asher Sonerson (L. Gryffen). For your example of a young, very skilled, totally intuitive thrower and for the opportunity to help you realize that understanding the WHY behind correct form and technique becomes necessary if a thrower wants to move beyond simply depending on native talent! Thank you ALL for giving me the insights that make up this study! PREFACE My experience as a thrown weapons marshal in the Kingdom of Artemisia suggests that most Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) members are not interested in the finer points of the sport. Most do not want to invest the time it takes to become skilled with thrown weapons – they are satisfied to depend on natural talent and just have fun. Some throwers, however, realize that consistent accuracy with thrown weapons (axes, knives and javelins) is a very subtle and difficult skill. These throwers are intrigued with the sport and strive to improve their skills, not only for better scores in competitions but for a sense of personal accomplishment. These throwers can benefit from a detailed analysis of throwing techniques and equipment, and that is the goal of this study. I tell my beginning students that there is no one correct way to throw – you can learn to throw an axe, knife or javelin in any manner you like IF YOU ARE WILLING TO WORK AT IT. Students are told that there is no right way or wrong way to throw, but that there are going to be better ways or poorer ways. A ‘poorer way’ is usually going to be harder to learn initially, more difficult to be consistent with, and will be easier to forget without constant practice. Finding your personal ‘better way’ – accurate throws that fit your temperament, physiology and style – is the goal of a dedicated thrower. The techniques described in this study are NOT the only way to throw, and they may not be the best way for YOU to throw, but a discussion of basic throwing concepts and how they inter-relate can benefit everyone’s throwing skills. INTRODUCTION These instructions are intended for Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) thrown weapons marshals and SCA throwers who have moderate experience with thrown weapons. Beginning throwers who are interested in the details of the sport may also benefit from these discussions. These instructions are based on the author’s experiences and do not delineate SCA policy or regulations. These instructions are intended for throwers who have received a safety orientation covering thrown weapons range safety, safe weapon throwing procedures and safe weapon handling from a warranted Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) thrown weapons marshal. IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED THROWN WEAPONS SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS FROM A SCA THROWN WEAPONS MARSHAL DO NOT USE THESE INSTRUCTIONS!! Skilled participants in any sport can easily develop the sense of being an ‘expert’. Many experts are satisfied with their abilities and may consider themselves teachers, not students. True experts, however, always consider themselves students. Every thrower they meet (including total beginners) has the potential of teaching them something they don’t know about thrown weapons equipment and techniques. True experts are always examining their throwing techniques and are open to change if a better technique is presented. One problem with offering detailed instructions to experienced throwers is their natural response: “I don’t throw like that – are you saying I’m throwing wrong?” One of the few axioms in thrown weapons is that there is no one correct way to throw a weapon. You can learn to throw an axe, knife or javelin any way you like, but some ways are going to be better than others. We all start throwing using a mix of both better and poorer techniques. Personal improvement comes when a thrower is willing to change or modify a currently used technique that is workable, but intrinsically poor, and turn it into a technique that is easier to be consistent with and is less likely to be forgotten without constant practice. When a thrower realizes that one or more of their current techniques are not allowing them to become a better thrower, they are faced with a choice – “Do I work to refine a complex or inherently poor technique because I am used to throwing that way, or do I abandon the old technique and learn a simpler or more technically correct technique that is easier and more accurate to use?” There is no easy answer to this question. Answering it requires weighing factors such as: “How much effort do I want to spend on this? What are my personal preferences? How difficult will it be to learn a new, better technique compared to modifying an old, poorer technique? Will modifying a poor technique actually do what I want it to do - improve my throwing?” The following discussion is an example of the evaluation process a thrower might go through: There are two basic methods used to throw a weapon (a right hand throw is assumed): • Straight Delivery - The thrower faces the target. The weapon is drawn straight back and then thrown straight ahead, with a slight forward lean of the upper body and very little body rotation to the left. The throwing arm maintains a vertical arc throughout the throw and ends up pointing slightly below the target. This delivery method is popular with professional exhibition knife throwers, who are precision oriented, and is the method recommended in these instructions. • Across-Body Delivery – There are many personal variations of this delivery. Typically, a thrower will start facing the target. As the weapon is drawn back, the head remains facing the target while the upper body rotates to the right until it is about 45-90o to the target. The weapon is thrown with a rotation of the upper body forward and to the left. The throwing arm (ideally) maintains a vertical arc during the initial portion of the throw but then may track across the body during the follow-through. At the end of the throw, both the throwing arm and the upper body are usually pointing to the left of the target. Some throwers may end the throw in a semi-crouch. This delivery method is popular with combat-oriented martial artists. A straight delivery is the simpler of these two deliveries, as it has fewer and less complex moves to execute, but some throwers prefer an across-body delivery. The across-body delivery was developed to give a very forceful weapon strike to the torso and head of a human target. The human torso and head are relatively large targets that do not require precision accuracy, but the weapon is usually required to penetrate bone, so a forceful strike is mandatory. This delivery is also a good method for long-distance throwing (20 feet or more). Both of these situations are not a factor in typical SCA target throwing. Why do some SCA target throwers use a more complex delivery instead of a more simple delivery? A thrower may use an across-body delivery because that’s the way they were taught, or they may have come to SCA throwing from a martial arts discipline.