Tomahawk throwing tips, please.
jugglerguy
we're both having trouble.
I'm talking about the overhand club throw, not throwing an ax at him. For
some reason, they don't
allow me to throw axes at my students. Anyhow, we need some help.
1. How many flips should the club do? Is it a single or a double flip?
2. Is there any arm motion or is it all in the wrist?
3. We're having some collision problems with one of the other clubs in
the pattern. Should we
through to the inside our outside of that self throw?
4. How far apart should we stand? I have a feeling my students are
standing way too close together.
I keep reminding them to move apart, but the other day, their clubs were
almost colliding.
Those are the specific questions we have, but if anyone else has any other
tips, they sure would be
appreciated.
Thanks,
Rob
----== posted via www.jugglingdb.com ==----
shararah
> I've been trying to learn to throw tomahawks with a student of mine and
> we're both having trouble.
> I'm talking about the overhand club throw, not throwing an ax at him. For
> some reason, they don't
> allow me to throw axes at my students. Anyhow, we need some help.
>
use double flip
>
> 2. Is there any arm motion or is it all in the wrist? a little of both, i
also keep my thumb
parrallel to the club for some extra flip
>
> 3. We're having some collision problems with one of the other clubs in
> the pattern. Should we
> through to the inside our outside of that self throw?
Schwolop
But to other matters - JiBe's site www.passingdb.com should have a section
on tomahawks, it certainly did about a year or so ago. I rarely pass clubs
but on the occasions I've tried tomahawks I normally throw what amounts to
about 1 and a quarter rotations mainly with the flick of the wrist rather
than much arm movement - after all, you'd like the other guy to be able to
catch the bastards... Another thing you might try, especially if you're
gonna be throwing doubles is to lob them a bit, at least at first, as this
makes them HEAPS easier to catch as opposed to when they're flying
directly at you.
I hope that stuff helps, but in reality I'd suggest you wait til one of
the more regular passers replies...
Tom
Don Higgins
perhaps learn that first. Throwing to someone else once you're good at
throwing to yourself should be a breeze. First try it with one club, then
try it from cascade. When I see others passing tomahawks nicely, it's
usually doubles. Practising to yourself a bit first is usually wise as you
simply get more tries in in any given amount of time.
don
"jugglerguy" <abr...@mac.com.nospam> wrote in message
news:402987f4$0$4101$bed6...@news.gradwell.net...
Jimbren1
>
Strangely it is a double. I throw them from a horizontal position (fat-end
behind me). The catcher tries to catch them horizontal (fat-end toward the
thrower). Note that a regular passed single is actually a 1 1/2 since it is
caught upside down from how it is thrown. So from that, a Tomahawk is a half
turn more than a regular pass.
>2. Is there any arm motion or is it all in the wrist?
It seems to be mostly a wrist thing with help from that parallel thumb.
>3. We're having some collision problems with one of the other clubs in
>the pattern. Should we
>through to the inside our outside of that self throw?
My throw begins above my shoulder near my ear. That is above the self. Maybe
your selves are too lofty.
It took me a while to learn to catch this club up high and horizontal in
position to throw it. Practicing alone does help a bunch.
>4. How far apart should we stand? I have a feeling my students are
>standing way too close together.
>I keep reminding them to move apart, but the other day, their clubs were
>almost colliding.
The distance is the same as regular passing.
The end of the throw should be in front of the catchers left hip. The trick
is caught palm-up in front of your left leg. So the Tomahawk is aimed at the
top of the catchers left leg. If the club arrives too outside, it is hard to
catch without the knob hitting your wrist first. If the club is too inside,
there is a possibility of collisions with selves and great concern should be
given to possible collisions with potentially painful areas.
So I think the key is to aim so the club goes to an area in front of the left
leg or a bit outside for safety reasons. The distance the club travels is just
less than a regular pass, because the catcher is reaching a bit forward to
catch it. With the extra rotation and shorter distance the spin is faster.
Also note the club is in reverse spin, which allows for the catcher to catch
with his hand low palm-up.
A variation is to throw a Tomahawk as a single which looks very nice and is
easier to catch. It does seem more difficult to get the touch for this throw.
A variation for the catcher if the club comes in too far outside is to catch
the club knob-up. He has to grab the handle before it gets too horizontal. Now
the catcher needs to deal with an upside-down club in his pattern.
Practice just throwing at a catcher with his hand in the catching position. It
almost seems like you are throwing short and kind of down, but it might just
come in and slap the catcher's hand. That's the idea.
Later,
Jim
We call this trick a 'Chop' which is quite comfussing. A Tomahawk is a much
better name.
Jani Kyllönen
> I've been trying to learn to throw tomahawks with a student of mine and
> we're both having trouble.
I'm not really good at throwing tomahawks but Tuomas says that he's
aiming for my genitals and that that helps him. I find the thought a
bit scary, though.
jani
Little Paul
>>1. How many flips should the club do? Is it a single or a double flip?
>
> Strangely it is a double. I throw them from a horizontal position (fat-end
> behind me). The catcher tries to catch them horizontal (fat-end toward the
> thrower).
Damn, I was about to say that.
>>2. Is there any arm motion or is it all in the wrist?
>
> It seems to be mostly a wrist thing with help from that parallel thumb.
I'd agree, mostly wrist, although from the way I've just thrown a pen
across the office (trying to work out how I do it, but without any
clubs to hand) there is a bit of forearm movement in there, but
very little upper arm movement.
>>3. We're having some collision problems with one of the other clubs in
>>the pattern. Should we through to the inside our outside of that self throw?
>
> My throw begins above my shoulder near my ear. That is above the self. Maybe
> your selves are too lofty.
I think I tend to throw outside of the self.
> It took me a while to learn to catch this club up high and horizontal in
> position to throw it. Practicing alone does help a bunch.
Very true. I found it helped immensely to practice the "getready"
seperate from the throw, and outside of a passing situation.
>>4. How far apart should we stand? I have a feeling my students are
>>standing way too close together. I keep reminding them to move apart, but
>>the other day, their clubs were almost colliding.
>
> The distance is the same as regular passing.
Very much so. If they don't have enough space to easily pass the
occasional double, they need to move apart more. That seems to work
for me as a "spacing guide" :-)
> The end of the throw should be in front of the catchers left hip.
> The trick is caught palm-up in front of your left leg.
This is important, I've seen a lot of people trying to learn how to
catch tomahawks who miss this point, and get all confused because of
it.
> So the Tomahawk is aimed at the top of the catchers left leg.
I used to do this, and had loads of accuracy problems. Then someone
told me to "aim at the crotch of the other person" and, strangely enough
my throws became a lot more consistent, and whilst they don't land
*exactly* where I'm aiming, they're a lot more catchable.
> So I think the key is to aim so the club goes to an area in front of the left
> leg or a bit outside for safety reasons.
Safety reasons? This is club passing! If you don't get bruised or
break a fingernail you're not working hard enough ;-)
> A variation is to throw a Tomahawk as a single which looks very nice and is
> easier to catch. It does seem more difficult to get the touch for this throw.
But it's well worth learning, think high, lofty, floaty thoughts when
making the throw, and try to just gently place the club where it needs
to be.
Think light, think delecate.
> Practice just throwing at a catcher with his hand in the catching position. It
> almost seems like you are throwing short and kind of down, but it might just
> come in and slap the catcher's hand. That's the idea.
Another tip that helped me is, try not to throw in a straight line,
throw the club up a little. This makes the path of the club longer
which means you don't have to spin them as quick, which in turn means
they're more pleasant to catch.
You can always speed up later.
-Paul
Adria M Moskowitz
> >
> > <snip>double. <snip>
>
> Damn, I was about to say that.
Does this take into account hitting the catcher in the face?
> >>2. Is there any arm motion or is it all in the wrist?
> >
> > <snip>mostly a wrist thing
>
> I'd agree, mostly wrist, <snip>
Keep in mind that for the catcher it does involve a bit of face.
> >>3. We're having some collision problems <snip>
I've never had collision problems. Except where the club collides with
a face.
> > <snip> I think I tend to throw outside of the self.
I agree. It's the same as a regular pass, which is also outside the
self. Apparently you have to give it a bit of an "inside twist"
though, in order to make sure the club hits the catcher squarely in
the face. I made a mistake last Saturday of *not* having that inside
twist and the catcher caught the throw in his hand. It was very
strange and unusual!!!
> >>4. How far apart should we stand? <snip>
> >
> > The distance is the same as regular passing.
>
> Very much so. <snip>
Agreed.
> <snip> told me to "aim at the crotch of the other person" <snip>
That's not the face!
> > Practice just throwing at a catcher with his hand in the catching position. <snip>
Don't forget the face!
-Adria :*)
jugglerguy
-Rob