How To Throw An Axe-The WATL Way

Ironside Axe Club opened up in West Des Moines, Iowa in the summer of 2018. Ironside is home to 4 top 20 nationally ranked throwers in the country. We sent two throwers to the National Championship in Chicago last December representing our club. We have 10k square feet of Viking awesomeness!!
In this video, Scott Gardner owner/operator discusses the different ways to throw an axe WATL style. Ironside follows the WATL way of scoring league. We have league every Wednesday and Sunday nights.
To book a reservation, please click the link below:
www.ironsideaxeclub.com/

[@jthomjr1554]

I would never ever miss those big ass killshots

[@acrosvale6627]

I just noticed that.. lol

[@fergushanna]

Your throwing style is what I call funny foot.

[@bisleyblackhawk1288]

Estwing axes rock…I’m starting to follow this video!!! Thank you 👍👍👍

[@joesimone870]

Great points here.

[@SavageAudits]

Nice! This guy is throwing the axe pretty hard. Liked! 👍

[@logtec1977]

Do you have to have a beard to be an axe thrower?

[@acrosvale6627]

yes.

[@minerblue9641]

Yes

[@durnhiir9696]

Yes, you do.

[@spartanchanel2969]

Beautiful axe.. I like..

[@jamesrathburn1672]

Thank you for the explanation on the handle and rotation speed

[@larrydelk4867]

U have a location in Oskaloosa Iowa to

[@BigAppleAxe]

Come visit us in NY!

[@jasonlewis7444]

Who makes that (or a compatible WATL approved) tomahawk?

[@mihaelahatch8977]

That's 😎 cool

[@JohnRobertson22]

Where do you get different colored handled estwings?

[@samgardner128]

its grip tape

[@simplsaiyanappa6572]

Sad part is, I learned with that style of axe before being told that it is illegal, WATL axes have to have wooden handles

[@ironsideaxeclubllc1335]

They are not illegal in WATL. IATF has the Wood handle rule. However most people prefer the wooden handles.

[@matthewbittenbender9191]

WATL actually sell steel and plastic handle axes. They don't disallow them.

[@MattCookOregon]

I made a target and the axe only stuck twice out of 30 tries... I sharpened it, threw hard, any ideas?

[@MattCookOregon]

@Silent Knife interesting! I just had all the 2x4s vertially next to each other. Think that is with the grain buy lemme checm

[@chrisgoodwin351]

Spray water on your target

[@tomknapp6194]

@@MattCookOregon Planks do not make very good targets, especially pine. Pine generally doesn't stick well and chips a lot. When I'm practicing, I can go through a 2x10x4 in about 20 minutes. End grain targets are better, like a slice of a tree trunk, 6-8" thick. Keep it wet and it will be easier to stick and last much longer than planks.

[@MattCookOregon]

@@tomknapp6194 Very cool thank you. I found some very soft cedar boards that worked great but those will need to be replaced soon.

[@MrRyGuy0369]

Holy Kill shot size haha

[@silentwarrior2385]

Which is better a half hatchet or a flat back?

[@ironsideaxeclubllc1335]

Personal preference.

[@matthewbittenbender9191]

It whichever works for you best. Seriously, try them both. Throw them 20-30 times each and and see which gives you better results.

[@taylorsessions3084]

What axe is he using? It doesn't look like an Estwing to me...

[@philippelafleur9683]

it is

[@randyvenner]

Is it legal ?

[@dvldgz6306]

@@randyvenner no you need a wooden handle for comp or league. Most locations use metal handle estwings because it's harder for customers to break

[@KnorSC]

What type of axe are you throwing

[@ironsideaxeclubllc1335]

Estwing

[@briangarrett710]

What is your distance ?you like five meters

[@ironsideaxeclubllc1335]

13 ft. ish with that axe.

[@natevart4156]

Why are the killshots so big

[@dvldgz6306]

That's how they use to be back in the day. People just got really good so they had to nerf the kill shot and the 6 point zone

[@ironsideaxeclubllc1335]

This was 2018 before the kill shots were made smaller.

[@tomknapp6194]

As a coach I always say to grab the axe an the bottom every time. If you choke up, that's a different distance. By being at the bottom every time, you eliminate that variable. And then there's the wrist snap......... Ugh....\

[@KeyPie_]

As a coach also I agree, no reason to hold the axe anywhere but the bottom

[@logtec1977]

Do I need a beard to throw axe?

[@davek62020]

@@logtec1977 ok Boomer, you've made that comment twice 😣

[@taylorsessions4143]

As a coach, could you recommend a few axes that you enjoy throwing?

[@chrismind2425]

The butcher and the ace of spades ♠️ are my favorite. And then the commander. But those are my top 3

[@kevinc9006]

Just "axe" me about it!

[@TrojanHorse1959]

So the word "axe" refers to a hatchet in this sport?

[@acrosvale6627]

Hatchets are a type of ax. There are splitters, mauls, tamahawks, hatchets, camping etc. The word "ax" is just an umbrella term.

[@fishsticks88]

Yea... stop teaching people to put the axe behind their head.. keep your wrist straight and go above your head.. teaching people that technique will get them hurt

[@logankdavis27]

Axe throwing is kind of a joke compared to knife throwing. Only one distance and one style to be the "world champ"

[@moralstheband6180]

Try shooting at a target with gun that's not a .22 or glock. It can be difficult. Does that invalidate your knife throwing? Can you not have fun throwing a knife now? Nope. It's not really comparable and it doesn't matter anyway if you're having fun. I'm wondering if you can throw an axe having said this at all though.

[@matthewbittenbender9191]

Not true at all. If you believe them you don't know axe throwing. WaTL also has WKTL for knife throwers. It's virtuallythe same variables, I promise you.

[@logankdavis27]

@@matthewbittenbender9191 the leagues are garbage and not true to the art form of throwing. No variables, same distance, same rotation. It doesn’t simulate a real life situation.

[@matthewbittenbender9191]

@@logankdavis27 lol! How many real life situations are we going to need a hatchet? I don't often take one into the bank with me on case it gets robbed and I don't believe that throwing one at a wild bear will stop it from mauling me. Any notion if throwing an axe in self defense is a movie fantasy. Now if you're talking trick shots, that's something else and you'd be right. But there is very little call for that like there is for trick shots in golf or pool. And in a "real life" situation I think I'd trust a champion thrower to hit the mark even at an off distance. I'm not champion but I can stick them them from 22 and 33 feet. It's physics.

[@logankdavis27]

@@matthewbittenbender9191 wanna cookie?