Jujitsu Camp Part 1: Tomahawk Throwing

So, I got to do this awesome Jujitsu/Judo camp (Camp Kodenkan) in Duluth a week ago.  It was amazing, both in class and out of class.  They had lots of awesome classes and I learned a lot.  I also got to hang out with cool people, do a zipline while inebriated (really fun), and cut a bamboo mat into little pieces with a katana (even more fun)!  They also had a healing tent for some relaxing massages and adjustment.  It was a perfect weekend for a barbarian like me to have some fun, learn some cool shit, and engage in some cathartic drinking.

I don't have pictures for most of that stuff yet, but I do have the pictures from when I showed a couple of people (and a very inquisitive audience) how to throw tomahawks.  I've only been throwing for about a month, so I'm no expert, but I could guide people on the basics.  I also stuck my hawk 4 times in a row, which is a record for me.  :)  And it looked impressive to the other martial artists, who greatly appreciate prowess with a weapon.

First, I had to find suitable targets.  I needed either soft wood or punky wood, always deadfall, so I had to walk around in the woods in my Jujitsu gi holding a tomahawk.  I got quite a few sideways glances, and one guy asked what I was doing, so I told him I was looking for a suitable target and raised my throwing arm as if to demonstrate.  When he didn't immediately run for cover, I knew I had found my "tribe."  >:)  He found a dead tree lying a few feet from the path, but it was a bit too hard for the hawk to stick.  I found the perfect standing dead tree, but it was right next to a marshy spot.  I didn't care to lose my hawk in the marsh, so I kept going.  Finally, next to the wood burning pile I found a couple suitably punky chunks, and my new friend and I rolled them over to the wood burning pile and created a target.

Then, the fun part!  Throwing the hawks and teaching the others how to throw, too!

 (Teaching correct form when throwing.)

(My SOG fasthawk has 2 pointy ends, which makes novice throwing a little easier.  You can also buy hawks that have a pointy handle too, but that seemed a little too easy.)

(Stick it with the pointy end.)

In the future, I'll work on throwing while standing farther away from the target, and trying to get my medium sized throwing ax to stick.