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Axtwerfen   - Technik   - Kalküle   - Symmetry

Two symmetries play a roll with throwing: (1) the symmetry of the body and (2) the symmetry of the devices. The symmtety of the device has a certain influence on the handling of it.

	(1)   Body The symmetry of the body has consequences for handling.
	(2)   Ball A ball has the highest possible symmetry, this means most freedom when handling.
	(3)   Stick The rotational axis are lost, except one.
	(4)   Daggar Less symmetry than stick, but higher symmetry than knife.
	(5)   Knife Only one mirror plane is conserved.
	(6)   Axe Symmetriy like the knife, but in a way less.
	(7)   Skyth and chainsaw No symmetry. No freedom at all while handling.

Mind how the handling gets more complicated, as the device symmetry goes from high to low. Interrestingly, the order of the devices after symmetry is almost exactly the same as in the chapter "Safety".

Some devices may not fit easy into the above providet scheme. E.g. where goes the boomerang? The frisbee is missing above. It has the same symmetry as a stick, the rotation around an axis. But the arrangement of matter is entirely opposit.

(1)   Body

The human body is mirror symmetrically. We have two hands, two feet, and so on. Before we can do any grip, we must first decide, whether to use the right hand or the left hand.

The decision, which of the two hands to use, is easy. We all have a clear preference. Most people are right handed. Interestingly, this is the same in all different cultures of the earth (is it?).

Double hatchets. John Bailey's answer, when he was asked to throw with two hands ( www.throwingknives.com ) . By the way, his right hand (the far one) shows nicely the often described "hammer grip", with the thumb on the grip.

The natural preference of one site over the other has several advantages. (1) One single side can become much more specialized than two sides would. (2) The permanent decision making, which hand should be taken is not necessary anymore.

Nevertheless, it made me little bit angry, that one half of my body seemed handicaped relatively to the other.

So I began to use the 'wrong' hand systematically. First easy things, e.g. screw driver, hammer, and the like. It worked. Then throwing.

I noticed an astonishing phenomenon. What the left learns newly, the right hand automatically learns as well, without exercising. A doubeling of the learnig effect!

Now my recommendation. When playing, use the 'wrong' hand, when doing seriously, use the 'right' hand. So, when doing seriously, you experience a sudden push of skill!

Have fun throwing with the wrong hand!

(2)   Ball

The ball has the highest symmetry of all objects at all. You may turn it as you like, it stays always the same.

Geometrically, a bullet is exactly the same as a ball. But functionally, they are very different. A ball is soft and bounces back. A bullet is hard and impacts.

The symmetries of a ball. (1) Coordinate system with the three spatial axes. They are needed to talk about space. (2) Three important (mirror) symmetry planes. (3) Three important rotational axis.

A ball contains all possible symmetries. This makes it universal and easy to handle. One cannot grip a ball wrong.

From this full set of all symmetries in the ball, we will take away one by one through the next chapters, and come over more and more specialized devices to the most complicated with no symmetrie at all.

Please mind. The "symmetry system" we use here, is not a scientific one, but a very simplificated one. Just to illustrade the connection between handling and device symmetry.

(3)   Stick

We take away the X- and Y-rotations axis. Only rotation around the Z-axis is allowed. Wir nehmen zwei Rotations-Achsen weg, X und Y. Nur noch Rotation um die Z-Achse ist erlaubt.

(Dummy) The symmetry of a stick.

	Stick Die erste Symmetrie fällt weg.
	Spear The funktion is positioned unsymmetrically
	Club The weight is positioned unsymmetrically

(5)   Knife

We take one mirror symmetry away. The daggar has two symmetry planes, a knife only one.

The symmetry of knives.

(1)   Daggar. The rotation around the long axis it taken away. One symmetry plane is left.

(2)   Knife. From the daggar, one symmetry plane is taken away. One symmetry plane is left.

(3)   Hatchet. The weight is shifted. It is actually the same symmetry than in the knife, only more expressed relative to the daggar.

(6)   Axe

The axe has the mirror symmetry, exactly like the knife. We put it anyway into a separat chapter, because in a certain way, it really has a much lower symmetry than the knife.

The symmetry of an axe.

Structurally, the axe is a combination of stick, stone and knife. The symmetry is less than that of a knife.

(7)   Skyth and chain saw

The chain saw and the skyth have the least symmetry of all objects, no symmetry at all.

(Dummy for planned picture)   The symmetry of chain saw and scyth.

This is an abstract expression: the devices have no symmetry. What does this mean for praxis? It means that the grip must be in a unique way. You have no freedom to choose a grip.

Compare "Appendix (A) Devices - Chainsaw" and "Appendix (A) Devices - Scyth.

© 2000 - 2003 by Norbert C. Maier   # 20000914.1501