Splitting like a girl

[RoseRedHoofbeats]

Lemme know how that shoulder of yours feels in the morning then, eh?

Work smart, not hard.

~Rose

 

[gyrfalcon]

Lemme know how that shoulder of yours feels in the morning then, eh?

Work smart, not hard.

~Rose

What? I can't tell who you're replying to about what.

 

[trailmaker]

I think there's something to the idea that women's upper arm strength is different enough that throwing "like a girl" is what works best for their particular muscle pattern. I can't throw nearly as hard, accurately, or as fast doing it the "right" way as I can when I do it like a "girl". My brother and I just recently got into an argument about this and tested my theory out. I can nail a bullseye at twenty paces with a tennis ball throwing like a girl -the way that feels the most comfortable to me.

I have no idea if I split like a girl or not- I split how my dad showed me. Brace your legs, bend your knees a bit, let the weight of the axe do the work.

~Rose

I think there might be something to your theory. I learned to fly cast at an age where I realized it would be beneficial to cast ambidextrously, so I've been casting left and right for thirty years now. I cast equally well from either side but my form is totally different, and I think the reason is that my muscles on the left side just aren't used as often and are slightly weaker.
On the other hand, upbringing and experience must have a lot to do with form. Just ask any right handed guy to throw a football with his left arm. Most likely he will "throw like a girl".

 

[RoseRedHoofbeats]

Gyr- sorry, I was replying to Gunks right above me. =)

~Rose

 

[firefighterjake]

Some day I'd like to meet you gyrfalcon. But before anyone gets the wrong idea from that, it is just that I admire her grit. Well, no doubt she is a fine lady too.

Take the ornery wife on a Vermont vacation sometime and we'll toss back a few and laugh a whole lot. Seriously. It would be great fun, and I'd love to meet both of you.

Well, ornery wife and I are considering another trip out your way and who knows, it just might happen! Of course some of this will also depend upon the timing of Woodstock's party. They tend to like having it right when we are picking peaches. Thanks for the invite.

I hope it works out . . . I truly would like to make it to Vermont this coming year . . . partly to see the new stove . . . but mostly to meet you and Mrs. Backwoods Savage in person so I can say hi to you proper like.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Personally, I'm grateful for the differences between us. I can't imagine us needing my wife to be able to 'throw like a guy'.

Especially when she's throwing plates ;-)

 

[firefighterjake]

Personally, I'm grateful for the differences between us. I can't imagine us needing my wife to be able to 'throw like a guy'.

Especially when she's throwing plates ;-)

HehHeh . . . my wife can throw like a guy . . . but she is all woman and one look at her and there would be no doubt as she is uh . . . uh . . . uh . . . how to be nice and gentlemanly about this . . . uh we'll just say she would be a carpenter's nightmare.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Hard to nail??

 

[firefighterjake]

Hard to nail??

Something along those lines . . . Add in a bit about having some curves in the right place.

For the life of me I still don't know what she sees in me . . . but I count myself as very lucky.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

For the life of me I still don't know what she sees in me . . . but I count myself as very lucky.

Let's face it, if they looked at us the way we looked at them, the human race would's gone extinct by now :grrr:

 

[mayhem]

I'm confused, swinging a maul with your right hand at the bottom is swinging it left handed?

Please tell me you're kidding . . . .

I'm not kidding...I hold splitting tools like that, ditto a baseball bat, golf club, shovel...and the tool is always on my right hand side. So I've been gripping lefty even though I swing righty for the past 30+ years? Weird.

Despite anything else anyone might say about that girl in the photo I do notice one other thing...she got the axe through the round. My kinda girl.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

In these situations, I like to make sure I heard what I think I heard.

Mayhem . . .

Your Right hand remains at the base of the splitter handle, your left hand starts the movement at the head of the splitter, and the 'wind-up' is performed by swinging the splitter head to your right.

Or did I hear incorrectly?

 

[smokinj]

Personally, I'm grateful for the differences between us. I can't imagine us needing my wife to be able to 'throw like a guy'.

Especially when she's throwing plates ;-)

lol I have two daughter both teams (fast pitch) played for the state championship One walk away with the Big trophy! They throw very hard..... So there is a lot of reason to be able to throw hard. Collage comes to mind...

 

[Stump_Branch]

I'm confused, swinging a maul with your right hand at the bottom is swinging it left handed?

Please tell me you're kidding . . . .

I'm not kidding...I hold splitting tools like that, ditto a baseball bat, golf club, shovel...and the tool is always on my right hand side. So I've been gripping lefty even though I swing righty for the past 30+ years? Weird.

Despite anything else anyone might say about that girl in the photo I do notice one other thing...she got the axe through the round. My kinda girl.

Im all righty, until I picked up lacrosse, had to learn both hands, practiced by doing all sorts of tasks both hands. swing hammers, throwing baseballs, footballs, obviously lacrosse balls, shooting pool, and yes I have spilt other handed. not saying im as good in all things with my left, but by slowing down that motion you cant 'teach' yourself the motion. I must say it comes in hand (haha) more then you think.

 

[Stump_Branch]

I'm confused, swinging a maul with your right hand at the bottom is swinging it left handed?

Please tell me you're kidding . . . .

I'm not kidding...I hold splitting tools like that, ditto a baseball bat, golf club, shovel...and the tool is always on my right hand side. So I've been gripping lefty even though I swing righty for the past 30+ years? Weird.

Despite anything else anyone might say about that girl in the photo I do notice one other thing...she got the axe through the round. My kinda girl.

Im all righty, until I picked up lacrosse, had to learn both hands, practiced by doing all sorts of tasks both hands. swing hammers, throwing baseballs, footballs, obviously lacrosse balls, shooting pool, and yes I have spilt other handed. not saying im as good in all things with my left, but by slowing down that motion you cant 'teach' yourself the motion. I must say it comes in hand (haha) more then you think.

 

[mayhem]

In these situations, I like to make sure I heard what I think I heard.

Mayhem . . .

Your Right hand remains at the base of the splitter handle, your left hand starts the movement at the head of the splitter, and the 'wind-up' is performed by swinging the splitter head to your right.

Or did I hear incorrectly?

You heard correctly.

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

Not sayin I don't believe you, just sayin I can't fathom the physics of crossing your left arm across your body like that. That would seriously minimize leverage. Prolly mess up the shoulder too.

Apparently Gurls use tools left handed often

 

[mayhem]

Wait a minute. Turn 40 and the memory starts going.

Stand with the right hand at the base of the handle, left hand right up near the cutting head of the tool, tool in front of me left to right. Swing tool head up to maxium heightwith the left hand in an arc that goes behind my back, shoulders rolling with the motion. Near the top of the arc left hand slides down the handle till it meets the right, tool is at the top of the arc and moving fast. Both hands apply force to bring tool down on the round to be split.

So I expressed myself incorrectly...I do not keep the tool compltely to the right.

But my question is, am I swinging left handed or right? I've never known, just did what felt more natural and controllable.

^^ I do not hold my saw that way.

 

[Later]

Wat maul?

 

[ISeeDeadBTUs]

That, mayhem, is a left-handed swing. No shame in it. Just that splitting buddies have to remember to saty clear of your left side, not your right.

You should try it right-handed, you might just switch.

 

[John_M]

I play baseball, golf and tennis right handed. I play hockey left handed. I shave either right or left handed. When I swing a maul or axe my left hand is at the butt end of the handle and my right hand is up near the head. The down stroke is started by the left hand but soon the right hand applies direction and increased speed to the tool as it slides down/up the shaft to join the left hand. Does my hand position with the axe and maul indicate I am swinging right or left handed? :-S John_M

 

[wendell]

Tried to find a copy of the Run, Catch and Throw Like a Girl but this is the best I could do.