The epic hero pulls the ax from his bag and hurls it towards his attacker, saving the day with a well-executed strike. In real life, however, the accuracy and precision needed to pull this off take much longer than a two-hour film would have onlookers believe, a fact Sycamore Shoals is eager to demonstrate.

Sycamore Shoals State Park is teaching the art of tomahawk throwing Wednesday, May 1, an opportunity to learn the local activities of the past.

Park Ranger Jason Davis said this is a workshop they hold multiple times a year as part of their yearly programs.

“It is more of a hands-on program,” Davis said.

He said participants will learn about the many different components of the activity, mainly the safety procedures necessary, as he said throwing sharp objects like tomahawks is not like how it looks in movies.

“The biggest misconception is you can throw them from any distance and it will hit their mark,” he said. “There needs to be a distance for it to complete a full revolution so it can hit the target.”

Without this correct distance, the thrower might just hit the target with the handle instead of the ax part. Further, this distance varies based on arm length.

Davis said the skill is not magical as some onlookers might believe. Rather, it takes time and dedication to pull off.

“It is a lot of technique and timing,” Davis said.

He said workshops like this are neat because they showcase every-day activities of the time period, describing it as a traditional form of recreation.

“It is something different,” he said. “It is the whole idea of unplugging yourself from modern forms of recreation.”

He said the activity is different from current forms of entertainment, which produce immediate satisfaction with minimal effort.

Back then, hobbies and activities took a while to become proficient in, with both effort and practice.

“It is about relying on yourself and your ability to be focused and patient,” Davis said.

He said those interested must register beforehand, and they can do so at the Sycamore Shoals State Park website.

The workshop is free and will take place from 2 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 1.