I had almost the same issue when I started, and honestly I learned the hard way. What helped me was paying attention to how quickly I could reset after a swing and how stable the axe felt when hooked or blocked. I spent some time reading gear guides and comparing specs, and this section https://medievalextreme.com/axes/ was actually useful because it breaks down different axe styles in a simple way. After switching to a slightly shorter buhurt axe, my control improved a lot, especially in close-range fights where speed matters more than reach.