Throwing stars, also known as shuriken and ninja stars, are unique little ranged weapons that are a lot like throwing knives.
However, because of their symmetry, it is a lot easier to throw a ninja star or shuriken and get it to stick than it is to throw a knife. Here’s what you need to know.
How to Hold the Throwing Star
How you hold the throwing star is the main key to success. There are three things you want (or don’t, depending on how you see it) here:
- You don’t want to cut your fingers or hand as you throw the star.
- You want the star to stick in the target.
- You don’t want the star to tumble as it flies.
The best way to accomplish these objectives is to hold the star in a pinch grip and throw properly.
That means to hold the throwing star by one of its wings or “blades” between the thumb and forefinger of your dominant hand, with the majority of the star extending beyond your grip, not within your hand.
You want relatively little of the star pinched between your thumb and forefinger because the more there is in your grip, the higher the chances you will cut your finger or hand as you release it.
Overhand vs. Sidearm Throw
One method for throwing a shuriken with a pinch grip is overhand. Bring the throwing star back roughly to your ear, then bring your elbow forward, keeping a firm yet relaxed grip on the star until you allow its mass to slip free of your grip as it comes forward. This should allow the star to rotate in a vertical fashion as it travels edge-on towards the target.
The other is to throw sidearm, which can be done across either side of your body. Across the non-dominant side of your body you can throw the shuriken almost as if it is a frisbee.
Orient your grip so that the shuriken is parallel with the ground, then bring it across the non-dominant side of your body; swing your elbow back towards the dominant side of your body, once again allowing the mass of the star to leave your grip.
Regardless of whether you throw overhand or underhand, you do not want the star to tumble. You want it to spin cleanly, so that it stays on one plane. This should keep its flight stable enough that it contacts the target edge-on and sticks cleanly without bouncing off.
Letting the Momentum Do the Work
When you throw a shuriken, you don’t need to put a lot of muscle into it. Let the mass of the star carry it to the target and embed it. Trying to throw harder than you need to only increases the likelihood that the star will tumble and not strike the target edge-on, which can cause it to glance or bounce off.
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