Shurikens: How To Throw a Star like a Ninja
By the end of this short article, we'll get you ready to start throwing a shuriken and give you some tips that it takes the pros years to pick up.
When I was a young lad I loved watching martial arts movies. I was captivated by the likes of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris. I was enthralled by throwing stars. What's not to love? Throwing stars spin at a fast rate and normally have several points which stick into the intended target. As I got older I had to learn how to throw these amazing weapons.
Throwing stars can be thrown either horizontally like a Frisbee or vertically like a knife. There is no "right way". It's really more of a personal preference and with practice you will be able to determine which way works best for you.
How to hold a shurkien
Either way you decide to throw your star you hold the star the same way. To get started, grab on point of my throwing star and hold it between my thumb and the second knuckle of my first finger (your index finger). Get a good grip.
How to throw a shuriken horizontally:
When you are throwing your star horizontally throw from your stomach. Place your arm across your body, extend your arm out quickly and flick your wrist at the end. So, if you're right-handed, hold your shuriken in your right hand. Bend your arm at a 90 degree angle, and lay your arm across your stomach so that your forearm touches your stomach and your hand (with the star) is on the left side of your body. Now, keep your elbow where it is and quickly extend your arm out to the front and release as your arm come out in front of you.
Be careful the first few times you do this to learn your aiming and directions. Do not worry about flicking your wrist at the end until you get a feel for the time to release the throwing star. Once you start to get a feel for the right timing, begin to add a flick in your wrist at the end and you'll gain a great amount of extra force.
How to throw ninja star vertically:
When you are throwing your star vertically, it's more of a chopping motion. You start with the star by your ear (a few inches out from your head, so be very careful), and your elbow bent and in front of you, almost inline with your shoulder.
As a beginner, start by keeping your elbow in place and simply bringing your hand forward and releasing the shuriken as your hand come in front of you. Once you get a feel for the proper timing to release the star, you've got two ways to add additional power to your throws. First, as you bring your hand forward, drop your elbow during the throw. The timing will change slightly, and as you get a feel for bringing your elbow down with some force while extending your arm, you'll add a GREAT amount of force to your throw. Next, you can add a flick of your wrist to add that extra 5% - 10% to your throws.
In both throwing styles, the trick is to flick your wrist forward and release your grip. It may take a few tries but you'll get the hang of it. Just practice, practice and practice. It takes time to be proficient with a shuriken.
What do you throw your star into
I usually throw into a piece of cardboard, especially as I'm training someone new. A cardboard box will work. You can also pick up some cork board at your hardware store, cover it with fabric and tack it to a piece of wood. This works well as a target and the fabric helps keep the cork from falling apart. If you choose to throw into straight wood be prepared, the stars are hard to pull out. You may need a pair of pliers. Throwing into wood puts unneeded wear and stress on your star.
Can you throw into walls? Yes, but I would NOT advise it. I have found that parents and wives do not understand the need to poke 100's of holes in the drywall with your shuriken. So, let's make an agreement to not throw into any walls, unless you have a friend that's planning to demo a wall for some construction. That's rare, so if it happens, smile very big.
Tip: When throwing from the stomach you can practice throwing in a rapid fire pattern. In the hand that is not your throwing hand cup three or four stars like a stack of coins. When you are finished throwing a star pass a star to your throwing hand and fire off another one. With practice you will be amazed at how fast you can get. Be careful when passing the star to not stab your hand with the star. Be warned the more points a star has the harder it is to palm it.
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Here's a video review of some of our shurikens from TheTechHelpDude. We always feel like we should be playing Call of Duty when we watch his stuff. :)
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Ready to get started? Want to add to your collection? Check our our collection of shurikens and throwing stars. We've got the largest selection of stars online and are the exclusive place to buy all 3 of the top brands of shurikens. Looking for some new throwing knives too? We just got in over a dozen new styles to pick from. 
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