How to Throw a Boomerang
Safety First : It is always best to throw your boomerang in a large open area. A Soccer or baseball field is ideal. But any large open grassy area with no trees or other obstructions will work fine. Remember to give yourself plenty of room. Avoid throwing on pavement, around trees or houses. Landing on or hitting a hard surface may damage the boomerang and could cause property damage. Boomerangs can be dangerous and children should always have adult supervision when throwing. Never throw a boomerang in a crowded area. If there are other people around make sure they are aware of what you’re doing so they can watch the flight path.
Never try to catch a boomerang if it’s coming back very fast. Always wear open fingered gloves and some form of eye protection.
The Grip : A good throw starts with the proper grip. There are two main grips. The “cradle grip” and the “pinch grip”.
The cradle grip is where the boomerang is held in the palm of your hand, much like a tennis racket. The flat side of the boomerang is towards the palm of the hand, (i.e. away from the body), and the fingers wrapped around the rounded side. The thumb is placed just above the index finger. You should hold the boomerang as close to the end as possible to insure maximum spin.
For the pinch grip, place the boomerang between the thumb and forefinger with the thumb on the rounded side. Hold the boomerang back toward the wrist at a 45 degree angle. Pinch tightly so that the boomerangs pops from the fingers as your arm straightens out.
Layover : Most boomerangs only require a little bit of layover. Usually about 10% - 30% or between 12 and 1:00 if you were facing a clock.
Spin : Putting a spin on the boomerang as your throwing is crucial. Let the boomerang pull out of your hand instead of releasing it.
Elevation: You should release the boomerang at eye level and aiming approximately 10 degrees above ground. Typically aiming at the tree tops surrounding your field is about right.
Wind : Ideally you want a calm day or slight breeze. A general rule of thumb is (if it a good day to fly a kite, it is too windy to throw a boomerang). Do not throw directly into the wind. Every boomerang has its own angle but usually should be thrown about 50 degrees to the right of the wind. When thrown correctly the boomerang should return on your left side.
Catching the boomerang : The best way to catch a boomerang is to reach out with both hands and try to clap them together on it, (catching the boomerang between the palms of your hands).
