Many beginning

practitioners complain of losing some of
their knives, especially their practice knives for live target
training, due to bad throws, rebounds, and misses which
become difficult to find. To at least partially eliminate this
difficulty, a number of steps can be taken. One solution is to
spray paint the knives with a bright color. Another solution
is to tie a bright colored length of cord or wool to the knife.
The string will not affect the flight of the knife much, but it
will make it easier to find.
Long Range Throws
Knives are seldom thrown over distances of thirty feet, but
once Ninja have gained a mastery of the basic skills at this
distance, they may wish to mark or stake out longer ranges
of 35, 40, 45 and 50 feet. Fifty feet is the approximate
maximum range for a thrown knife. Such long range throws
require exceptional skill, power, and control to make a knife
stick at such a distance.

Two or more

practitioners will want to work through a
number of scenarios. What if both Ninjas have throwing
knives? What if they are inside/outside, in the forest/city, or
in the day/night? Practicing realistic situations will prepare
the knife throwing Ninja for actual combat.
Once Ninja have mastered the basic skills at ten feet, and
have begun training with live targets, at least twice each
week (two of the three weekly training sessions), they should
still throw two hundred knives at their target. Mark or stake
off distances of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 feet from the target.
Some of the longer ranges will be difficult to manage inside.
This can also be performed with tape on floors or bright
spray paint on grass. The tape can always be removed from
the floor, and the spray paint will eventually wear away on
the grass. Begin to practice from these distances. Some
techniques will undoubtably prove to be better than others at
some ranges, but this also may differ from person to person.
It is up to practitioners to experiment and determine what
works best at a given range in a specific situation. Only
through actual practice and experience can useful knowledge
be gained.

To make the practice

more realistic and instructional, coat
the tip of the knife in Vaseline. This will allow both the
thrower and the target to know if the point of the practice
knife struck correctly or not, as a spot of Vaseline will
remain. The Vaseline will usually wash out of most clothing.
For added realism, mix a litle red food coloring in with the
Vaseline. Practicing Ninja may wish to carry a small pot of
this practice blood with them to dip their knives into.
The thrower will concentrate on hitting the target accu-
rately. The opponent will concentrate on dodging or reaching
the thrower without getting hit. Try to make the training as
realistic as possible, and be honest. Practice safely. The
possibilities for such training are endless, limited only by
the imagination of the Ninja participating in it. Practitioners
must ask themselves:
Thrower: How can I best distract, wound, or kill my
opponent?
Target: How can I avoid getting hit and take out my
opponent?

Moving Targets

Once the basic skills are mastered, at least once a week
(one of the three weekly sessions) a Ninja will want to train
with live, moving targets. What could be a more challenging
target than another Ninja? But one thing must be re-
membered: NEVER USE REAL KNIVES WHILE PRAC-
TICING WITH LIVE OPPONENTS. Instead, use one of the
practice knife patterns (see Diagram 3.3) to fashion ap-
propriate practice weapons out of soft wood, plastic or hard
rubber. Other designs can be invented, but they should fly
well, similar to a real throwing knife, and they should not
have sharp points. A crude, but effective training weapon
can also be made from cutting a l/2 inch diameter dowel rod
into 10 to 12 inch lengths and rounding the ends. Such
training weapons will not fly exactly like throwing knives,
but the flight characteristics will be close enough. They may
hurt a bit to get hit with one, especially in the face, so wear
the eye and mouth protection. But it will be better than being
struck with a real throwing knife. Be prepared for some
slight injuries and bruises, and try to concentrate on accuracy
rather than power.

If it will

help to focus on one spot for aiming, concentrate
on the center of the middle board of the backstop. Staple or
tack an eight inch paper disk there if an actual target is
desired. Paper plates an also be used. After a Ninja learns to
hit this target consistently, he or she should switch to a four
inch paper disk, and then a two inch, and finally a one inch
disk. These can be cut out of colored paper or painted on
newspaper or newsprint with a template and a can of spray
paint. Arrange nine disk targets on the backstop as shown in
Diagram 3.2. This will avoid any chance of the knives
bouncing off each other. A Ninja is ready to move onto a
smaller sized disk target when he or she can place one knife
in each of the nine paper disks.

Targets

The beginning practitioner may simply wish to mark off a
distance of ten feet from the backstop and use that as a
target. At first, just concentrate on hitting the target. Throw
at least ten knives at a time in order to avoid excessive trips
to and around the target to retrieve knives. Next, try to strike
the target with all ten knives and make them stick. Do not
throw hard. Power is one of the last areas to work on. It is
better to work on technique and accuracy at first; power and
speed will come later, with more time and practice. A Ninja
must learn to be patient.
Practice the following throws, one at a time. Do not move
onto the next until it is consistently possible to make nine out
of ten knives stick. These are only the basic throws, a Ninja
will go on to develop throws of his or her own. Do not be
surprised if some throws are more difficult to master than
others. Often this will vary from person to person. Ninja
should always work at their own speed. Experience is the
greatest teacher.
1. Overhand Throw
2. Underhand Throw
3. Sidearm Throw
4. Palm Grip Throw
5. Pinch Grip Throw
6. Backwards Throw

When putting

the backstop together, make sure that the
bolts or nails do not protrude out of the front of the target.
This will prevent throwing knives from bending and
breaking. If the supporting post will be placed in the ground,
either by driving them in or using a posthole digger, cut them
to a point and place them two feet into the earth. The
backstop can also be leaned against a tree or wall.
If the backstop will be left outside for any length of time,
protect the wood by treating it with a coat or two of protective
stain or paint. Use the kind, commonly available, for
outdoor wood and furniture. With care, the backstop will last
for a long while, depending on how much it is used. But with
consistent training one or more of the front boards will need
to be replaced eventually. This is a relatively simple task.
Once the backstop is in place in a proper area, a Ninja will
want to consider targets.

Materials Needed:

(3) 6’x2”~12” planks of soft pine
(3) 6’x2”~4” boards
(10) 4” carriage bolts (or use at least twice as many nails
for a stationary backstop
NINJA KNIFE THROWING
Tools Required:
Saw
Drill with proper bit to make the holes for the bolts
Wrench or ratchet to insert and remove bolts (or a hammer
to pound in the nails of stationary target)
The construction of the backstop is simple and under-
standable, even from glancing at the diagram. The portable
backstop is recommended over the stationary kind as it can
be disassembled, transported and reassembled elsewhere in
minutes. As well as transporting much easier, it can be used
inside or outside.

The Backstop

Whether a target is used inside or outside, it needs to have
a backstop to stop the knives thrown at it. The backstop
provides a convenient place to hang a variety of targets,
most of which can be made out of paper. Constructing a good
backstop that will last for years is often neglected, but it is as
important as purchasing the right knives. It requires a
certain amount of time, work and money, but every serious
practitioner of Ninjitsu should make one. A basic design for
NINJA KNIFE THROWING
a portable/stationary backdrop is given below. The design is
a simple one, and can be modified to fit the specific needs of
the user (see Diagram 3.1, throwing knife backstop).

Where to Train

Select a safe area, inside or outside, with a proper backstop
and target. Beginning practitioners are normally very wild
with their throws. If the target is inside, in a room or
basement for example, there should not be any windows,
furniture, or any other objects nearby which could be
damaged. The best solution is to use an entire wall as a
backstop, either covering it with wood or padding. Never
throw knives at plaster or concrete walls. Plasterboard will
not hold up long and is costly to repair. Knives may go
through the plasterboard and become lost in between the
walls. Knives thrown against concrete will dull, bend, or
even break. They will also have a tendency to bounce off the
wall, which is dangerous.
Outside, make certain that there is plenty of clear room
around in order to throw. There should not be any people,
pets, or property within range of the target. Be aware, also,
that throwing knives outside will often attract a good deal of
attention. Onlookers should be briefed about the dangers
involved with being around a knife thrower.

...

5. Remember that throwing knives are not toys. They are
deadly weapons. Treat them as such at all times.
6. Keep throwing knives away from small children or
irresponsible adults.
7. Never throw a knife carelessly or in jest. Serious injury
usually results from fooling around with dangerous weapons.
When to Train
Set up a consistent schedule to throw knives at least three
times each week. Stick to the schedule with dedication and
determination. Throw at least two hundred knife casts for
each of the three weekly training sessions. Concentrate on
mastering each of the throwing techniques in this book one
at a time. Do not move onto the next technique until the one
before it is mastered, Work on proper technique first; a
thrown knife should stick firmly in the target. Second, work
on accuracy. Third, work on power. Fourth, work on speed.
Fifth and finally, work on throwing from any position. A
Ninja should be able to throw a knife accurately at any time,
from any position.

Training Methods and Safety Concerns

The most important basic safety principles are:
1. Always wear safety glasses or goggles during any kind
of practice. Most serious injuries, if they do occur, are usually
to the eyes. Throwing knives, especially at short ranges,
sometimes take unexpected bounces, and may rebound back
at the thrower.
2. Always wear a mouthpiece, such as the kind worn by
boxers and football players, to protect the teeth. Broken
teeth are not serious injuries, but dental work is expensive.
3. Observers should always stand behind the thrower and
stay alert when knives are being thrown.
4. Place a backstop and target properly in order to
minimize any chance of a stray knife injuring people, pets, or
property.

Horizontally Thrown Knife viewed from the side

A. STRAIGHT THROW (SHORT DISTANCES)
B. SPINNING THROW
1
1
MORE AIR
RESISTANCE
AT GREATER
RANGES
Estimating Distances
A knife thrower must be able to judge distances with a
good degree of precision in order to throw accurately. Such
ability can only be gained from long hours of practice. Begin
with established distances which are marked off. (See the
following section on training.) Once a Ninja learns to hit a
target from any distance from five to thirty feet, he or she
should practice to be able to hit the target at any range in
between. Long distance throws from thirty up to fifty feet
can be practiced in advanced training.
Knife Rotations
Short range throws, approximately ten feet or less, usually
cause a knife to travel in a straight line to the target. Beyond
this range, however, throwing knives execute one or more
spins or half spins (up to several in number) before striking
the target. Only through experience and dedicated training
can a Ninja learn to estimate distance and judge how many
rotations or half rotations a knife will need to make in order
to strike a target point first. Remember that knives thrown
by the handle must execute whole or complete spins (1,2,3,4,
5,6, etc). Knives thrown by the blade must execute a number
of half spins (l/2,1%, 2%, 3%, 4X, i%, 6X, etc.) Once the basic
theories and principles listed in this section have been
learned, the Ninja must establish an effective training
program.

Vertically Thrown Knife

Vertical and Horizontal Throwing
First, the difference between vertical and horizontal
throwing should be made clear. When vertically thrown, and
when viewed from the side as it travels through the air, a
throwing knife looks similar to the knife in Diagram 2.1.
Vertically thrown knives travel swifter because they have
less air resistance. Horizontally thrown knives, viewed in
flight from the side, look similar to the knife in Diagram 2.2.
Because it travels flat against the wind, a horizontally
thrown knife meets greater resistance in the air. This
decreases distance, velocity and penetration.
For short distances, however (approximately 5 to 10 feet),
the horizontal throw is just as effective.
NINJA KNIFE THROWING