If you want to stick playing cards to lemon peels, as card-throwing magician Ricky Jay did, you need to learn how to throw accurately before you throw a card powerfully. With enough practice, you can learn the different throwing styles, grip, and how to make your pitch accurate.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Overhand Throw
Step 1. Hold the cards correctly for the overhand throw
The throwing style with the highest power and potential for accuracy is the overhand throw, used by card throwers around the world. One of the earliest practitioners to perform in public was a stage magician named Howard Thurston, who used overhand throwing for power and accuracy in his throws, leaving the audience in awe. Finding a grip that fits and is comfortable for you is a very important part of learning how to throw cards accurately. Variations of the card hand are usually named after the famous card thrower:
- Thurston's grip is to pinch the short part of the card between your index and middle finger, so most of the card is facing the palm of your hand. The other fingers must move away from the card.
- Hermann's grip, named after another magician, is accomplished by pinching a card between your thumb and middle finger on the center of the card about one-third of the way down the card, then with your index finger on the back of the card on the sides to help control the spin. Most of the cards should be facing your wrist.
Step 2. Place your hands with palms facing up
A simple throw with high accuracy is to place the card against the side of your head and release it with a swing from the wrist. To do this and throw a proper spin on the card, you need to turn your wrist up and hold the card in your preferred grip style.
Step 3. Bend your wrists and place your arms over your shoulders
Bend your wrists inward so that the card touches your wrists, bend your elbows, raise your hands next to your head to prepare your arms for the throw. Your little finger should be in line with your ear when your arm is locked and ready.
To learn proper movement and practice, bend your wrists without exerting any effort from your forearms and try to throw the card with enough turns. When you get used to the practice of throwing, raise the card next to your head to make your throw stronger
Step 4. Flick your wrist forward
In one quick, smooth movement, swing your arms in front of your shoulders and throw cards like throwing a baseball for the most power and accuracy from the cards. At the end of the movement, don't twist your wrist, spread your middle and ring fingers slightly apart to release the card.
Step 5. Keep practicing
Practice the moves, trying to be as smooth as possible, until you can throw the cards clean. Keeping the movement as smooth as possible is the key to making the card spin and cut through the air, instead of floating in the air and moving somewhere the air is pointing.
As you practice this move, pay special attention to how you don't rotate your wrist in a straight line with your entire arm when you throw a card. Just like anything else, it's all in your wrist, but the power comes from your elbow
Method 2 of 3: Flying Saucer Style
Step 1. Hold the card properly
Another common and accurate throwing style used by very strong card throwers like Ricky Jay and others is the flying saucer throw, which can be very accurate and powerful when the cards are held and thrown correctly. While you can also use a Frisbee toss with a Ferguson or Thurston grip, it's more common to use Ricky Jay's style of holding:
- To learn Ricky Jay's grip, place your index finger on one side of the card and place your thumb on top of the card. Bend your other three fingers under the long side of the card.
- This grip is a bit like a combination of the other two styles. Your thumb on the top of the card should be on the opposite side of the card where your middle finger and pinch finger are. Like Hermann's grip.
Step 2. Bend the back of the card at your wrist
Bend the card into your wrist, the same as before, but keep your wrist parallel to the surface, your little finger facing down just as you would a flying saucer. You can also wrap your arm around your body so that the card is closer to the armpit opposite the hand you are holding the card with.
Ricky Jay actually raises his hands above his head, almost as if he's about to do an overhand throw, but it works much the same way a flying saucer throws as an overhand throw or a combination of the two. It looks like the card will touch the ear on the opposite side of his head
Step 3. Maintain movement at the wrist
There should be almost no movement of the arm when you start to try it, to get the card spins working properly. To practice, hold your arms and practice throwing cards only from the movement of your wrist.
Once you've practiced and are able to throw cards without missing a beat, you can try moving your arms for more power
Step 4. Flick your wrist forward
Keep your arms as straight and parallel to the surface as possible to prevent the card from slipping sideways and jerk your wrist forward to throw the card.
In general, you can practice using just your wrist to throw cards accurately, just like in overhand throws. The way it works is mostly the same, just oriented in a different direction. All the work is done on the wrist, but the power comes from your elbows
Step 5. Remove the card
When your fingertip points to the target you want to aim at, release the card with a strong final jolt from your wrist, extending your finger quickly and straightly to release the card and make the card rotate in the direction you want. It will take a lot of practice to get all the moves right, but learning to throw accurately also depends on your attention to detail.
Method 3 of 3: Throwing Accurately
Step 1. Focus on the loop
Accurately tossed cards move in a circular motion. Cards cannot be thrown in a straight line like Gambit did in the X-Men comics. For the most power and accuracy in your throws, turn as many cards as possible.
Practice extending your wrist and fingers in one flowing motion, as quickly as possible. At the top of your pitch, speed up your movement a bit, really jolting your wrist. This will be the difference between a weak card and a cutting card
Step 2. Aim at the appropriate target
Popular targets for throwing cards are usually Styrofoam and fruit. Experienced card throwers can stick cards into potatoes and other surfaces. Practice until the end of the card can be stuck firmly.
Do not throw a card at someone's face or body. Even if you haven't thrown with great force, a card that gets into the eye can be very dangerous. Be very careful and only practice throwing cards at appropriate targets
Step 3. Experiment with different handles
There's no single right way to throw a card, so practice will be experimenting with different grips and techniques and seeing which one works best for you. Choose your favorite part of each technique and put them together into your own combined style of throwing. Make yourself successful.
Watch Ricky Jay throw cards on the YouTube website to see what kind of moves he uses and jerks when he throws cards. Watch a magician or card expert in action to learn more, then pick a trick you can pull off
Step 4. Strengthen your wrists
To get better at hand tricks, especially card throwing, it's best to spend some time building dexterity and strength in your wrists and forearms. The stronger your wrists and hands, the better and more accurate your card throws will be.
It's best to stretch your wrists after you've tossed the card and loosen them beforehand. To do this, kneel down and flatten your wrists on the floor, turning your wrists so that your fingers are facing you. Stretch your wrists by bringing your buttocks on the floor and keeping your wrists flat
Step 5. Use a new card
It's easier to throw in a new, strong, stiff card than the old card you've played rummy with for years. If you want to make it easier for yourself, find a new, good quality card that can match your throw, then change it regularly to keep your throw accurate and strong.
