Throwing

The overhand throwing motion is a complex motor skill that involves the entire body in a series of linked movements starting from the legs, progressing up through the pelvis and trunk, and culminating in a ballistic motion in the arm that propels a projectile forward. It is used almost exclusively in athletic events. The throwing motion can be broken down into three basic steps: cocking, accelerating, and releasing.

Desired qualities in the action produce a fast, accurate throw. These qualities are affected by the physical attributes of the thrower like height, strength, and flexibility. However it is mainly the throwing motion mechanics and the thrower's ability to coordinate them that determines the quality of the throw. Determining the desired qualities of the throwing motion is difficult to assess due to the extremely short amount of time that it takes professionals to perform the motion.

Throwing mechanisms, along with projectiles themselves, rank amongst the oldest technological artefacts in the archaeological records. They vary greatly in size and complexity, from the hand-held and extremely simple sling, to the very heavy and complex catapults. These two types of devices have in common with hand-throwing the fact that the only requirements for their projectiles are size and weight. In that sense they differ from more specialized throwing techniques such as those developed in archery, where the projectiles have very strong requirements for their shape.

Throwing is used for propelling weapons such as stones or spears at enemies, predators, or prey.

• Knife throwing, the art of throwing a knife at a target
• Spear throwing was used and until relatively recent times was the predominant mode of weaponry used in warfare
• Throwing axes are thrown, usually overhand
• Boomerangs (throwing sticks) are used by Aboriginals for hunting purposes.
• Shurikenjutsu are traditional Japanese thrown weapons
• Hand grenades are thrown explosives

Throwing of a baseball

• Pitching or bowling in bat-and-ball games, e.g. cricket, baseball, softball
• Throwing of balls and clubs is used in juggling
• Bowling
• Darts
• Flying disc games
• Stone skipping

Track and field contains four major throwing events: discus throw, hammer throw, javelin throw and shot put. The weight throw is the fifth most common field throwing event, while the club throw is unique to disability athletics.

Throwing can be performed in a non-agonistic way, when the target is a cooperating agent who will perform a somewhat opposite action called catch. Humans are most likely the only animals capable of throwing with such an intent. This is an almost exclusively intraspecific behavior, whose goal is to exchange artifacts without having to shorten the distance between the participants. The seemingly unique exception to this intraspecificity is when humans play a game called fetch with a domestic dog, although in that situation the dog always catches, never throws.

Such use is so common that it is a common metaphor for figuratively sending something to someone (e.g. to throw a bone).

An other very common use of the behavior is for disposal. The employed term is then typically throwing away, and it too is very commonly used figuratively.