The boomerang is a weapon that is thrown and, due to its shape, can return to the thrower.
A boomerang is a type of weapon with a curved shape that, when thrown accurately, returns to the hands of the person who threw it. Although its accentuation may seem strange in some countries , the correct writing and adaptation of the English term boomerang to our language is boomerang , with an accent on the A. The most distant origin of the concept is found in the Australian aboriginal languages.
The boomerang, or boomerang as it is usually pronounced in many regions, achieves its surprising characteristic of returning to its origin thanks to its design and the way it is launched . The usual thing is that the boomerang measures less than half a meter, has a slight curve in its middle part and is made of aluminum , wood or plastic.
Boomerang characteristics
Typically, the boomerang is thrown with the intention of shocking the victim and leaving them dazed. This weapon was usually used in hunting tasks or even in the middle of battles.
In addition to all of the above, we could point out other important hallmarks of the boomerang. Among them the following would stand out:
- It usually does not exceed 50 centimeters in length.
- Their edges can be sharp, they can be curved, and they can even be blade-shaped.
- It must offer a perfect combination between resistance and lightness
Beyond what has been mentioned, the concept of boomerang usually also covers some curved sticks that, when thrown, do not return to their place of origin. There are also boomerangs of very varied shapes: the most traditional ones resemble a V, although it is possible to find boomerangs with many blades (as if they were stars), with a W appearance and others.
Currently, in addition to remote places where the tradition of using it for hunting purposes is followed, the boomerang is currently being given an important sporting role. Hence there are acrobatic competitions, others where the precision in the return is valued, the speed it presents, the distance it is capable of traveling or the time it takes to return.
The mode of release is key to getting the boomerang to return.
How to launch it
First, you should grab the boomerang so that its flat side is on the outside. Regardless of the number of fingers you want to hold (one of the most normal positions is similar to that used to hold a firearm, leaving the index and middle fingers on one side and the thumb on the other), the secret is in propelling it forward with the necessary force, taking advantage of the direction of the wind, and giving it the necessary rotation for it to return.
It is worth mentioning that the initial rotation is one of the basic requirements for a good launch , and also one of the most difficult things to achieve. Regarding the angle of the arm, the boomerang should be held with its convex part very close to the shooter's face, and with its upper end a few centimeters above his head.
To obtain the best results, you should pay special attention to the wind , which should be soft and constant if you do not have much experience. When their speed exceeds 10 km/h, only the most trained shooters are able to make successful launches consistently, and they often use boomerangs with special characteristics to cope with the weather conditions.
The angle at which the boomerang is usually thrown with respect to the direction of the wind (which must blow towards the shooter) is between 45 and 90 degrees, to the right for right-handed people and to the left for left-handed people. The stronger the wind, the higher the horizontal angle must be and the more vertical the shot becomes.
It is important to note that launching a boomerang should never be done with the weapon in a horizontal position . However, with respect to trajectory, the firing angle can be as low as 10 degrees if certain specific boomerangs are used, such as the Frog. When a boomerang is thrown from a position similar to that of a frisbee, the consequences can be terrible, both for the shooter and for the rest of the people present, since its trajectory is unpredictable and its final impact can be very strong.
boomerang effect
It should not be overlooked either that it is common to talk about the boomerang effect . This is a notion that is used to make clear that every cause has its effect and that every effect has a cause.
In that sense, it means that a certain action generates a result that ends up turning against the person who carried it out.
There are many areas and sectors of our lives that use this concept and among those would be, for example, business. Hence, coaching specialists who are in charge of "training" all types of professionals try to tell them with the aforementioned effect, among other things, that they should always commit to undertaking positive actions and always with an aura of optimism since that is the so that they later result in benefits with those same characteristics.