Mastering a good throwing technique means making passes that are faster, more precise and easier to receive. It also - more importantly - reduces the risk of injury. The following steps will help you improve your throwing technique until you have the "perfect spiral".
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Method 1: Basic Step
Step 1. Do some stretching before starting
Stretch your whole body, not just your arms. In football, throwing is a complex process involving multiple muscle groups, such as the stabilizer muscles, legs and shoulders. Pay particular attention to these areas, as their muscles help stabilize the body and give more power to the throw.
Step 2. Grab the ball
The most common way to hold the football is with the ring finger and little finger on the laces and the thumb underneath. The index finger should rest on a seam and form, together with the thumb, a sort of "L".
- Many quarterbacks make variations to this type of hold. For example, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning puts his middle finger on the laces along with his ring and little fingers. Find the position that's right for you.
- Do not hold the ball in close contact with the palm of your hand. Squeeze it lightly with your fingertips. A little contact with the palm of your hand is fine, but try to leave some space between it and the ball.
- Don't squeeze the ball too hard. Keep your grip firm but light so you'll be able to adjust it more easily.
Step 3. Put your body in the throwing position
Stand 90 degrees to the target. If you throw with your right hand, turn to the right, vice versa if you throw with your left hand. Turn the pivot foot (the one opposite the throwing arm) to point at the target. Keep your eyes on your goal.
Step 4. Hold the balloon close to your ear
Before launching, hold the ball close to your ear, stabilizing it with the other hand. This will allow you to throw the ball quickly and at any time, minimizing the risk of a defender sensing the passing trajectory.
Step 5. Bring the throwing hand back
Remove your supporting hand from the ball and bring the one you throw back, stopping just behind your ear.
Step 6. Throw in a semicircular motion
Push your arm forward in an arc motion and release your grip midway through the turn. The empty hand should continue towards the non-dominant hip, with the palm facing down. Repeat this movement a few times before letting go of the ball.
Use the rest of your body to give strength to the throw. Using the hips, legs and shoulders can add more power to the passage. Take a step forward with the pivot foot and move the non-dominant elbow down and back towards the back. Rotate your hips and shoulders in the direction of the pass
Step 7. Remove your grip from the balloon
The ball should release its grip by making a twisting motion. The index finger should be the last part of the body to touch the ball, giving rise to the characteristic rotational movement known as the "spiral" effect.
- An effective throw should give the impression of being made only with the thumb, index and middle finger. The other two fingers stabilize the ball at the moment of throwing and generally do not help rotate the ball.
- To give the ball more rotation, you can snap your wrist forward following the movement of the hip.
Step 8. Train, train and train again
Only constant training can make your throws longer and more accurate. As you train, make small adjustments to your throwing position and grip of the ball. Once you have mastered the basics, these personal variations will allow you to hone your technique, making it easier to cast and maximizing results.
Method 2 of 4: Method 2: Hail Mary
Step 1. Learn when it's time to risk a Hail Mary ("avemaria", in Italian)
The Hail Mary is a rather risky long range passage. It owes its name to the Catholic University football team where, before performing it in desperate situations, it was supposed to be the case to say a prayer. As a rule, the Hail Mary is only done when the offensive team badly needs to gain yards in a short time and is unable to attempt a conventional play. Throw a Hail Mary only in these cases:
- At the end of a period of play you are in possession of the ball, you have the opportunity to attempt a last attacking action, but you are too far from the opponent's goal.
- You must gain 10 yards in four downs and it is not advisable to kick the ball on the fly (for example, if the game ends with the next ball possession and your team is at a disadvantage).
- You are in possession of the ball during the last action of the match and, by scoring, you have the possibility to avoid extra time.
- Attention! Long passages are risky. Even for the best quarterbacks it is difficult to make a precise pass when you have to cover long distances; furthermore, given that the ball in these cases makes a very high arc trajectory, it is quite easy for the opposing defense to take possession of it. Also consider that the receivers need more time to place and the quarterback is more at risk of being tackled behind the scrimmage line. For all these reasons, be very cautious before attempting a Hail Mary.
Step 2. Get in the launch position
Hold the ball with your index, middle finger and thumb resting on the laces. The ring and little fingers, as well as the other fingers, should be placed so that the grip is comfortable. Bend your knees slightly. Turn 90 degrees to the target with your throwing arm back and your lead foot pointed forward.
Since you will have to wait longer than usual before throwing the ball, take a long step back after receiving the pass from the center; this will give you a better chance of avoiding the intervention of the opponents. If you get tackled during the throw, see what is written in method 4
Step 3. Before casting back off
Keep the ball close to your ear, in a throwing position. As you step back, you will need to position yourself to give a push forward during the shot, in order to give it more power.
Step 4. Lean back slightly and start throwing
Raise your arm behind your head to charge the throw. Bend your knees slightly as you push on the ground with your back foot and begin to lunge forward.
Step 5. Throw the ball up, making it go in an arched trajectory
Lean forward as you throw. Rotate your hips and shoulders as you give yourself momentum. As you advance, twist and lean forward you will impart more power to the cast and will be able to cover a greater distance with the pass.
- Remove your fingers from the ball as in Method 1. Follow the movement by continuing to move forward until the initial momentum runs out. Don't relax too much after the throw: if your Hail Mary is intercepted, you'll need to prepare to tackle the ball carrier!
- To get a better result, try to arch the trajectory of the launch so that the ball passes the opposing defender and arrives precisely at the receiver. To get a high parabola, take your fingers off the ball a moment earlier than you would for a normal throw.
Method 3 of 4: Method 3: Quick Pass
Step 1. Know when to take a quick pass
This is a short range and extremely fast pass. The goal is to make the ball travel as straight as possible. The quick pass is used in quick actions characterized by trades made at short distances. Given the speed of the pitch, these passes are more difficult to intercept and are mainly used to reach a teammate who is close to an opposing defender. Quick steps can be used to:
- Gain a few yards to get back a first down.
- Scoring a try when you are close to the end line.
- Quickly get the ball to a running player.
Step 2. Assume the passing position
Grab the back of the ball by placing your hand on the laces. Turn 90 degrees to the receiver (with the throwing hand away from him). Keep light on your feet, with your front foot pointing forward.
Don't lean back as much as you would for a Hail Mary. The goal is to make the switch as quickly as possible, so that it reaches the receiver promptly
Step 3. Bring your arm back to the side of your head
Don't carry it behind your head like you would a Hail Mary; throwing the ball overhead would cause too high a pass. Keep your feet light on the ground and your knees slightly bent.
Step 4. Move forward as you throw
Taking a step forward is a great way to power the passage; even considering the fact that you would not have time to move backwards and then forwards as you would for a Hail Mary.
Step 5. Snap your arm forward in a tight arc
Making a quick pass should feel like throwing a punch; it is a short and quick movement done all at once. Put power into the throw, so that the ball travels as quickly as possible, and take your fingers off a moment later than you would for a normal pass, in order to get a straight trajectory.
Step 6. Accompany the movement with your hips and shoulders
Since the movements required to make such a pass are quick and collected compared to those required for other types of passes, you may not have to rotate your body as much as you would in other cases. Have the balloon come off your fingers for a spiral toss.
Method 4 of 4: Method 4: Throwing when Tackled
Step 1. Evaluate the possibilities available to you
The best thing is (of course) to avoid situations where you suddenly have to change your game option or get tackled. Unfortunately, every quarterback finds himself, sooner or later, in a similar situation. If the tackle is imminent, getting rid of the ball is only one of the options. Depending on the game situation, you can do one of the following:
- Bring the ball forward. If your attacker has created a space for you, you can dodge the opponent who comes towards you and run forward to gain a few yards. If there are no central spaces, you can run along the sideline. Either way you could be thwarted, but you would still avoid an overly penalizing tackle.
- Take a side pass. If you have the opportunity to serve an unmarked teammate who seems ready to receive the pass (usually a running back), you can throw the ball at him, as long as he is behind you or by your side. In this case we speak of "lateral" passage. Throwing the ball forward, however, is against the rules and results in a punishment in favor of the opponent.
Step 2. Consider your position on the pitch
Depending on where you are on the pitch, deliberately getting rid of the ball to avoid a tackle can be against the rules. In the NFL, throwing the ball away while in the area around the quarterback protected by blockers results in a penalty for Intentional Grounding.
This penalty causes a 10-yard setback (which is worse than a tackle); for this reason, it is better to suffer a tackle and only lose a few yards
Step 3. If you are about to be tackled, act promptly
In the NFL, a pass begins when the pitcher starts moving his hands forward. Therefore, the earlier you start making the pass, the more likely it is that it will be treated as an incomplete pass (which does not include the loss of yards).
Step 4. Try to get yourself tackled in the lower body
It is not easy to move just before taking a tackle but, if possible, get tackled in the lower body. If your opponent blocks your arms, you will no longer be able to throw and you may even lose the ball.
Keep your arms free, but if you can't pass the ball before the tackle, hug it to your body as you fall. This way you will have less chance of losing control and dropping it
Step 5. Focus on the catcher as you are tackled and pass the ball to him if he is free
If you are feeling lucky, and none of the catchers are free, you can try to throw the ball at an opponent's body part so that they can't catch it. It is risky but, if it succeeds, it is evaluated as an incomplete step.
Step 6. During a tackle, use your body to generate as much thrust as possible
This largely depends on the part of the body where you get stuck. If you have a free leg, move it forward as you pass the ball; if your upper body is free, rotate your shoulders.
Step 7. Throw over the defenders' heads
The only thing worse than a tackle is an interception, so make sure that no opposing defender can reach the ball instead of your teammate. It may be necessary to throw the ball over the opponent's tackler if the latter faces you head-on.
Advice
- Take advantage of every means at your disposal. Making a perfect pass is very difficult when you are under pressure from the opponents. Playing against the opposing defense requires sudden changes of position and the necessary technique to avoid a tackle or an interception; training these aspects greatly contributes to developing one's intuition and abilities.
- The release of the ball and the movement that follows are as important as the throw itself; these aspects make the difference between a slow pass and a bullet fired straight into the chest of the receiver. Try to "throw" your shoulder as you make the pass, using your torso to rotate your shoulders and give the cast more power. The hand, once released from the ball, should reach the opposite hip.
- To increase power and endurance, train hard and consistently. Training aimed at developing stabilizer muscles, shoulders and legs will improve your passing ability as well as your athleticism. Check out our wikiHow How to Strengthen Your Core.
Warnings
- Avoid throwing with your non-dominant arm, unless you run the risk of being tackled and need to unload the ball at a nearby teammate. Many receivers need time to settle down when the ball hits them with the opposite effect.
- Do not throw with the palm of your hand. Instead of taking a spiral effect, the balloon will spin in the air by spinning on itself. Such steps are much less precise.
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To avoid injury, avoid these bad habits:
- Throwing with only one foot on the ground.
- Throwing backwards.
- Throw in the opposite direction you are facing.
- Suddenly turning and throwing (for example, turning 180 degrees before passing the ball). Turning around a little is fine anyway.
- Take care of your shoulder. Injuries related to excessive use of the shoulder are quite common among quarterbacks (14% of the total) and the rotator cuff is the most affected part. If your shoulder hurts, stop throwing. If pain persists, see a doctor who specializes in sports medicine.
