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What determines ‘arm strength’ for a QB, seems like a misnomer
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:00 am
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:00 am
Seems to have little to do with muscle mass, which historically defines strength, and more to do with the action or snap…or just the natural ability to throw it hard without losing form.
Comes up from Taysom losing bulk to try for QB1…still obviously doesn’t snap it off like Jameis. It seems more than just the leverage between the two.
Comes up from Taysom losing bulk to try for QB1…still obviously doesn’t snap it off like Jameis. It seems more than just the leverage between the two.
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:04 am to Gaston
Having strong arms isn’t the same as throwing power. Throwing power is what arm strength measures
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:04 am to Gaston
While I understand the point, arm strength for a QB is very much influenced by core and base muscle strength. Such strength supports greater velocity when using proper form, so in that sense it is muscle strength dependent.
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:11 am to Gaston
Hill has tiny hands. That’s a factor, esp in his deep balls
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:36 am to Gaston
Some strange magic in the shoulder. Tendons, muscle fiber, etc. I've known kids without an athletic bone in their body that can sling baseballs and footballs unnaturally far
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:50 am to Gaston
I've heard it described in two style of throws, the arc'd deep pass to a streak, and the bullet pass to a 15 yard out.
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:50 am to Corso
quote:
Some strange magic in the shoulder. Tendons, muscle fiber, etc. I've known kids without an athletic bone in their body that can sling baseballs and footballs unnaturally far
Yep and same with the golf swing. I know stringy guys that have never lifted a day in their life but can spank a golf ball 280+. Sure golf is more about form and hitting center club face but somewhat similar
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:57 am to MetArl15
quote:Yep, its a full body motion.
very much influenced by core and base muscle strength
I remember during one of LSUs pregame warmups in 2019, the commentators were talking about the QB training and lower body strength stuff Burrow had worked on in the offseason, and showed him doing a drill where he planted his front foot and was focused on his hip and waist movement during the throw. You could tell he was being very deliberate in each step of his throwing motion.
Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:00 am to Corso
quote:
Some strange magic in the shoulder. Tendons, muscle fiber, etc. I've known kids without an athletic bone in their body that can sling baseballs and footballs unnaturally far
Yep. I was a scrawny kid but could throw a football or baseball with velocity and farther than most.
Of course, Being the family catcher (three brothers were pitchers) didn't hurt. They all had to get their throws in every day so I threw 3X as much as one of them.
This post was edited on 8/27/21 at 10:07 am
Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:04 am to MetArl15
Agreed, but the men/boys who get touted with a strong arm are the ones who can throw a great ball moving in strange directions and throwing without a set base. I guess that’s where core and natural talent comes in. Seems like younger and younger kids are working on these drills and core strength approach…bodes well for some exciting QB play down the road.
Watching Walker Howard move around and sling it is impressive, but accuracy is still king. I guess having a ‘strong arm’ lets his accuracy shine through.
Watching Walker Howard move around and sling it is impressive, but accuracy is still king. I guess having a ‘strong arm’ lets his accuracy shine through.
This post was edited on 8/27/21 at 10:22 am
Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:16 am to Gaston
For me it was always 10-15 yard out patterns or throws over the middle.
There was a huge difference catching a 10 yard out or 15 yard dig route from Andy Dalton during our senior year than there was catching the same ball from a true freshman walk on scout team QB who just came in from some local high school.
I don't think the average person realizes how much zip there is to balls thrown by QBs with good arm strength.
There was a huge difference catching a 10 yard out or 15 yard dig route from Andy Dalton during our senior year than there was catching the same ball from a true freshman walk on scout team QB who just came in from some local high school.
I don't think the average person realizes how much zip there is to balls thrown by QBs with good arm strength.
Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:32 am to goldennugget
quote:
I don't think the average person realizes how much zip there is to balls thrown by QBs with good arm strength.
Or how hard the ball comes off of the foot of an elite punter.
Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:33 am to Gaston
It's a weird thing. NFL qbs who may have long skinny arms can easily throw a football twice as far as the biggest and strongest lineman in the NFL.
Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:35 am to QJenk
quote:
It's a weird thing. NFL qbs who may have long skinny arms

Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:43 am to QJenk
quote:
It's a weird thing. NFL qbs who may have long skinny arms can easily throw a football twice as far as the biggest and strongest lineman in the NFL.
Throwing strength is a lot different than general pushing or pulling strength. Throwing strength is about how well your body can synchronize and work the muscles needed to throw together. I remember 9th grade baseball tryouts how we had a couple guys who threw nearly 100 yards at 14 or 15 years old.
Posted on 8/27/21 at 11:16 am to Gaston
The one guy who always amazed me was Mike Vick. Not a huge QB and obviously a freak athlete, but man did the ball jump out of his hands and he made it look so effortless
Posted on 8/27/21 at 11:20 am to Gaston
Leverage and the ability to keep control of the ball while forces are trying to take it from your hand are what create “arm strength”
Posted on 8/27/21 at 11:30 am to Gaston
quote:
arm strength
The ability to let that thang fricking rip
That's my working definition
Posted on 8/27/21 at 11:55 am to Gaston
People think it’s about things like strength in the legs and the core. What it’s mostly about is the ability of your ligaments and tendons in your shoulder and elbow to stretch and rotate very far back and slingshot the ball when you throw it.
That’s why beginners can’t throw hard... their arms don’t have the range of motion to really sling it. And that’s why as players get older they can’t throw as hard.. their tendons are shot and can’t sling it like they used to even if their range of motion is still there. They don’t have the same recoil in their tendons anymore.
That’s why a beanpole like Chris Sale can throw 100 mph. It’s about his arm and shoulder... not his strength. He can stretch and rotate his arm very far back and his tendons recoil very hard and fast as he throws the ball.
That’s why beginners can’t throw hard... their arms don’t have the range of motion to really sling it. And that’s why as players get older they can’t throw as hard.. their tendons are shot and can’t sling it like they used to even if their range of motion is still there. They don’t have the same recoil in their tendons anymore.
That’s why a beanpole like Chris Sale can throw 100 mph. It’s about his arm and shoulder... not his strength. He can stretch and rotate his arm very far back and his tendons recoil very hard and fast as he throws the ball.
This post was edited on 8/27/21 at 12:02 pm
Posted on 8/27/21 at 2:30 pm to Gaston
Myles Brennan even as a freshman when he was rail thin had a big arm with a lot of zip on his passes.
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