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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 by Gaston
Dirty Coast
Member since Aug 2008
38943 posts
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.
Posted by TexasTiger1185
New Orleans
Member since Sep 2011
13070 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:04 am to
Having strong arms isn’t the same as throwing power. Throwing power is what arm strength measures
Posted by MetArl15
Washington, DC
Member since Apr 2007
9472 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:04 am to
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 by Lester Earl
Member since Nov 2003
278175 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:11 am to
Hill has tiny hands. That’s a factor, esp in his deep balls
Posted by Corso
Atlanta
Member since Feb 2020
10595 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:36 am to
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 by Jcorye1
Tom Brady = GoAT
Member since Dec 2007
71340 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:50 am to
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 by Mstate
Birmingham
Member since Nov 2009
9669 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:50 am to
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 by Jor Jor The Dinosaur
Chicago, IL
Member since Nov 2014
6569 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 9:57 am to
quote:

very much influenced by core and base muscle strength
Yep, its a full body motion.

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 by VABuckeye
Naples, FL
Member since Dec 2007
35482 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:00 am to
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 by Gaston
Dirty Coast
Member since Aug 2008
38943 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:04 am to
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.
This post was edited on 8/27/21 at 10:22 am
Posted by goldennugget
Hating Masks
Member since Jul 2013
24514 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:16 am to
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.
Posted by Gaston
Dirty Coast
Member since Aug 2008
38943 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:32 am to
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 by QJenk
Atl, Ga
Member since Jan 2013
15241 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:33 am to
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 by 1BamaRTR
In Your Head Blvd
Member since Apr 2015
22514 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:35 am to
quote:

It's a weird thing. NFL qbs who may have long skinny arms

Posted by goldennugget
Hating Masks
Member since Jul 2013
24514 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 10:43 am to
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 by UncleSlick
PA
Member since Mar 2019
125 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 11:16 am to
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 by ReauxlTide222
St. Petersburg
Member since Nov 2010
83431 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 11:20 am to
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 by DirtyDawg
President of the East Cobb Snobs
Member since Aug 2013
15539 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 11:30 am to
quote:

arm strength



The ability to let that thang fricking rip



That's my working definition
Posted by PrimeTime Money
Houston, Texas, USA
Member since Nov 2012
27304 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 11:55 am to
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.
This post was edited on 8/27/21 at 12:02 pm
Posted by lsu xman
Member since Oct 2006
15527 posts
Posted on 8/27/21 at 2:30 pm to
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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