How to throw the perfect spiral

Want to throw a perfect spiral? Then this blog is for you.

Want to throw a perfect spiral? Then this blog is for you. Check out our affiliate's free spiral guide which includes detailed explanations and videos of what we are going to discuss in this blog.

What makes the ball spiral?

Ever wonder what makes the ball spiral? What causes an awkward-shaped ball to spin perfectly along its axis in the air? The answer is simple… pronation of your hand causes your pointer finger to spin the ball upon release. Your next question may be, what is pronation? Pronation refers to the anatomical action of turning your palm down.

It is not as simple as pronation = perfect spiral. We will discuss several other keys that play a role in getting a perfect spiral. When it comes to pronation, timing is key. The timing of your hand pronating has to match your arm speed… arm speeds up, pronation speeds up & vice versa. Pronation of the hand causes the pointer finger to spin the football—perfect timing of pronation results in a clean spin off of your pointer finger.

Okay let’s talk about several keys to throw a perfect spiral. 

How to grip a football?

Grip is key for QBs when it comes to throwing a spiral. There are many different grips that work for quarterbacks. The key is finding the grip that works best for you.

There are 2 keys with every grip that you must have to get a consistent spiral. ‍

1. The ball must be resting on your fingers & not your palm. Your fingers generate spin so the majority of the football should be distributed across your fingers & not your palm.
2. Have a pocket of air between your palm & the football. Palming the football results in significantly less spin and a poor spiral.

‍

How does wrist stability impact your spiral?

Wrist stability is essential for a perfect spiral. What this means is that your wrist must stay steady throughout the throw. This gets your hand in an optimal position on release to spin the football. Moving your wrist throughout your throw will result in your wrist being in a sub-optimal position on release making it difficult to throw a consistent spiral.

How does full elbow extension impact your spiral?

Full extension of the throwing side elbow is key for a perfect spiral. You want to act as if you are “touching the WR in the chest” as you release the football. This ensures that your arm is working out on release. The ball will follow your arm so to get a clean spiral that spins straight, you must get great extension.‍

Ready to become an elite thrower? Join the lab and take your game to the next level.