What's wrong with being a Side Arm Thrower?

Question

if anyone of you guys watched the HOF game, their was this Redskins QB who was a side arm thrower, they said something about it not being really good, so I'm just wondering why?

Here are some successful side arm throwers that were/and still is in the NFL: Phillip Rivers(check madden, it says he's a side arm), and Mike Vick(those are the only 2 i could think of)

Answer 1

It is believed to bring you shoulder injuries if you aren't strong enough. I actually have a side arm swing in volleyball, and it worked really well for me. It went it and hard...but my coach made be change it anyways because she told me if I continued to swing like that, I would be losing my strength by my junior year.

Answer 2

Throwing more sidearm than complete overhand is a much more natural throwing style and motion and less damaging to one's arm. However, it only works well if a QB is tall enough to throw over the line properly. Many, many, many fantastic QB's were and are more side arm rather than overhand and I prefer more of a 3/4 quarter arm thrower and sidish arm thrower than I do a complete over hand thrower when I recruit a QB. Further, I try to look for this motion as well as teach this motion more to my pupil QB's. Its more natural for a gun slinger QB and works better in an offense which runs a West Coast offense or spread because these are fast hitting patterns such as the short dig or quick slant and the side arm thrower is better at running this type of offense over an over hand thrower.

Answer 3

Like lacrosse it is all about technique and form. Building on what people know and can do with accuracy and power is probably your best bet, even if it involves breaking some old habits.

Answer 4

Well believe it or not throwing the ball underhanded as it is called like fast pitch softball pitchers use is actually the natural movement for your arm and the more you start from getting away from the underarm motion the more unatural your throwing motion is.

In truth side arm or 3/4 motion or direct over the head all three techniques are again not natural arm motion but the slingers do have the tendacy to throw balls with lower projectory and get balls defelected more often from line of scrimmage than other throwing styles.

We're going to see more slingers in the future. Its labeled Taboo

right now because it wasnt taught back in the old school ways.

Bernie Kosar was a another famous slinger as well. And Johnny Unitas

threw that ball at all kinds of weird ways in is career.

But slingers are more accurate on those quick slants , quick inside slants are nearly impossible to stop especially when the reciever

is able to get himself between the ball and the defender . The defender is most likley trying to react by closing in on the reciever and therefore by that time the ball should already hit the reciever in the hands .Slingers are deadly in this pass situations.

Nothing wrong with slingers

Answer 5

You will reck ur arm

Answer 6

It comes down to the ball getting batted down at the line of scrimmage.  Other than that it just looks weird. I have seen many QBs throw side armed and be very accurate. Plus I think it holds back some of your strength.

Answer 7

Why don't we look at the best quarterback to throw side arm.

Answer 8

The QB you are thinking of is probably Colt Brennon. Side arm throwing style is damaging to the arm, and has a lower realease point....yadda yadda yadda.....that QB was pretty good during his college careere, but because of his Low release point (and he tended to slide to the side he was throwing tha pall on) he was drafted waaaaay lower than his stats would have suggested.

Answer 9

By throwing side arm you don't have the ball up as high as it should be, so it's trajectory is lower going over the line of scrimmage. It enables the defensive players to be able to have a better chance of getting a hand on it.

It is also said that you don't get the same accuracy as well.

Bernie Kosar was one well known side arm QB.

Answer 10

It's an unnatural throwing style and more likely to cause shoulder and elbow problems down the line. It also usually results in a slower release and makes the QB more likely to have balls swatted down by linemen, etc.

P.S. Michael Vick is a piece of garbage.

Answer 11

One issue is a lower flight path for the ball. Your passes could be knocked down easier. Also its harder for the QB to protect the ball. If you have a defender coming from your throwing side he will be able to reach your arm and stop the pass. If you throw overhand nobody comes to attack you from above.

Answer 12

although it is rare to have a side arm qb. they can be quite effective on the field. it's harder for the D line to pick up when he's gonna throw it and such.  i guess it all depends on what works for you.  you may not be able to throw it as far side armedd, and you might have less accuracy