How to Get Your Shoulders Stronger for Throwing a Football

With the right exercise program, you can add velocity and distance to your football throw, ensuring your arm will be ready for the big game. An effective exercise program should include weight training, focused on the most important muscles you use to throw the football, endurance-building exercises using a weighted football and a special set of at-home exercises you can use to prevent injuries to your shoulder. Building a stronger throwing arm is the key to throwing longer, more controlled passes, while building the endurance you need to keep your arm strong in the fourth quarter.

Things You'll Need

  • Dumbbells
  • Weighted football
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Instructions

    • 1

      Strengthen your rotator cuff muscles in your own home by placing a small dumbbell, one to five pounds, on the ground next to the couch and lie on your stomach. Keep your elbow bent at a 90-degree angle and lift the dumbbell until it is even with your head, and then return it to its original position. Repeat this exercise 20 to 30 times before lying in the opposite direction and repeating, using the other arm.

    • 2

      Continue lying on your couch, but move the dumbbell to the couch, next to your stomach, as you turn on your side. Keep your arm at a 90-degree angle, with your elbow against your side, and lift the dumbbell even with your arm, before returning it to the couch. Repeat this exercise 20 to 30 times before lying in the opposite direction and repeating using the other arm.

    • 3

      Practice throwing using a weighted ball, which are available in different weight variations, allowing you to build your shoulder strength at a comfortable pace. Use your normal, natural throwing motion with the weighted footballs to expand this exercise to other muscles, such as your legs, core, arm and shoulder. Use the weighted ball for the extra resistance and to add velocity to your throw.

    • 4

      Design a muscle and endurance building weightlifting regiment and spend three to four days a week in the gym exercising. Use curls to focus on your biceps and forearms, push downs to focus on your triceps, shoulder exercises to build strength in your shoulders and crunches to strengthen your core muscles. Use a weight setting approximately 75 percent of your weight maximum, performing each exercise seven to eight times during each set.