How to Throw a Football With the Opposite Arm

If you can perform a sporting task equally well with either hand, it can help you on the field of play in a tough situation. For example, if you learn to throw a football with your opposite arm, you can complete a pass using that arm if you are being tackled and can't utilize the other half of your body. While certainly not ideal in all situations, it can help turn a loss of yardage situation into a positive gain as you move your team down the field.

Things You'll Need

  • Football
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Instructions

    • 1

      Grab the football with the hand opposite your normal throwing hand. If you are right-handed, then this would be your left hand. If you are left-handed, this would be your right hand. Your fingers will be in a "C," or backward "C" shape. Your index, middle, ring and pinkie finger should be placed on top of the ball, starting with your index finger just inside the stripe on the back of the football. The rest of your fingers should then spread evenly over the laces. Your thumb should be on the underside of the ball.

    • 2

      Turn your body to the side. Your back foot should correspond to the hand that is holding the football. Your feet should be facing perpendicular to where you are going to throw the football.

    • 3

      Extend your arms so that your front arm is straight out in front of you (this is normally your throwing hand) and your back arm is at about a 90-degree angle. Note, simultaneously your front foot will align with your front arm. This means your front foot will have rotated and be pointing in the same direction of your front arm.

    • 4

      Bring the football forward so it is beside your head. This is the start of the throwing motion. This motion might feel slightly unnatural because you are used to doing it with with your other hand. Your forearm will be at about a 45-degree angle with your upper arm parallel to the ground. In this position your hand will be on the outside of the football.

    • 5

      Propel your arm forward and release the football. This part might also feel unusual since you are not used to throwing with this arm. The release will occur just as your throwing hand has moved past the plane of your shoulder. To throw a longer pass, you will want to slightly rotate your throwing hand up toward the sky. For a short or line-drive pass, you will want to keep that palm flat beside your head.

    • 6

      Follow through with your back leg. Because of the forward motion of your body, your back leg will naturally come forward after you have released the football. When the movement is complete you will be standing with both feet facing downfield or in the direction where you threw the football with your opposite arm.