PASSING MECHANICS > FLYING OFF-ARM

FLYING OFF-ARM

A flying off-arm happens when a quarterback swings their front side arm outside the frame of their body just before and through the release of the football.  It's important to distinguish between this and a more subtle pull with the front side arm that occasionally my be utilized to add rotational power for a longer throw.  In that case, the front side will stabilize and the head and eyes remain steady.  A flying off arm continues to move and pulls the head and body out of position.  

Why does it matter?

Stabilizing through the front side of the body provides for both accuracy and power transfer in the throwing motion.  If the front arm is moving just before and at release, it can affect accuracy by pulling the head off line and also making the release point of the throwing hand less consistent.  Steadiness of gaze, or how stable your head and eyes are, has a big impact on accuracy.  As an example, imagine what would happen if you were moving your head while trying to throw a dart at a dartboard.  

A flying off arm can also impact power transfer from the torso out to the ball.  In order for maximum energy to transfer, the torso has to decelerate, or slow down, quickly.  The off arm continuing to move impacts the body's ability to stop and stabilize effectively, which can impact power transfer.  

Causes

A flying off-arm is often a technical issue, but can occur due to a decrease in lower body strength and power generation.  In this case, in an effort to generate velocity, the quarterback may exhibit a flying off-arm in an attempt to produce more rotational speed from the upper body.  

Corrective Exercises & Drills

If you have determined you have a Flying Off-Arm, use the following exercises to correct for physical limitations or drills to correct for technical issues.