http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kLV7xcqIHQ
(Youtube Video Courtesy of: lemmymcases)
Where’s that effortless throw Tim? There is something very different with these two clips. Tom Brady shows a specific movement pattern that Tim Tebow isn’t showing. What is it? What really makes Tim’s throw look like this and why has he been so inefficient and inaccurate?
In the first video clip above, Tom Brady’s hips are turning to his left, while his trunk is moving back against the hip while the arm is moving into external rotation. Tim Tebow’s hips, trunk and arm are all moving back first and then forward at the same time. This is pure rotation. This is why his back leg comes off the ground and the reason why he’s taking longer to deliver the ball. His throwing sequence is incorrect. Let’s dig deeper.
ESPN Video on Tim Tebow’s Throwing Motion
Forget his launch point. His throwing motion isn’t about his launch point. It’s about how he gets to his launch point and what the sequence of his lower body is doing while the arm is moving through it’s necessary pattern to get to ball release. That is the biggest problem.
Tim is “spinning”, not allowing for proper energy transfer. This may be why he is inaccurate or has a sense of forcing the ball. Thoracic extension does not truly occur with Tim because his sequence is disconnected. He is spinning, rotating, has lack of separation, has lack of thoracic extension, and an inefficient arm action to hip action sequence. This results in a forced motion and an inaccurate throw. We are trying to feel that “Effortless” throw. With Tim’s current throwing mechanics, he may not feel that “Effortless” throw often enough to figure out why some throws feel like that an other throws don’t.
In order to create velocity and accuracy, you must create resistance
Sports Science on Tim Tebow’s Throwing Motion
Again, it’s not so much about what his release time is, but rather what his lower body is doing while his arm is moving through it’s necessary pattern to get to ball release. He can keep his release time and keep the ball at his chest all he wants, since it’s been about the same time ever since high school. What he needs to change is his arm action and the sequence between the lower body, trunk and throwing arm.
Positions vs Patterns
Throwing “Positions” are more often talked about when teaching athletes how to throw a football, baseball or softball. There is never discussion about movement patterns or how to get “THROUGH” each position in order to get to the end result of ball release. Common phrases such as “Get to the load point” or “Get to the L” or “Rotate fast” can be detrimental to an athlete. Teaching strictly positions is an inefficient way to learn. The brain has to learn movement patterns and sequences during a throw…not single positions.
Football, Baseball & Softball Throwing Patterns are Similar!
Football, Baseball and Softball throws are very similar in regards to the sequence of what the upper body and lower body are doing in relation to the arm. The hips are moving or rotating forward (to a certain point) as the trunk is turning in the opposite direction against the hip, while the arm is moving through its own specific pattern until release. There are multiple planes of movement in a throw. Not just forward and backward.
The Hips
The hips turn forward while the trunk is turning in the opposite direction, against the hip. This creates tension and torque in the lumbosacral fascia. The back femur is internally rotating in the acetabulum while the hips rotate forward and also at the same time the trunk is turning back against that femur. This also creates torque and tension in the hips and adductor musculature.
In order to create velocity and accuracy, you must create resistance
The Trunk
The Trunk will be defined as the structures above the hips. The trunk will turn back or rotate to the right if you’re a righty or rotate left if you’re a lefty. This happens as the hips turn forward to create that tension and torque. The lead oblique musculature will be activated and stretched as the hips are turning forward and as the arm is moving through its proper pattern (dropping into external rotation and allowing the elbow to lead through). This is also when the trunk is turning back against the hips.
In order to create velocity and accuracy, you must create resistance
As the arm is moving into external rotation, the trunk starts to rotate forward and the thoracic spine begins to extend. Just before release, the trunk should be stable and there should be no more rotation of the hips/trunk. There should be a linear movement towards the target with the hips and trunk (no more rotation or turning at this point). At release, the right oblique musculature and anterior core stabilizers are activated in order to prevent and resist that excessive rotation.
If you don’t resist that excessive rotation or resist it too late, you will see the back leg spin or come off the ground at release. This is when you know there is pure rotation and a “spinning” effect. Velocity will be lost.
The Arm Action:
The big thing that quarterback coaches fail to teach is that the ball has to drop down behind the head or the ear before it can come forward. The ELBOW is leading the throw and needs to get “through” in order for the ball to follow and be released without a “Pushing Motion”. If you think of getting the throwing bicep as close to the ear as possible, this will automatically let the ball drop down by the ear and allow for the elbow to lead the throw! If you rotate your body too much, you will get this spinning effect and energy will be lost.
Again, just to reiterate, the arm must drop into external rotation due to thoracic extension. When this happens, the ball will drop behind or close to the head allowing the elbow to lead through. Just before ball release, the elbow will extend and the shoulder will resist forward motion. The hand will pronate through release and the last finger to leave the ball will be the pointer finger.
The Stride
The stride will depend on the situation. A fast play or a shorter route may call for a shorter stride. This means that everything has to be shortened including the arm action, which also means a shorter sequence. If the quarterback has more time, then the stride can be a bit longer as well as the arm action and therefore the sequence. The play will dictate the sequence, which will also dictate the stride length!
The Back Leg/Foot
The back leg should not come off the ground until after the ball is released. The biggest mistake with quarterbacks is that their back leg/foot comes off the ground before the ball is released. This directly rotates or “spins” the body and does not allow for proper transfer of energy through the hips and trunks. There is a point in the throw just at release in which the body has to “resist” forward motion, allowing for just the ELBOW to come through and allowing the elbow to extend, releasing the ball and then the arm will pronate after release protecting the shoulder and elbow structures.
Correct & Incorrect Throwing Drills
Hold on throws
This drill was seen on a Tim Tebow special on how he is shortening his throw. Yes, he shortens his throw, but his sequence is still off, resulting in a continued inefficient throwing pattern.
Incorrect Hold on Throws
Correct Hold on Throws
There should be clear evidence that what Tim Tebow is doing in terms of his throwing mechanics is still incomplete. He is an amazing athlete which is why he can get away with an inefficient throwing motion. However, there is a feeling of “Effortless Power” when everything clicks and you wonder how that happened? What did you do differently on that throw versus the other ones? Have you felt that effortless power?