How to Throw a Spiral
A tight spiral is grip, footwork and a clean release — in that order of how often people get them wrong. A step-by-step guide for anyone who has ever thrown a wobbler.
A football is a terrible shape for throwing. The spiral is what fixes that: spin stabilises the ball so it cuts through the air point-first instead of tumbling. The good news is that a spiral is a technique, not a talent. Work through these steps in order — most wobbles are caused by the first two.
1. Grip
- Put your ring finger and little finger across the laces, with your index finger back toward the tip of the ball, close to the seam. Your thumb sits underneath, roughly opposite your middle finger.
- Hold the ball with your fingertips and the pads of your fingers — not your palm. You should be able to see a little daylight between the ball and the heel of your hand.
- Grip firmly enough to control it, but no tighter. A strangled ball comes out late and nose-down.
If you cannot comfortably reach the laces this way, the ball is too big. See ball sizes by age — this is the single most common reason children cannot throw a spiral.
2. Stance and feet
Accuracy comes from the ground up.
- Stand side-on to your target, feet about shoulder-width apart, weight on the balls of your feet.
- Hold the ball with both hands at chest height, near your back shoulder. Two hands keep it secure and ready.
- As you throw, take a short step toward the target with your front foot. Your front toe points where you want the ball to go. Over-striding drops your elbow and sails the ball high.
3. The throwing motion
- Bring the ball back and up so your elbow is at or above shoulder height and the ball is near your ear. A low elbow produces a sidearm sling and a wobble.
- Lead with your hips and chest: rotate them toward the target before your arm comes through. Your power is in that rotation, not in your shoulder.
- Your elbow leads, your forearm follows, and the ball comes over the top, not around the side.
4. The release — where the spin comes from
As the ball leaves your hand, your fingers come off it little finger first and index finger last. That final flick of the index finger down the side of the ball is what makes it spin.
Let your hand turn over naturally so that you finish with your thumb pointing at the ground and your palm facing away from you, as if you were emptying a glass of water. If your palm finishes facing up, you pushed the ball rather than throwing it.
5. Follow through
Your throwing hand should finish down toward your opposite hip, with your back foot coming through so your chest faces the target. Stopping your arm short costs both distance and accuracy.
Fixing the usual problems
| What the ball does | Likely cause | Try this |
|---|---|---|
| Wobbles end over end | Ball held in the palm, or no index-finger flick | Fingertip grip; exaggerate the "thumb down" finish |
| Spirals but sails high | Over-striding, or leaning back | Shorter step; keep your weight moving forward |
| Nose-dives | Releasing late or gripping too tight | Relax the grip; release a fraction earlier |
| Goes wide of the target | Front foot and hips not aimed at it | Point your front toe where you want the ball to go |
Three drills you can do alone or with one friend
- One-knee throws. Kneel on your throwing-side knee, ten yards from a partner, and throw with your upper body only. It isolates the release and the wrist flick.
- Spin-ups. Flick the ball a few feet straight up with your throwing hand, concentrating on rolling it off your index finger. Pure spin practice, anywhere.
- Target ladder. Pick a target and throw five from 10 yards, five from 15, five from 20. Only move back when four of five hit.
Warm up your shoulder before throwing hard, and stop when your form starts to go — tired throwing teaches bad mechanics. For demonstrations, the skills page links to drill videos for every part of this.