How to Spike a Football Like Gronk

How to Spike a Football Like Gronk

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^{Jim Davis/Boston Globe/Getty}

Rob Gronkowski, in addition to being an elite tight end, is one of the most prolific personalities in the game. His famous "Gronk Spike" is in the top tier of football celebrations. What follows are his step-by-step instructions on how to perform the prestigious spike.

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But before we get into the specifics, let's break down some exercises to help you maximize your "Gronk Spike."

For throwing velocity: 

• One-arm dumbbell row
• Dumbbell side lunge

For power development:

• Power clean
• Snatch
• Jump shrug
• Rotational medicine ball slam
• Plyo pushup

Once you've mastered those exercises, it's time to get into the instructions.

^{Mark Nerys}

Step 1

Score a touchdown. Or at least pretend to score one. But don’t just throw the football haphazardly to the ground. First, make sure you’ve got a proper handle. “Grip the ball two-thirds of the way back,” says Gronk, one of the best football spikers in NFL history. That will give you the proper angle to achieve the most air. Then get some momentum going. “You need to get a good crow hop to maximize the power,” says Gronk.

^{Mark Nerys}

Step 2

Swing your arm toward the ground as if you were firing a fastball to a catcher. Stay loose at the elbow and be cool about it. “It’s like a baseball pitch,” Gronk says. “I attribute a lot of my spiking skills to baseball. Some guys do the stiff-arm spike, and it just doesn’t look good.”

^{Mark Nerys}

Step 3

Nail the landing. “Slam the ball on its belly to get the most pop,” Gronk says. But don’t get frustrated if it takes many tries—and hours in the gym. “If you want the spike to leave a dent in someone’s memory and not just the turf,” says Gronk’s strength coach, Brett Bartholomew, “it’s important to enhance your muscular power.” Adds Gronk: “The perfect spike form takes years to develop.”

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January 9, 2018 at 10:37AM