I
ILbowl
i am looking for some tips or guide in changing my bowling style. i am a full roller - less hook, no flare and i would like to know how can i change my style to semi roller.
RobbieB
Rodentus scientificus
The 'Cobra' style wrist straps are said to force the release into a semi-roller. You could try one of those and see if it works. For me, it didn't - in fact with a cobra I could get the ball to track above the ring finger! I got rid of my full roller by drilling a ball with heaps of right and forward thumb pitch - 3/4inch right and 5/15th forward, on a 4-5/8th span. Only way I could get it off my hand was to rotate. Took three weeks and a bit of skin 
but it did work.
Find a coach who can show you what to do with the release, with a video so you can see what you are doing now if possible. If you can train in the new release without a radical drilling pattern that would be better, but as a last resort it does work.
but it did work.Find a coach who can show you what to do with the release, with a video so you can see what you are doing now if possible. If you can train in the new release without a radical drilling pattern that would be better, but as a last resort it does work.
Gail Torrens
Member
Full Roll to Semi Roll
Right - hander
To change your release from full roll to semi roll - watch yourself on video watch the action of your thumb at release. During a full roll release the thumb exits the ball in a clockwise direction - often finishing in an eleven or twelve o'clock position - the ball hooks and is very effective on a dry condition. To change to a semi roller you will need to change the direction of the thumb exiting the ball. Your thumb should travel anti-clockwise from 10 or 11 oclock position on release moving down into your palm - The same principle applies to lower the track of your ball even lower. The highest scoring generic track is the semi - roller. Search out a coach to monitor your progress and a good ball driller to estimate if your ball fit will not hinder or hamper your attempts to change your action.
I hope I have helped - Best of Bowling
Gail Torrens
Right - hander
To change your release from full roll to semi roll - watch yourself on video watch the action of your thumb at release. During a full roll release the thumb exits the ball in a clockwise direction - often finishing in an eleven or twelve o'clock position - the ball hooks and is very effective on a dry condition. To change to a semi roller you will need to change the direction of the thumb exiting the ball. Your thumb should travel anti-clockwise from 10 or 11 oclock position on release moving down into your palm - The same principle applies to lower the track of your ball even lower. The highest scoring generic track is the semi - roller. Search out a coach to monitor your progress and a good ball driller to estimate if your ball fit will not hinder or hamper your attempts to change your action.
I hope I have helped - Best of Bowling
Gail Torrens
Andrew S.
Gold Coast
I used to have this problem, it happened exactly as Gail said - my thumb was all wrong. With me it was because I was breaking my wrist (bending it back).
I fixed it by trying a variety of wrist supports and eventually settled on a Mongoose.
I found all the others too cumbersome. Trouble is if I attempt to bowl without it, the wrist reverts back to its old habits, so in a way it's a bit of a trap.
One thing I have learned in bowling is that there are no shortcuts. If you want to achieve something you have to work at it. Good luck.
Incidentally there is no shortage of advice in the bowling world. Everyone over 120 is an expert, so be careful who you listen to.
I fixed it by trying a variety of wrist supports and eventually settled on a Mongoose.
I found all the others too cumbersome. Trouble is if I attempt to bowl without it, the wrist reverts back to its old habits, so in a way it's a bit of a trap.
One thing I have learned in bowling is that there are no shortcuts. If you want to achieve something you have to work at it. Good luck.
Incidentally there is no shortage of advice in the bowling world. Everyone over 120 is an expert, so be careful who you listen to.
L
Levithian
I had to laugh at that last dig andrew, sorry but it had me laughing so hard i had tears coming down my face
I had the same problem as you did too with the wrist, it was something i worked into my game in an effort to increase the breakpoint. It worked, too well, after a bit of a break from bowling my wrist was killing me when i came back. I got an opinion from someone i trust, the simple solution was to stop breaking the wrist (where you were breaking it, i was doing the same but returning it to the cupped position when i was about to release the ball). The easy solution was to make sure i keep the weight of the ball on my index and pinky finger, it locks the wrist during the delivery and fixed the problem. One dissadvantage though, it produced more side roll, i worked on ball speed and it wasnt quite enough. Now a combination of ball speed and tucking the pinky under the ball during the delivery (helps get the weight of the ball centered over my palm, keeps my hand behind the ball and gives me alot more length) works wonders.
The same method worked when i was coming round the ball too (ie topping it)
Just alittle on the side about wrist guards and the like. (hey im one of those 120 average bowlers so i have an opinion ) I know wrist supports work for alot of people, ive been through them before (wore one for 18 months) and i realise the impact they have on your game. I was one who didnt really benefit from it in the long run, it has put my game back a good two years in terms of development. Because of this iam of the mind (through personal experience, and dealings with my fellow bowlers) that if a technique problem can be solved without the continual use of a wrist guard / support, it is the best option. In my humble view (hey im probably a raving lunatic ) support devices are a great method of developing, rather than maintaining your release (ie wearing one all the time). They are more usefull to give you the feel of the correct release (hand position, fingers, wrist, etc) and to develop that feel into your game naturally than they are as a continual part of your game. What iam probably getting at is that a support is a great coaching aide, rather than a solution to the problem. Of course this has nothing todo with the people who suffer from wrist complaints (such as injuries, breaks, weakness etc), alot of these people really need the support provided from such devices in able to keep bowling.
Ohh well, in the end what ever works for you is the key.
I had the same problem as you did too with the wrist, it was something i worked into my game in an effort to increase the breakpoint. It worked, too well, after a bit of a break from bowling my wrist was killing me when i came back. I got an opinion from someone i trust, the simple solution was to stop breaking the wrist (where you were breaking it, i was doing the same but returning it to the cupped position when i was about to release the ball). The easy solution was to make sure i keep the weight of the ball on my index and pinky finger, it locks the wrist during the delivery and fixed the problem. One dissadvantage though, it produced more side roll, i worked on ball speed and it wasnt quite enough. Now a combination of ball speed and tucking the pinky under the ball during the delivery (helps get the weight of the ball centered over my palm, keeps my hand behind the ball and gives me alot more length) works wonders.
The same method worked when i was coming round the ball too (ie topping it)
Just alittle on the side about wrist guards and the like. (hey im one of those 120 average bowlers so i have an opinion
) I know wrist supports work for alot of people, ive been through them before (wore one for 18 months) and i realise the impact they have on your game. I was one who didnt really benefit from it in the long run, it has put my game back a good two years in terms of development. Because of this iam of the mind (through personal experience, and dealings with my fellow bowlers) that if a technique problem can be solved without the continual use of a wrist guard / support, it is the best option. In my humble view (hey im probably a raving lunatic ) support devices are a great method of developing, rather than maintaining your release (ie wearing one all the time). They are more usefull to give you the feel of the correct release (hand position, fingers, wrist, etc) and to develop that feel into your game naturally than they are as a continual part of your game. What iam probably getting at is that a support is a great coaching aide, rather than a solution to the problem. Of course this has nothing todo with the people who suffer from wrist complaints (such as injuries, breaks, weakness etc), alot of these people really need the support provided from such devices in able to keep bowling. Ohh well, in the end what ever works for you is the key.
