E
Escapee
I just need a few tips on how to concerntrate on ensuring I stay behind the ball and stop rolling my wrist before I release the ball.
Cheers,
Tim
Cheers,
Tim
G
GrandLeo
Hi Tim,
(I take it that you swing the ball - ie. not a straight shot)
I am not sure if my "solution" is correct (I am not a coach), but, I place my hand in a release position before the swing, then lock my wrist and elbow as I swing.
ie. Instead of having your palm (and ball) facing the roof before the swing and then swinging and keeping your hand behind the ball (ie facing down the lane).
Try - setting up with your hand facing the roof then twist it slightly towards your body (so that your palm and ball point in a sort of 45 degree angle between the roof and your body) now lock your wrist (so that the back of your hand is straight and in line with your forearm). When you swing and your arm straightens lock your elbow (basically you want a straight as possible arm between your knuckles and shoulder). On the forward swing when your ball gets in line with your body (unlock the elbow - keeping the wrist locked) and follow through.
P.S. keep your shoulders square at all times and bring your hand past the ear on the side of your bowling arm.
I don't know if this will help you, but, it works for me!
Just try what I have written without a ball and in the privacy of your home until it becomes fluid then try it with a ball down the lanes!
If any coaches out there see flaws in what I have written please let me know so that I can refine the way in which I bowl.
my $0.05
(I take it that you swing the ball - ie. not a straight shot)
I am not sure if my "solution" is correct (I am not a coach), but, I place my hand in a release position before the swing, then lock my wrist and elbow as I swing.
ie. Instead of having your palm (and ball) facing the roof before the swing and then swinging and keeping your hand behind the ball (ie facing down the lane).
Try - setting up with your hand facing the roof then twist it slightly towards your body (so that your palm and ball point in a sort of 45 degree angle between the roof and your body) now lock your wrist (so that the back of your hand is straight and in line with your forearm). When you swing and your arm straightens lock your elbow (basically you want a straight as possible arm between your knuckles and shoulder). On the forward swing when your ball gets in line with your body (unlock the elbow - keeping the wrist locked) and follow through.
P.S. keep your shoulders square at all times and bring your hand past the ear on the side of your bowling arm.
I don't know if this will help you, but, it works for me!
Just try what I have written without a ball and in the privacy of your home until it becomes fluid then try it with a ball down the lanes!
If any coaches out there see flaws in what I have written please let me know so that I can refine the way in which I bowl.
my $0.05
jason_doust
The Bowling Geek
G'Day Tim,
A good question and a common problem. This answer is longish and may take a couple of re-reads, but bear with me, it works.
Put your hand in front of you now so you're looking at your palm. Now hold your hand like you were throwing a cricket ball. What fingers are you wrapping around the imaginary ball? Thumb, index finger and middle finger, right? According to then Team USA head coach Fred Borden way back in the 90's, these "pincer" fingers are 40% stronger than the next two. (No surprise when you think about it.)
I sometimes imagine a "virtual finger" between these two fingers and that I drive the ball forward by using this virtual finger behind the ball. What this does is allows you to feel the balance point in the strongest part of your hand. That's the hard bit dealt with.
The next part involves your upper arm. Most early-turning or over-turning problems result from the bowler rotating their arm instead of just their forearm & wrist.
Put your arm in front of you like before and place a couple of fingers on your forearm just below the elbow, so you can feel if your upper arm and elbow move. Now turn your hand and wrist. (Your elbow must not budge.) Try it a few times until your elbow is solid like a rock and your forearm/wrist moves fluidly. Notice that if your elbow stays under, your wrist stops over turning. You only over-turn when you "chicken-wing" with your elbow.
I hope this helps. Feel free to ask more via PM if you need to.
Good Luck
Jason Doust
A good question and a common problem. This answer is longish and may take a couple of re-reads, but bear with me, it works.
Put your hand in front of you now so you're looking at your palm. Now hold your hand like you were throwing a cricket ball. What fingers are you wrapping around the imaginary ball? Thumb, index finger and middle finger, right? According to then Team USA head coach Fred Borden way back in the 90's, these "pincer" fingers are 40% stronger than the next two. (No surprise when you think about it.)
I sometimes imagine a "virtual finger" between these two fingers and that I drive the ball forward by using this virtual finger behind the ball. What this does is allows you to feel the balance point in the strongest part of your hand. That's the hard bit dealt with.
The next part involves your upper arm. Most early-turning or over-turning problems result from the bowler rotating their arm instead of just their forearm & wrist.
Put your arm in front of you like before and place a couple of fingers on your forearm just below the elbow, so you can feel if your upper arm and elbow move. Now turn your hand and wrist. (Your elbow must not budge.) Try it a few times until your elbow is solid like a rock and your forearm/wrist moves fluidly. Notice that if your elbow stays under, your wrist stops over turning. You only over-turn when you "chicken-wing" with your elbow.
I hope this helps. Feel free to ask more via PM if you need to.
Good Luck
Jason Doust
E
Escapee
Cheers for the replies guys ill give it some practice over the next few weeks and see how i go.
I hope I dont look as funny as chicken winging sounds.....
I hope I dont look as funny as chicken winging sounds.....
biggest problem most bowlers face with this issue is due to them dropping the thumb so it doesnt exit out the top of the ball. A lot of the "causes" of the problem like chicken winging stems from this problem. Generally what happens is the bowler tries to impart more revs on the ball, incorrectly doing it by rotating the wrist far too early which usually ends up with the elbow following.
You should work on a few key points to see if you have any of the issues; 1) make sure your thumb exits out the top of the ball, it should be pointing upwards in the air, somewhere around the 12 oclock position. 2) get your push away happening, you want to get away a little quicker with your first step which sets up the timing right through the shot. When you start make sure you actually push the ball away (just forward out in front of you, not up in the air), if you tend to carry the ball here it can be a cause of a bent elbow later in the shot. 3) dont squeeze with the thumb, naturally the first part of your delivery needs you to grip with your thumb (so you dont drop the ball), but dont continue to grip with the thumb as you follow through. The ball needs to shift the weight to the front of your fingers as you deliver the ball, these do the work, not the thumb.
Just relax a bit, remember the fingers do the work, if you want to generate extra revs leverage is the key, you can work on this with timing and by getting your thumb out of the ball earlier, you dont want to start doing weird and funny things with your wrist (if you seek more revs, a coach would be a great tool). Make sure you follow through with your shot so your fingers can impart revs on the ball. Dont be lazy, relaxed in the shot but not lazy
You should work on a few key points to see if you have any of the issues; 1) make sure your thumb exits out the top of the ball, it should be pointing upwards in the air, somewhere around the 12 oclock position. 2) get your push away happening, you want to get away a little quicker with your first step which sets up the timing right through the shot. When you start make sure you actually push the ball away (just forward out in front of you, not up in the air), if you tend to carry the ball here it can be a cause of a bent elbow later in the shot. 3) dont squeeze with the thumb, naturally the first part of your delivery needs you to grip with your thumb (so you dont drop the ball), but dont continue to grip with the thumb as you follow through. The ball needs to shift the weight to the front of your fingers as you deliver the ball, these do the work, not the thumb.
Just relax a bit, remember the fingers do the work, if you want to generate extra revs leverage is the key, you can work on this with timing and by getting your thumb out of the ball earlier, you dont want to start doing weird and funny things with your wrist (if you seek more revs, a coach would be a great tool). Make sure you follow through with your shot so your fingers can impart revs on the ball. Dont be lazy, relaxed in the shot but not lazy
jason_doust
The Bowling Geek
Good advice from Samael. Let me know how you go with it! "Chicken Winging" is more subtle than your fears suggest (which was funny! ), btw, but it does mean your thumb is in the ball a pinch too long.
), btw, but it does mean your thumb is in the ball a pinch too long.
jason_doust
The Bowling Geek
Hey mate,
Found a good short coaching video that illustrates what all the helpful people have been saying. I guess you've read more than a thousand words on this now, but you know what they say about a picture... ;-)
http://www.stormbowling.com/stormti...c_display=Proper+Wrist+and+Fore+Arm+Technique
Cheers,
Jason
Found a good short coaching video that illustrates what all the helpful people have been saying. I guess you've read more than a thousand words on this now, but you know what they say about a picture... ;-)
http://www.stormbowling.com/stormti...c_display=Proper+Wrist+and+Fore+Arm+Technique
Cheers,
Jason
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