bomber_comfort
Member
Working the inside of the ball the generate revs...
I have been working with a couple of kids and youth recently in order to help them get more revs since I have been working on this for the past 2 years or so.
All watch the PBA and know what Randy Says “Pros work the inside of the ball, amateurs work the outside”
Most have come across this very good article on how to work the inside of the ball and what this means and how to generates revs.
http://bowlingknowledge.info/images/stories/slowinskiapr08.pdf
I thought I would share my thoughts on this and some tips/observations I have come up with about this method and article.
Point #1.
Picture #1 and #2 show the release point of Jeff Carter and Sean Rash, on the inside of the ball. What this article does not tell you is that this is done by not only having your hand on the inside of the ball but also by tilting your ball. In the pictures it looks like they are close to max tilt. For a right handed bowler like the pictures you are tilting your hand to the left! If you want Max Tilt, then go as far to the left as your wrist will go. I find It hard to have this position from the push away so I have my fingers on the inside at the push away and then tilt my hand just before I release the ball to get me in the even stronger position.
You can still work the inside of the ball by having your hand inside it with no tilt but it will not be anywhere near as strong as with tilt and will not look like this pictures. Of course it is good to know what it feels like with all the different tilts no matter if you work the inside or the outside of the ball so you can use it to attack different lane conditions.
Point #2.
You don’t need to open up your shoulders at the top of the swing to work the inside of the ball! This article shows Tommy Jones like most Pro Bowlers with the super open shoulders and stance at the top of the swing. This article implies that the only way to work the inside of the ball is to do this. I do not think this is the case and it certainly is not for me. You should not have to force your stance, hips and shoulders open to look like this. If you have your hand set up on the inside to begin with and hold it there, you will naturally for you have a swing that is ok for you. With just the right amount of openness for you! It might look like the article and a pro and it might not, it’s the position at the point of release that is important.
But what about speed? Yes the more open stance will help you get speed but the best way to have speed it to have your hand strong enough to be relaxed. The more relaxed you can get the freer your swing will be and the faster you will through the ball.
I know I feel into this trap when I tried this years ago and made me give up for quite a while, I tried to force everything open to what I thought would be what I was meant to be doing and found it too hard to bring everything back into line to have the correct release position.
Tip.
What to easily have your hand inside the ball at the push away. Look at how PDW sets up. He has the ball out in front and then pushes the ball down and his hand inside the ball before he gets into his push away. This cups his wrist and puts his hand in the correct position (without the tilt he puts the tilt in later). This also takes pressure off your hand and makes sure you will not hurt yourself.
Tip
Yes you can learn this with a wrist brace on! If you just want to get the feel of going from the inside of the ball on release most wrist braces without the extended finger will let you do this. If the garage lets you move your wrist from side to side it will even let you put the tilt on the ball. You can use this as a learning tool to help you get the feel if your wrist is not strong enough. The wrist gauge will not hold your hand in the correct position if you want to tilt the ball. You will need to tilt the ball yourself at the bottom of the swing and just before. Again most wrist guards will let you move your hand in this way.
Point #3
You do need a strong wrist. You have no chance being able to tilt you ball up to any sort of tilt or max tilt if you do not have a strong wrist and you will not be able to hold your hand on the inside of the ball unless you have a strong wrist and fingers. Just like the cup to uncup release you will need to build your wrist and finger strength. The stronger you are the easier it is. You also need some sort of strength to try it with a wrist guard on.
Quick Tip
How do I know if my hand is on the inside at the point of release?
Of course you could video yourself or get someone to watch you and ask them but if you are by yourself try this.
Line up like you were doing for a 10 pin (or 7 pin for lefties). Do everything you would to work the inside of the ball but then at the point of release instead of turning your hand, just let it continue on its way. Your ball should be looking like going from left to right (right to left for lefties). Be careful not to hurt yourself when you do this. If you can get good at this than you even have a better method of shooting at your corner spares as it will never chop!
Want even more revs? Then you can do this as well as cup and uncup your hand when it gets around the ball.
What is everyone’s thoughts? I am by no means an expert and by no means the worlds greatest bowler, if this helps spark more discussion and some more tips than that is great.
I have been working with a couple of kids and youth recently in order to help them get more revs since I have been working on this for the past 2 years or so.
All watch the PBA and know what Randy Says “Pros work the inside of the ball, amateurs work the outside”
Most have come across this very good article on how to work the inside of the ball and what this means and how to generates revs.
http://bowlingknowledge.info/images/stories/slowinskiapr08.pdf
I thought I would share my thoughts on this and some tips/observations I have come up with about this method and article.
Point #1.
Picture #1 and #2 show the release point of Jeff Carter and Sean Rash, on the inside of the ball. What this article does not tell you is that this is done by not only having your hand on the inside of the ball but also by tilting your ball. In the pictures it looks like they are close to max tilt. For a right handed bowler like the pictures you are tilting your hand to the left! If you want Max Tilt, then go as far to the left as your wrist will go. I find It hard to have this position from the push away so I have my fingers on the inside at the push away and then tilt my hand just before I release the ball to get me in the even stronger position.
You can still work the inside of the ball by having your hand inside it with no tilt but it will not be anywhere near as strong as with tilt and will not look like this pictures. Of course it is good to know what it feels like with all the different tilts no matter if you work the inside or the outside of the ball so you can use it to attack different lane conditions.
Point #2.
You don’t need to open up your shoulders at the top of the swing to work the inside of the ball! This article shows Tommy Jones like most Pro Bowlers with the super open shoulders and stance at the top of the swing. This article implies that the only way to work the inside of the ball is to do this. I do not think this is the case and it certainly is not for me. You should not have to force your stance, hips and shoulders open to look like this. If you have your hand set up on the inside to begin with and hold it there, you will naturally for you have a swing that is ok for you. With just the right amount of openness for you! It might look like the article and a pro and it might not, it’s the position at the point of release that is important.
But what about speed? Yes the more open stance will help you get speed but the best way to have speed it to have your hand strong enough to be relaxed. The more relaxed you can get the freer your swing will be and the faster you will through the ball.
I know I feel into this trap when I tried this years ago and made me give up for quite a while, I tried to force everything open to what I thought would be what I was meant to be doing and found it too hard to bring everything back into line to have the correct release position.
Tip.
What to easily have your hand inside the ball at the push away. Look at how PDW sets up. He has the ball out in front and then pushes the ball down and his hand inside the ball before he gets into his push away. This cups his wrist and puts his hand in the correct position (without the tilt he puts the tilt in later). This also takes pressure off your hand and makes sure you will not hurt yourself.
Tip
Yes you can learn this with a wrist brace on! If you just want to get the feel of going from the inside of the ball on release most wrist braces without the extended finger will let you do this. If the garage lets you move your wrist from side to side it will even let you put the tilt on the ball. You can use this as a learning tool to help you get the feel if your wrist is not strong enough. The wrist gauge will not hold your hand in the correct position if you want to tilt the ball. You will need to tilt the ball yourself at the bottom of the swing and just before. Again most wrist guards will let you move your hand in this way.
Point #3
You do need a strong wrist. You have no chance being able to tilt you ball up to any sort of tilt or max tilt if you do not have a strong wrist and you will not be able to hold your hand on the inside of the ball unless you have a strong wrist and fingers. Just like the cup to uncup release you will need to build your wrist and finger strength. The stronger you are the easier it is. You also need some sort of strength to try it with a wrist guard on.
Quick Tip
How do I know if my hand is on the inside at the point of release?
Of course you could video yourself or get someone to watch you and ask them but if you are by yourself try this.
Line up like you were doing for a 10 pin (or 7 pin for lefties). Do everything you would to work the inside of the ball but then at the point of release instead of turning your hand, just let it continue on its way. Your ball should be looking like going from left to right (right to left for lefties). Be careful not to hurt yourself when you do this. If you can get good at this than you even have a better method of shooting at your corner spares as it will never chop!
Want even more revs? Then you can do this as well as cup and uncup your hand when it gets around the ball.
What is everyone’s thoughts? I am by no means an expert and by no means the worlds greatest bowler, if this helps spark more discussion and some more tips than that is great.
