Release of The Thumb

[lion95]

I have been bowling for quite sometime,but I still have a problem releasing the thumb and the fingers at the same time. Can anybody suggest any techniques on releasing the thumb first and then the fingers last.
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"How do I roll a strike?"

[se7en]

Assuming finger-tip grip?

It may be that your wrist is bent back so the thumb is pointing towards the floor. In this case the fingers would be as well. If you cup the wrist more where the thumb is facing up in the stance, it will be pointing roughly towards the pins at the point of release. In this case, it's almost natural for the ball to fall off the thumb before the fingers lift through.

You also do not want to be forcing the ball into a spin by turning your hand over. I see a lot of people learning do this. Stay behind the ball and lift through, while leading through the ball with the ring finger. It's a very slight turning motion.
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Cobalt Bomb Solid
Cobalt Bomb Pearl
Tsunami H2O
F.O.S.

[LuckyLefty]

too relaxed a span leads to less separation between thumb fingers also.

Those large hand/long span guys naturally get tremendous separation between thumb finger release.

Of course THEY cannot have their wrist back either...or they will not get that separation!

rEgards,

Luckylefty
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Open the door...see what's possible...and just walk right on through...that's how easy success feels..

Edited on 4/23/2007 8:33 AM

[lion95]

replied to messages
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"How do I roll a strike?"

[ThongPrincess]

Sorry it was early and I have a major headache...I misread oops.

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"I cannot change the direction of the wind but I can adjust my sails to reach my destination." Jimmy Dean
http://www.allbowling.com/journal/public.php?uid=156&leagueid=53


Edited on 4/23/2007 8:54 AM

Edited on 4/23/2007 11:59 AM

[lion95]

I know releasing the thumb and fingers are not correct, that's why I am trying to get suggestions on how to stop doing it.
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"How do I roll a strike?"

[justdale]

This is what my old coach used to tell me, keep your hand as relaxed as possible, keep your entire approach smooth and quite, and try and keep your hand behind the ball as long as possible. By keeping everything relaxed the way he mentioned i have never had an issue as far as thumbing releasing the same time as the fingers.

This is just me and maybe this won't work for everyone

[Grayson]

quote:This is what my old coach used to tell me, keep your hand as relaxed as possible, keep your entire approach smooth and quite, and try and keep your hand behind the ball as long as possible. By keeping everything relaxed the way he mentioned i have never had an issue as far as thumbing releasing the same time as the fingers.

This is just me and maybe this won't work for everyone

second that... a relaxed hand and a good "stay behind the ball" will naturally lead to a thumb first finger then release.

Just take a look here:
http://www.bowlingdigital.com/bowling/bld2/824
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"Have fun and bowl well!" - Grayson

XXXL
Tsunami
Machine NIB
2x Radical Inferno NIB
H2O (on the way)
Coblat Bomb p (on the way)

and by the way... I am a "Fritz" a "Jerry"... I am from Germany! (And please don't call me Kraut! Cause then I call you Dumbarse)

[justdale]

RicoH you've been drinking again haven't you

And no it's still in the middle

[justdale]

Only if you change yours to Brunsdrunkandstupid

[justdale]

TRUE HOW TRUE, DID HE TELL YOU HOW HE BOWLED IN RENO

[lion95]

Thanks for all the replies, and keep them coming.
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"How do I roll a strike?"

[ThongPrincess]

Sorry for the first, now omitted reply.  A few things that helped me fix the problem:

1) We changed to more forward pitch in the thumb which prevented dropping the ball and allowed for a cleaner release.

2) Keeping behind the ball.  I was too much on top of the ball as I got to the bottom of my swing.  My wrist would flatten at the top of the swing and I wasn't getting back under the ball.

3) Water Bottle Drill - Take an empty 20 oz or similar water bottle.  Hold it in your hand so the top faces away from your body.  Take the arm through the regular push-away and release.  As the hand gets to about the ankle release the thumb, turn the bottle and the thumb should now be parallel to the bottle which is now upright.  

It may sound a little weird, but it works.  I hadn't been doing the drill for a while and my coach asked about it, I told him I hadn't.  He said to start again for about 10 minutes several times a day.  By the next lesson my release was improving a great deal.

Again, I apologize for the misreading of the initial post.
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"I cannot change the direction of the wind but I can adjust my sails to reach my destination." Jimmy Dean
http://www.allbowling.com/journal/public.php?uid=156&leagueid=53

[lion95]

thanks for all of the advise.
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"How do I roll a strike?"

[spinner031]

When you take the ball off the rack, put your fingers in first, then your thumb.  If anyone hasn't told you this already, I'd like to know who you've been learning from.
Relax your hand and don't squeeze the ball; let it roll, don't throw it.  Picture yourself doing this and think of it as you throw.  It will work.