Forward/Reverse Thumb Pitch

Brickguy221

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Forward/Reverse Thumb Pitch

« on: January 25, 2012, 12:33:47 PM »

What is the better way to determine the starting point for determining Forward/Reverse thumb pitch for a bowler?

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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

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JustRico

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Re: Forward/Reverse Thumb Pitch

« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2012, 08:48:47 PM »

basic would be ring finger span...and too me pitch starts at 4"....so if they are 4 1/8"=1/16" reverse. 3 7/8" span 1/16" forward....and so on. Then you take lateral pitch into consideration as well as length of thumb.

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tenpinspro

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Re: Forward/Reverse Thumb Pitch

« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2012, 01:32:19 AM »

Hi Unc, (How are you doing?)

My concept is the same as Ric's. I start with span distance first and then also check for flexibility or lack thereof. Laterals come later after I find out how the bowler releases (if possible).

Rick Leong - Ten Pins Pro Shop

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"El" Presidente of the Legion

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Russell

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Re: Forward/Reverse Thumb Pitch

« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2012, 06:54:44 AM »

Ditto to both above, there are a couple of charts out there to go by that give various flexibilities of the thumb joint and chart them against span length. As your question implies these are starting points, if someone has low grip pressure you may have to incorporate less reverse and vice versa.

Little known fact: In Russian "Hope" and "Change" translate to "Tax" and "Spend"

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tenpinspro

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Re: Forward/Reverse Thumb Pitch

« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2012, 03:10:02 PM »

Thank you Russell, forgot to write in grip pressure as well.

Russell wrote on 1/26/2012 7:54 AM:Ditto to both above, there are a couple of charts out there to go by that give various flexibilities of the thumb joint and chart them against span length. As your question implies these are starting points, if someone has low grip pressure you may have to incorporate less reverse and vice versa.

Little known fact: In Russian "Hope" and "Change" translate to "Tax" and "Spend"

Rick Leong - Ten Pins Pro Shop

Tag Team Coaching - Co-Founder

"El" Presidente of the Legion

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Rick Leong - Ten Pins Pro Shop
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Brickguy221

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Posts: 9918

Re: Forward/Reverse Thumb Pitch

« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2012, 09:39:33 PM »

Ric, does this mean to try 1/16 F or R for each 1/8 difference in span. For example would 4 1/4 be 1/8 reverse ... 4 3/8 be 3/16 reverse ... etc?

JustRico wrote on 1/25/2012 9:48 PM:
basic would be ring finger span...and too me pitch starts at 4"....so if they are 4 1/8"=1/16" reverse. 3 7/8" span 1/16" forward....and so on. Then you take lateral pitch into consideration as well as length of thumb.

The views and opinions expressed by myself are solely those of mine and NO one else, nor are they affiliated with anyone else.

**********************************************************************

"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick

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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away"

Brickguy221

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Posts: 9918

Re: Forward/Reverse Thumb Pitch

« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2012, 09:41:37 PM »

I do have some grip pressure.

Russell wrote on 1/26/2012 7:54 AM:Ditto to both above, there are a couple of charts out there to go by that give various flexibilities of the thumb joint and chart them against span length. As your question implies these are starting points, if someone has low grip pressure you may have to incorporate less reverse and vice versa.

Little known fact: In Russian "Hope" and "Change" translate to "Tax" and "Spend"

**********************************************************************

"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick

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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away"

Brickguy221

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Posts: 9918

Re: Forward/Reverse Thumb Pitch

« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2012, 10:10:18 PM »

Hey Rick ... aka ... my favorite nephew ...

I've gotten older and thumb maybe a wee bit stiffer??? since I last saw you 5-6 years ago or how ever long it has been. I'm thinking the ball you fitted me with had a span of 4 3/8 and 1/4 reverse thumb but I don't remember the lateral. Anyhow I no longer have the ball to check it and see. Also as best as I can remember, the finger pitches were 0 F/R on MF and 1/8 R on RF.

Having a couple different drillers where I bowl since I was out to California to have you fit me with a great fitting grip, my span and pitches have been altered by the drillers. My latest is 4 1/4+ span with 1/8 R on thumb. Fingers 1/8 R on MF and 1/4 R on RF. I had a lot of trouble getting out of ball properly on the 1/8 reverse pitch and finally had the driller add 1/4 out lateral to the 1/8 reverse and that helped a lot, but now have a problem of being too much behind ball at release.

I am going to have to find another driller. I want to take an old ball and experiment and was thinking about trying 1/4 reverse on thumb as well as increasing span to 4 5/16 or 4 3/8 when I do. Also thinking about 1/8 out lateral as my thumb points to my index finger or a wee bit thinking about going out side of it but not all the way out. Any advice here on where I might start?

tenpinspro wrote on 1/26/2012 2:32 AM:
Hi Unc, (How are you doing?)

My concept is the same as Ric's. I start with span distance first and then also check for flexibility or lack thereof. Laterals come later after I find out how the bowler releases (if possible).

Rick Leong - Ten Pins Pro Shop

Tag Team Coaching - Co-Founder
"El" Presidente of the Legion

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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick

Edited by Brickguy221 on 1/26/2012 at 11:11 PM

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tenpinspro

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Re: Forward/Reverse Thumb Pitch

« Reply #8 on: January 28, 2012, 02:30:47 AM »

Hi Unc,

How about taking the same span and pitches from the ball that you're getting out of ok (but just a little too much behind it) and try reducing the left lateral in the thumb by an 1/8th. I typically like to only change one variable at a time so we know whether or not it is effective.

If that doesn't workout, then I'd leave that lateral pitch and start increasing the reverse pitch in the thumb to help you exit quicker and hopefully let your hand rotate as desired. I remember your thumb being on the stiff side and not having a lot of flexibility so I'd even go with an 1/8th more which would bring you to a 1/4 reverse total. Let me know if I can be of any more help to you and great hearing from you.

ps. Since I saw you last, I think I've moved twice (3 if you count moving the shop) so I'll have to go and try and dig up your old drill sheet to see what I did. Will get back to you when I find it, thanks.

Neph

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Rick Leong - Ten Pins Pro Shop
Co-Founder - Tag Team Coaching
"El" Presidente of the Legion