Author Topic: Question on Thumb pitch. (Read 12792 times)

titletowncards · « **on:** January 10, 2012, 02:56:33 AM »

I've been thinking about changing my Thumb pitch. Right now I have a 1/2" of reverse pitch. Wow huh! Seems like a lot from what I here other people use.

I feel if I went to a little less pitch, I might be able to not only stay in the ball longer, but get underneath it a little bit.

For those of you with experience, what would be a next step for me as far as pitch?

Was thinking about 1/4" or 3/8".

Chris Orgeman

Get MOTIVated and Bowl Up A Storm!

Pdiddy · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2012, 11:40:57 AM »

What is your total span? How flexible are your fingers and thumb?

bannachb · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2012, 12:32:39 PM »

There are many factors that contribute to thumb pitch. Span, flexibility, length of thumb, as well as moisture of thumb. I have a similar span as you, about 90* of flexibility, very long thumb, as well as a very moist thumb. I use 7/16 reverse. I would think 1/2 is a lot, but depending on your various physical attributes, it might be perfect. Just from my own experience with a long moist thumb, if i go less than 3/8 reverse I hang up severely.

Steven · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2012, 01:08:53 PM »

Ron Clifton has some of the best bowling advise out there. Here is one of my favorite articles:

http://www.bowl4fun.com/ron/btm05_files/btm5.htm

The article has more of an emphasis on span, but if you don't have that right, then optimal pitches (for you) won't matter.

But getting to thumb pitch, I was at 1/2" of reverse for many years. I had convinced myself I couldn't go more forward, but got there over time. After shortening my span, I first went to 1/4" of reverse for a while, and now I'm at 0". I've experimented with up to 1/4" forward, but I found 0" to be my sweet spot.

The trick is learning to relax your death grip and trust the ball won't stick on your hand. It doesn't happen over night, but stay with it. You'll be more versatile and consistent if your optimal pitch happens to be more forward.

titletowncards · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2012, 04:10:05 PM »

My span is 4 3/8" to middle finger, 4 1/2" to ring finger.

I'm a lefty.

I shortend my span by 1/8" inch about 2 years ago.

My thumb and fingers are on the very flexible side compared to other peoples.

Pdiddy wrote on 1/10/2012 12:40 PM:What is your total span? How flexible are your fingers and thumb?

Chris Orgeman

Get MOTIVated and Bowl Up A Storm!

Edited by titletowncards on 1/10/2012 at 5:14 PM

titletowncards · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2012, 04:13:34 PM »

I should also point out that I like to use the Vise Tapered Thumb Sleeve. I tried slugs and I just couldn't get a consistant release, sometimes stick, sometimes slip.

Even going to 7/16 reverse might make it better.

Sounds like were pretty similar.

bannachb wrote on 1/10/2012 1:32 PM:There are many factors that contribute to thumb pitch. Span, flexibility, length of thumb, as well as moisture of thumb. I have a similar span as you, about 90* of flexibility, very long thumb, as well as a very moist thumb. I use 7/16 reverse. I would think 1/2 is a lot, but depending on your various physical attributes, it might be perfect. Just from my own experience with a long moist thumb, if i go less than 3/8 reverse I hang up severely.

Chris Orgeman

Get MOTIVated and Bowl Up A Storm!

titletowncards · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2012, 04:17:34 PM »

Thanks for the article!

I feel I have a very relaxed grip on the ball, so maybe it wouldn't take too much time.

Steven wrote on 1/10/2012 2:08 PM:
Ron Clifton has some of the best bowling advise out there. Here is one of my favorite articles:

http://www.bowl4fun.com/ron/btm05_files/btm5.htm

The article has more of an emphasis on span, but if you don't have that right, then optimal pitches (for you) won't matter.

But getting to thumb pitch, I was at 1/2" of reverse for many years. I had convinced myself I couldn't go more forward, but got there over time. After shortening my span, I first went to 1/4" of reverse for a while, and now I'm at 0". I've experimented with up to 1/4" forward, but I found 0" to be my sweet spot.

The trick is learning to relax your death grip and trust the ball won't stick on your hand. It doesn't happen over night, but stay with it. You'll be more versatile and consistent if your optimal pitch happens to be more forward.

Chris Orgeman

Get MOTIVated and Bowl Up A Storm!

Strider · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2012, 07:52:56 PM »

If your span is correct (that generally means relaxed today) and you learn not to squeeze the ball, you'd be surprised how far forward you can go if you want/need to. I'm living proof of that. I used 9/16" reverse for years. After working with Ron Clifton for a very short period of time, I'm now at 5/8" forward. If I pick up one of my old balls, I'm amazed at how hard I had to squeeze the ball just to hang on to it. Most people have been over gripping the ball for such a long time they're not even aware that they're doing it. It's second nature.

Ron Clifton's Bowling Tip Archive

ccrider · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2012, 08:45:28 PM »

My span is the same as yours. I started off 7/16 reverse with a stretched span of 41/2. I am now at 43/8 span with 0/0 thumb. Was not hard to adjust. Make sure you have tape available. Relax your thumb and start off the whole fit being lose. That way the ball will come off clean and you will fill like you dropped it. Add tape until you get the right feel.

Those that can do. Those that can't complain. Pimpin ain't easy, but it's mandatory.

Most things we like, we don't need. Most things we need, we don't like. Don't confuse your likes with your needs.

titletowncards · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2012, 01:04:49 PM »

I'm going to plug a couple of balls and start with 1/4" reverse, I got kind of try out what that would feel like on the span measurer device that the pro-shop had and it seems about right.

Thanks for the advice everyone! I'll report back my results if anyone cares to here them.

Chris Orgeman

Get MOTIVated and Bowl Up A Storm!

Steven · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2012, 01:15:51 PM »

It's probably overkill for you, but if you use Turbo Switch Grips, you can drill slugs with up to 1/4" pitch variance for a given thumb hole drill. I found this very useful when I was experimenting and going back and forth between 1/4" reverse and 0".

LuckyLefty · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2012, 03:10:09 PM »

A great place to start is 1 1/2 inches forward. You don't have to worry about your release, you don't have to worry about carry.

Have a thick mat 5 feet over the foul line and an ambulance on call. Bon Apetit!

Regards,

Luckylefty

PS your hold on the ball should be pretty good with the above pitch.

It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

James M. McCurley, New Orleans, Louisiana

titletowncards · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2012, 03:17:14 PM »

lmao! My driller said something similar, very nice!

LuckyLefty wrote on 1/11/2012 4:10 PM:
A great place to start is 1 1/2 inches forward. You don't have to worry about your release, you don't have to worry about carry.

Have a thick mat 5 feet over the foul line and an ambulance on call. Bon Apetit!

Regards,

Luckylefty

PS your hold on the ball should be pretty good with the above pitch.

It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

James M. McCurley, New Orleans, Louisiana

Chris Orgeman

Get MOTIVated and Bowl Up A Storm!

titletowncards · « **Reply #13 on:** January 11, 2012, 03:20:41 PM »

That's a good thought, I actually did try an IT Grip earlier this season and didn't like the feel, couldn't get a consistent release, so went back to tapered sleeve's. I think my thumb texture or whatever it might be just doesn't match up. I wish it would have worked, I gave the "IT" a solid try, it was pretty convenient.

Steven wrote on 1/11/2012 2:15 PM:
It's probably overkill for you, but if you use Turbo Switch Grips, you can drill slugs with up to 1/4" pitch variance for a given thumb hole drill. I found this very useful when I was experimenting and going back and forth between 1/4" reverse and 0".

Chris Orgeman

Get MOTIVated and Bowl Up A Storm!

LuckyLefty · « **Reply #14 on:** January 11, 2012, 09:23:28 PM »

Hey...I've been fooling around and spoofing on many of these posts on forward reverse thumb pitch for awhile.

Maybe it is time to get serious! You seem like a nice guy and a fellow lefty ....why don't I share some thoughts that would be helpful and serious.

The fact of the matter is that for league shots being a no thumber is best. We all love their roll it creates so much area on a league but we don't always admire their accuracy(especially on this site).

The thing we note is the apparent large separation between thumb fingers release gives lots of revs. Many of our house kings also have the same thing....a release where the thumb gets out so far before the fingers and then that long time that the ball stays on the fingers creating revs, ideally 45 degree side roll, and the resultant area.

One of the really smart guys on this site (BullRed) used to be his name used to talk about a combination of pitches for a righty like 5/16 reverse and 5 /16 right that would seem to make one have a release that looked similar to a no thumber. The reverse gets the thumb out quicker the lateral right keeps the thumb in longer and wraps the hand more around the ball to create a roll similar to no thumber.

For a span of 4 1/4 the normal forward reverse is 0. For 4 1/2 the normal reverse is 1/8 For 4 3/4 the average reverse is 1/4.

You have been put into so much reverse for a probable reason by your driller,, either a stiff or long thumb or sticky thumb(wet). Moving gradually forward is not a goal in itself but is a goal if one is dropping, or if one is knuckling then a slight move forward is called for.

BUT the goal of a proper release is to create the earliest thumb release and the greatest separation without the above conditions that create bad roll or thumb injury problems.

I know of many a 215 or 220 average bowler who in seeking to get better on sport and difficult conditions have gone to thumb lateral out pitches and much less reverse or even forward for the thumb. The result has often been a decrease in separation between thumb and fingers and less getting the hand around the ball and decreased axis rotation.

This can work on sport conditions where one goes straight up the boards and needs to play a very confined area of the lane. However these same setups often lower league averages or freeze improvement on league and raise the sport average.

One approach I really liked of one of our former quite regular posters(Jim Ensminger) I believe(a phenomenal league and tournament bowler)....was to have two sets of balls. Balls with lateral under and a bunch of reverse for league and then another set of balls with less lateral under and less reverse for tournaments where less area and less hook was sought!

I thought that was a very intelligent approach.

Hope these ideas have some use for you.

REgards,

Luckylefty

It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

James M. McCurley, New Orleans, Louisiana

Edited by LuckyLefty on 1/11/2012 at 10:29 PM

Author Topic: Question on Thumb pitch. (Read 12792 times)

titletowncards

Question on Thumb pitch.

Pdiddy

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bannachb

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Steven

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titletowncards

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titletowncards

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titletowncards

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Strider

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ccrider

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titletowncards

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Steven

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LuckyLefty

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titletowncards

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titletowncards

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LuckyLefty

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