Author Topic: Inverted Track (Read 10201 times)

dR3w · « **on:** June 09, 2009, 06:16:15 AM »

Hi,

I have a friend who has an inverted track, (closer tracking to the fingers than thumb). What causes this, and are there some tips/techniques that anyone can recommend for him to try so he can change his track to non-inverted?

Thanks,
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dR3w

"Some people are like slinkies, not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs."

Oskuposer · « **Reply #1 on:** June 09, 2009, 02:29:23 PM »

It happens when your hand is on the right up part of the ball at release. Instead of inside and behind of ball. Does he bowl without his thumb? This can invert a track too. why does he want to change? If it ain't broke don't fix it.
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Kiall Hill
Visionary test staff

charlest · « **Reply #2 on:** June 09, 2009, 02:40:51 PM »

quote:
It happens when your hand is on the right up part of the ball at release. Instead of inside and behind of ball.

Not true. I can get/use/create an inverted track whether or not I work the inside of the ball or the outside of the ball, and staying behind the ball doesn't seem to make much difference, even tending to help creat an inverted track. It has more to do with the mechanics of the release and the timing of the thumb and fingers exiting the ball. I get an inverted trakc more often when I lift straight through the ball rather than turn the ball.

quote:

why does he want to change? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
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Kiall Hill
Visionary test staff

That I agree with.

Tom Kouros, a very well known national coach, has stated that this was a preferred track for many crankers.

The track, inverted or "nromal"/"average", is not good or bad in an of itself. It just is. The ball should be drilled for that PAP to work properly.

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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Oskuposer · « **Reply #3 on:** June 09, 2009, 02:43:53 PM »

I can make a ball roll 10 different ways from sunday and know what the reation will be. I prefer full roller but when they are drier i tend to throw it inverted so it gets down the lane better. It is personal pereference sometimes span can affect it to because the way the hand comes out of the ball.
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Kiall Hill
Visionary test staff

bhsbigcountry · « **Reply #4 on:** June 09, 2009, 06:39:55 PM »

i cant explain the exact cause of the inverted trace but if they are bowling good no need to change. a good friend of mine who was the rookie of the year for the pba south region has an inverted track and theres nothing wring with it. he def can put a ton on the ball but they way he drills his stuff and his inverted track, he hardly ever gets a ball to really over react. no matter how much he hits it, the ball never over reacts out of no where.
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Shawn

charlest · « **Reply #5 on:** June 09, 2009, 06:58:33 PM »

quote:
i cant explain the exact cause of the inverted trace but if they are bowling good no need to change. a good friend of mine who was the rookie of the year for the pba south region has an inverted track and theres nothing wring with it. he def can put a ton on the ball but they way he drills his stuff and his inverted track, he hardly ever gets a ball to really over react. no matter how much he hits it, the ball never over reacts out of no where.
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Shawn

That depends more on ball speed than the inverted track.
Believe me, experience tells me that.

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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

dR3w · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2009, 10:42:47 AM »

The friend in question appears to think that his inverted track leads to too much hook. He has to use a lot of less flaring, less aggressive equipment to match up. He is an older gentlemen, so perhaps it is his ball speed that is more in question here.

I just thought perhaps it could be explained better. For example, thumb passed fingers at release, rather than a spinner where the fingers are far behind the thumb at release.

He has bowled for quite a while, and has tried in practice to change his track, but doesn't seem to be able to.

He does put his thumb in the ball to answer one of your questions. It also appears that he kind of rolls the ball off his palm, rather than rotating around the ball as much as some.

It is nice that others can change their tracks, and I appreciate that talent, but my question was how to teach that, or show that to someone else?
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dR3w

"Some people are like slinkies, not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs."

taylorj99 · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2009, 10:53:08 AM »

Does he crank the ball? A lot of crankers end up with inverted tracks. Sometimes mine will invert if my thumb comes out earlier and I grab a bunch at the bottom.
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No, you may not handle my balls.

dR3w · « **Reply #8 on:** June 10, 2009, 12:20:41 PM »

No, he isn't a cranker, by how I envision one. He does have more Revs than speed, but his speed is medium/low. I would guess he is in the 300-350 range probably.
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dR3w

"Some people are like slinkies, not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs."

charlest · « **Reply #9 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:10:04 PM »

quote:
No, he isn't a cranker, by how I envision one. He does have more Revs than speed, but his speed is medium/low. I would guess he is in the 300-350 range probably.
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dR3w

"Some people are like slinkies, not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when pushed down the stairs."

He really needs a good local coach. Many people here can make suggestions, but advice by "remote control" is difficult under the best of circumstances and your delivering the advice 2nd hand adds to the difficulty. A coach can see what he's doing on the lane and can make small suggestions then and there, which is probably all he really needs.

Why not ask around several local centers? There's bound to be a few that people can recommend. A USBC Silver level certified coach may be the best suggestion.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Stan · « **Reply #10 on:** June 10, 2009, 04:21:58 PM »

I also have an inverted Track. I read an article many years ago. I think in Bowlers Journal, That this was a good but difficult track to control. I know, since then, many things in bowling haved changed. The article said that cocking you hand (Palm up, toward your body, not talking about cupping) too much would cause this track.

The only problem I see with this track is consistantly having the ball read the mid-lane, and I know, there are other things that can also come into play to have this problem.

JohnP · « **Reply #11 on:** June 10, 2009, 10:17:44 PM »

Are you absolutely sure his track is inverted? If his PAP was determined on a flaring reactive resin ball it's very easy to base it on the second or third oil ring instead of the first one. As the track flares it does move into a position that would show an inverted PAP. To be sure, check the PAP location on a non-flaring ball, probably a plastic ball. When you think you've got it, put a piece of white tape, about 3/4" square, on the location. If the tape stays stationary when he throws the ball, the PAP is correctly located. -- JohnP

Mike Austin · « **Reply #12 on:** June 10, 2009, 11:16:42 PM »

quote:
Are you absolutely sure his track is inverted? If his PAP was determined on a flaring reactive resin ball it's very easy to base it on the second or third oil ring instead of the first one. As the track flares it does move into a position that would show an inverted PAP. To be sure, check the PAP location on a non-flaring ball, probably a plastic ball. When you think you've got it, put a piece of white tape, about 3/4" square, on the location. If the tape stays stationary when he throws the ball, the PAP is correctly located. -- JohnP

Agree with JohnP, check and make sure it is inverted.

If it is, don't change it. I know a number of guys that would give their left nut to throw it like Pete Weber (myself included). Pete has had an inverted track for many years. I've heard more than one player say that Pete has the best roll on tour. 'nuff said!

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THIS SPACE FOR RENT

dR3w · « **Reply #13 on:** June 10, 2009, 11:27:16 PM »

There is no doubt that it is inverted. Scooby Doo says so (I've seen his spare ball track). He drills his own stuff, so I am not positive of his pap numbers, but I thought he was 3/4 down.
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dR3w

"This space for rent"

janderson · « **Reply #14 on:** June 12, 2009, 12:45:01 PM »

Consider the front tires of a car when you turn the steering wheel to the left. Now think of taking the turn too fast so fast that the car's two left tires are off the ground. On the front, right tire, the car will be riding on the outside (right) edge of the tire.

In terms of how this relates to track and releasing a bowling ball, picture your hand wrapped around the tread of the front right tire with your fingers between the tread and the pavement and your thumb pointed up towards the sky with your palm pointed forward, in the direction the car is traveling. As the car tilts up on two wheels, your hand tilts so that the fingers are inside (to the left - sorry, thinking of right-handed bowlers) the thumb. Now think of using your hand to turn the wheel forward. This is a "normal" release causing a "normal" track with the distance between the thumb and track longer than the distance between fingers and track.

Without tilting the car, the track is equi-distant from the fingers and thumb.

For an inverted release, things change. Instead of a car, think of a motorcycle. When you turn left and lean the bike left the tire is now riding the inside (left - sorry again lefties) part of the tire. This is opposite the outside part of the tire when a car is on two wheels turning left.

Imaging your hand wrapped around the tread of the motorcycle wheel oriented in the same fashion as above. Now the bike leans left and your hand with it. Your thumb is now oriented inside (to the left) of the fingers. Turn the wheel forward. You've inverted your track.

You may be reading this and looking at your hand in the motorcycle scenario and think "this is just a suitcase release - it doesn't cause an inverted track." You're right, in and of itself a suitcase release does not create and inverted track. It's not rotation around the ball - it's the tilt of the axis. Think of the bowling ball as more of a tire - with two flat edges left and right - and getting the ball to roll on the outside/right edge (normal track) versus the inside/left (inverted) edge. If you have a plastic lid for a medicine bottle, wrap your hand around it and "bowl" it across a table or desk like trying to get a tire to roll and I think you'll see what I mean.

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J.J. "Waterola Kid" Anderson - "Better than Jello" - Kill the back row

Author Topic: Inverted Track (Read 10201 times)

dR3w

Inverted Track

Oskuposer

Re: Inverted Track

charlest

Re: Inverted Track

Oskuposer

Re: Inverted Track

bhsbigcountry

Re: Inverted Track

charlest

Re: Inverted Track

dR3w

Re: Inverted Track

taylorj99

Re: Inverted Track

dR3w

Re: Inverted Track

charlest

Re: Inverted Track

Stan

Re: Inverted Track

JohnP

Re: Inverted Track

Mike Austin

Re: Inverted Track

dR3w

Re: Inverted Track

janderson

Re: Inverted Track