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Author Topic: Yes, it's true  (Read 2555 times)

HamPster

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Yes, it's true
« on: June 26, 2003, 11:22:35 AM »
It's me.  Everybody knows Hamster.  I thought that this latest reincarnation best described my recent slump.  Hamster Reloaded will return, never you fear.  Just as soon as I can return my equipment to my original measurements, now that the pinched nerve in my thumb has disappeared.  Hopefully it won't join my abilities when they return.  I've got about ten million different things to remember on my shot, any ideas about how to go about them?

First step is a slide step, it determines my tempo to the foul line.  How to keep it consistent and not cut it short, since the length of it ultimately determines my distance from the foul line at the end of the slide

Wrist cupped
Elbow straight
Fingers tight
Thumb relaxed
Feet smooth
Backswing consistent
Release free and easy

I don't if any of you know just how hard all of this is to do at the same time, LET ALONE hit any kind of mark.  Going from a weak wrist that I tend to flap, an elbow bent to help revs, fingers relaxed to help get my thumb out of the ball, thumb gripped to hang onto the ball, feet fast to help speed, backswing too short to help keep wrist cupped, and release tight because I try to guide it.  Most of these were problems I developed due to the pinched nerve that forced me to adjust my measurements.  It's been a nightmare, but I'm slowly getting back on track.  Thanks for all the knowledge and support so far.  I don't care if I've sounded self centered in the past, I'm a perfectionist with bowling, and I have problems.  The world will not rest until I solve them.
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Forget Kung Fu, I know Ron Bahr!!!

The only difference between youth and adult leagues are that the big boys are allowed to whine.  They're more entertaining anyway.
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10 In The Pit

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Re: Yes, it's true
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2003, 02:33:03 AM »
Well, I see two positive things going for the Hamster Retarded.  First, you seem to know what's right.  And second, you seem to have figured out what's wrong.  Now, if you can just convert all of the wrong to right, you're back in business!
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channel surfer

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Re: Yes, it's true
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2003, 10:22:38 AM »
Thats gonna be hard... You said cupped wrist so youll probably have to open your shoulders to generate more power and revs at realease. Just my opinion.. Everyones different.

Good Example(Might or might not help): http://channelsurfers.vze.com/clinic_hook.shtml
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My Bowling Clinic Site: http://channelsurfers.vze.com

ASK A PRO:http://channelsurfers.vze.com/atp.shtml
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KennyRambo

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Re: Yes, it's true
« Reply #3 on: June 27, 2003, 11:09:51 AM »
Lock Elbow, relax hand, loose armswing, smooth release, yessssss.
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MI 2 AZ

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Re: Yes, it's true
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2003, 11:42:43 AM »
quote:
Feet smooth
 


There is a lotion sold at Osco's Drugstores that was originally developed to keep a cow's udders soft and smooth.  You might want to pick up a bottle of that and try it on your feet.  I cant remember the name of the product offhand but I am sure if you ask for it, they can point it out to you.  

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Six decades of league bowling and still learning.

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HamPster

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Re: Yes, it's true
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2003, 01:16:42 PM »
Thanks MI!!!  Yeah, it's been horrible.  I almost always forget something.  Having the right span again helps a TON with my thumb and fingers, I can tuck those into my ball now, and pretty much forget about them, but only when I use the Viper.  I've got to keep my wrist straight to keep from going around it, cause that just kills it, especially when I'm already trying to kill it to begin with.  The lanes I bowl on are dry, and when I'm already playing 4th arrow at 17 mph with about 8 revs with my Red Alert, that's ridiculous.  And that's at the oily house.  I play that same shot with my Viper at the other house I bowl at and have trouble keeping it off the headpin, the pattern is like 35 feet.
--------------------
Forget Kung Fu, I know Ron Bahr!!!

The only difference between youth and adult leagues are that the big boys are allowed to whine.  They're more entertaining anyway.
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KennyRambo

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Re: Yes, it's true
« Reply #6 on: June 27, 2003, 01:48:05 PM »
Ever tried  playing 5th, 6th or 7th arrow? Usually the oil is pretty fresh in there.

Also, using a weak reactive(I.E. a Beast) can create more distance, yet still have some kick at the pocket.

Just some thoughts.
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Aristotle

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Re: Yes, it's true
« Reply #7 on: June 27, 2003, 01:48:46 PM »
Hamster, those items that you talked about are things to think about BEFORE you get on the approach, not during the shot. Sounds to me like you're 100% overthinking your shot while you're making it. The approach is actually the execution portion of the shot where the only things that you should be thinking about is your target, and everything else goes away. Behind the ball return is the time to think about things like the laundry list that you mentioned. This is definately a HUGE part of the mental game. When the PBC camps were in operation, I had the good fortune to be coached by Carol Norman and Wendy MacPherson who both have insanely good mental games, and basically, they both echo'd each other. Those lessons have served me well for quite a few years, and since that time, I have NEVER had a prolonged slump. I think that Carol summed it up best for me, though, when she told me to visualize what my shot should feel like as I was at the ball return, then after you set yourself up for your shot, just watch the target.
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HamPster

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Re: Yes, it's true
« Reply #8 on: June 27, 2003, 02:24:23 PM »
I know, Aristotle, that's just the problem, lol.  If I don't concentrate, it all goes to pot.  I need to get out and practice too, I haven't done that for a while.  Could be part of my control issues.
--------------------
Forget Kung Fu, I know Ron Bahr!!!

The only difference between youth and adult leagues are that the big boys are allowed to whine.  They're more entertaining anyway.
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JoeBowler

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Re: Yes, it's true
« Reply #9 on: June 27, 2003, 02:29:50 PM »
You may simply be choking on bowling with the "big boys".

Or you may be finding out that the shot in your youth leagues was not as chopped up as you thought and the the adult leagues provide another set of challenges.
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HamPster

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Re: Yes, it's true
« Reply #10 on: June 27, 2003, 03:18:51 PM »
Right.  You've got to be kidding.  This is where I belong, there is no choking.  I've known most of these guys for a year, and I know they can beat me, but I'm NEVER and I mean NEVER nervous.  The conditions aren't easier or harder, persay, but one's a sport league and the other is just a house condition I haven't bowled on much.  There's never been any other challenge than beating myself, and I haven't done that in a while.  I'm not trying any harder now than I did in youth, it's just that I have more fun now cause there's better competition.  I can promise you that as soon as I get everything fixed and return to normal, I'll be right back up there.
--------------------
Forget Kung Fu, I know Ron Bahr!!!

The only difference between youth and adult leagues are that the big boys are allowed to whine.  They're more entertaining anyway.
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MI 2 AZ

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Re: Yes, it's true
« Reply #11 on: June 29, 2003, 12:13:23 AM »
Ok, I just had to go look in the drugstore and see what the name of that stuff was.  This is it:

Udderly Smooth
Udder Cream



And yes, Hamster, there is such a product.
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Six decades of league bowling and still learning.

ABC/USBC Lifetime Member since Aug 1995.

MrH

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Re: Yes, it's true
« Reply #12 on: June 29, 2003, 07:54:05 PM »
Hamster, not sure if this is going to work, but it has worked for me.  I've only been bowling for about 10 months, and I had a huge list of things to fix when I started.  I found the best way to fix these though, is to take them one at a time, and fix it, then move on.  Since I am kind of new to the game, it is never too bad of a habbit to break I guess.  Like I worked on an effective and proper release for a month or two, then I worked on ball speed control.  Now I am trying to get my timing down perfectly.  It is much easier to do it this way then trying to fix everything at once.  Hopefully this might help.
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HamPster

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Re: Yes, it's true
« Reply #13 on: June 29, 2003, 09:56:22 PM »
Yeah, thanks, but all those things are in my approach.  And if I don't do all of them, it screws something else up.  Like if I relax my thumb, but don't keep my wrist cupped, the ball slips off.  If I don't keep my wrist cupped, I grip the ball, and end up getting stuck.  If I relax my thumb and don't keep my fingers tight, the ball just falls off my hand with nothing on it.  There are numerous combinations, of course.  Those are pretty big things.  If I don't get those right, I have no timing, no release, no anything.  That's why I've gotta get them all down at the same time.  Thanks for your comments though, it's always good to have somebody to keep me thinking straight.
--------------------
Forget Kung Fu, I know Ron Bahr!!!

The only difference between youth and adult leagues are that the big boys are allowed to whine.  They're more entertaining anyway.
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