win a ball from Bowling.com

Author Topic: Are you making hand adjustments?  (Read 2525 times)

TamerBowling

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 785
Are you making hand adjustments?
« on: June 06, 2010, 02:42:22 AM »
Hi All,
This is another one of those topics that we could all use some practice on.  There are some basic concepts around affecting axis rotation that everyone should know to help us become more versatile.
You can easily multiply your arsenal by factors, not by purchasing 15 balls, but by making hand adjustments.

I wrote the following article mostly addressing axis rotation.

http://tamerbowling.com/index.php/are-you-making-hand-adjustments/

Let me know what you think.

Thanks.
--------------------
www.TamerBowling.com
Everything Bowling, coaching tips, ball reviews, General bowling discussions
USBC Certified Level I
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.TamerBowling.com
Everything Bowling, coaching tips, ball reviews, USBC Certified Level I
For all your bowling needs, check out www.PerfectAimBowling.com

 

Xcessive_Evil

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1853
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2010, 11:32:46 AM »
I think this is well written.  Ron Clifton has something similar to this called "finger dancing".  In the past few months I have really taken this on and applied it to my PBAX league with pretty good results so far.
--------------------
www.youtube.com/c6evolution2008

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v690/Phoenix_RsX/Arsenal/

rctc286

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 210
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2010, 11:38:01 AM »
I think it was a great article thanks for the info.
--------------------
Roto Grip and Storm why throw anything else!

jrs813

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 239
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2010, 02:46:16 PM »
very well written and well informed.  thanks for the ryan shaffer reference.  i have known him since junior bowling. again nice article.

DON DRAPER

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5576
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2010, 05:04:28 PM »
Great article. It's amazing how many high average league bowlers only have one release/hand position. If that doesn't work they're lost. I have at least five(5) different releases that I'm comfortable using. Each one of them has their place.

Xcessive_Evil

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1853
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2010, 05:08:17 PM »
I have 3.  I use my index finger to "fine tune".
--------------------
www.youtube.com/c6evolution2008

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v690/Phoenix_RsX/Arsenal/

TamerBowling

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 785
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2010, 05:37:23 PM »
I'm glad to see a positive response.
Of course I have only touched the tip of the iceberg, but it really is amazing how much more versatile a player can become if they just take on even one type of hand adjustment like the one mentioned.

I will continue to expand on the subject with more articles.

Keep the comments coming!
--------------------
www.TamerBowling.com
Everything Bowling, coaching tips, ball reviews, General bowling discussions
USBC Certified Level I
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.TamerBowling.com
Everything Bowling, coaching tips, ball reviews, USBC Certified Level I
For all your bowling needs, check out www.PerfectAimBowling.com

dizzyfugu

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7606
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2010, 03:04:45 AM »
Hand and finger position is IMHO one of the most underrated aspects of bowling. Many players just want "more" oder "bigger" hook - but the true art is to adjust the release in a manner that you can e. g. hold a line through changing conditions, or tune a ball reaction. I learned that last season the hard way through little and short oil on the lanes - the only way to remain competitive was to take ever more hand out of the release, without sacrificing a proper ball reaction.

Different hand and finger positions are a vital asset for any player - once you have a sound basic game, I'd strongly suggest to work on this aspect, it makes you a more complete player.
--------------------
DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany

Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section
DizzyFugu ~ Reporting from Germany

TamerBowling

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 785
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #8 on: June 08, 2010, 08:22:18 PM »
quote:
Hand and finger position is IMHO one of the most underrated aspects of bowling. Many players just want "more" oder "bigger" hook - but the true art is to adjust the release in a manner that you can e. g. hold a line through changing conditions, or tune a ball reaction. I learned that last season the hard way through little and short oil on the lanes - the only way to remain competitive was to take ever more hand out of the release, without sacrificing a proper ball reaction.

Different hand and finger positions are a vital asset for any player - once you have a sound basic game, I'd strongly suggest to work on this aspect, it makes you a more complete player.
--------------------
DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany

Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section



An "art" is really a good way of describing these techniques.  We can break them down as scientifically as possible, but in the end they are truly quite miniscule adjustments that allow you to have versatility.  
That's why it's crucial to understand the adjustments and then practice them to get a "feel" for what is the right way to do it.  Once it's natural, you can use them in competitive situations.

--------------------
www.TamerBowling.com
Everything Bowling, coaching tips, ball reviews, General bowling discussions
USBC Certified Level I
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.TamerBowling.com
Everything Bowling, coaching tips, ball reviews, USBC Certified Level I
For all your bowling needs, check out www.PerfectAimBowling.com

MrPerfect

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 703
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #9 on: June 08, 2010, 08:42:37 PM »
I would also like to stress that a majority of these basic hand adjustments do different things for different bowlers. So don't assume that if you try one hand position and it doesn't work as described that it doesn't work at all. Instead, try different hand positions and pay attention to exactly what they do for your ball reaction.

kidlost2000

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5789
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #10 on: June 08, 2010, 09:48:07 PM »
Curious of the number of bowlers who throw the ball differently. Just from watching local bowlers over the years who average high I noticed most all throw the ball the same way every time. I never see them change anything when the lanes have more or less oil other then moving their feet and mark and adjusting speed. So on some lane conditions you know they are going to struggle because they can't/don't adjust much.

I'm not like that. I have 3 different ways I throw the ball depending on the lane conditions. An A game I always start with mainly stroker, a B game where I shorten up my approach and increase revs for hooking the ball. Then a C game where I have a higher ball speed similar to A game but it is more spin for clearing the heads when they dry out.

I wondered sometimes if it was hurting my game not just focusing on one thing and mastering it. As I started bowling more tournaments in other places(in and out of state) I realized how valuable it was to be able to do that. I then started spending a little more time practicing on each style during practice and it has been huge for my bowling game. Especially in tournaments.
--------------------
" men lie, women lie, numbers don't "
…… you can't  add a physics term to a bowling term and expect it to mean something.

TamerBowling

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 785
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #11 on: June 10, 2010, 10:46:09 AM »
quote:
Curious of the number of bowlers who throw the ball differently. Just from watching local bowlers over the years who average high I noticed most all throw the ball the same way every time. I never see them change anything when the lanes have more or less oil other then moving their feet and mark and adjusting speed. So on some lane conditions you know they are going to struggle because they can't/don't adjust much.

I'm not like that. I have 3 different ways I throw the ball depending on the lane conditions. An A game I always start with mainly stroker, a B game where I shorten up my approach and increase revs for hooking the ball. Then a C game where I have a higher ball speed similar to A game but it is more spin for clearing the heads when they dry out.

I wondered sometimes if it was hurting my game not just focusing on one thing and mastering it. As I started bowling more tournaments in other places(in and out of state) I realized how valuable it was to be able to do that. I then started spending a little more time practicing on each style during practice and it has been huge for my bowling game. Especially in tournaments.
--------------------
" men lie, women lie, numbers don't "


This is not surprising at all, in fact probably the norm that many high average bowlers bowl only one way.  That's why I wrote the article.  Of course it is important to understand the basics and be consistent in at least one way.  The problem is that the one way a bowler may know will not work everywhere they go, even on other house shots outside of their home house.  However, many will bowl only at one house and get very comfortable there, being able to score high 220s with only "one way".  That's OK for the bowler who has no plans to move beyond that setting.  What's wrong with averaging almost 230 in the one house you will ever bowl in?
But for those who want to move beyond this, or deal with different conditions their home house may throw at them, you need to learn even more and making hand adjustments is critical element which can differentiate from hitting the pocket and carrying.  Sometimes it can even make the difference from hitting the pocket or not at all.  
Case in point, there is a local house that I usually don't bowl at.  I was there recently and found an out of bounds beyond the 4 board and a slick inside the 9.  But the track was bone dry.  My end-over-end roll was simply too much to be in the track with any of my equipment, but you really had to be in the track.  It was only when I made a substantial hand position change to a very weak, unloaded position was I able to float the ball much longer in the track to then get a very good look.
--------------------
www.TamerBowling.com
Everything Bowling, coaching tips, ball reviews, General bowling discussions
USBC Certified Level I
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.TamerBowling.com
Everything Bowling, coaching tips, ball reviews, USBC Certified Level I
For all your bowling needs, check out www.PerfectAimBowling.com

dizzyfugu

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7606
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #12 on: June 11, 2010, 03:03:04 AM »
quote:

An "art" is really a good way of describing these techniques.  We can break them down as scientifically as possible, but in the end they are truly quite miniscule adjustments that allow you to have versatility.  
That's why it's crucial to understand the adjustments and then practice them to get a "feel" for what is the right way to do it.  Once it's natural, you can use them in competitive situations.



Totally agree from personal experience. It can take minute changes in tilt or revs to make a ball much more effective just through a release change, but you definitively need not only the skill and consistency to aplly such things, but also the experience to know your equipment and read the lane and the ball's reaction. There are small things and indicators, but the playing potential you get through this skill or "art".

I also agree that this seems to come "naturally", with experience and experiment, once you have the consitency to repeat shots/releases and judge what the lane results are. But I think (from observation) that the majority of players - even good ones - concerning their average - are not aware of this potential?

Anyway - an IMHO very important aspect of the game!
--------------------
DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany

Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section
DizzyFugu ~ Reporting from Germany

snowspike1

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 391
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #13 on: June 11, 2010, 02:24:58 PM »
the weigth transfer part only works if you have your hand under the ball (right)?  One can not apply moreof the ball weight to individual fingers when on the side of the ball.
 
i too vary my hand positions (pinky tucked-untucked) also i can come up the back or rotate around the side (reving the crap out of the ball along with giving it a 90 deg rotation)


T C 300

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 550
Re: Are you making hand adjustments?
« Reply #14 on: June 12, 2010, 12:45:02 AM »
quote:

Curious of the number of bowlers who throw the ball differently. Just from watching local bowlers over the years who average high I noticed most all throw the ball the same way every time. I never see them change anything when the lanes have more or less oil other then moving their feet and mark and adjusting speed. So on some lane conditions you know they are going to struggle because they can't/don't adjust much.

"


isnt this the definition of a "house hack".....???!!!  

LMFAO