Author Topic: starting over (Read 2052 times)

shakezilla9 · « **on:** December 16, 2008, 05:19:03 AM »

hey guys, I've been out of league bowling for about 2 years and am wanting to come back to at least getting to open bowling once or twice a week and possibly in a league.

And with the exception of my spare ball (14lb.), all of my balls are 15lb. Well, last night when I went open bowling, I noticed I just can't keep from dropping the ball. If I clench my fingers, I slam it into the ground, if I just let it sit in my hand, the ball slips out. But when I just tried bowling with my spare, it felt much more natural and graceful. Now all my balls are packed with tape, as my thumb swells and shrinks so it's not like the holes aren't tight. I just think my hands can't handle the weight, I mean, I feel like I have enough strength in my arm, but my fingers, while quite long, are very thin. And am 6'0" 140lbs.

My question is, should I just start over and get some 14lb. equipment? I was thinking about getting an old, but in new condition, Ebonite Fire from my mom who never uses it, and getting it re-drilled for my hand. And maybe getting one more ball to sit right above that for a 3 ball arsenal. What do you think? and maybe, what would be a good ball to put above the Fire?

I have a current arsenal of -
Track - Arsenal Reactive, Heat
Hammer - Purple Vibe
Brunswick - Smokin' inferno
and as a spare ball, an old, totally dead, Columbia 300 Scout Reactive.
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the word gullible is not in the dictionary

tarheel_bk · « **Reply #1 on:** December 16, 2008, 01:22:16 PM »

My first suggestion is to go to your local pro shop and make sure he agrees that all your equipment still fits properly and then go from there. I currently had a ball I hadn't used for a long time and pulled it out of the closet and the grips were now too tight, I dropped the ball and smashed the S**T out of my ankle.

Necromancer · « **Reply #2 on:** December 16, 2008, 01:24:27 PM »

You should hit up the gym. At 6'0" you should be around 200lbs. I'm 6'0" and during the offseason 210-220lbs.

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Current Arsenal Gallery
H: Brunswick Fury, Columbia 300 EPX T1
M-H: Storm Shift Gravity, Hammer Black Widow
M: Storm X-Factor Vertigo
M-L: Storm Recharge
S: Brunswick Target Spare Zone, Ebonite 14 Fun Ball

GEMS: Brunswick Quantum Helix, Brunswick Quantum Double Helix

2008-09 Year 215.000 2008-09 Tourney 177.360 Last Tourney 182.667
2006-07 League Champions
2007-08 League Champions
2008-09 Three-Peat???

Hall of Fame BR Member Since: April 3, 2001

shakezilla9 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 16, 2008, 01:29:34 PM »

quote:
You should hit up the gym. At 6'0" you should be around 200lbs. I'm 6'0" and during the offseason 210-220lbs.
--------------------
Current Arsenal Gallery
H: Brunswick Fury, Columbia 300 EPX T1
M-H: Storm Shift Gravity, Hammer Black Widow
M: Storm X-Factor Vertigo
M-L: Storm Recharge
S: Brunswick Target Spare Zone, Ebonite 14 Fun Ball

GEMS: Brunswick Quantum Helix, Brunswick Quantum Double Helix

2008-09 Year 215.000 2008-09 Tourney 177.360 Last Tourney 182.667
2006-07 League Champions
2007-08 League Champions
2008-09 Three-Peat???

Hall of Fame BR Member Since: April 3, 2001

I figured I'd get a remark like that lol, I assure you though that I'm quite athletic, and have good pound-for-pound strength, just don't weigh much, I'm built like a runner, I can never gain weight. I get plenty of exercise though, as I ride my scooter about a mile everyday to my college (may sound lame, but I like the workout, and not having to pay for a parking pass.)
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the word gullible is not in the dictionary

Necromancer · « **Reply #4 on:** December 16, 2008, 01:31:23 PM »

quote:
quote:
You should hit up the gym. At 6'0" you should be around 200lbs. I'm 6'0" and during the offseason 210-220lbs.
--------------------
Current Arsenal Gallery
H: Brunswick Fury, Columbia 300 EPX T1
M-H: Storm Shift Gravity, Hammer Black Widow
M: Storm X-Factor Vertigo
M-L: Storm Recharge
S: Brunswick Target Spare Zone, Ebonite 14 Fun Ball

GEMS: Brunswick Quantum Helix, Brunswick Quantum Double Helix

2008-09 Year 215.000 2008-09 Tourney 177.360 Last Tourney 182.667
2006-07 League Champions
2007-08 League Champions
2008-09 Three-Peat???

Hall of Fame BR Member Since: April 3, 2001

I figured I'd get a remark like that lol, I assure you though that I'm quite athletic, and have good pound-for-pound strength, just don't weigh much, I'm built like a runner, I can never gain weight. I get plenty of exercise though, as I ride my scooter about a mile everyday to my college (may sound lame, but I like the workout, and not having to pay for a parking pass.)
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the word gullible is not in the dictionary

Well I mean bodyweight in general. Yeah I used to do track and when I was in the 150's the bowling ball felt a lot heavier and like it was controlling me. Some extra weight helps stabilize the body and foundation so you can be more balanced, stronger release, or more revs, etc.

another300 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 16, 2008, 01:32:26 PM »

You will probably want to get that 14lb ball drilled up. Once you get used to bowling again and the weight, you will want to go back to your 15lb stuff. Go have your 15lb stuff re-sized. Looking at your profile, you are 16 or 18 so your grip and finger sizes might have changed enough to cause you problems.

shakezilla9 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 16, 2008, 01:34:25 PM »

quote:
You will probably want to get that 14lb ball drilled up. Once you get used to bowling again and the weight, you will want to go back to your 15lb stuff. Go have your 15lb stuff re-sized. Looking at your profile, you are 16 or 18 so your grip and finger sizes might have changed enough to cause you problems.

yeah i thought about that. and i need to update my profile, I'm 19 now, haven't had any reason to update it until now.
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the word gullible is not in the dictionary

Moon57 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 16, 2008, 02:06:40 PM »

One thing that wasn't brought up was dry skin. I have to use rosin in the winter because my skin gets dry and makes it easy for the ball to slip on my thumb. Get a rosin bag and see if that makes a difference
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Moon
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So many questions, so little time but I'm having fun.

tenpinspro · « **Reply #8 on:** December 16, 2008, 02:30:57 PM »

Hey Caleb,

I would also recommend starting off with the 14lbs as you haven't really used the same muscles/tendons in the last 2 years. Here's the math analogy I use behind throwing a ball.

Let's use the 14lb ball, if you don't strike in a game, you will have to throw the ball 20 times (2 shots a frame x 10 frames) = 20x14 = 280 For a league nite, that would be 280x3 and that equals 840lbs. Okay, say you strike occasionally, you would still have 400-500lbs of gross weight pressure that comes off your fingertips, wrist and forearm. This does not even include the muscle effort we actually use to execute a throw so it's a decent workout to that area.

I learned from personal experience that when we don't use certain muscles/tendons, it actually is a shock to the body when we start over again. This is also why I hear so much from once a year holiday bowlers (usually Thanksgiving and Xmas) complain about hurting the next day and all they did was go bowling. I suggest to take it slow and your muscles/tendons will most likely return to their normal strength for you to throw your regular equipment.

I'd also recommend to see your local proshop to make sure the gripping holes fit properly as our hand tends to shrink from non-usage. Hope this helps some..

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

charlest · « **Reply #9 on:** December 16, 2008, 02:32:46 PM »

shakezilla9,

While 140 lbs at 6'is on the light side, what you are is what you are.

As far as this bowling ball weight is concerned, I'd suggest getting 1 or maybe 2 used 14 lb balls, having them re-done to fit you correctly (too much tape is also bad) and practice for a while, building up bowling ball muscles.

I'd suggest a small regimen of forearm muscle exrecises to build up some minor wrist strength. After 2 or 3 months, you should be able to make up your own mind as to whether you want to stay with 14s or move up to 15s.

FYI there are probably a few "heavy" 14s (14 lbs 6 oz - 14 lbs 12 oz) around, that will help you to either further gauge if you want to move to 15s or to help you transition to 15s.

You're more than young enough and mentioned no health issues, so that, after 2- 3 months, you should be able to bowl 6 - 10 games at a normal league pace (not the fast, alone practice pace) and not feel tired afterwards.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

shakezilla9 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 16, 2008, 03:32:55 PM »

alright, thanks guys, I think I'll try getting a used 14lb. ball and getting it fit for my hand and see how that feels.

Another question I have is, for you oval thumb guys out there, how do you deal with it? I know they have oval slugs but they still seem to be too round for me as my thumb is not even close to being round. One more, how do you deal with being double jointed? I have to manually keep my thumb straight which is very uncomfortable to me as it feels natural to bend it backwards.

I don't think that anyone out there has a worse bowling hand than me (short of a medical condition.)

thanks for all your help.
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the word gullible is not in the dictionary

SLunsford · « **Reply #11 on:** December 16, 2008, 03:39:33 PM »

You definitely, first and foremost, need to be refitted.

Double check your pitches. You may have to have them tweaked.

Author Topic: starting over (Read 2052 times)

shakezilla9

starting over

tarheel_bk

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Necromancer

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shakezilla9

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Necromancer

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another300

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shakezilla9

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Moon57

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tenpinspro

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charlest

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shakezilla9

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SLunsford

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