Author Topic: Gripping Problem (Read 3265 times)

n00dlejester · « **on:** May 18, 2009, 03:45:41 AM »

So lately, I've come into a bad habit of gripping the ball with my thumb. I find myself bending my thumb during my backswing because I feel like I'm going to lose it. I've been working on not doing that, and when I loosen up my ball reads the lane loads better. My question is, do you know any exercises or methods I can try to completely rid myself of this gripping thumb? I tried to put a boatload of tape in to make the thumbhole small enough that I CAN'T bend, but I still notice I'm doing it. It helps with the cleaner release, but it's not helping with gripping. Any and all ideas will be very much appreciated.
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Proud Supporter of Rob Stone
Obviously, you aren''t a golfer.
Some stayed in the foothills, some washed logs like teeth.

tdub36tjt · « **Reply #1 on:** May 18, 2009, 11:55:36 AM »

Try Ron Clifton's Magic Carpet. I used it for a couple weeks until it got me out of the habit then I ditched it. I just didn't like the feel of it off the thumb thats why I got rid of it but it cure me grabbing the ball.

Moon57 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 18, 2009, 12:54:23 PM »

Get the fit of the ball checked at your local proshop. Could be a bad fit is making you cock your thumb.
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Moon
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So many questions, so little time but I'm having fun.

n00dlejester · « **Reply #3 on:** May 19, 2009, 11:28:50 AM »

I'll definitely try out these options, thanks for the info guys.

And I am also curious as to what the fish-hooking is?
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Proud Supporter of Rob Stone
Obviously, you aren't a golfer.
Some stayed in the foothills, some washed logs like teeth.

Buckwild · « **Reply #4 on:** July 27, 2009, 09:20:17 PM »

quote:
Deadbait...could you explain a bit more about fishooking the fingers please?

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Pretty girls make us buy beer...
Ugly girls make us drink beer...."Al Bundy"

Yes, Deadbait, could you elaborate?

Mike Austin · « **Reply #5 on:** July 28, 2009, 01:04:55 AM »

Might need to have your grip checked. Span could be too short, too much reverse pitch, too much bevel, combination of....

You may need a little more handle built into your grip, so the ball will hold on to you some and you can relax.

los2003 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 28, 2009, 01:08:38 AM »

by fish hooking do you mean squeezing or adding forward pitch??? just wondering

quote:
Once again.....Fishhooking the fingers and Setting the thumb.

Get away from the idea of holding the ball with the thumb.

Pull up with the fingers until the thumb sets onto the front edge of the thumbhole. Relax the thumb

Fishhooking the fingers also helps in keeping the wrist straight and will result in a quick clean release.

leftyinsnellville · « **Reply #7 on:** July 28, 2009, 04:48:49 AM »

I had the same problem. I came up with an idea that works great for me...extra tape in the lower part of the thumbhole. For every piece of tape I put in, I add two pieces in the bottom of the thumbhole. I just cut a piece not quite in half, more like 3/5 and 2/5. I'll add the 3/5 piece first making sure it bottoms out, then I add the 2/5 making sure it bottoms out also. The end result is a normal fit around the knuckle and above, but a very tight fit below the knuckle. I literally have to shove the lower part of my thumb in. It doesn't affect my release at all, but gives me the confidence to not squeeze the ball. Give it a try.

Edited on 7/28/2009 4:49 AM

bestbudzs24 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 28, 2009, 05:34:51 AM »

i have responded to this topic in the past and here is what worked for me. it is very uncommon but it worked out very good for me. when i was younger i always used to squeeze the ball with my thumb and could never break that habit. so my driller suggested we try something completely different. he over streched my grip so that only a lttle more than half my thumb is in the ball(just past the knuckle) what this does is it forces me to squeeze the ball or it will fall off during my backswing. it took some time to get used to but i have been bowling like this for over 10 years now with great success. my thumb hole has no pitch to it whatsoever but the front of the hole is all bevel to keep it from digging into my thumb. this is just what works for me. by no means am i telling you this will solve your problem. what i am suggesting if you cannot keep yourself from squeezing this may be an option. if you have an old ball lying around that you dont use anymore you can try overstreching the grip out on that to see if you might like it better. if you have any questions dont hesitate to ask. good luck.
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" bowling is for one thing and one thing only to make money"

HamPster · « **Reply #9 on:** July 28, 2009, 08:12:43 AM »

Heard a couple good replies so far. Could be fit. A lot of inexperienced or old time drillers like the idea of reverse pitch. I've tried all kinds of pitches, and zero works the best for me. Keep in mind though, that the more forward the pitch goes, the shorter you have to make your span to compensate. Now, what the other guy is talking about by fishhooking, just imagine what a fishhook looks like. I tend to grip the ball and relax my fingers too, and what I found that works is to put my fingers in, and stretch them back to make sure that my thumb is straight up and down in the thumbhole. I don't mean really stretch them back to where your nails are turning white and hitting the back of the grips. I mean just make sure there's not a lot of space under your fingers up top. If your span is too long, it may stretch your hand too far, but if it's too SHORT, your hand could be cheating forward in the ball trying to get your fingers a little deeper in the holes, which cheats your thumb up and bends it. If you're gonna grip with your thumb, do it at the joint, not at the tip. If you at least grip at the joint and keep your thumb straight, when you go to release, it should slide straight out.
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This is Fluffy. He is the Destroyer of Worlds.

JohnP · « **Reply #10 on:** July 28, 2009, 10:35:14 AM »

quote:
I had the same problem. I came up with an idea that works great for me...extra tape in the lower part of the thumbhole. For every piece of tape I put in, I add two pieces in the bottom of the thumbhole. I just cut a piece not quite in half, more like 3/5 and 2/5. I'll add the 3/5 piece first making sure it bottoms out, then I add the 2/5 making sure it bottoms out also. The end result is a normal fit around the knuckle and above, but a very tight fit below the knuckle. I literally have to shove the lower part of my thumb in. It doesn't affect my release at all, but gives me the confidence to not squeeze the ball. Give it a try.

You're making your own Thumb Straight with tape. See link below. -- JohnP

http://www.bowlingindex.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=BI&Product_Code=GR-ThStr&Category_Code=

n00dlejester · « **Reply #11 on:** July 28, 2009, 11:05:19 AM »

Whoa, hello old topic, haha.

Well, a quick update since this became a zombie and attacked us: I took a video lesson with my ball driller, and we noticed that I break my wrist back horribly - hence my feeling of losing it on the backswing. So we got myself a bionic wrist, and hello world of difference! Not losing it anymore, keeping my thumb insanely looser and a much smoother release. So many trip 4s and junk-tastic strikes. And accuracy went waaaay up - avg jumped 5 pins on both THS and PBAx.

I appreciate everyone's help with this, and hopefully I can continue to kick bum.
--------------------
Proud Supporter of Rob Stone
Obviously, you aren't a golfer.
Some stayed in the foothills, some washed logs like teeth.

HamPster · « **Reply #12 on:** July 28, 2009, 11:11:40 AM »

Lol ok. I never looked at the date on the topic . .
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This is Fluffy. He is the Destroyer of Worlds.

los2003 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 28, 2009, 11:26:04 AM »

thanks for the link I wanna buy 1 just to try it..

quote:
quote:
I had the same problem. I came up with an idea that works great for me...extra tape in the lower part of the thumbhole. For every piece of tape I put in, I add two pieces in the bottom of the thumbhole. I just cut a piece not quite in half, more like 3/5 and 2/5. I'll add the 3/5 piece first making sure it bottoms out, then I add the 2/5 making sure it bottoms out also. The end result is a normal fit around the knuckle and above, but a very tight fit below the knuckle. I literally have to shove the lower part of my thumb in. It doesn't affect my release at all, but gives me the confidence to not squeeze the ball. Give it a try.

You're making your own Thumb Straight with tape. See link below. -- JohnP

http://www.bowlingindex.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=BI&Product_Code=GR-ThStr&Category_Code=

Weaser · « **Reply #14 on:** July 28, 2009, 11:45:18 AM »

Article in December 2006 issue of BTM refers to "Setting the Thumb" to straighten the thumb without dropping the ball while gaining more revs
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Gary
Proud Member of the Track Legion
Tag Team Coaching Success Story

Author Topic: Gripping Problem (Read 3265 times)

n00dlejester

Gripping Problem

tdub36tjt

Re: Gripping Problem

Moon57

Re: Gripping Problem

n00dlejester

Re: Gripping Problem

Buckwild

Re: Gripping Problem

Mike Austin

Re: Gripping Problem

los2003

Re: Gripping Problem

leftyinsnellville

Re: Gripping Problem

bestbudzs24

Re: Gripping Problem

HamPster

Re: Gripping Problem

JohnP

Re: Gripping Problem

n00dlejester

Re: Gripping Problem

HamPster

Re: Gripping Problem

los2003

Re: Gripping Problem

Weaser

Re: Gripping Problem