Author Topic: No more "robot arm"! (Read 5826 times)

JessN16 · « **on:** February 07, 2006, 01:20:56 PM »

Bowling in the pro-am in Trussville three weeks ago had its good and its bad. The good was getting to bowl with the pros. The bad was having Mike Machuga tell me that wrist positioner devices (i.e., Robby's, adjustable Cobras) would likely be illegal starting next year in the PBA.

Now, I'm no danger to make the PBA. But I can't stand using things that aren't legal.

I've been wearing a wrist brace almost since the day I started bowling competitively 16 years ago. Most of that was because I had sustained pretty bad injuries to both wrists and arms in an accident when I was 12. I've tried over the years to get out of using a brace, but pain and ineffectiveness drove me back.

But faced with having to put the brace away, I went to a coach this Monday (Chris Jones in Smyrna, Tenn.) and paid him for some lessons. It took him all of about five minutes to get me out of the brace and throwing a controllable, powerful shot.

I'm so happy right now it's almost beyond words. I rolled 178-202-192 on a challenging shot tonight (my average this year had dipped all the way to 184 from the 198 I had last year), and it could have been a lot better had I not gotten reamed on a flush pocket shot in the third game, left a solid 7-pin, then missed the spare. It would have been a turkey rather than the strike-open-strike that I ended up with.

Chris also changed the way I target the lanes. I've done very little targeting up and down the lanes before. I usually target at the arrows and just concentrate on getting the ball rolling over my mark, headed in a certain direction. Now, I'm targeting a breakpoint. First time for everything, I guess.

The shot we had tonight was the toughest on our league in weeks. A teammate of mine who averages 205 shot 490. Yet I had a good night.

I'm so happy to be free of that brace. I only had a little bit of pain and fatigue tonight, and it first occurred in the eighth frame of the third game. Keep in mind that I threw 5-6 games yesterday with no brace for the first time since I was 16. But here I am two hours later, and my wrist feels fine. No residual pain.

I'm looking for ways to strengthen my wrist now, but even in the interim, I'm excited about the sport again. Both my coach and a bunch of guys I bowl league with say I'm only going to get better now that I'm out of the brace. I hope, at age 32, that it's not too late for me to improve my game and maybe compete in a tournament or two before I get too old.

Jess

scotts33 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 07, 2006, 11:34:42 PM »

Good for you!

quote:
Bowling in the pro-am in Trussville three weeks ago had its good and its bad. The good was getting to bowl with the pros. The bad was having Mike Machuga tell me that wrist positioner devices (i.e., Robby's, adjustable Cobras) would likely be illegal starting next year in the PBA.

The ONLY reason the PBA will NOT allow a player to use any equipment whether it be balls, shoes, or wrist supports is BECAUSE the PBA is NOT getting registration fees.....that is all. No more no less.

So for you to give up on a wrist support because the PBA is not allowing them is ludicrous if you want it or need it....unless you are hitting the regional trail.
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Scott

JessN16 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 08, 2006, 12:01:12 AM »

I've been wanting to ditch it for awhile, because I don't want to have to rely on a piece of steel to help me score. And honestly, if the PBA tomorrow banned everything but Manhattan Rubber balls, I'd be on the Internet looking for one. I've just been really particular all my life about not doing anything that I felt was unfair or frowned upon. I'll never go on tour, but I also have to sleep with my conscience.

If I start having pain in my wrist, I'll go back. I'm not going to kill my health in the name of bowling. And if the PBA keeps those things legal next year, maybe I'll use something much simpler, like a straight brace behind my wrist.

The last three coaches I've used, though, have all tried to get me out of those braces, telling me my release was good enough to bowl without it. I can already tell a difference in the way I'm able to make smaller adjustments and be more flexible. I hope it keeps up.

Jess

Torpedo · « **Reply #3 on:** February 08, 2006, 02:42:38 AM »

I don't know allot about PBA , what other equipments they don't allow ?

Re-Evolution · « **Reply #4 on:** February 08, 2006, 04:08:04 AM »

I think that it complete garbage if the PBA implements this rule.
Yes I wear a support and that is what it is used for support. Without it I get a very painful shooting pain similar to what you feel when you hit your funny bone on every shot after about a game and a half. If I just set my elbow down on a table slightly quick it feels like someone just wacked my not so funny bone with a hammer.
What they are saying is that if a person needs a support device then they can't bowl no matter how good they are that is nonsense.
Maybe it has something do with the fact that this years high average bowler so far uses one and they aren't getting their cut in registration fees.
Can you say GREEDY bostages?
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STORM TRACK
www.Bowling-Info.com
BR.com's unofficial FAQ section

302efi · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2006, 07:29:17 AM »

<<<<<<<<<<<<< Sits back...Just watching this topic

...but...heres a teaser:

http://www.defensetech.org/archives/images/hand.jpg
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Nothing but Dyno-Thane

Live by the hook...Die by the hook

Bjaardker · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2006, 09:31:15 AM »

Earl Anthony wore a wrist support.

Nuff said.

shelley · « **Reply #7 on:** February 08, 2006, 09:42:57 AM »

quote:
Maybe it has something do with the fact that this years high average bowler so far uses one and they aren't getting their cut in registration fees.
Can you say GREEDY bostages?

That's all "approved" means. No more, no less. They'd happily allow balls with 0.1 diffs and 8oz sideweight if someone paid the registration fees for it. Scroggins uses a Storm brace, and Storm's paid their registration fees, so the PBA is getting their cut.

There was an incident a while back that someone posted, saying a guy was bowling in PTQs or something like that using a Master wrist thing. Not a support, just a band that goes around the wrist. I believe he was disqualified for using it because the manufacturer wasn't registered. If he wasn't disqualified, he was called on it and had to bowl without it.

SH

tjj300 · « **Reply #8 on:** February 08, 2006, 10:16:01 AM »

They used to let you use non-registered equipment if the logos were removed or blacked out, at least up 'till TV time.

JessN16 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 08, 2006, 10:33:50 AM »

I don't think all wrist braces are going to be banned. The local pro clarified Machuga's statement a little in that it would be braces that you could dial in a position (PRO Release, Robbys, Cobra3, etc.). The stuff that was not adjustable wouldn't fall under this category.

And this is all future talk, anyway. Perhaps Machuga was referring to something the players want to see happen, not necessarily something that absolutely would happen.

From talking to him, it didn't sound like a registration issue. It sounded like some of the guys who work hard on their release are upset by bowling against guys who are dial-a-release. He flat-out said to me, "the way the rules are written right now are just wrong." That's a direct quote.

Jess

shelley · « **Reply #10 on:** February 08, 2006, 10:52:39 AM »

quote:
I don't think all wrist braces are going to be banned. The local pro clarified Machuga's statement a little in that it would be braces that you could dial in a position (PRO Release, Robbys, Cobra3, etc.). The stuff that was not adjustable wouldn't fall under this category.

That'll hurt everyone's favorite pro, Rick Lawrence. The two times I've seen him he's worn a brace.

I should also point out that Tommy Delutz, Jr wears a wrist support, though not one of the adjustable ones. With all the fuss over them here recently, I can't believe no one's mentioned him. It seems like he's a favorite of just about everybody (the old "he's got a great game" line) and yet no one ever knocks him for it.

SH

Ragnar · « **Reply #11 on:** February 08, 2006, 10:55:04 AM »

No one knocks DeLutz because he's known to have writs problems that necessitate his use of a brace. I don't see how the PBA can enforce a no brace rule. It would quite likely be challenged in court by someone with a medical reason for using one.
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"I do desire that we may be better strangers." Willie the Shake, As You Like it(III,ii)

shelley · « **Reply #12 on:** February 08, 2006, 11:04:43 AM »

quote:
It would quite likely be challenged in court by someone with a medical reason for using one.

Without meaning to hijack a thread, I'd like to bring up the Casey Martin/PGA fuss from a few years ago. Basically, he had a medical condition which made walking very difficult and rode in a golf cart. The PGA said no, you have to walk at PGA tournaments. He sued, citing his medical condition, and was granted permission to continue to ride instead of walk.

But independent of the court case, there seemed to be a lot of division among golfers over whether that was fair. A lot seemed to think that he shouldn't be allowed to participate.

I know there are a lot of golfers on this board, Bones in particular. What do y'all think of that situation? Is walking a legitimate, required part of the game? Or should the PGA have voluntarily expanded the rules to include medical necessity?

There is an obvious parallel here. But, in my mind, there's no obvious line to be drawn between a device like the Pro-release or Strong-arm and a device like the Columbia/Master brace or other like devices. What about someone who doesn't adjust the Pro-release? In that sense, it's as fixed as a Powerpaw.

SH

JessN16 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 08, 2006, 11:29:52 AM »

quote:
quote:
I don't think all wrist braces are going to be banned. The local pro clarified Machuga's statement a little in that it would be braces that you could dial in a position (PRO Release, Robbys, Cobra3, etc.). The stuff that was not adjustable wouldn't fall under this category.

That'll hurt everyone's favorite pro, Rick Lawrence. The two times I've seen him he's worn a brace.

I should also point out that Tommy Delutz, Jr wears a wrist support, though not one of the adjustable ones. With all the fuss over them here recently, I can't believe no one's mentioned him. It seems like he's a favorite of just about everybody (the old "he's got a great game" line) and yet no one ever knocks him for it.

SH

Rick Lawrence was bowling in this same pro-am. He and I actually got to comparing braces (he's got something by VISE, I had a Robbys). This was before Machuga came over. Looking at the way Lawrence has his set up, though, he could probably go to a fixed brace and not lose much. He had his adjusted to be straight as a board. The reason he was using the VISE is that he's on their staff.

Jess

Author Topic: No more "robot arm"! (Read 5826 times)

JessN16

No more "robot arm"!

scotts33

Re: No more "robot arm"!

JessN16

Re: No more "robot arm"!

Torpedo

Re: No more "robot arm"!

Re-Evolution

Re: No more "robot arm"!

302efi

Re: No more "robot arm"!

Bjaardker

Re: No more "robot arm"!

shelley

Re: No more "robot arm"!

tjj300

Re: No more "robot arm"!

JessN16

Re: No more "robot arm"!

shelley

Re: No more "robot arm"!

Ragnar

Re: No more "robot arm"!

shelley

Re: No more "robot arm"!

JessN16

Re: No more "robot arm"!