Author Topic: How tight should the thumb hole be? (Read 33451 times)

apxxxx · « **on:** November 18, 2008, 02:10:42 PM »

How tight is too tight? Any advice? How do you know when to add or remove tape? Right now I have 1 Magic carpet and 4 1inch white up front. How much are you guys/girls using?

charlest · « **Reply #1 on:** November 18, 2008, 11:12:57 PM »

Some have said that a thumb should be so tight that you have to literally force it into the hole. I have done that and got a very good and quick release. I do not wish to do that (force it in), personally.

When you drop the ball or knuckle it in order to hold onto it, you know you should have added a piece before bowling.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Edited on 11/19/2008 0:13 AM

Brickguy221 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 18, 2008, 11:18:17 PM »

How tight is a personal preference. Some people like them tight, some not so tight, some loose, some really loose, and etc. As for myself. I like mine just a wee bit loose but not loose enough that I can add one more piece of white tape.
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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick

Edited on 11/19/2008 0:20 AM

JessN16 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 18, 2008, 11:32:34 PM »

My unprofessional opinion is the more linear your arm swing and release is, the looser it needs to be. The more vertical, the tighter, because you can get away with it.

I get tweener revs on the ball even with a very elongated, extended follow-through and a good deal of forward-projected loft. But in order for that to work, I cannot stick in the thumbhole. If I do, I'll lose 7/8 to 9/10 of my rev load at release. My release works when I can combine a late thumb exit with an easy thumb exit.

It's just been over the last two years that I've been able to stop knuckling the ball, but I've done that through discipline and practice. If I tried to tape my way out of it, my thumb would probably be in the rafters of my local bowling center right now.

For guys who hit up on the ball at the line or have a heavy vertical component to their release, I could see them being able to have a very tight thumb hole, because they could leverage their way out of it. Not so for guys like me.

Jess

ranAAchan · « **Reply #4 on:** November 19, 2008, 06:20:42 AM »

My personal experience. I'll tell you this
My first year of bowling, I bowled with a lose thumb hole. I was gripping it with the thumb. And I could manipulate how I want the ball to roll. Avg 165 winter then sprung up to 190 for summer. But I was not consistent at hitting my marks.
Now my 2nd year around bowling, I'm trying to go with a tight thumb hole. In the very beginning, ball was hanging and at times even get stuck. Right now I'm getting better at the releases, but I can not seem to manipulate how I want the ball reaction to be. Plus I don't think I found a comfortable pitch yet. But I am a lot more consistent with shot after shot.
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Brunswick Scorchin' Inferno (retired)
Roto Grip RS-P (HIGH Game 269) / now using as spare ball/ dry lanes
Ebonite RSX300 (HIGH Series 650) / Now Rico Drilled
Hammer Cherry Vibe
RotoGrip Cell x2 (High Series 689, still waiting for my 1st 700)
Storm Sure Fire

Dabalos · « **Reply #5 on:** November 19, 2008, 06:42:46 AM »

right now im about 1 piece of tape away from having to jam my thumb into the thumbhole. i find that if it is looser than this i have to squeeze. i am sure that I squeeze a bit right now, but not so much that it restricts my armswing

apxxxx · « **Reply #6 on:** November 19, 2008, 07:45:57 AM »

Thanks people! The reason why I asked is because I wasn't getting out of the ball clean. Yesterday I made the thumb hole tighter and the ball seemed to come off cleaner. So I guess tighter is the way ill go.

APheLion · « **Reply #7 on:** November 19, 2008, 09:31:33 AM »

uhmm for me is kinda weird... i like it with tape but not tight, only one side, right of my thumb, so i can feel when im squeezing or doing something weird
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When a house bowler misses the mark, misses the break point and strike, for many ppl its called a wallshot. When a pro does that its call adjustment

When a house bowler gets his finger stuck in the ball and fall on the lanes, for many ppl its called lame bowler. When a pro does that its called the Machuga flop! ha i like this one.

pin-chaser · « **Reply #8 on:** November 19, 2008, 10:53:27 AM »

The tighter the better. The less squeeze the less muscle. The less muscle the free-er the swing. The free-er the swing the more on line the arm swing can swing down the target line.

That said my son can not get the ball off his thumb unless he throws it... it litterally takes two hands to if he puts his hand in the ball and decides not to throw it.

However, I like it just snug enough where I feel the ball holds onto my thumb and not so tight that I have to stay directly behind the ball at release. there is a fine line that sometime a white piece to tape will make too much of a change.
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Bowling Tips and Articles at: www.bowlingknowledge.com

LaneHammer20 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 19, 2008, 11:34:40 AM »

PIN-CHASER, I am with you on the sometimes one piece of tape is to much, and without that tape it doesn't feel right. I have that problem alot. If I ever find a perfect thumb in my life I will have a thumb mold made
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What is sandbagging???

blacknois · « **Reply #10 on:** November 19, 2008, 11:47:50 AM »

it all depends on the bowler, personally, i like them loose, especially in my spare ball, and i have a friend who has to force his thumb in his equipment

tenpinspro · « **Reply #11 on:** November 19, 2008, 12:55:10 PM »

quote:
The tighter the better. The less squeeze the less muscle. The less muscle the free-er the swing. The free-er the swing the more on line the arm swing can swing down the target line.

I definitely agree. Here's a simple test, (with nothing in your hand) swing your arm back and forth, you should be able to swing your arm pretty freely and probably comes close to shoulder height in the back (if you're starting out shoulder height to begin with). Now make a tight fist and swing your arm, you should see your arm lock somewhere near your lower back area. This will reduce ball natural ball speed which then many incorrectly use more muscle forward thru the shot(double whammy....not good).

I like to call it being snug, not necessarily tight but to a point where you don't have to exert hardly any muscle effort. This will then allow you to swing your arm more freely which allows for a good pendulum and consistent swing.

quote:
PIN-CHASER, I am with you on the sometimes one piece of tape is to much, and without that tape it doesn't feel right.

Lanehammer, take that one piece of tape and lower it in the hole. You can try a 1/4 inch down or more from the existing tape, play with the depth, you'll know better per your feel. Hope this helps some...
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Rick Leong - Ten Pins Pro Shop
Tag Team Coaching - Co-Founder
"El" Presidente of the Legion

Xcessive_Evil · « **Reply #12 on:** November 19, 2008, 01:10:18 PM »

I used to like a pretty tight fit. After a while, It made my thumb pretty sore and hard to get a smooth, clean release.

Now that I have tape around my thumb, I require a looser fit.
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Does it really matter?

leftyinsnellville · « **Reply #13 on:** November 19, 2008, 01:14:51 PM »

The greater the reverse pitch, the tighter the thumbhole.
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220...221...whatever it takes.

apxxxx · « **Reply #14 on:** November 19, 2008, 03:17:56 PM »

Thanks for all input

Author Topic: How tight should the thumb hole be? (Read 33451 times)

apxxxx

How tight should the thumb hole be?

charlest

Re: How tight should the thumb hole be?

Brickguy221

Re: How tight should the thumb hole be?

JessN16

Re: How tight should the thumb hole be?

ranAAchan

Re: How tight should the thumb hole be?

Dabalos

Re: How tight should the thumb hole be?

apxxxx

Re: How tight should the thumb hole be?

APheLion

Re: How tight should the thumb hole be?

pin-chaser

Re: How tight should the thumb hole be?

LaneHammer20

Re: How tight should the thumb hole be?

blacknois

Re: How tight should the thumb hole be?

tenpinspro

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Xcessive_Evil

Re: How tight should the thumb hole be?

leftyinsnellville

Re: How tight should the thumb hole be?

apxxxx

Re: How tight should the thumb hole be?