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Author Topic: thumb exit a bit early  (Read 11489 times)

xrayjay

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thumb exit a bit early
« on: January 09, 2016, 06:16:43 AM »
how can I delay the exit of the thumb as I release the ball?

I've been taught to have my thumb exit the thumb hole right by my ankle. When I'm struggling, or not getting the ball further past the foul line, the thumb starts to exit just behind the heel. While most bowlers thumb exit the hole around the toes and several inches past the slide foot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-c-aQ4mdHI

I'm all ears......
Does a round object have sides? I say yes, pizza has triangles..

aka addik since 2003

 

luv2C10falll

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2016, 10:03:10 AM »
You can try to snug up the thumb hole a pinch with tape in different spots.You can also go a little more forward in the thumb pitch if your not a fan of tape in the thumb slug

avabob

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #2 on: January 09, 2016, 10:26:10 AM »
I would agree with the idea of a bit more forward, or less reverse in the thumb.  However if you wrist position is breaking at the bottom this can lead to your problem too, and changing pitches might just lead to you breaking your wrist more. 

itsallaboutme

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #3 on: January 09, 2016, 11:24:55 AM »
Get up to the foul line instead of 6 inches behind it and you will get the ball further over the line.

You'd be better off spending time trying to get your hand into a stronger position than spending time trying to keeping your hand in the ball longer.

xrayjay

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2016, 04:38:20 PM »
I use MC and white tape with 1/8 forward and 1/8 left. I already have a snug thumb, but I guess it can go a piece more, i just have to see. I lost more weight from this video and the thumb hole is slightly looser now.

My early turn is something I've been dealing with for awhile now. I've done drills, have mental thoughts, etc...but my body just doesn't cooperate, but I'll continue to work on it.
Does a round object have sides? I say yes, pizza has triangles..

aka addik since 2003

luv2C10falll

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2016, 05:56:01 PM »
I had the same issue as you describe a few yrs ago. I was losing my feel on the downswing of my approach .My pitches then were 1/8" reverse  x  0" lateral. I change my pitches to 1/8" forward x  1/8" left and that fixed the problem immediately. I've always had my thumbs pretty tight in the slugs to help loosen up my swing.Ive also had good luck with a 1/2" piece of white tape on the outside of my thumb slug to create a little drag sometimes, for a better feel

bergman

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2016, 08:02:28 PM »
All good replies . I would add to this to take some care in the amount of thumb bevel you are using. Every hand is different but generally speaking, more thumb bevel= earlier thumb release (and vice versa).

St. Croix

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #7 on: January 09, 2016, 08:06:00 PM »
You can try to snug up the thumb hole a pinch with tape in different spots.You can also go a little more forward in the thumb pitch if your not a fan of tape in the thumb slug

xray, I would try a piece of Hada patch blue tape on the back of your thumb to tighten up the grip just a bit.

I looked at your video---good form. Your thumb was clearly out of the hole as your hand was passing your sliding foot. For what little it may be worth, here is what I try to do: accelerate my arm swing at the bottom of the arc as my right hand is reaching my sliding foot. I have no video of my approach and arm swing, but I am pretty sure that my thumb exits the ball as my hand is at the toes of my sliding foot as you indicated.

I could not make that acceleration at the bottom of my swing if my thumb hole were even slightly loose. I usually add a piece of Hada patch blue to the back of my thumb after a couple of practice shots. My thumb grip is fairly snug, but I can still feel a bit of "wiggle room" after several shots. You may think that your grip is snug, but I am guessing that you may have just enough looseness to cause your thumb to slip out early.

Try the Hada patch blue. Good luck.

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W.C. Fields

xrayjay

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #8 on: January 09, 2016, 11:02:23 PM »
St. Croix I use the blue hada on my fingers only and not on the thumb. I'll try it though, but with magic carpet tape it'll be interesting to use MC and Hada tape together...I've used hada before, but never got used to it. It peels off easy on my thumb...
Does a round object have sides? I say yes, pizza has triangles..

aka addik since 2003

bullred

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #9 on: January 09, 2016, 11:26:33 PM »
Never heard so much BS in my life.  Just tuck up the fingers and push the ball out onto the lanes.   If you can't hold up the ball with your fingers you're just wishing you could bowl.   All this BS about holding onto the ball with the thumb is just that, BS. 
Thank you    Bullred

luv2C10falll

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #10 on: January 10, 2016, 03:13:07 PM »
Bullref, that's a lot of smack talkin for a 130 avg bowler.Your probably that guy on the rolltech commercial talkin trash on your phone huh !

charlest

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #11 on: January 10, 2016, 04:06:19 PM »
I use MC and white tape with 1/8 forward and 1/8 left. I already have a snug thumb, but I guess it can go a piece more, i just have to see. I lost more weight from this video and the thumb hole is slightly looser now.

My early turn is something I've been dealing with for awhile now. I've done drills, have mental thoughts, etc...but my body just doesn't cooperate, but I'll continue to work on it.

Jay,

I like a really tight thumb because it allows me to relax on the downswing and just let the ball be pulled off my thumb by the weight/momentum of the ball. However, if I find the thumb hole is too tight, what often happens to me is I relax so much to allow the ball to be pulled off that it falls off early. For all intents and purposes I drop it.

Unless you're cupping the ball such that your thumb is under the ball (as bullred, in his infinite wisdom implies, without explanation), there is a proportion of thumb pressure and relaxation of the thumb that you need to control.  If the thumb is so tight that you need almost no pressure to hold it, it's hard to know when to relax all pressure, in order to allow the ball's momentum to pull itself off your thumb.
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

charlest

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #12 on: January 10, 2016, 04:11:13 PM »
St. Croix I use the blue hada on my fingers only and not on the thumb. I'll try it though, but with magic carpet tape it'll be interesting to use MC and Hada tape together...I've used hada before, but never got used to it. It peels off easy on my thumb...

I don't think Hada tape and the Magic Carpet are going to work well together.
I use Hada-type tape on my thumb;if you make sure your thumb skin is clean and you smooth it on, it can easily last all 3 games. I know people who claim it doesn't stay stuck. I also see them apply it very haphazardly. I take about 10 seconds to make sure it is pressed smooth all along the thumb, starting on the bottom half of the thumb nail. Only rarely does it not last at least 3 games. If your thumb's skin is really oily use some isopropyl alcohol to clean it first.
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

scotts33

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #13 on: January 10, 2016, 04:35:15 PM »
Hada tape will roll up or come off if one knuckles his/her release.  I see many that have poor fit that use Hada tape that have to replace it.  It's the ones with poor fit that tend to knuckle or don't use tape inside their thumb hole to get a tighter thumb hole that have issues with Hada tape.  Straight thumb, tight thumb hole, no knuckling, no issues. 
Scott

Steven

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Re: thumb exit a bit early
« Reply #14 on: January 10, 2016, 06:12:35 PM »
I don't knuckle the ball, have no tearing, and have no need to use Hada tape for protection. I do however sometimes use Hada tape to just to snug up the thumb. 
 
For whatever reason, the tape doesn't always stick well, even prepping my thumb with an alcohol wipe. It's the nature of different skin types. I've seen this with others who are very good bowlers and otherwise exit cleanly. 
 
Someone here mentioned a while back that prepping with Benzoin Tincture will do the trick, regardless of skin type. I bought a small bottle and the stuff is magic. You can get it cheap on Amazon if you need additional stick on the thumb.