Author Topic: Thumb Exit Timing? (Read 3934 times)

ShortAssassin · « **on:** August 14, 2008, 05:01:25 AM »

I have trouble with knuckling the ball and in the past I tried a tighter thumb hole via tape/magic carpet, but I always hung up on my release. Now I'm wondering if that was merely an issue with when my thumb exits the ball, as opposed to the thumb hole being to tight. At what point is the thumb supposed to exit the ball?

ccrider · « **Reply #16 on:** August 14, 2008, 06:10:38 PM »

You have to think, "let it go" don't grab it. If you watch on TV, you will here PDW tell himself that all of the time. Relax your thumb and tell yourself that and then don't grab it, let it roll naturally off of your thumb. If the fit is right, it will come off at the wrong time. If it is wrong, a good driller will be able to adjust it for you, by either loosening or tightening the hole, or adjusting the forward or reverse pitch.

Once you get the fit right, you will have trouble bowling with a ball that does not fit correctly.

BTW, I have often been told to that you must apply the slightest grip pressure with your thumb, like holding a baby bird. If you do this, remember, the pressure should apply from the inside edge (right edge) of your thumb, and should stay the same from the start of your approach until the ball is released. In other words, the ball should still roll naturally off of your thumb and then fingers. You should not have to "think" and tell yourself to let it go because you are holding it so tight. If you do, you are squeezing the ball to tight with your thumb.

Last, for some, it helps to "hook" your finngers in, holding them firm. This will help to hold the ball, longer if you seem to be dropping it or releasing it early. Again, the ball should still roll off of the fingers.

One of the benefits of drilling your own balls is that you can really make slight adjustments until you get things perfect.

Good luck.

CC
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Gazoo · « **Reply #17 on:** August 14, 2008, 06:13:11 PM »

quote:
Or could it be that I just don't trust myself not ot?

The power of the mind. During practice, throw the ball without knuckling your thumb no matter how weird it feels. Whats the worst that can happen, drop the ball. At least you will know for sure if it's just in your head or you have a pitch or hole size problem. Swinging a heavy round object and tossing it is not a natural thing and most at one time or another think they have to grab the ball to do it whether intentionaly or not. Good Luck

ShortAssassin · « **Reply #18 on:** August 14, 2008, 06:17:20 PM »

I was having no problems getting out clean while knuckling it, but I want to stop knuckling it so this was the first step to take. I have a feeling my thumb is gonna do some bleeding tonight

.

Well, thanks for all the advice guys. I'll post in this thread when I get home with how things went.

Edit: Just practicing in my living room with a pillow in front of me, I can avoid squeezing, but the ball pulls on my thumb to the point of pain, and my thumb comes out of the ball a bit. I'm thinking of adding some tape when I get to the alley (I don't have any at home) to make the fit a little bit tighter and I'll see if that works.

Edited on 8/14/2008 6:25 PM

sdbowler · « **Reply #19 on:** August 14, 2008, 06:36:10 PM »

Biggest thing to remember is that you have done this for a little while now and it is going to be hard to stop knuckling the ball. It's hard for all of us to know exactly why you are doing it. It could be a few different things. The pitches and thumbhole size would have been my first guess. I always had it explained to me that you can get more pressue by using your hole thumb and not bending it or knuckling. Try to squeeze a little with your hold thumb. Remember though that you don't want to over squeeze. I find that I would squeeze on my push away and down swing but once the ball was past my hips and going up I would stop squeezing. Good luck with this it is a HARD habit to break.
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ShortAssassin · « **Reply #20 on:** August 14, 2008, 06:39:12 PM »

Well, hopefully with a little tape and perhaps a pitch change I'll get it down.

sdbowler · « **Reply #21 on:** August 14, 2008, 06:40:55 PM »

The pitch change could help out. I would not rely on tape to help out sometimes it can make matters worse.
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Kyle

SirAshley · « **Reply #22 on:** August 14, 2008, 09:02:27 PM »

Alright dude, here's how it goes... When you are hanging up in the ball, you are destroying everything else about your form that may be perfect. I know, I suffer from the same problem. I used to knuckle the ball and it would kill my shot. I have found something that works for me, may be worth a shot. VISE makes a thumbhole tape unlike any other I have used before. It's tacky but has no residue. It offers the most comfortable fit I have ever had, and more importantly, keeps me from knuckling the ball because the ball now fits like a glove. Anyway, my proshop stopped carrying it so I bought the last few packs, I looked for it online but couldn't find it, when I do, I'll post it up for ya

Anyway, I went from a 190 Average to 205 and in fact, I broke out an old Bionic Zone import tonight and shot 708. All I can tell you is that once you can keep from hanging up, you can perfect your timing. I realize the tape is a little more expensive, but it's also nice because it doesn't leave any residue in the ball, even if you leave it in for weeks... This tape will keep you from grabbing and knuckling the ball. For the record, your thumb should come out first, and this will help. Trust me, when you get it right, you will feel it... Well, thought I would share my experience and how I turned it around. Good luck and hope you work it out...
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Edited on 8/14/2008 9:03 PM

Edited on 8/14/2008 9:05 PM

LuckyLefty · « **Reply #23 on:** August 14, 2008, 09:10:01 PM »

UMMMMM, I was under the impression that you knuckled when thumb was too big. I thought a fix was attempted and had happened due to the very tight thumb hole. Now I was under the impression that the problem was hanging. Hanging can be caused by continuing to knuckle in this very tight thumb thumb hole and then you HUNG in the ball!

So my thinking was if the thumb hole is tight and you are hanging.....first try increasing front bevel. IF this does not work for your thumb hanging problem then slightly increase reverse. Bevel and increase in reverse can often solve a hanging problem. If the thumb hole is snug as it should be....then knuckling cannot happen or the release WILL not be clean.

The Mo Pinel bevel tips contained in our refernce section out here under miscellaneous can really create magic out of thumb hole that is currently not very good.

REgards,

Luckylefty

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ShortAssassin · « **Reply #24 on:** August 15, 2008, 12:39:09 AM »

Correct LL, I knuckled when the thumb hole was too big. I then tried to tighten up the hole with tape and the like, and experienced hanging.

Tonight, when I didn't grip with my thumb, the ball would catch onto it and pull it out a centimeter or so. This would lead me to believe my hole isn't tight enough, cause my thumb wasn't staying all the way in. The other problem was I couldn't get my thumb out of the ball cleanly, causing me to hang and mess up my release. So, at this point I think I have to turn to pitch to try and solve the problem. It seems like more reverse pitch and a properly fitting hold would do it. I'm going to look into the beveling that LL is talking about. Any other suggestions?

footerson · « **Reply #25 on:** August 15, 2008, 12:50:23 AM »

i had kinda the same problem and i was told to buy finger tape which is just a strip of tape about the size of your thumb and run it along the back of your thumb when you bowl and youll get the same release but its smooth so you wont blister up or any of that. this way you wont have to change your release you can knuckle the ball like your fonfortable doing but it will have no phisical effect on your thumb
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ShortAssassin · « **Reply #26 on:** August 15, 2008, 07:22:56 AM »

Right but the whole purpose of this is to not knuckle the ball, not to make knuckling more comfortable.

Pinbuster · « **Reply #27 on:** August 15, 2008, 07:35:06 AM »

No one has mentioned span.

To long of a span can cause you to lock into the ball if the thumb is tight. Then when you get the hole large enough you have to knuckle the ball to keep from droping it.

The grip is a whole package. Hole sizes, pitches, spans that have to work together for that individual.

It is the rare driller who has mastered the art of measuring grips for bowlers. About anyone can put holes in ball, few can fit people properly.

Without being able to see and have you in a fitting ball suggestions are speculation. I would seek out another proshop if possible.

JohnP · « **Reply #28 on:** August 15, 2008, 11:47:24 AM »

I'm assuming your grip, hole sizes, etc. are correct. When you grip the ball, keep the knuckle straight with the thumb nail kicked toward the back of the hole a little. If you need some grip pressure to avoid dropping the ball, apply the pressure with the base of your thumb, not the tip. If you still have problems, try a Thumb Straight. -- JohnP

CPA · « **Reply #29 on:** August 19, 2008, 01:53:32 PM »

I would have another pro shop give you a second opinion on the span. It sounds as though the span is a little long. Too long of a span will force you to bevel the hole a lot and/or have too large of a thumbhole. Both of these will cause you to knuckle the ball.
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Shaker · « **Reply #30 on:** August 20, 2008, 05:12:56 PM »

quote:
Correct LL, I knuckled when the thumb hole was too big. I then tried to tighten up the hole with tape and the like, and experienced hanging.

Tonight, when I didn't grip with my thumb, the ball would catch onto it and pull it out a centimeter or so. This would lead me to believe my hole isn't tight enough, cause my thumb wasn't staying all the way in. The other problem was I couldn't get my thumb out of the ball cleanly, causing me to hang and mess up my release. So, at this point I think I have to turn to pitch to try and solve the problem. It seems like more reverse pitch and a properly fitting hold would do it. I'm going to look into the beveling that LL is talking about. Any other suggestions?

Tonight, when I didn't grip with my thumb, the ball would catch onto it and pull it out a centimeter or so. This would lead me to believe my hole isn't tight enough, cause my thumb wasn't staying all the way in.

So I'm assuming by the way this reads the ball was slipping off your thumb a centimeter when relaxing your grip not actually pulling your thumb out a centimeter. If this is the case then you need more FORWARD pitch in your thumb if the ball is slipping off at all.

The other problem was I couldn't get my thumb out of the ball cleanly, causing me to hang and mess up my release.

You didn't hang you grabbed the ball as soon as you felt it start to slip and ended up knuckling a tight thumbhole, easy to confuse with hanging up. Again moving your pitch forward should correct this.

Next, I don't like the analogies such as holding a baby bird, holding an egg, whatever metaphor was being made. I had huge problems with knuckling and squeezing and this advice didn't really help and here's why. No matter what you're concentrating on holding you end up trying to gauge how much is too much or too little and you end up squeezing the ball, even if it is less than before.

Deadbait is right, your thumb should never come into consideration. Once you get your thumb fit issues resolved here are the two best pieces of advice I have heard and tried here in the last month and boy have they made a difference.

1. Imagine holding and supporting the ball with ONLY your fingers, while keeping a firm wrist and forearm to help assist your fingers.
2. Try inserting your thumb first and then your fingers. From what I read it works for some but not for others. For those it works for, myself included, somehow it help me alleviate my grip pressure, I don't know exactly how, I have theories, but honestly I don't really care it works for me, and has for a friend of mine as well.

I wish I could give credit to those who posted those bits of advice, but honestly I couldn't remember which threads I read them in to save my life. I just want those to know I appreciate their input and that it's made a WORLD of difference to me. Sorry for the long-winded post just my .02

Edited on 8/20/2008 5:14 PM

Author Topic: Thumb Exit Timing? (Read 3934 times)

ShortAssassin

Thumb Exit Timing?

ccrider

Re: Thumb Exit Timing?

Gazoo

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ShortAssassin

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sdbowler

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ShortAssassin

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sdbowler

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SirAshley

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LuckyLefty

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ShortAssassin

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footerson

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ShortAssassin

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Pinbuster

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JohnP

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CPA

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Shaker

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