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Author Topic: Going back to 16 lb balls from 15 lb balls  (Read 1987 times)

charlest

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Going back to 16 lb balls from 15 lb balls
« on: May 23, 2003, 06:15:47 PM »
Recently, I've been trying to do this gradually. I went to 15 lb balls in 1996 when I hurt my hip and required a lighter ball.

There are 2 interesting issues that have struck me so far:
1. I am amazed at how waek my wrist has become over these 7 years. WHile I can throw the 16 as fast and with as many revs, my hand/wrist feels the pressure sooner. I am not sure YET how many games I can throw at ne time, but I definitely feel it. I will use a glove for a while longer as it does relieve the muscles. (I also broke my hand in January and am still building up my hand strength; maybe that has something to do with it.

2. 16 balls hit harder. period. end of story. This is easily seen so far with every 16 lb ball I have yet tried. If you do the physics math, energy = mass (weight) x the velocity squared (velocity x velocity), I think it is very easy to understand why. The difference is not 1 pound; it is 1 pound times the velocity squared.

What remains to be seen is if my average will go up, because the better hitting ball??

FWIW, yes, I can put even more revs on a 15 lb ball and I can more easily make (maybe force is a better word) a 15 lb ball hook a lot more, but I also find the added mass of the 16 lb ball provides a extra measure of control. My hand (or my subconscious) is not likely to try to give the ball a little extra to make it hit harder, something I have always had trouble controlling.

All comments are welcome.
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JOE FALCO

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Re: Going back to 16 lb balls from 15 lb balls
« Reply #1 on: May 24, 2003, 09:37:56 AM »
I can't comment on the ARM BREAK (thought SAWBONES would) and I do throw 16 pounders. I have a bowling friend that had a SHOULDER PROBLEM .. was out of action for a long while .. when he returned he went to a 14 pounders (from his original 16 lbs) and was fairly successful. After about 6 months (perhaps one season) he went RIGHT BACK to the heavier ball.

Point being .. he was able to compete with the lighter equipment but felt he was getting more from the heavier stuff.

Since the PRO'S are using lighter (15 as opposed to 16) balls, I've been tempted to go lower .. but if it ain't broken why try to fix it!

Just a thought!
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JOE FALCO

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Re: Going back to 16 lb balls from 15 lb balls
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2003, 10:20:25 AM »
Perhaps those who do not throw a lot of ball would benifit from the 16 if they can throw it with relative ease.

Are you implying that you are TOO STRONG to throw a 16 lb ball? FIRST TIME I HEARD THAT EXCUSE .. I'LL HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT ONE!
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charlest

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Re: Going back to 16 lb balls from 15 lb balls
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2003, 11:00:08 AM »
quote:
Charlest--Why are most of the pros using 15s?  They certainly have the strength of hurl a 16 and if it carries better, it would be foolish for them not to want that advantage.  Bones


I be not a pro, not by a far stretch. I do my best and am only reporting for me and my delivery, what I see. I think I have more in common with the everyday (decent) bowler, than I have in common with the Pros.
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da Shiv

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Re: Going back to 16 lb balls from 15 lb balls
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2003, 01:01:48 PM »
You guys are driving me nuts!  Just about the time I decide to try 15# because of all the good press 15# balls are getting, the momentum (just mass x velocity by the way) swings back toward 16#.  Bazfaz!

Shiv
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Steven

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Re: Going back to 16 lb balls from 15 lb balls
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2003, 12:18:54 AM »
charlest: You're making the right decision going back to 16#.

I had used 16# equipment until two hand/wrist surgeries required that I go down in weight if I wanted to continue bowling. My surgeon said 13#-14# max, but I went to 15# to remain competitive. The hand hasn't fallen off yet

When I release the ball well, I've concluded that I leave as many stone 8-pin and 9-pin leaves on flush pocket hits as I did with 16# equipment. So I'm not seeing the 'so called' benefits of additional deflection. When I make a mistake and don't release the ball well, I seem to pay more dearly and leave more weak 10's than I used to.

I've adjusted my release and speed to compensate for the differences, so my average has remained about the same. However, if I could go back to 16#, I would -- it was just more natural and I liked the ball reaction. And as far as pros, some notables still use 16#. It's ironic that Robert Smith, who throws more ball than anyone on the planet, uses the heaviest 16# equipment he can drill. Actually it's not ironic at all. He throws 16# because it provides the best carry.

Good luck on your move back to 16#.
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da Shiv

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Re: Going back to 16 lb balls from 15 lb balls
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2003, 11:19:06 AM »
I must say that I find this discussion surprising.  I had always heard that when it came to ball weight selection, the best idea was to throw the highest weight you could without pain or fatigue.  This makes sense to me, so I've always thrown 16# balls because they don't give me any difficulty.

For quite awhile now, at least the last year or so, I've been hearing in many places, including LOTS of places on this site, that 15# balls are actually better--the primary (but not only) reason being that the new balls are so strong that in 16# weight they are overpowering and don't deflect ENOUGH.  The most interesting thing mentioned, and I no longer remember by who; is that it is easier to create more revs with the lower weight.  I had never thought of that, but it makes sense from a purely physical point of view--it is easier to set a lighter object into rotation than a heavier one.  I have a reasonable degree of speed control, even if it isn't as good as I would like.  On the other hand, I have had no luck increasing my revs, so it occurred to me that if I could get more revs on a 15# ball, it could give me a facet to my game that I don't have now.  Therefore, I FINALLY decided to go with what seemed to be the flow in the game of bowling and try dropping down to 15#.

Now, the sentiments here and in the other similar post going now are kind of warning me off this idea.  I could have sworn that the educated opinions were leaning toward 15# balls, but now it is looking as if I was mistaken.

At least I haven't bought that new Inferno yet.

Shiv
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