Leftside: After watching a video of you bowl, I'm surprised you ever felt a need to try a device. You have a natural 'cup and collapse' release, so a brace would only set you back. Whoever allowed you to put one on should be arrested for junior bowler endangerment.

As far as a device "doing a good part of the job for you", you're using the wrong mechanics if this is happening, and you're not getting the results you might think.

A device does not magically get you around the ball properly with the proper exit timing and follow through force. The comes directly from developing optimal release timing that is neither too early nor too late. With proper mechanics, the brace should do nothing more than assist with wrist stability that can't otherwise be achieved.

Along these lines, I once read an article (should have saved it) that described Pete Weber's experience with a Cobra when they hired him as a spokesman years ago. His comments were to the effect that "the device really didn't do anything to his release". And that's precisely the point. The brace should simply assist already well developed mechanics -- not attempt to 'create' them (because it can't).

I've seen legions of mediocre bowlers (i.e. poorly developed mechanics) put a brace on, get more revs because the ball is simply being forced off their hand with the same lousy techniques, and declare that the device has taken them to the next level. Self delusion is a wonderful thing, and many of these folks undoubtedly post here.

We are in agreement that a wrist device should only be worn for a good reason. However, I still maintain that to adequately evaluate the plus/minus of wrist brace usage, you have to have gone though all phases of developing your game bare wristed, then use various braces over the course of several years, and finally step back and evaluate without emotional baggage cost/benefit of usage one way or another. Hence my statement that you quoted.
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"You want the truth? -- You can't handle the truth! "

Thank everyone for their opinions on this topic, no I don't need a brace for a medical condition I currently use a pro grip by columbia(maybe not the correct name) the kind with the metal bar inside and I'm tired of adjusting and bending that metal bar and thought that a brace with different wrist adjustments would be the next step to take.  Most of the higher average(200+ I'm currently 193) bowlers in the houses that I bowl use one and I never heard anyone complain about them using them, I didn't know that this topic would generate such heated responses but I'm glad it did it also provided a lot of useful information.  Again thanks for a great discussion.

Slick

In my last job, and a little in this one, I spent a lot of time typing things on a computer keyboard, which left my wrists a bit weak for bowling.  For years I used a Robby's Original (and a leather one), but after the leather one fell apart I talked to my pro shop guy here in Madison.  He wears a Pro Grip, made by Columbia, that is a brace, but the brace is in BACK of the hand/wrist, which still allows me to comfortable change my hand position.  I am not going to lie, the glove portion for some reason helps increase my rev rate.  Whether it is just mental or not, I have been more comfortable over the last month and a half with this brace than the Robby's I was using.
I tried bowling without a brace, and I dropped the ball a lot.

omegabowler, I guess i took what you said kinda personally and lost it a little bit. For that I again apologies. I am about as far from a JOCK as you can get. I am the true definition of an armchair quarterback. That is why I asked if it was for a medical condition. I agree with braces for medical purposes if someone wants to keep bowling and that is the only way they are able to I'm fine with that.

Again my response was mainly for those, like myself, that aren't the best bowlers, and are looking for a quick way to get better.

Joe Cool, I agree with you 100% that we are all entitled to our opinions, but if I just worried baout myself, then I could not state my opinion now could I? lol.

Like Ragnar said, using a brace all the time when it isn't neccessary will cause your wrist get weak, and take away the ability to bowl without it. If that's not a crutch I don't know what is.


Slick, if you want a brace, then by all means go by one. It doesn't make a difference to me if anyone uses them or not. I do know though that when I shoot the best game in my life, whenever that may be, that I will have done it 100% myself, and that's what matters to me, and me alone.
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You can always hit em hard when you've got the balls

Lefties are the only people in their right minds.

no1bucsfan

Bucsfan,

Have you tried a wrist brace? If so, what happened?

If braces were a crutch then you should be able to throw one on & instantly shoot 20-30 pins higher. I can tell you that this is simply not the case. One of the bowlers on my team wanted to try out my revsII jsut to see what it was like. He shot a 157 (he's a 197 avg bowler). It wasn't a coincidence, he shot another game for a stunning 142.

Using a brace is simply another way to bowl. It's no different from a person preferring to be a cranker over a stroker, neither is a wrong way to bowl, they're just different styles.

Bjaardker
 I said in an earlier post that I tried one and it made a significant improvement in the series of games I shot with it. JUst the fact that it made sure my release was the same every time. IF I can't learn to do that without the brace I don't need to bowl. To me, and in my opinion, the brace is a crutch that should be used for medical reasons only, not because your to lazy to learn to throw a proper ball. If you know how to bowl, and then use a brace, fine, but if you just learning to bowl, like me, and start using a brace, then you aren't learning anything.
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You can always hit em hard when you've got the balls

Lefties are the only people in their right minds.

no1bucsfan