Having a tough time dealing with being a two hander

[RoccoRock]

I don't know why, but I am just having trouble embracing the fact that I am a 2 handed bowler. I just re drilled one of my balls to bowl a conventional style, basicly trying to force myself out of two handing. That didn't go so well, and as usual, the wife was pissed. She knows nothing about bowling, but even she said "why did you stop two handing." I find myself making excuses as to why I am switching, completely ignoring the fact that I'm pretty good at two handing and I suck at one handing. I guess I just feel awkward telling people that I bowl with two hands, and I feel like most of the really good bowlers don't respect me if I am two handing. I visited a friend who is in a summer men's league, and I told him I would feel embarrassed showing up in that league and bowling the way I do. Even though I'm better at two handing,I'm still not that good. I started thinking about it today, and if I was better at two handing, and iI were able to bowl scratch tourneys and be able to compeate in men's leagues , I wouldn't care if people hated my style. I feel odd being a mediocre bowler using a "goofy" style. I should probably just work on that, getting better two handing, and not worry about what people think. Spend some time with the house pro and learn more about ball reaction action, and what to do when the lanes break down and things like that. Learn what balls are better for what, and learn more about layouts. My friends keep telling me, stick with one thing and work on that, maybe it's time to listen to them.

[J Anderson]

I don't know why, but I am just having trouble embracing the fact that I am a 2 handed bowler. I just re drilled one of my balls to bowl a conventional style, basicly trying to force myself out of two handing. That didn't go so well, and as usual, the wife was pissed. She knows nothing about bowling, but even she said "why did you stop two handing." I find myself making excuses as to why I am switching, completely ignoring the fact that I'm pretty good at two handing and I suck at one handing. I guess I just feel awkward telling people that I bowl with two hands, and I feel like most of the really good bowlers don't respect me if I am two handing. I visited a friend who is in a summer men's league, and I told him I would feel embarrassed showing up in that league and bowling the way I do. Even though I'm better at two handing,I'm still not that good. I started thinking about it today, and if I was better at two handing, and iI were able to bowl scratch tourneys and be able to compeate in men's leagues , I wouldn't care if people hated my style. I feel odd being a mediocre bowler using a "goofy" style. I should probably just work on that, getting better two handing, and not worry about what people think. Spend some time with the house pro and learn more about ball reaction action, and what to do when the lanes break down and things like that. Learn what balls are better for what, and learn more about layouts. My friends keep telling me, stick with one thing and work on that, maybe it's time to listen to them.

As I see it there are two negatives to being a two hander. One is that it is more physically demanding, especially in flexibility. Any time you bowl without your muscles being warmed up and loose you're at risk of getting hurt.
The second is that there are few people qualified to coach you. If you can deal with those negatives stick with it. As for the feeling odd, remember that you're not in junior high or middle school. No one is really watching you, everyone else is wrapped up with their own problems.

[billf]

Seriously, contact Jason Belmonte. He has an abundance of articles, resources, etc on the style and is also working with the USBC Coaches association on developing a thorough approach to coaching that style.

[RoccoRock]

I usually feel better after a day of two handing than bowling with one. I've seen a guy on youtube that bowled two handed, and he was super smooth and looked like he could bowl that way until he's 80. As far as coaching, a I think there's a lot of things that can be taught no matter what style. Balance, repeating your delivery, how to tell if your ball is reacting correctly, I think can all be taught universally.

[backahead]

@Rocco: Up until three months ago I never put my thumb in a ball. Just the fingertips as a rec bowler. Now I can't imagine bowling like that. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it, but I do feel much better bowling with the thumb. And my scores, though low, are much better. Doesn't hurt that I'm bowling 5x/wk now :)

Tonight is league night, woot woo! They oiled an extra lane for me to practice. 200+ or bust!...for one game, pretty please?

[RoccoRock]

Did you two hand, or just palm it? I palm bowled for two years as the main way I bowled, and as of now it's the only thing I have totally ruled out. If I two hand, I can break 200 consistently. Yes, I have bad games too, but far fewer than one hand. With my thumb in, over the last year I bowled probablg 100 games, and I've broken 200 3 times. The bad games are as bad, or worse than two handing.

[billf]

Balance, all form including the bent elbow, the straightening up after release are all different. Ball info and such and certain drills are universal, yes.

[RoccoRock]

Spent the last 24+ hours wrestling with this. I've been doing release drills, both two handed and one, and I think I can be good doing either. However I do think I can still be better two handed. I bowl tomorrow night, and since I still have a chunk of skin missing off of my thumb, I will be two handing. If all my hard work this week pays off, and I can translate what I practiced to the lanes well, I should be happy being a two hander. I hope to take video and post it to get opinions, maybe I'll even fight the pain and throw a few one handed too for comparison.

[billf]

I would suggest waiting on the one-handed. Hard to compare when we all know you won't throw it the same with skin missing and in pain.

[RoccoRock]

nevermind, with a good coach I broke the 2 handing habit, hope to never go back