Backup ball

[backahead]

I thought it meant having a spare ball. But I watched a video a few weeks ago explaining the backup ball is a right hander putting on a left to right hook for spares. I tried it the last few weeks and while it was effective, it was killing the first nuckle on my middle finger.

I bowled like crap the last month so tonight I asked my buddy to borrow his old wrist brace (he doesn't use it). Had a great night and nearly got a 600 series (only had one 500 series ever). But the biggest thing I noticed came from that backup ball. I was digging my fingers in too much. The brace wouldn't allow for that. I nailed those lonely 10 pins and felt very strong overall.

Of course, this could all change next week if I bowl like crap again :)

[e-tank]

Ive found that the wrist brace is really good for straight bowling spares especially 10 pins. Might wanna give it a try

[75lockwood]

Backup bowling is not specifically for spares, most bowlers simply remove all axis rotation and throw straight at spares, backup bowling is a style that some people use for various reasons, in my friday night league there are a fair few backup bowlers one of which manages to hold a 180 average.

[kx90]

My 8 year old daughter, who just started bowling this past September, has developed a backup shot about half of her shots. Every time she throws that shot to the left side and it looks like it's going in the gutter but them grabs and hits the pocket I just laugh, my mother though looks at me and tells me how I need to get her away from doing that. She does it when she realizes her arm is going to the left and tries to use her hand to correct the aim but she doesn't, she just puts backward spin on it, that I think once I get her taking the full four steps into her release that will probably help her a lot too.

I know I need to get her throwing a regular shot all, which she does half the time, but it is kind of funny to see it happen. She can throw as big a hook as I do on either side of the lane!!! :D

[Greenday]

My friend who I bowl leagues with throws a backup ball. She throws slowly, about 11mph so it doesn't hit too hard, but it's alright. Just can't be consistent with her throws though to make it work well.

Another guy in our league throws a strong backup ball. He throws the left most arrow (Which since he's a righty I guess is the 35 board) and hooks it into the pocket. He also throws probably about 17 mph. He's mastered it and is pretty accurate with it most of the time.

[MisterSinister]

I have noticed a lot of felmale bowlers who have a natural backup ball. There's like 3 in my current league, and there was probably 4 in my other league.

[billf]

Joe Slowingski has a back up ball drill that helps with the "normal" release. The backup requires the release to be close to the body. I use to be able to do it well but went about four years without trying it. Did so two weeks ago and it hurt like hell.

[Greenday]

I have noticed a lot of felmale bowlers who have a natural backup ball. There's like 3 in my current league, and there was probably 4 in my other league.

Yea, except for the guy I already mentioned, I've seen multiple women who do it.

[ArtVandelay]

I have noticed a lot of felmale bowlers who have a natural backup ball. There's like 3 in my current league, and there was probably 4 in my other league.

Same here. The girl on our team throws a slight backup ball, but she's very accurate with it. There are a couple of people who do that.

Bill will have to chime in, but I heard it's almost natural for a woman to throw a backup ball because of the plane their arm swings around their hips, and if their form isn't "proper," then the natural plane causes a backup ball. And forgive me if anyone finds that sexist, because that's not the intent at all, I'm simply interested in the science behind it.

I used to be able to get a slight left to right movement on my ball for picking up the 10 pin. It was never really a 11-5 curve or anything, more like a slider. hahahaha (I know my Pats just got a bye week headed into the playoffs, and I know my Red Sox are- well.... But I can't wait for baseball!).

[MisterSinister]

I also heard it because females have weaker wrists.

[billf]

I asked Pat Costello at the Bronze seminar about some of the strange things some coaches teach females to do including the tendency they have for back up balls. Her answer, "I don't know why some coaches do that. I would guess because they won't bother to teach them properly."
So I'm not sure why. We only have one female who uses the back up technique (thankfully). She also stops on the wrong foot.

[BrandonKR]

One of the top male bowlers in my league is averaging 220+ by back up bowling. He throws it fast and gets a lot of revs too which is amazing to watch. It seems to work for him :P

[scottymoney]

Throwing a backup ball is fine if you know how to do it. Most of the people who throw it are only doing it because they never learned the proper way and this is what they ended up with. My cousin who is 23 throws a backup ball and averages around 130 and I think because nobody taught him the correct way growing up this is what he ended up with. There is also a guy in my league that throws a backup ball who averages around 130 or so. It is tough to tell though as some of these people may be throwing a back up because of some physical handicap they may have to throwing a regular hook.