Staying Behind the Ball

[zman1974]

My main problem with technique has always been staying behind the ball. What that means to me is that sometimes my wrist will break to the right (I'm right handed), and the ball, instead of going straight, will actually roll to the right initially. Obviously, this can cause major problem if I am playing up 1st arrow :)

I was wondering if anyone else has this issue, and if so, what do you do to correct it? I find that if I mentally focus on keeping the wrist straight I will actually come over the top, and pull the ball left. A solution that I think might work would be to break the wrist to the right on setup stance, and then coming back over the top on the downswing.

I know I am costing myself 20+ pins a game because of this issue. Any thoughts appreciated.

[swingset]

I've fought it for a long time. I try to point the inside of my elbow down the lane (forcing my hand behind) until I feel the ball leaving my hand then bring it up and through.

[mxjosh]

Im similar to swingset. Starts at my elbow. I constantly have to fight coming up the right side of the ball which slows my speed down and makes the trajectory of the ball travel around the oil rather than through it. When I really focus on keeping my elbow tucked and inline, the hand seems to follow.

[noeymc]

wrist device

[mxjosh]

I've used a wrist device and still found a way to come up the side.

The only wrist device that really prevents over rotating is the Reistrictor by Robbys.
http://www.robbys.com/positioners.php

[zman1974]

Thanks, guys. I will work on keeping the elbow in at practice tonight. Really don't want to use a wrist device, but might consider it for practice sessions to build muscle memory.

[UBowling]

Build the muscles in your wrist to be able to cup it more. But until then, try leading with your ring finger as you release the ball. Don't tuck your pinky if you want up the back revs, if you want more side roll tucking the pinky can help.

[GeoLes]

I found that if I focus on keeping my index finger pointed at the pins throughout the swing my hand stays behind and under the ball. Once the ball clears the front leg, I simply turn the wrist sideways on the follow through. This provides the lift that helps the ball to hook.

Practice at home with a nerf ball on the wall. Push the ball to the wall and feel it roll off the finger tips as the wrist rotates in the followthrough.

[zman1974]

Interesting. I will definitely try that tomorrow at league.

[Tampabaybob]

My main problem with technique has always been staying behind the ball. What that means to me is that sometimes my wrist will break to the right (I'm right handed), and the ball, instead of going straight, will actually roll to the right initially. Obviously, this can cause major problem if I am playing up 1st arrow :)

I was wondering if anyone else has this issue, and if so, what do you do to correct it? I find that if I mentally focus on keeping the wrist straight I will actually come over the top, and pull the ball left. A solution that I think might work would be to break the wrist to the right on setup stance, and then coming back over the top on the downswing.

I know I am costing myself 20+ pins a game because of this issue. Any thoughts appreciated.

ZMAN..... AN additional thing to try. If your elbow is going outside on your delivery try this... make sure you "feel" your elbow brush your side on the way down and the way back during delivery. I teach this all the time as "brush down, brush back" and have my students do it with out the ball in their hands so they can feel what I'm talking about. This should keep your arm in alignment. Also, AFTER you release the ball, hold your arm in your finish position, and look at where the "INSIDE" of your elbow is facing. It should be facing the pins. That's where you want it to be on EVERY shot.

Good luck let us know how you're doing.

[zman1974]

Thanks, Bob. Yes, I remember my bowling coach when I was a kid telling me to do just that. Very true, and very necessary. I did much better last night in league staying behind the ball; only once or twice all night did I really let the ball slide right off the hand.

[GeoLes]

I discovered the same thing about my straight ball. I always seem to have a bit of annoying side spin on the ball that breaks late downlane. By keeping the elbow in, the wrist remains turned out and the ball rolls end-over-end with zero side spin.

[Tampabaybob]

Thanks, Bob. Yes, I remember my bowling coach when I was a kid telling me to do just that. Very true, and very necessary. I did much better last night in league staying behind the ball; only once or twice all night did I really let the ball slide right off the hand.

Glad that worked. If you get a chance to practice, from your starting position focus on your hand and try to "feel" where your thumb is all the way through your swing. Think of it as watching your hand (in your minds eye) all the way through your swing. Getting used to "feeling" this will eventually help you to do it automatically. Good luck, let me know how you're doing.

[Hammer]

Tampabaybob has that right about focusing on your hand when you make your approach. I do that at practice. I concentrate on feeling my hand staying behind the ball on the backswing and on the forward swing all the way to the release area which at that point your thumb should exit quickly and then your hand turns an inch or two to the inside to put revs on the ball as the weight of the ball pulls off of your fingertips. You could put your focus on any part of your technique. Focusing on my hand at practice to keep it behind the ball works for me. I will do it on league night also because it is easy to get lazy and turn the hand too early before it reaches the release area.

[Tampabaybob]

Hammer, that's a great thing to do in practice. Eventually your muscle memory will take over and you won't have to focus as much on that. You'll just automatically do it. And if you do have a problem on a particular night in the league, it's one of those things in your "bag of tricks" that you can pull out to be sure you're doing correctly.
Bowling balls are drilled so your thumb will exit the ball cleanly when it's facing the pins. Any other variation, will upset the roll of the ball and sometimes have an adverse affect on how your thumb's going to feel at the end of the night !!