Fingers on release.

[J Anderson]

The decreased accuracy I think is from having to complete an additional action before releasing the ball. Within that action my timing is harder to maintain, which timing is part of accuracy. When hand's starting position is rotated further away from my body, it has a longer distance to travel before releasing the ball which increases the revs but makes it harder to reproduce the same effect. I don't have a good idea why it decreases my speed, my guess is my arm has some friction from my muscles being flexed for keeping my hand pointed away from my body.

You've said that you get more revs and better axis rotation playing the inside of the ball, I would think that this would give you more hook. Since most alleys measure ball speed by how long it takes to get to the pins, and with more hook your ball is taking a longer path, it may be that your true speed is still about the same.

[GoodGorilla]

It gave me alot more hook, but when you play on a lane you don't know how the oil broke down it gets real tricky. Having increased revs will make the ball behave alot more chaotically when you can't figure out a lane condition. As for the speed, mabey the ball speed indicator where I play at only measures the speed from the starting point to the end point, when infact the ball having a steeper angle to the pocket is traveling from point a to b at a slower pace but is actually traveling faster because it is taking a longer path. My accuracy is not as good because I have to rotate my hand just to get it at the starting position for the release, which I am not perfectly confortable with yet. Playing the inside seems like an advanced technique.

[GoodGorilla]

Don 't click that advanced technique link. I don't know why it was made into a link. I didn't do it.

[Tampabaybob]

It gave me alot more hook, but when you play on a lane you don't know how the oil broke down it gets real tricky. Having increased revs will make the ball behave alot more chaotically when you can't figure out a lane condition. As for the speed, mabey the ball speed indicator where I play at only measures the speed from the starting point to the end point, when infact the ball having a steeper angle to the pocket is traveling from point a to b at a slower pace but is actually traveling faster because it is taking a longer path. My accuracy is not as good because I have to rotate my hand just to get it at the starting position for the release, which I am not perfectly confortable with yet. Playing the inside seems like an advanced technique.

If you're on lanes where the camera is a few feet in front of the masking unit, then the camera is picking up the sped at that point only. If it's registering 17 mph at that point then the ball coming off of your hand is probably 18 - 19 mph. Your ball loses speed as it goes down the lane and encounters friction.

Playing inside is advanced and you have to be more accurate than shooting say up5 - 10 board. When your hot and on target you'll get more carry, but if you're floating the ball out everywhere and not being consistent, then you're in for a tough night. I shoot against a lot of inside players that crank the ball and have probably twice the rotation I do, when they're hot they'll kill you and when they're not they're an easy target.

It sounds like you're making good progress on changing, so keep up the good work. However, always be prepared to vary the shot, change your hand position, or ball when necessary. Good luck.

Bob

[billf]

Bob, have you ever seen anyone consistently play the inside part of the ball straight up the 5 board? For kicks the 1-3 work well to cause jaws to drop in disbelief.

[GoodGorilla]

I shoot against a lot of inside players that crank the ball and have probably twice the rotation I do, when they're hot they'll kill you and when they're not they're an easy target.

Bob

That was my general experience with playing the inside. If I was able to do it consistantly, it was better. But problem is the lane has to be just right. I have a weird work schedule that prevents me from playing league, if I can play league I won't have to guess as much as to how the lane condition is. I normally play at random times of the day.

[GoodGorilla]

I bowled 4 games to day with purly stroker technique, getting over 800 points.

[GoodGorilla]

I just read in a book called Bowling Execution, for a stroker atleast, should never rotate ther thumb past the 12 o clok position for release. It says to Have your thumb start around 2 oclock and rotate to 12. I've been starting at 12 and ending at 10, the book claims I am losing power this way. How do you guys do your thumb position in the swing?

[Davec13]

I just grabbed my ball and It seems like my thumb is around the 4oclock position and end at around the 12 oclock position.

[J Anderson]

I just read in a book called Bowling Execution, for a stroker atleast, should never rotate ther thumb past the 12 o clok position for release. It says to Have your thumb start around 2 oclock and rotate to 12. I've been starting at 12 and ending at 10, the book claims I am losing power this way. How do you guys do your thumb position in the swing?

What I try to do is start with my hand in the position that I want to release the ball. As I drop the ball into the swing, I rotate my wrist to be parallel with my elbow and keep it there until the start of the release. I would guess that puts the thumb between 2 and 3 o'clock.