Need hook help :(

[Tampabaybob]

Ball I tried the hold thumb at 12 and turn fingers with mini swings at home and it looks good! I knew the thumb at 12 o clock thing but if I focused on that then I wouldn't really focus on fingers. I tried a bunch of releases focusing on keeping thumb at 12 and turning fingers toward my thumb and the ball was coming out with decent revs at 45 degrees! I'll have to try it this weekend and see if it works on a full swing.

rab, where is your thumb ending up "after you release the ball" ? If you're starting with your the at 12:00, I hope your thumb is coming out "before" you turn the ball with your wrist and fingers. Otherwise you're going to come over the top of the ball and you don't want that to happen. If you are going over the top with your thumb try starting the thumb at 1:00 or even 2:00. Just try to have your thumb come out early enough so it will stay pretty much straight up at the ceiling after you release.

Bob

[rab91787]

I have no idea... like I said, I know when I tried before and focused on one thing the other part would go wrong. If I focused on thumb straight I'd get good revs but no tilt so it didn't matter. If I focused on fingers my thumb would go over the top. I was planning on practicing today but I'm coming down with a cold so decided to wait until tomorrow or the weekend. If I can't get it doing ball's method then I'll have to record it to see what I'm doing wrong.

[Ball99999]

I Love to see it when The Light Bulb turns on !! Congrats on getting it figured out, now get out there and make it work for you.

Bob

Yeah feels good to finally get it but frustrating to know I could have gotten it long ago.

I started bowling seriously a year ago or so. And I went online to see how to hook and they said twist your hand at the bottom of a swing... so I'd practice on the Wii bowling doing it.. turns out I was doing it right lol. But when I got a real bowling ball I ended up doing kind of the same thing but it was more of a chicken wing spinning thing. Not bad, I do recall some strong hook but the two coaches (Teachers of two consecutive bowling classes) told me under no uncertain terms 1) you don't ever twist your wrist and 2) you are supposed to lift with your fingers and that they should be sore after a night of bowling from so much lifting. It blocked me from even realizing I had it right to begin with.

[rab91787]

Ok I finally got my buddy to go to the Sunday special with me so I had someone to record. I helped him change his form because he was really bending at the elbow to get under the ball and get a big hook but was injuring himself a lot, so I helped him figure out a more stroker-tweener release. It's sad that I can help him change his form but can't get my ball to hook with thumb Here I am (excuse the MC Hammer pants, they are old and apparently don't fit anymore). The strike ball from side view looks good to me I have no idea why it only hooks slightly.



Make sure you set it to 720p or else it's hard to see. I recorded using my iPhone.

[billf]

I saved it, converted and analyzed using Storm's know your game software. Your arm at about 6" behind your back, your hand is on top of the ball from there through the release. You're well under the ball in the back swing. That's the biggest thing I see stealing your hook. Your slide knee doesn't stay bent long enough either meaning you're coming up on the shot. If you can keep your hand under the ball and stay down on the shot it will hook.

[rab91787]

Oooo that sounds like a neat program. I have no idea how to keep hand under ball. I have tried maintaining a cupped wrist with thumb in but can't do it right with a full swing for some reason. I can do it with mini swings at home, but once I take an actual full swing I can't do it. I'll have to experiment some more, I guess. I did have two 190's and two low 200's bowling thumbless today, though, so I should atleast post some good scores this week

[Tampabaybob]

rab...good video. The i-phone's not too bad, it's clear enough. Yes, clear enough for me to see you're not bending your knee at the foul line, not staying down at the line, and kicking your "BALANCE" leg up in the air instead of keeping it low or better yet on the floor ! Ok, just watched it again (6x), and your balance is completely off at the foul line. You should be able to to stay on your left leg balanced (until the ball drops off of the pin deck).

Knee bend should be about 47 degrees at the line (and don't ask how the hell to measure that !) and your torso should be leaning out over the slide leg with your right leg EXTENDED to the floor and your left. Your arm swing and ball should be swinging in a straight line, under your chin.

Just had exactly the same thing with one of my junior bowlers on Saturday. Leg up in the air, and off balance at the line. Wish I lived near you, because it's really a quick fix. Maybe a little uncomfortable at first, but it's where you will get the most and strongest leverage to throw the ball. It will also get the ball closer to your leg (not a big problem from the video) and get the ball released lower to the floor. By not bending, you're essentially rearing up at the line.

I always kid around with the kids, that I'll go out to my car, and get my "bowling 2 x 4 " to help them get my point. They laugh and think it's funny,,,,,one of these day's I think I'll paint one up and bring it with me. LOL

Keep at it, send us another video, and lets see what you can do.

Bob

[AngeloPD]

Rab, you can try doing this release. When i tried it, it worked for the first time but i noticed i was releasing the ball a bit late.

[billf]

[I have no idea how to keep hand under ball. I have tried maintaining a cupped wrist with thumb in but can't do it right with a full swing for some reason. I can do it with mini swings at home, but once I take an actual full swing I can't do it. I'll have to experiment some more, I guess.[/QUOTE]

So you're saying you bowl thumbless which requires the bowler to keep the hand under the ball yet can't do it with thumb in? And you can do it with mini swings but not a full swing yet it's the forward swing where you TURN TOO EARLY and end up on top of the ball. Okay, enough of the irony. We all know there is no way you bowl thumbless with your hand on top of the ball. The thumb is just for balance, not to grip with. Being on top of the ball that soon you have to be gripping it. Keep the feel and motion as close to thumbless as you can only letting the thumb keep the ball of your forearm.

[rab91787]

I can easily keep my hand under the ball thumbless because I can't take a full back swing. I don't hold the ball with my other hand like Belmo and two-handers do. I take a partial backswing with my hand under the ball. I can't replicate that with thumb in... well I guess I could if I took a mini swing but I'd like to be able to do a full swing with thumb and stay under the ball.