Bowling is hurting the heck out of my wrist what do I do?

[GoodGorilla]

My best guess is your trying to create lift,when it should be a natural movement! The other possability is your ball is to heavy? From my own experiance when my fingers and forearm hurt,it's because i'm trying to create lift instead of letting the ball naturally come off my hand or i'm trying to muscle the ball which adds pain in bicep,shoulder & elbow. Try slowing everything down including armswing and try creating a nice fluid motion and see if that helps!

Zothen

In norm duke's dvd he says to accelerate the ball past your right leg. He also says not to accelerate upwards, but toward the lane. Another thing on norm's dvd is he says hitting the ball (using the wrist to cup after uncupping during release) on the bottom is what makes a person have a hard hand, and a person who releases the ball with a broken wrist has a soft hand. What does all of this have to do with cranking the ball at the bottom?

[GoodGorilla]

Today I practiced not hitting the ball at the bottom, and raising the backswing by heightening the ball's starting position. My goal was only to increase my speed on my strike release because it was only at 11mph. If I throw a ball strait, it goes 16.5 mph. By increasing the ball height, the ball speed picked up to 14.5 mph while using no hitting on the bottom. After bowling my wrist feels pretty good after 7 games, and the pin action looked better after increasing the speed. From the looks of the ball spin, not hitting the bottom reduces the revs without giving up to much angle. I'm going to try playing this way for a few weeks to see to make a better estimate on how good it is, but my wrist feels pretty good.

[TCJ]

I don't use tape but I just got a thumb slug put in my thumb hole and today I dropped the ball and then I had to put a lot of rosin on my tumb to hold on to the ball I do grip the ball hard alot I dunno how not to and neot drop it I am new the game and not very experienced but well semi new Been bowling a long time for fun non competitively but been bowling competitively for a couple of years now I would say about 5 years give or take a few. But anyway I might try some tape in my thumb hole I will buy some see how it does. thanks.

-Sara

If you've never used it before, have someone who knows about it show you how (and where) to put it in the thumb hole. And, yes, if you have to grip the ball to hang on, you've got a loose thumb hole and that will cause a lot more tension in your wrist.

[WolfGirl1980]

If you've never used it before, have someone who knows about it show you how (and where) to put it in the thumb hole. And, yes, if you have to grip the ball to hang on, you've got a loose thumb hole and that will cause a lot more tension in your wrist.

I got the thumb slug and had it insterted at the pro shop I do believe they drilled it too loose what do you suggest I do now that the has already been inserted the I drop the ball first time I tried to bowl with the slug inserted tonight was better I didn't drop the ball it didn't slip but by the end of the night my thumb was hurting but I have bowled three times this week and it still hurts right where my thumb nail ends and my skin begins. so maybe its tight enough I dunno penny for your thoughts?

-Sara

[TCJ]

You want the hole to feel snug, but your thumb to still slide in and out easily. It's very hard for me to tell you over a forum exactly what you need to do, so I can only go by myself. I like to tape up the thumbhole until I can basically relax my hand and let my arm hang straight down to my side without feeling like the ball is going to fall off. If you have to be tensed to hang onto the ball, then you've probably got it too loose. If the ball feels like it sticks or "hangs up" on you as you release, then it would be too tight and you should pull a piece of tape out. As for pain on your thumb around the nail, the ball is probably catching right there on your release. I'm not sure that would be a tape problem but more how you're getting your hand out of it.

Note that you probably WILL have to get used to pulling/adding tape on a nightly basis because your thumb will shrink and swell depending on temperature, humidity, and just from bowling (some people have a thumb that shrinks as they bowl, and some have it expand). It's rare that a person won't have to tinker with the tape at least at the beginning of the night.

Could you ask this of your pro shop guy? He could actually see how your thumb moves in and out of the ball so could probably give you more precise information.

[WolfGirl1980]

You want the hole to feel snug, but your thumb to still slide in and out easily. It's very hard for me to tell you over a forum exactly what you need to do, so I can only go by myself. I like to tape up the thumbhole until I can basically relax my hand and let my arm hang straight down to my side without feeling like the ball is going to fall off. If you have to be tensed to hang onto the ball, then you've probably got it too loose. If the ball feels like it sticks or "hangs up" on you as you release, then it would be too tight and you should pull a piece of tape out. As for pain on your thumb around the nail, the ball is probably catching right there on your release. I'm not sure that would be a tape problem but more how you're getting your hand out of it.

Note that you probably WILL have to get used to pulling/adding tape on a nightly basis because your thumb will shrink and swell depending on temperature, humidity, and just from bowling (some people have a thumb that shrinks as they bowl, and some have it expand). It's rare that a person won't have to tinker with the tape at least at the beginning of the night.

Could you ask this of your pro shop guy? He could actually see how your thumb moves in and out of the ball so could probably give you more precise information.

Yea I will do that I went to a different pro shop guy to get the slug the first time he drilled it felt right he said it was snug but felt right to me didn't feel too tight or too loose the guy I usually go to just got back in town today off vacation I will call him tomorrow I got his number at the pro shop and ask him the same question I should be getting lessons this week from either my cousin on him cause he is a x pro bowler and my cousin is a usbc certified coach the guy on my team is taking lessons from her my mom's nephews wife her husband is secretary of the league I am on so not sure who to get the lessons from yet lessons at my bowling alley are cheaper then the ones chuck the guy I usually go to gives chuck is the x pro bowler chuck farish I think he was even an olympic bowler not sure but I think thay what his dad said. I bowled with his dad on a league once I change houses cause the other place was closer to me.

-Sara

[WolfGirl1980]

My dad said I should put some tape in my thumb hole or some cork. think I try tape first I think I will try some tape like you suggested. Thanks for the help.

[Zothen]

@Wolfgirl1980-Due the thumb test! Put your thumb in ball and and try to lift ball with thumb. If your thumb comes out,then put thumb tape in ball til you can lift ball with your thumb. Then go to lanes and throw ball without squeezing.

Zothen

[WolfGirl1980]

@Wolfgirl1980-Due the thumb test! Put your thumb in ball and and try to lift ball with thumb. If your thumb comes out,then put thumb tape in ball til you can lift ball with your thumb. Then go to lanes and throw ball without squeezing.

Zothen

Thanks Zothan I will do just that my dad should have some tape in his bowling bag I will ask him before I go buying some cause he not bowling right now he probably won't need any till fall cause if we don't have the Michael thats on my team at which is the same guy who gets pissed hits things if he don't get a strike and and then brags and shows off when he does but if he not going to be on our team this fall then my dad is reason he was this past fall is cause my dad had knee surgery dad had bob on bone no cartilage he had to have a knee replacement so don't know how well he gonna bowl but hope he back to normal if he don't bowl with us he be a sub for us dad will I mean anyway I can borrow his tape thats the point.

-Sara