Ball to heavy?

[DLP]

I"ve read quite a few "Is my ball to heavy" threads and columns, and yes all of them make sense. I currently use a 14 lb Cyclone. I have two other balls that I don't throw, as my TZone needs the thumb hole adjusted, and the Path just sits pretty in the ball return.

I'm trying to figure out whats changed, as I've been throwing the Cyclone now for three weeks, 6-9 games a week easy. Up until last night, I was OK (or at least thought I was) with the weight and how it felt.

Today, I feel like I've been run over by a bus. My legs and right arm are screaming.

Anyone have this happen that just one day, all of a sudden the ball feels to heavy?

[classygranny]

When this happens to me, I can almost contribute it to my form. I'm usually leaning over at the waist too much, leaning to the side, not bending my knee.

Sometimes I think we are just more tired than we think and then we expend all the energy to bowl and it is like overworking in the yard or at the gym, your muscles are fatigued.

You should be able to tell if you really feel your form is suffering from the weight - I wouldn't change it just yet if I were you. If you start to drop the ball, or drop the shoulder really bad consistently, then have someone work with you to determine if they feel the ball is too heavy. My sister, who doesn't bowl herself, but goes to one of my leagues with me every week, can tell who is throwing a ball that is too light and too heavy - just from listening to a few of my coaching sessions and observing.

Try a video of yourself and make your own assessment.

[Gunz1911]

I have been wondering this for myself too. I currently use a 15 pounder with a wrist brace (Brunswick Powerkoil). Normally I get no or very mild pain in my hand while using the brace. If I try to take the brace off however my hand feels so out of place on the ball. It also hurts to throw after 1-2 balls. Normally right on the back of the hand where your index, middle and pointer finger's tendons meet up. I would really like to be able to throw with a brace but not sure if i just need to build up my hand muscles first or suck it up and go to 14 pounds. Besides the powerkoil, does anyone else have a good brace they would recommend that isnt too bulky?

[JDHamm85]

I agree with classygranny. It is probably a form issue. I was bending over too much a couple weeks ago, and hurt the top of my back pretty bad (to where I couldn't lift anything over my head). Had to use a heating pads for a week, along with pain medicine. It still hurts when I twerk it from time to time, but I straightened up and bent my knees more to fix it. Now it feels somewhat normal most of the time.

[billf]

I have been wondering this for myself too. I currently use a 15 pounder with a wrist brace (Brunswick Powerkoil). Normally I get no or very mild pain in my hand while using the brace. If I try to take the brace off however my hand feels so out of place on the ball. It also hurts to throw after 1-2 balls. Normally right on the back of the hand where your index, middle and pointer finger's tendons meet up. I would really like to be able to throw with a brace but not sure if i just need to build up my hand muscles first or suck it up and go to 14 pounds. Besides the powerkoil, does anyone else have a good brace they would recommend that isnt too bulky?

A brace can and usually does, change the actual span of your hand. As little as 1/16" in span can lead to pain. Do to me bowling through wrist injuries I have balls drilled with different spans to accomodate this.

[Tampabaybob]

GUNZ.....Several years ago, on the advice of a pro shop friend, I also shortened my span. Have your pro shop guy look at it for his opinion.

DLP...... I'm in agreement with Granny. You were probably doing "something" a bit different the other night and that's what caused the pains. I have had nights during the past season, where I'd comp home from bowling, and about an hour later, felt like I got hit by a truck. Some of the nights, were decent scoring nights and some, I'd rather forget. Started really thinking about it and changed a couple of things midway though the season. What was it? Being more relaxed on the approach and stopping myself from any exertion at all. Had to work on it for a few weeks but once I figured out how to do it relaxed, no more pain. Just this past week, I shot 3 games twice, once with my wife and once by myself and shot very well. Totally relaxed, totally comfortable on the approach and at the line, not trying to force the swing or the ball, and it all comes together. ( by the way shot 759 and 717 for those 6 games) So my advice, go throw a few games, try to totally relax everything. Even if you end up throwing the ball a little slower than normal, that's ok, because you can adjust to that. Try taking a breath and holding it for a couple of second, 'before' taking that first step on the approach. Hope this will help, let me know. Good Luck.

[DLP]

Thank you, Bob!!! That is exactly what I found myself doing tonight. Got around to the third game and started that "dang is my ball to heavy" dialogue in my head. Instead of trying to figure out if its my release, my approach, the wrong socks, did I tie my shoes to tight, etc... I just took a deep breath and become very deliberate, slower, and more relaxed with my bowling.... instantly ended up with two strikes and a spare back to back in a game where until that point I was lucky to drop 7 pins in a frame and threw back to back gutters in the frame prior to the my strikes.

Now if I can just maintain that attention to the detail of being relaxed through out a 3 game series, I'd love to see what I'm capable of doing!

[Tampabaybob]

DLP.... I'm glad to see that you did that. Unfortunately human nature takes over sometimes and we start to beat ourselves up, instead of saying, "OK stupid, let's think about this and go back to basics." Relaxing, and just stopping the thinking process when your up on the approach "usually" will help most people. The time to think, and pull out the bag of tricks to try something different is NOT when your on the approach. Once you get up there you should already have told your self to relax and do this that or something else. Then just too it. To many voices in the head makes for a miserable day at the lanes. Glad you worked it out !

[DLP]

Changed my approach today after working on the 5-step drill on the recommendations of Joe Slowinski over at http://bowlingknowledge.info
Since I'm new at this whole bowling thing, it couldn't hurt

After feeling it out the first game, and starting off really well in the 2nd, I can tell I was suffering from wrist fatigue as I found it very difficult to get behind the ball and was instead releasing from the top of the ball.

New brace comes in tomorrow, working with coach on Wed...

Maybe I need to put my crochet hooks down for awhile and work on wrist strengthening while I'm on the phone at work :P

[Tampabaybob]

Changed my approach today after working on the 5-step drill on the recommendations of Joe Slowinski over at http://bowlingknowledge.info
Since I'm new at this whole bowling thing, it couldn't hurt

After feeling it out the first game, and starting off really well in the 2nd, I can tell I was suffering from wrist fatigue as I found it very difficult to get behind the ball and was instead releasing from the top of the ball.

New brace comes in tomorrow, working with coach on Wed...

Maybe I need to put my crochet hooks down for awhile and work on wrist strengthening while I'm on the phone at work :P

personally I think a five step is easier once you get the feel of it. I changed years ago, and now when I'm showing the kids (brand new bowlers) I almost trip over my feet trying to demonstrate the 4 step approach. I think you'll get it fairly quickly though, just take your time and have patience. Have your coach take a look and make sure you're doing it correctly also. Good luck...stay in touch.