Left the wrist support off tonight, first time in 27 years......

[Hammer]

Decided to can the wrist support tonight on league night. As it turned out it worked out okay surprisingly. The reason why I think is that after all of these years my wrist built up muscle memory so when I swing back my wrist stays cupped. On the forward swing I don't muscle the ball so my wrist stays cupped until I hit the release area. At that time my thumb comes out and I uncup my wrist and give the ball a slight turn. What helps me these days is that I stay on the inside of the ball closer to the release area before I uncup and give the slight rotation of the ball.

I guess that after tonight my wrist support will be collecting dust. Not muscling the ball going back or forward keeps my wrist from breaking back. Now I can stay inside and under the equator of the ball with my fingertips to get more power in the shot and more revs and hooking power.

[MICHAEL]

Wrist support is worthless, keep going without it

I would not say worthless, ( it can be a great training devise for newbie's or bowlers with weak wrists!)

But assuming your healthy, I feel you can do a lot more movements on the ball without one!

Example my oldest Son, Just started bowing with us this year at 39 years old! He has never bowled league before, much less used a finger tip ball! I told him about the mongoose wrist support, and that its a great training devise as to keeping your wrist in the proper position.

Long story short, he used it about 3 weeks, and now doesn't need it! He throws a great ball! He has a great delivery! He shots 600 plus on any given week!

Being new to bowling, I am very impressed with his quick development! I do think the mongoose helped train his mind/body as to the proper release.

He now feels much more comfortable not wearing it, and is experimenting with a Varity of wrist hand positions!

I think in some cases a person might need a wrist support, and they do have a place!

[Ptnomore]

I'd love to be able to bowl without one, but can't due to some ligament damage. Feels like my hand is coming straight off the end of my arm if I throw without it.I tried several different supports to find one that would allow me to bowl without pain and swelling. Naturally the one that works is I think the most hideous looking thing out there. I frequently get called "RoboCop". I try to bowl without it from time to time hoping for that "time heals all wounds" cure, but it ain't happening. Expected results from surgery didn't seem like it was worth it yet, so that's another one on the wait list. By the time I'm done with all the surgeries I'm supposed to have done, I WILL be like RoboCop, or the Million Dollar Man. Getting old sucks.

[got_a_300]

I mainly started wearing a wrist support many years ago
not to help me hold my wrist in the right position but to
help me cut down on the amount of revs I put on the ball
back in the day.

Back in my younger heyday of bowling I'd put more revs on
the ball than what Belmo can get on his ball now days but I
have to wear one now days because of my old age and weak
wrists unfortunately it's not because of too many revs now.

[GeoLes]

I bowled without wrist support for a long time. Lately I have experienced wrist pain (probably carpel tunnel related from typing all day) during the first 4 frames or so. I tried a stiff wrist support at first but hated it. So I got one of those ace band type that hooks at the tumb and wraps around the wrist. Makes a world of a difference. My wrist is free to work as it usually does with extra support util it warms up.

[vdubtx]

I use one of these as I have some wrist pain, much like GeoLes describes. Would probably be OK after the first 5 or 6 throws down lane, but keeps the wrist warm my entire set to avoid any issues. If still getting pain, tighten it up and good to go.

LINK

[tr33frog]

I hate that I have to wear one. Felt a lot more accurate without it and could make some minor adjustments mid swing that I can't now. Too much ligament damage over the years.

[Hammer]

I have been bowling on this league for 27 years so the wrist support probably kept me from getting wrist ligament problems. Now that I don't use it I have no problems doing so because after all of those years I learned not to muscle the ball so I can keep my wrist cupped on the backswing and forward swing and I don't give the ball a death grip with my fingers or my thumb. Leaving my thumb relaxed in my swing is one of my big accomplishments in bowling. What I would do in practice is see how relaxed I could leave my thumb in my swing without having the ball fall of my hand. What I found is if you leave your wrist straight or cupped in your swing and you don't muscle the ball you can have a pretty light grip with your thumb in the ball. When your thumb can accomplish this it comes out fast at the release and you can really get some good revs on the ball.