Question about wrist braces

[JCM]

I've been considering buying a Robby's Revs III to practice with. I feel that maybe building that muscle memory of a cupped wrist with the hand on the inside of the ball may allow me to play around with my release and eventually become a little more versatile. I would take it off for league as I kind of feel like it's cheating. Thoughts?

[Aslan]

Iceman! A wrist brace question!!

I've heard of people using wrist supports and braces and positioners to try and get "muscle memory". Not sure if it's worked well or not.

I used to wear one...but I never really liked the feel of it...and I like the ability to move my wrist position around as need be. Sometimes...at the bottom of my swing...almost subconsciously....you make a slight "adjustment" to compensate for something. Maybe your body knows it's gonna miss of loft or you're not under the ball enough...and you can, again, almost subconsciously, 'help' the ball. I've heard similar things from a couple different PBA bowlers...that they like to have the ability to adjust their release...even if ever so slightly...to try and make some very minor adjustment.

[RobLV1]

A wrist brace is counter-productive to a modern release! Back in the old days of "throwing" the ball, the wrist had to stay firm. Today, where an effective release "rolls" the ball using an unloading and reloading motion, it is important that the wrist be able to break... something that can't be done with a wrist brace.

[J Anderson]

I've been considering buying a Robby's Revs III to practice with. I feel that maybe building that muscle memory of a cupped wrist with the hand on the inside of the ball may allow me to play around with my release and eventually become a little more versatile. I would take it off for league as I kind of feel like it's cheating. Thoughts?

First, it's not cheating to use one in competition. Some people may need one to prevent injury, although my own opinion is that if your ball is the correct weight and fitted properly to your hand you shouldn't need one.

If a brace is locking your wrist in position, what are your muscles learning to remember?
It may give you a feel for when the wrist is in the right position but it's not doing any thing else from a training point of view.

And as Rob has said, the modern release requires the wrist to go from cupped to uncupped, something you can't do with a brace.

[bowl1820]

I would take it off for league as I kind of feel like it's cheating. Thoughts?

When it comes to using a wrist support/brace and there are many different types, Each with their own pros & cons. There's been a long standing dispute about the use of them, between those that use or advocate their use and the purist's that don't.

Back when I started bowling there were many, that like you thought of it as cheating. Today the dispute is based more on technical aspects on how they my help or hinder the players release.

The main thing to understand about using one (at least ones that lock you into a set position) is there's usually a trade off. Using it to get help in one area of your release, you might lose something in another.

Yes the purist's are right in that, not using a wrist brace does allow for the widest range of options in regards to your release.

But using one doesn't make you less of a bowler either, If it allows you to score better and be more consistent then why not use it. You just got to remember the limitations it could impose and don't be overly dependent on it, remember taking it off (when needed) is a adjustment option in of itself.

Also have your ball fitted (or at least have your grip checked) while wearing it, a lot of the gloves will alter your spans slightly depending on type.

The Robby's Revs III besides having the ability to make lateral adjustments (hand cock) and forward/backwards adjustments (cupped/uncupped), has the extended finger. When used properly the extended finger braces will really let you feel when your hand is in a strong position, the weight of the ball will settle on your index finger and the pad below it.

One thing to remember though is when using it, you can top the ball easily if you let the brace "control" you. Keep your hand in that strong feeling position, don't let the glove pull your hand around over the top during your swing.

I've tried many supports/braces over the years, the main one I've used was the Moro Pro Release (extended). It's similar to the Robby's except that it backs up all the fingers not just the index.

If your rev challenged these braces can give you a few more rev's up to a point, but after that though you have to be able to cup/uncup your wrist to get even more. They can increase your speed slightly also.

For several months now I've moved away from it though, working on my release. I've gone to the Mongoose Clean Shot, This is the support for the minimalist. It allows virtually full freedom of movement.

It uses foam & plastic backing inserts which offer several configurations of length and firmness. But even at the most firm you could easily do the "Modern release". I like the lightness of it and the feedback the back pieces offer against the back of your hand.

[classygranny]

For several months now I've moved away from it though, working on my release. I've gone to the Mongoose Clean Shot, This is the support for the minimalist. It allows virtually full freedom of movement.

It uses foam & plastic backing inserts which offer several configurations of length and firmness. But even at the most firm you could easily do the "Modern release". I like the lightness of it and the feedback the back pieces offer against the back of your hand.

I've recently started using the Mongoose Clean Shot. About the only thing it restricts is breaking your wrist backwards, which is what I was developing a bad habit of. I like the minimalist feeling and there is nothing around your thumb or palm that effects the span or grip.

I don't necessarily think it's cheating, but I guess I'm one that thinks I should be able to bowl without one, so it makes me feel "inadequate" with myself. Just a personal expectation of myself that is too high at times.

[RobLV1]

Granny: There is a fallacy in your thinking which is that breaking your wrist backward is a bad habit. It's not! Go on YouTube and take a look at Diana Zavralova when she won the Queen's this year. Notice that at the end of her push away, her wrist breaks and remains broken until after her thumb exits the ball as it reloads. That's a modern release... it's not a bad habit!

[bowl1820]

I've recently started using the Mongoose Clean Shot. About the only thing it restricts is breaking your wrist backwards, which is what I was developing a bad habit of. I like the minimalist feeling and there is nothing around your thumb or palm that effects the span or grip.

Now for me I could easily break my wrist backwards wearing it and I have all the inserts installed and use them in the long configuration.

The worst thing about it is, It's over priced at $30. If it was like $19.99 at most I'd be okay with that (I got mine as a gift).

[bowl1820]

Granny: There is a fallacy in your thinking which is that breaking your wrist backward is a bad habit. It's not! Go on YouTube and take a look at Diana Zavralova when she won the Queen's this year. Notice that at the end of her push away, her wrist breaks and remains broken until after her thumb exits the ball as it reloads. That's a modern release... it's not a bad habit!

While it might not be a bad habit in regard to the "Modern release", I believe the problem comes from the fact that a lot can't do the "reload" part (say a older bowler). The wrist stays broken back which makes them release in very weak position.

At least with a firm type wrist brace/support their hand will be in a stronger position compared to one where the wrist stays broken back.

[RobLV1]

While it might not be a bad habit in regard to the "Modern release", I believe the problem comes from the fact that a lot can't do the "reload" part (say a older bowler). The wrist stays broken back which makes them release in very weak position.

At least with a firm type wrist brace/support their hand will be in a stronger position compared to one where the wrist stays broken back.

In combination with a timing change (from traditional late timing to modern neutral timing) I have not found this to be the case. This year, with Nationals having been bowled in Vegas, I have had the opportunity to work with bowlers from all over the country, many of them seniors. I have yet to find a case where a bowler cannot develop a modern release because of a weak wrist. Once the timing is corrected and the idea of rolling the ball rather than throwing the ball is understood, the transition is surprisingly easy... and painless.