</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Originally posted by young gun:
I was told that i wouldn't get much better unless I put my thumb in the ball. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">hi there

i hate to contradict everything that every1 has sed but there are bowlers that have had a very good career in bowling using this style.

personally i say that bowling is a unique sport in the fact that there is no 2 bowlers the same.

i agree with u aj10pin, and i feel much more comfortable with no thumb than with the thumb.

The easy way to look at it is this, look at the PBA. Look at the styles that have been the most successful. Who has the most titles: Crankers, Tweeners, Strokers or No Thumbers?

Sure you can bowl anyway you want. You will hit a ceiling more than likely bowling with no thumb. You can hop to the line on one leg, close your eyes and fling the ball down the lane if you want to. If you want to bowl for fun then do it anyway you please. If you want to enter competitions and cash then you will need to learn how to bowl. Whether its with a thumb or not, the basics are still the same. You still need balance, accuracy and clean repeatable release.

I have seen a couple of no thumbers that actually bowl very well. There aren't many, but I've seen a couple. Bowling with no thumb is hard on the wrist and might create back problems at some point. There are healthier ways to bowl. It's also very hard to pick up the ten pin without killing the revs on the ball. Bowling on a house shot is kind of easy. Bowling on harder shots require accuracy. accuracy is on the difficult side without a thumb in the ball. It can be done, it's just more difficult.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">ok, i will practice that but the reason why I'm trying to be a cranker is that when i bowl i have a high backswing, and my ball only goes between 12-13mph. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">Then you are surely muscling and controlling the swing too much. Because if you had a free swing and a high backswing, unless you are around 5' tall, you should be generating more speed then that. A big issues with crankers is to have that planting stop at the finish. No slide (which is then prone to knee problems) but still perfect balance. If you fall off the shot at all (you can also pretend you're running it out) ending up on your bowling side leg, then you do not have balance. When that happens, you lose leverage and power. No matter what styles the pros have, they have balance at the line. A good practise technique to see if you have balance is to hold that position until after the ball goes off the end of the pin deck. If you cannot, then you need to work on balance and finish position.

But it is easy when you are under 20 to say it feels right and comfortable to bowl with "no thumb" or "crank" the ball. But you'll only be bowling that way for a short while until injuries start to set in. We have an exceptional no thumber in our association. He averages over 230 in and on various house shots and tournament shots. But he's an exception. Plus at around 25 to 27 years of age, he's extremely prone to injury. "Glass hand" I call it. While he's healthy his bowling is incredible. But he, at a young age, is injured and suseptible to injury every time he throws a ball.

What Smooth was trying to get you to see is that even on the tour, the crankers are in the younger set of participants. That's because they don't last phsyically unless they make some changes. Also watch carefully for the body style that helps the crankers be who they are. If you are shorter,stouter and big boned, then its easier to be sucessfull as a cranker. However, if you are long limbed, lean and tall, you will end up hurting yourself.

Erin

well im kind of lean and tall, 6'1 and 165lbs. I was thinking about being a stroker when i go to tournaments and being a thumbless bowler on house shots. what do you yhink?

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">I was thinking about being a stroker when i go to tournaments and being a thumbless bowler on house shots. what do you yhink? </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">I think that's stupid and will only make you easier to beat.

Honestly. Its OK to be looking for a style. But get the aid of a good coach. If you have learned the fundamentals (as you've said) then I'm sure some of these issues have come up between you and your coach before. At your height and body bulk, I think you will not last as a cranker. At your height, you probably have long arms and legs. That's a real boon for this sport. The longer "wing span" you have the more speed and leverage you can gain almost effortlessly. Just get those legs compressed by lowering your hips at the line and stick your finish position. Let your long arms swing the ball effortlessly.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">It's just that im so used to seeing my ball's reaction with no thumb.I want to see that now with a thumb in the ball.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="VERDANA,ARIAL,HELVETICA,TAHOMA">This is not going to happen. But it does tell me that you are pulling your eyes off your target prematurely to watch your hook. This is a bad habit to get into. You need to practise with no score and possibly no pins (real shadow practise) so that you can set in your muscle memory a more fluid easy going approach and release without the pressure of score or impressing your peers.

You need to concentrate on the three Ds. Determination, Dedication and Discipline. Not easy when you're a kid but if you want it badly enough you are in a perfect time to start.

Erin

Erin
It's been a long time since we have ******d. I now
think I am becoming a stroker. Mrs. Smith gave me
two tips to use and they are working.
1. slow steps
2. hit target

Last two weeks 609 and last sunday 563. The games are staying in the 183 to 209 range. I make most
of my spares and get smashing strikes. The reason for the smashing strikes is the Roto-Grip mercury. I love that ball
Hope to have more good news in the coming weeks
bowling joel

I'm a converted 2 finger bowler. I did it due to my wrist popping during the delivery, by the 3rd game my wrist was so weak that my shot was all over the place. I go 6ft 235lbs, maybe low 200s at the time even with plenty of gym time the wrist quit on me using a 16lb ball. I never had a coach so I learned on my own initially but using my thumb was the way to go.

There was an adjustment period but I learned how to bowl instead of just throw a hook. Eventually I learned how to rev just as well as I did 2 finger. My average was 180s-low 190s and before long I was over 200 every year in every league. I found repeating shots was easier, I let the ball do the work and even with a pre-existing back injury I could bowl through a 3 game set with no pain(in my wrist at least).

Find a style that suits you, I wouldn't alternate between thumb and no thumb that sounds like trouble.

well sed silent mike lol

that is the best thing about bowling there is no 'right' and no 'wrong' way to bowl.

for me i am a cranker but the way i get my revs and massive hook is from keeping my ARM inside the ball and trying to stay low on the shots. this then make the ball go long then when it hooks it turns and gives me gr8 pin action (not always carry lol) the amount of ringgin 10 omg lol. saying that i get alot of h/p messagers lol

hope this helps

AJ

I have to politely disagee with Erin and Silent Mike's statements that alternating between thumb and no thumb is stupid or inviting trouble. When I crank the ball, I have a much different hand position that when I play straighter or throw at my spares. When I crank, I use a lot of hand and wrist. When I stroke the ball, I use mostly fingers. This ability to alternate between such drastic shots has saved me from disaster on the number of occasions. (Start out with a 170, come back with a 250--that sort of thing.) On heavy oil, I usually crank the ball. On dry lanes, I usually play straighter and stroke it. I call myself a cranker because that is the shot I typically use, but I suppose in truth I am both. (I absolutely have to use both on the horrid lanes where I bowl, especially this year.)Also, a lot of thumbless bowlers insert their thumbs to shoot spares, and so they do alternate to some degree. However, I would say that both styles would have to be practiced equally. Just stroking the ball in tournaments (with no other practice) would probably indeed be foolish. I am just guessing for the most part, since I always use my thumb. But how can bowlers who don't ever bowl thumbless say it would be stupid to alternate between the two? It might just provide a winning edge and might be worth a try.

rolling Pin