Alright guys, good news and bad news. First the good news... My team won our league. We took four points and the opposing team took three points and we took first place in our league. WE GOT PAID!!!

Now the bad news... In short, I pooped the bed.
I just don't get it. For those who saw my video, I was striking left and right. My ball tonight was either over hooking or underhooking. All my shots seemed off mark. I just don't get it. Why am I having so many problems staying consistent? To make matters worse, we were in the middle of a hurricane so I was dry until I got out of my car and walked into the alley. I have never seen lanes do what they did tonight and my shot was extremely inconsistent.

when the shot get like that, you either have to pull out a more consistant ball out or find another line that will give you a bit more room to play and also carry. But you have to be able to put the ball there everytime with enough speed/lift/revs to come back. Key to this game is being consistant, both mental and physical. Every day the shot will be different, every lane will be different. Just because you took video of one day and think you have to throw there every time, every day, that is the wrong idea.

The "hitting up" that was mentioned in the video thread will cause inconsistencies in reaction like you mention. Add that to the way the oil on the lane would react with high humidity and well you get the picture.

Of course anything that was mentioned that needed fixed in your video will take some time to get right, its not going to happen in one bowling outing.

Explain the "hitting up" thing that you mentioned.

from your video thread:





It's also kind of like what people used to call "lift". You do not want to lift the ball. You want to project it out, not up.

Does anyone know of a good coach in my area?

Howie,

Have a look at find a (coach) on the USBC website bowl.com

Howie,

I think jsigone hit the nail on the head and I am glad because he reminded me of an important fact that I always tend to forget. The lanes are going to be different every time and you have to adjust or use a different ball to deal with the different conditions you face. My tendency is to want to play hard and to the right and often I get stubborn and try to force it to work even when it is not working. The lanes can be very touchy and many a night I have been through the overhooking or underhooking you describe. A little too far out and it does not come back but a little too far out and it goes hooking to the head pin. It is then you have to move a few boards, try a different area of the lane, or adjust your ball speed a little. Last night it took me way too long (a game and a half) to move to the left and slow the ball down and then I was able to have success.

All of us at times struggle with consistency and finding the right line. The lane conditions some nights seem better suited for certain types of bowlers and that is just part of the game. I would not worry about it too much.

Thank you for the reference Jock. I appreciate it.

90% of the time this will work on picky shots to the pockets as long as it's not dry before the breakpoint otherwise it will come across early and smash the face. Its all about giving yourself room to get into the pocket but #1 is getting good carry or pin action.

Are these terms (hitting up and lift) being misused?

I'll quote from the Glossary above.
Lift -
Refers to the vertical component of a bowler's release.

Hit up on the ball -
1) The act at the release point of coming through the ball with a strong finger release.
2) a ball that is hit hard will tend to be very powerful.
3) used to describe a good release feeling.

I don't see anything wrong with either of these Glossary definitions. And, neither are negative. I think what is being confused is the conscious act of forcing the arm acceleration either through shoulder or arm muscle. This is the unnatural act, and should be avoided. Notice, the term Hit Up does not talk about the arm.

It is common for an instructor to stand past the foul line and hold a broom horizontally, about 3-4 feet off the floor. The training technique requires the bowler to reach for the broom after the release. This trains the bowler to NOT stop the arm when the ball is released, but to follow through and lift.

Double post, sorry.

Lift: There should be no vertical component in a properly, non hit up release.

Hitting up: That definition is antiquated, to say the least. Why would coming "through" the ball be called hitting "up"? I would saying coming "up" on the ball would be hitting up, and in fact, hitting denotes much more force than coming.

Lift does not refer to arm over your head. It is the proper follow through of the release from the floor, up and out. The lift is with the hand.

There are many definitions of Hitting up. Bowl . com simply refers to it as releasing the ball late on the upswing. I remember the explanation as stated in the Glossary. Though I have heard it used to explain the forced arm after/through release.

No, the proper follow through of the release is not up, just out. Yes, your hand will eventually come up - it is attached to your shoulder, which is up. But that should not happen while the fingers are still in the ball.

Oh, I see the difference??????



Duh. Never hit the ceiling yet.

I believe, if I compare the former methods and terminology to today, the term lift, as it was formerly used, now equates to the term you use as cupping, at the release.

Hitting Up used to mean the hand following through the ball at release with a movement from straight wrist to an inward curl of your hand, done at the time only the fingers are in the ball [cupping?]. Lift was the follow through to complete your armswing without leaving it short. This enabled you to complete the full finger rotation while they are still in the ball.

These terms were developed when people transitioned from conventional grip/full rollers to fingertip grip/3/4 releases.

I am sure you have heard of other terms from the time like handshake. This not only referred to the hand position at release for a full roller, but also to reach your hand out as if you were going to shake hands.

There also was a former instruction method that had the bowler come up with his hand so the thumb touched his nose after release. This way, the bowler did not leave his arm short at or after release.

Lift and Hitting up refer to ripping on the fingerholes. It used to be done, because you needed to to get hook, and you could get away with it. You can still get away with it on a house shot, most of the times. You can't on sport shots. The terms lift and hitting up, as used today, have nothing to do with wrist position, where your arm ends up in the follow through, etc. You do not lift the fingerholes in a proper, modern release. You use hand/finger/wrist position to change the way the ball rolls off your hand.

The modern release is to unhinge the wrist at the release point, not to cup as you are releasing the ball. Modern hitting up is the cupping as well as the "triggering" of the finger at release which often adds a small amount of loft to the ball.

this is so confusing!

http://www.kegeltrainingcenter.com/

This is the top training facility in the world, with Joe Slowinski, one of the best coaches in the world, and it's right in your back yard. Am I jealous...Yes.

it's only as confusing as you let it. Get your mecahnics down pat then focus alot on aim. Good aim comes with good mechanics.

I'm going to assume that I went to the same site that Dennis did because I found the same definition, word for word, for hitting up on the ball. It also says to see stroke. And the definition of stroke is: The act of releasing the ball in a fluid unforced motion (which is what you want to aim for howie). It then goes on to say unlike a cranker. Implying that a cranker forces some kind of power or force on the ball (aka muscling or activating muscles) upon release.

Essentially howie, Dennis and cgeorg were arguing over what to call the grabbing or muscling you do at your release. You simply need to keep your hand relaxed through the whole swing and let the ball come off your hand. You're probably grabbing the ball and it is coming off your hand a little late. If it falls off or feels like it'll fall off have span and finger pitches checked.

If you watch the pros, the guys that get away with hitting up on the ball, like Walter Ray and Michael Haugen, have lower rev rates than those that have mastered releases which do not involve hitting up on the ball. Steve Jaros used to hit up on the ball - look for the telecasts where his elbow ends up bent, with his hand by his ear. After he worked on removing that hit from his release (with Jowdy I believe), he started winning. Watch him now. His hand finishes out in front of him, there is no hit at the bottom, and he gets much more movement and a much better read than he ever did before. Compare something from the 90s to his showing at last year's Masters. Night and day.

cgeorg, I know what you are trying to say by our explanation of an action. But, the facts are, this Glossary, PBA . com, bowling discussion blog sites, and many others, define the term 'Hitting Up' in a very different manner. Instructional sites as Slowinski and Clifton talk about another term of cupping-uncupping. And, we have had a third term introduced here of hinged-unhinged.

All of the above specifically talk about the hand-wrist action, and only that, at the release. None of them refer to this action as bent elbows or hand to the ear. Or as I suggested, a forced arm movement through the release.

It seems that some people have misused the term Hitting Up in a negative way, and totally contrary from the definition regardless of the source.

There may be another definition yet to be found. I just haven't found it.

You are talking about the forced arm swing after release. And, that is understandable. Hitting up by definition, is something different.

If another definition exists, then there is a disagreement between sources.

Answer #2: http://www.bowl4fun.com/bob/articles/25.htm
2rd paragraph: http://www.bowl4fun.com/ron/tip28.htm
2nd Paragraph: http://www.bowl4fun.com/ron/tip29.htm

Those sources illustrate the definition I subscribe to.

If this is the case, then how does someone crank the ball. If everyone had the same release, everyone would be a stroker. Thats what I dont understand. Im trying to build power in my game and I know I need to refine my mechanics, but doesnt it take some muscle to crank a ball?

The short answer is yes. As the Glossary above explains, a strong finger release produces a powerful ball, and that is aided by a strong wrist.

Crankers obviously use more wrist and fingers than strokers.

We have told you several times how to add revolutions and power to your shot with proper technique. I am beginning to think you are a bot that can only post "how do I crank?". Here is a list of posts I have made to you answering this question; others have pitched in at various times as well:

http://www.bowlingcommunity.com/b/ubbthreads.php/topics/64476/Re_new_practice_video.html#Post64476
http://www.bowlingcommunity.com/b/ubbthreads.php/topics/64304/Re_How_to_crank.html#Post64304

A quick forum search also reveals:
http://www.bowlingcommunity.com/b/ubbthreads.php/topics/59863/How_does_one_get_revs_on_the_b.html

No, there seemed to be some contradictions, thats all. I have been working on my release and becoming more consistent. And I got a coach to help out with my mechanics. Actually you might be able to answer this for me.

I have gotten quotes for coaches and have one already. But if you have two silver medal coaches (I hope I used the right context) and one charges $65/hr + Lineage and the other is $25/hr but the more expensive one uses the MAP Video thingy, which one is the better value?

Bring yourown camera, and try the $25.

Ill refrain from asking any more questions about cranking a bowling ball.

If there are contradictions, post what you're having a hard time with, and we can help. So far, you have just repeated the same question, several times, not acknowledging any of the answers we are giving you. What more can we say?

Sorry. I think coaching will help a bunch, ya know?

The value of a coach can't always be thought of in terms of cost. It might take some trial and error to find the right coach. Not all silver level coaches are equal. As Dennis said you can try the $25 one first, see how things work out. If it isn't what you want give the other guy a chance.

Thank you very much for your help.

That's the same definition I've used. I've never heard of a different one until now. "Up" in "Hitting Up" made it self explanatory.