Just posting a tiny update on my bowling progress. So I've been trying to loosen my grip on the ball, sprouse up my release and achieve a free swing.

1) I have been able to get part of a free swing down. The ball is relatively free unitl I grab it which is pretty close to the tip of my backswing. And I know grabbing hte ball is bad, but at least I know now when I start grabbing the ball. So I'm working on that. I've also been messing around with taping my thumbhole and I'm getting pretty close(I think) to finding a comfortable fit.

2) I haven't been able to pull enough money together to get my balls redrilled to a correct span. And as a result, I have been having troubles with my game. Currently I've pretty much decided to throw my Scout Reactive for a majority of my league matches because it is the best fitting and has the most comfortable span. And I'll also try to have pictures of my spans up sometime soon as well.

3) My timing and balance have been a little haywire lately. Mostly, because I switched from a slow moving 5-step to a somewhat quicker 4-step. I really haven't had many problems. Sticking on the approach a little, and stepping off every now and again. The thing that has me a little concerned is that sometimes I'll have an ending position similar to I guess a standard finish. Balance arm out, low knee bend, and the trail leg behind and on the ground. While other times I end up finishing what I can only imagine in my mind's eye as something similar to WRW Jr.'s finishing position. I mean I don't try to do it, but it just kind of happens. It's like a disappearing act. I'll be doing it on a couple of pitches and then all of sudden not and then it'll show up again. I do like the way the ball travels and comes off my hand, but when I try to engage that particular type of ending position I can't seem to get it right, and things go horribly wrong and completely different from what I expected.

4) My release is getting a little better. I've been experimenting with how much to cup my wrist and axis tilt (i believe) to see if I can get a much better reaction. I've had a little bit of success, but I can't seem to get it right consistantly. I think I'm keeping my wrist cupped too long and not letting it unhinge naturally. ALso the ball seems to be skidding down the lane, and just spinning sidways, with almost no break. What's the cause of this?

5) Recently, I found out that I like throwing my 15 pound ball much better or at least it comes easier in terms of what I'm trying to do. It is definately much easier on my wrist, and don't think it is quite strong enough to handle 16 pound balls. So I think I might drop in ball weight, regardless of all the quips I keep getting about throwing 15 pound balls, but I don't really have the money to buy all new balls.

6) This is probably the part that will get the most response. Lately, my swing arm has been in a lot of discomfort in part or another. Some of them are good some of them are bad. The bad one's I know what I'm doing. The two big one's right now are the pain in my elbow brought on by the application of my deathgrip because I think I'm going to drop the ball and the other is in the top part of my forearm brought on by (I believe) me cutting off my backswing and muscling the rest of my swing. Another one that has been bugging me was the pain in my wrist, and I think that is from me tensing my wrist to keep my 16 pound balls cupped. I hav had some good pains though (I think). In my fingers and the under part of my forearm. I believe that is from actually letting the ball roll of my hand (possibly the freest swing I've had since I've been trying).

I believe that is everything. I'll try to have a video up. And if anyone suggests a coach I know I should get one, but I can't get a coach for the same reason I can't my balls re-drilled, No Dough. And as always, your comments and suggestions are much apprecisted.

The Demo-Man

glad to see your still hard at it. thats a good thing.

Are you sticking at the line or is your heel grabbing. When I went to a five step approach for a while my timimg was a lil off and I found myself dragging my heel on my slide. A friend/coach caught it and straightened me. I thought I was sticking because of the approach or my shoe was damp. After you stick you become very apprehensive about sliding.

No Ron I'm just sticking at the line. A little brushing and a tiny bit of powder and some brishing again and I'm good to go. And I'm going back to a four step.

Thanks Fury for the encouragment. It is tough. Right now I feel like I have a lot of different pieces, but I'm missing the keystone piece that I need to build my free swing around, (a good fit) in my opinion.

The Demo-Man

yeah, i find that a bad fit sometimes affects my swing, but everything i am using right now is correct to my hand (except my NV)

my coach said that his fit has changed over a 1/2 inch in just under 10 months. he says that it a lot better now. he got fitted by Pro Shop's owner. me said that he didn't think it would have changed that fast. so may be it is demo. just glad to see that your deteremend to keep with the free swing. its a good thing once it all falls into place.i know you've been working on it for at least 2 months. just keep at it and it will come.:D

Yeah I plan to keep it with it and I want to get the fit on my balls changed. Once that happens I believe I will see drastic improvments (although I will have to break the habit of grabbing, after all bowling is a muscle memory sport). Also I'm fiddling with taping my thumbhole. Unfortunately, I think I'm like Norm Duke, and I need a particular feel to be comfortable. And I haven't been able to find it yet.

Another thing that I'm also considering is just getting my Cell and Widow plugged and selling them because I think I'd be better off with 15 pound equipment. My wrist can't seem to handle 16 pound equipment even with a brace, but then again I might be doing it wrong).

it will be a world of difference when your ball fits correct. Stars will align, fire works will go off and BAM it just works. The single best thing I've done to my game is make ALL of my bowling balls the exact same.

The Pro Shop up here in San Marcos is AWESOME, and cheap. Plug and redrill a ball with power tips was $40, drill new ball with power tip $40. And on top of that you get 20% back of your purchase on this card he give you. So you get $8 and change on the card for every redrill, Do 4 balls, and get the 5th free.

And it might be cheaper just putting a thumb slug in there and drill the new span that way. and the core isn't getting drilled out that much. Maybe half that price.

Yeah I'm close with my Scout. I think if I find the right way to tape my thumbhole and get Vacu-grip put in it, I'll be fine using that ball. As for the other two, I'm still debating if I want to fix them or sell them.

I'd fix them, you don't really gain much by selling them if you don't have new stuff coming in to replace it. The Cell is a strong ball, so save it for the oil. The widow you can play around with the surface to get it right for your style. I'm sure you have at least 175 bucks in each of those balls unless you got them used. No point selling $350 in gear for maybe getting $100 back. I'd throw $40-60 bucks at those to make them fit right.