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Author Topic: spinner/helicopter  (Read 9618 times)

kahchan

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spinner/helicopter
« on: July 20, 2008, 05:32:26 AM »
hello
im new to this site and i was wondering if anyone here can give me some pointers on the spinner/ helicopter style. i recently started bowling and i became interested in this style when i came upon it online. i want to buy a ball but i dont know which one to get. also any tips on the approach, release or hwo to be better with this style will be appreciated.
thanks

 

Oldskool2

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Re: spinner/helicopter
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2008, 02:37:17 PM »
Hello,

I would think again when wanting to learn this style. You are asking about more info, so you can make your own choice after learning more.

With a spinner release you go over your ball all the way at the point of release. With a semi-roller your track is about 1-2 inches away from your fingerholes. With a true spinner or helicopter release its almost on the opposite site of your grip.

The style has a different approach to bowling. Normally a lighter ball is used, because the movement is easier to execute. you would play a straight line to the pocket. The ball glides to the end and never gets into a real roll. When it hits the pins you rely on the pin action. This is also different, because the pins get mixed a fall against each other( rumble). The ball deflects and rolls more against than through the pins, taking out the 1-3-6 and even the 10-pin.

I said I would think again, because of some reasons.
It's very hard on a lot of muscles and joints, because of the extreme turn you make at release. Problems with fingers, thumb, wrist and elbow are more of a risk.

In my opinion you will have less advantage of the "high tech" behind the newer balls. A lot of latest developments are about the roll of the ball and the continuation through the pins, also traction is very important. All these things come less into play with a spinner.

The advantage is, that you will be less influenced by lane conditions.

Most people with a spinner release go away from it and work on a semi-roller, or at least bring there track up. I did.

Hope you will have some use for this.

All the best,

Antoine


Edited on 7/20/2008 2:55 PM

Edited on 7/20/2008 2:58 PM

J_Mac

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Re: spinner/helicopter
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2008, 03:00:55 PM »
From what I've read 12 - 13# is the ideal ball weight for the true helicopter style of bowling.

Honestly though, unless you're bowling on tough conditions I'd take into consideration how walled up most shot are.  You'd be better off just adopting a more conventional style that wouldn't tear up your joints and tendons.
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kahchan

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Re: spinner/helicopter
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2008, 03:46:01 PM »
thanks for the replies guys
i have some more question
1) when holding the ball, should the whole palm be place on the ball?
2) if i do buy a ball for this, will i need finger inserts?
3) can someone link me to either pics or vids of the semi roller?

and oldskool, what you're suggesting is that i take the spinner style and change it a bit right?

sorry for the trouble, im quite new to this

thanks

Oldskool2

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Re: spinner/helicopter
« Reply #4 on: July 21, 2008, 04:17:00 AM »
I personally would not try to learn this style. I would stay behind and under the ball and not turn more then to the side of the it. You will have enough possibilities in release changes with this basic style and will bowl longer with less injuries.

There is no good or bad in bowling styles. Look at the two handed release bowlers. Not quite a style out of the book, but some of them are among the best in the world. When I look at the true helicopter release, all I think is "ouch". It is a style that is/was popular in asia, but I think most asian players use the semi-roller now.

If you search the net, you will find enough videos on all styles.

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Kennmelvin/kVideo.htm#Ball

I think a conventional grip is best for a helicopter release, so no finger inserts.

Asura

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Re: spinner/helicopter
« Reply #5 on: July 21, 2008, 10:22:23 AM »
quote:

When I look at the true helicopter release, all I think is "ouch". It is a style that is/was popular in asia, but I think most asian players use the semi-roller now.



Agreed! I believe that most asian bowlers now prefer semi roller than spinner. Just take a look at the world championships in Thailand around August this year. Which type of bowler will is more and succeed more? And, Yes spinner/helicopter is/was popular in some part of Asia due to the fact that the lanes are very harsh, broken (like 15+ years old), oiled only twice/three times (with poor cleaning, thus poor backend) a week with old conditioned oiling machine. Any bowling centers that have the above mentioned condition will surely 'éncouraged' more of spinner type of bowler than semi roller. But that was in the 90's. With the recent tech development on lane machine and newly developed bowling centers, more semi roller have surfaced than the spinners.

Oh yeah, Kachan, you need to take the layout of the ball into consideration also if you want to use this style. Personally, I'd encourage you to be the semi-roller due to the fact that it requires less wrist action (which later cause injuries).
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kahchan

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Re: spinner/helicopter
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2008, 01:53:19 PM »
ok i found a picture of the track for a semi roller. but i cant seem to find a video, can someone link me to a video of the semi roller in action?

thanks

Asura

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Re: spinner/helicopter
« Reply #7 on: July 25, 2008, 05:14:38 PM »
quote:
ok i found a picture of the track for a semi roller. but i cant seem to find a video, can someone link me to a video of the semi roller in action?

thanks


Semi roller in action: Watch how Norm Duke and Tommy Jones play
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFmqGJGhe9A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqOBntdPUCQ&feature=related

Learning videos:
http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=BowltechBowlingTips&p=r
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l5SEYiq5OQ&feature=related


Hope this helps

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dizzyfugu

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Re: spinner/helicopter
« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2008, 10:43:32 AM »
Check this: nice videos that tell a lot about the different releases and ball reactions that result from them.

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Kennmelvin/kVideo.htm
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