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Author Topic: Balance Arm Hand Positioning  (Read 1470 times)

Dakota

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Balance Arm Hand Positioning
« on: July 06, 2020, 10:24:15 AM »
Just finished reading an article about performance adjustments using the left hand, right hand bowler.  3 Adjustments – 1. Place the left hand on the ball with fingers facing the pins. 2 Place left hand on the side of the ball. 3. Place left hand around the front of the ball in a cradling feeling.  The idea is that each of these alternatives will provide a different release considering speed and rotation.   Have any of you used these alternatives in a competitive environment.  Thankyou –Denny

 

bergman

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Re: Balance Arm Hand Positioning
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2020, 04:22:09 PM »
Yes, I have used those different positions. If you need to throw with a slower speed, place the balance arm hand in front of the ball, with the palm facing back towards you. This will limit over-extending the pushaway.

For moderate speed, place the balance arm hand on the side of the ball, with your palm facing the right wall (for righthanders).

For higher ball speed, place the balance arm hand towards the back of the ball, so that both hands form a "v". This position allows for a full, complete pushaway.

Each position is going to give you a different feel. This technique works best for bowlers who utilized a free (gravity-fed) swing. Bowling coach Bill Hall taught me this technique a long time ago. It still works for me.

Good luck!

Impending Doom

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Re: Balance Arm Hand Positioning
« Reply #2 on: July 06, 2020, 05:10:01 PM »
You know, the non bowling arm is not really thought of in the game, but one of the things I've been working on (not successfully, but still working on it) is keeping the thumb of my non bowling arm pointed down towards the approach. It allows for several things that are essential in the modern game.

1. Quieter bowling shoulder. Less movement at the bottom of the swing means easier to repeat shots. Barnes is great at this. At the bottom of the push away, the back of his hand is facing the pins. It's hard to have too much lateral spine tilt or excessive amount of shoulder opening and closing when you have your non bowling hand in this position. My only problem is trying to make it fluid. I either forget to do it or try to do it too early. Gotta come up with some foul line drills.

2. Because your shoulder isn't going all over the place, you can get better leverage and get your head over the swing. That will allow for a bigger flat spot at the bottom of the swing, so you have more time to make last second changes.

Dakota

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Re: Balance Arm Hand Positioning
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2020, 11:33:15 AM »
Hi Fellow Bowlers -  The article that I was referring to is: Feel is Real, by Bill Hall, Bowling This Month, June 1999.   As a result of the Stay at Home rules I have been reading my old library of hard copy Bowling This Month magazines.  I have quite a large inventory of these older magazines.  Nice reading!  Great memories! Stay safe!  Denny

Dakota

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Re: Balance Arm Hand Positioning
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2020, 11:42:48 AM »
Bill Hall's guidance for the 3 hand positions - (1) Left Hand with fingers pointing to the pins - Permits the maximum extension of the left arm.  (2) Left hand on the side of the ball - Shortens the push away by several inches. (3) Left hand in front of ball, the 2 hands form the cradle concept - Restricts the push away to the shortest length.  These are speed control adjustments.  The positioning of the left hand sends a signal to the brain that we will be slowing the approach.  Fine tuning for scoring.  A technique!  Looking forward to the start of bowling to be able to experiment with some of these new techniques.  Strikes and spares - Denny / Be safe!