Expert: Chip Aki - 1/15/2008

Question
i used to through a hook with no thumb and i am teaching my self now to use my thumb and i cant get it to hook the way i want my parents bought me a ebonite maxim for christmas then i bought a black widow pearl and i can get it to hook a little but i need more hook to get my old adverage how do i get it to hhok more on then back end i know the lanes i bowl are synthetic and are heavy greased

Answer
Hook is a product of the release.  It is much easier to create that motion when not using the thumb, but it takes much longer to learn to control it.
The first thing you want to do is to learn to roll the ball off of your hand and not concentrate on lift as much.  Once you master that, you can then learn to rotate your hand counter clockwise during the release.(if you are right handed).  From there to creat more hook potential, you need to be able to get your fingers under the ball more.

Good luck,
Chip