Expert: Chip Aki - 3/12/2009

Question
QUESTION: I have been bowling for about 11 years now, and, i have been trying to work at curving the ball.  Now, i have been throwing a curve for about 5 years, and well, i have been sitting as a stroker.  I would like to be a cranker, and i have a Morich LevRG drilled for a high track, but i cant seem to get the right amount of revs and the right axis rotation.  How can i change to a cranker?

ANSWER: If you want to learn to be a cranker, spend some time watching tapes of the PBA.  Watch Barnes, Jones, Smith, and Oneill.  You will notice that all of those bowlers get their hand under the ball and use a small amount of counter clockwise rotation of their hand through the release.  
Learn to roll the ball off of your hand.  After that, you can work on accelerating your hand through the release.  Do not over lift.

Good luck,
Chip

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ok, so, is there any way to learn how to accelerate the hand when i am not at the bowling alley?  More or less, i am trying to find a home exercise.

Answer
You can toss a football underhand into a chair.  If you throw an underhand spiral with a level flight path, you are on your way.  You can also use a large nerf ball and make sure you dont toss it upwards, but in a straight and level line.

Good luck,
Chip

Learning to use a yo-yo is a good excercise too.