Expert: Russ King - 6/26/2007

Question
QUESTION: ive been bowling for about 3 years and when i first started i threw a straight ball and then a hook.  once i started throwing a hook i had perfect mechanics and threw the ball very well.  now about 2 years later i find my self cranking the ball alot after it passes my leg in my release,  so now i hardly have any ball control and no confidence at all and my wrist is hurting.  So now im trying to slow everything down and become more smooth but it isnt working, im just wondering if you can give me some kind of advice.  thank you

ANSWER:  Listen to what your body wants to do.What your body wants & what your telling it to do are 2 different things.A MIND IS A BAD THING WHEN ON THE APPROACH.If you have to force something & it doesn't take, you need to try something else.There are several factors.
1.As you bowl more, you get stronger.
2.Is the ball too light?
3.Lane conditions forcing style?
4.Tenperment.
5. Are you telling or listening to your body?
 You can force in practice only!!! Practice is where you learn & adapt.FVorce to learn & if it doesnt take,forget it & move on.
 CLEAR YOUR MIND WHEN IN PRACTICE. THROW BALL AFTER BALL WITHOUT MIND GAMES.FORGET THE SHOT & SCORES.JUST SEE WHAT YOUR BODY DOES.YOU CAN LEARN DIFFERENT STYLES! BUT YOU NEED TO DO IT GRADUALLY.FROM CRANKER TO TWEENER OR EVEN STROKER, YOU NEED TO REDUCE ALL STAGES OF THE APPROACH GRADUALLY AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE SAME % OF DECREASE ON EVERYTHING.
 EXAMPLE
 HIGH BACKSWING WITH SLOW FOOTWORK, ENDS UP IN AN OUT OF TIME APPROACH.
 YOU NEED TO REDUCE ALL BY 10% EACH SET OF 5 GAMES IN PRACTICE.THIS ALSO MEANS YOUR SPARE SHOTS.I HAVE GONE FROM MAD CRANKER TO HUMBLE STROKER & STILL CAN USE EACH WHEN NEEDED.
YOU ARE GETTING OUT OF CONTROL BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING THRU WHAT I CALL BOWLING PUBERTY.YOU ARE READY FOR A STEP UP.YOU JUST NEED A LITTLE HELP & PATIENCE.
 TRY HOLDING THE BALL LOWER IN YOUR STANCE,SNEEKING UP ON THE APPROACH A BIT,TAKING A FULL BREATH & LETTING IT OUT SLOWLY,SETTING YOUR SELF & JUST LET GRAVITY WORK.CRANKERS STAND KIND OF STRAIGHT UP FOR MAX POWER AT RELEASE WHERE STROKERS KINDA LEAN FOREWARD A BIT REDUCING POWER TO ACCURACY.REMEMBER,EVERYTHING GETS REDUCED THE SAME.

 TRY THIS & LET ME KNOW HOW IT WORKED & IF YOU NEED MORE TWEAKING.

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

QUESTION: well i have one problem tonight i bowl in a league so i want to try to do good, not just try new things, also i use a 16 lbs ball and i dont have a high back swing, but i want to thank you for all the advice i appreciate it very much.  But i also was reading on tendonitis and i think i might have it in my wrist.
ANSWER:  MOST LIKELY YOU HAVE HYPER EXTENDED YOUR TENDON.IF YOU LAY OFF OF BOWLING FOR A MONTH TO LET IT HEAL,YOU WILL BE BETTER.I HAD THIS A FEW TIMES.
 IF YOU DON'T TRY NEW THINGS , YOU WILL NOT GET ANY BETTER.EXPERIMENTING IS THE KEY TO GETTING BETTER.

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

QUESTION: what do you suggest me doing to become more smooth and not crank the ball?

Answer
Make very suttle changes with everything 10% at a time.This way you don't loose control & don't loose timing.
I suggest do these things in a practice session.
10%
lower in holding the ball in your stance
smaller steps
lean foreward
closer to foul line in stance
tighter line/less swing
slower speed

If you do 10% less each practice session, you will get to the point that you want to be in.
If you do 30% on one thing & 10% on everything else, you will create problems & throw the approach way off.This will create problems on your body & your body will try to corect other things creating bad habits.This is why I think your wrist is taking the full strain.It usually hurts either in the lower back or the wrist.
 When you get slower, the heavy crank turnes into a heavy roll.Less revs but hard hitting.
 As you slow down, you will be more able to lock your wrist into position without changing positions thru the release. If you lock your wrist into one position all the way thru the approach, you take your wrist out of the stress load & transfer it to your shoulder whitch can take a whole lot more stress.Also lock your elbow in the downswing thru release.Pendulum arm swing.