I've noticed a trend and I'd like some clarification

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fufu
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I've noticed a trend and I'd like some clarification

Post by fufu »

Some of our junior bowlers went to the Storm Youth Championships last year. A couple of them came back with new fits. All of the ones fitted down there came back with 3/4" reverse pitch in their fingers. More recently, I had another junior bowler get fitted at a Silver level camp again with 3/4'' reverse in the fingers.

In theory, I believe they are fitting this way to reduce the desire to "hit" the ball. That said, I've rarely used that pitch on anyone.

What is driving this trend? What is their reasoning behind fitting someone, particularly young flexible people with that pitch?

I generally follow the fitting guide in the wiki and have for a number of years. I'm having a hard time understanding what would drive these pitches.

Here is an example of the changes suggested for the youth that came from the silver camp. He was fitted by another proshop operator.

Current fit:
4 15/16, 1/4L, 1/8 rev
5 1/16, 5/16R, 1/8 rev
Thumb pitch was 3/8 rev

Suggested fit from the camp:
4 3/16 both, laterals left blank, 3/4" rev in middle, 1/2" rev in ring
Thumb pitch: 3/16 fwd, laterals left blank

I did not fit the kid, but I did map the 4 3/16 to his hand and felt it was considerably too short. His current span is way too long, his crease doesn't even hit the gripping edge of the hole. Just guessing, I'd fit him at 4 1/2 to 4 9/16.

I understand differences of opinion and fitting techniques but it seems the trend is too short(which is better than too long), but this seems a considerable amount short.

Thoughts?
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Re: I've noticed a trend and I'd like some clarification

Post by TheJesus »

fufu wrote:Some of our junior bowlers went to the Storm Youth Championships last year. A couple of them came back with new fits. All of the ones fitted down there came back with 3/4" reverse pitch in their fingers. More recently, I had another junior bowler get fitted at a Silver level camp again with 3/4'' reverse in the fingers.

In theory, I believe they are fitting this way to reduce the desire to "hit" the ball. That said, I've rarely used that pitch on anyone.

I think that to reduce "hitting up" on the ball, the finger pitches must go forward, not reverse. When they are reverse, the fingers have more resistance and can push the ball more. When they are forward, you take away the surface on which to push, so they can't lift as much.

I could be wrong, i am not a driller, it's what i have been told.
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georgeh
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Re: I've noticed a trend and I'd like some clarification

Post by georgeh »

TheJesus wrote:
I think that to reduce "hitting up" on the ball, the finger pitches must go forward, not reverse. When they are reverse, the fingers have more resistance and can push the ball more. When they are forward, you take away the surface on which to push, so they can't lift as much.

I could be wrong, i am not a driller, it's what i have been told.
Are you sure your theory is correct, since forward pitch is angled toward the palm. Reverse pitch would allow smoother exit with a result of more roll.
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Re: I've noticed a trend and I'd like some clarification

Post by TheJesus »

georgeh wrote:Are you sure your theory is correct, since forward pitch is angled toward the palm. Reverse pitch would allow smoother exit with a result of more roll.
It sounded weird to me too. But it is certainly not my theory. In one of the USBC videos, they mention that when the fingers are with forward pitch, you can't effortlessly lift the ball, so you do it by yourself. And it was ok when the balls didn't hook much. But now that they do, it is sufficient to just have more contact with the fingers for more time, without lifting much. And to do that you need reverse pitch on the fingers so they will have some surface to be in contact with for more time. If the inserts are forward pitched, then the finger loses touch with them, and has to squeeze but in the end , they say you fail to lift and you only "burn" your fingers. The video is called "Bowling Grip and Gripping pressure", but i think it is a premium (pay to view) not one of the free ones.

They also say it in this free USBC video , check after the 8th minute if you are in a hurry.

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Re: I've noticed a trend and I'd like some clarification

Post by TonyPR »

It has a lot to do with the type of release, as the kids’ releases these days are being with the fingers more under the ball, the “rubber” wrists going from cupped to uncupped and the fingers traveling more through the ball than around it, generally speaking a more relaxed span with more forward (less reverse) in the thumb and more reverse in the fingers will work better and feel way more comfortable than the opposite. Forward in the fingers will work for someone who is more on the North hemisphere of the ball at release, if that makes sense. With todays balls a more consistent motion is achieved by rolling them and letting them do their work than by trying to hit up on them. Like a fellow coach once said “the pins are in front of you at the end of the lane, not on the ceiling”...
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