Want to try 2-handed bowling. What to do with none-bowling hand?

[henromon]

Hi everyone.

A little bit of backstory: so I am pretty new to bowling and have started my bowling journey a few months ago. I got my first ball which is a 14lb Rhino and I got it drilled fingertip-style. I am currently a right-handed, single-handed, thumb-in bowler. I have managed to work a lot on my 4-step timing and my swing. My timing seems to be good and my swing is straight.

The only issue that I have left is that my thumb-fit is not cooperating with me. I have been pulling very nasty blisters left and right. I have been to my PSO multiple times to get my span and thumb hole checked. At first my span was too long. Now it is the perfect span. After that my thumb hole was too big, and I have a flat thumb, so I asked my PSO to drill me an oval and snugger hole, but still enough room too experiment with tape. Once that was sorted out and I went back to bowling again, I continued having very bad blisters (not calluses) on my thumb. I could go back to change my pitches, but I am getting a little bit tired of this thumb-fiasco. I want to practise more and more, but my thumb won't allow me, even with tape. I want to mention tohugh that I am not gripping the ball with my thumb. The thumbhole is snug enough for me to do a very relaxed throw, and the ball does not snag on my thumb at the release. It comes off effortlessly.

So I have been thinking about moving over to a 2-handed approach. Although this means that I need to start from scratch again, I absolutely do not mind to do so.

Now there is one thing that I am a little confused about in terms of doing the swing in a 2-handed approach, and I cannot find any answer on the internet or on any video that discusses 2-handed bowling:

I am well aware that your bowling arm, which is my right-hand in this case, is supposed to stay relaxed all the way through, because muscling can cause inconsistencies. But what about the none-bowling arm, which is my left arm? Am I supposed to keep that arm relaxed too, so that my arms act as some sort of slingshot that is ONLY supposed to be affected by gravity, or and I supposed to apply some pressure with my none-bowling/left arm/hand to keep the ball steady?

[kajmk]

Welcome to the forum henromon.
Consider posting your question under The Pro Shop area.

What follows is from the perspective of a layman, I am not knowledgeable insofar as measuring hands, assessing flexibility, proper pitches, spans etc.
Creating an optimum grip is part science, part art.
Ideally, the PSO can see you bowl to see if any thing you are doing or not doing is a red flag.

Some variables: The fit, how much your thumb changes, how sweaty or moist your thumb gets (keep it dry),
how many games you bowl before blisters arise, how long between shots.

As you know, blisters re caused by friction. I don't know exactly what the dialogue between you and the pro shop operator consisted of.
It would be a red flag to me if he or she did not make it a point to eliminate your blistering problem.
Did the PSO discuss thumb protective tape, use of skin patch and new skin before blisters arise, possible use of a tiny bit of Chapstick on the problem area.

Ask some high average league bowlers what pro shop they use, what coaches they would recommend.

We used to have a pro-shop operator who for lack of a better phrase, was narrow minded.
In bowling, a one size fits all philosopy is not good.

For switching to thumbless bowling , one or two handed, try posting in the coaching forum.

Good luck.

Good luck.

[kajmk]

On the two handed style

[kajmk]

Additionally, this with Wesley Low and Mark Baker

[JimH]

As you have an oval thumb and the thumb hole is drilled for an oval thumb I suggest you use skin patch as KAJMK suggested. A small amount on each side of the thumb before you start bowling. Make it part of your warm up ritual and don't let anyone persuade you that it is the wrong thing to do. It will not adversly affect your grip but it should prevent blisters from forming.

[TomaHawk]

As a traditionalist and long time pro shop owner, it wasn't so long ago, I would have argued until I was blue about (not) switching to a two-hand approach. Well, times have definitely changed. Because of certain types of thumb attributes, I'll even go so far as to recommend the use of two hands.

Throwing a ball with two hands is obviously different than with one hand. But, some of the principles are still the same. It's still about timing, a somewhat relaxed approach / release mechanism, and good body position. Those are combined elements, one is not more important than the other.

From my experience, when trying out the two hand approach for the first time, people apply way too much effort when trying to throw the ball. That is a huge mistake. The best two hand bowler I've ever met makes it look totally effortless, like a walk in the park. Think about it, you should at least half the weight in both hands. It doesn't get much easier than that. Better yet, put most of the weight in your non throwing hand.

From your very first step, through the approach, and at the point of release, let gravity do most of the work. That is extremely important, it is how a bowler develops consistency.

It's impossible for anyone to say, hold the ball this way, or that way in your stance. Everyone has their own comfort zone. Some people like to hold the ball high, some like to hold it real low, and others are in between. It takes a little experimentation on the bowler's behalf.

Of everything bowling, the single, most important factor in bowling, when you get to the foul line, do not force the ball.

Let...it...go....

It's going to take more than a minute, be patient, you'll get there. Have fun!

[henromon]

Additionally, this with Wesley Low and Mark Baker

I want to thank everyone for responding. And thank you for the videos

I have had a few sessions with my PSO to look at the my thumb hole and a few other things. We changed the hole again and I experimented with the fingerhole tape to make it snugger when necessary. Although there were some improvements and I used much less/barely gripping pressure at all, the ball continued to cause a few blisters.

I got fed up and decided to move over 2-handed.

I have given it my first shot not long ago and I admit I enjoy it much more than 1-handed! I really need to work on my form yet, but so far it has been a good experience.

There is however 1 thing that I need to get right yet... And I think it has to do with my elbow. Let me give some context:

So when I was still bowling 1-handed, i had this issue where I would like for 80% of the time throw the ball to my left instead of straight. I want to let you know that this is NOT caused by hooking. I am actually training my "straight throwing" skills before I move on to hooking. I would throw the ball sometimes straight, which is my intended result, but most of the time it goes diagonally to the left either hitting the 2nd, 4th or 7th pin while I was not aiming for them.

I made multiple videos of myself and had people check my form. Both my swing and wrist at the bottom were straight and my shoulders were square, so it was very confusing why it happened.

This same ordeal happened with 2-handed: i recorded myself throwing the ball. My swing was straight and my hand was always perfectly behind the ball, but yet again I would throw sometimes straight and most of the time diagonally to the left towards the 2nd, 4th or 7th pin.

Today, I found a few videos about "keeping your elbow inside". They put the emphasize on that the back-side/pointy side of your elbow needs to stay as closed to your body as possible. Basically the back/bone side of the elbow is "aimed" at your hip, and the inside/crease of the elbow is pointing slightly to the outside (to the right for me, cause I am a right hander).

Although I have my arm close to my body through the swing without chicken winging amd WITHOUT turning my elbow, i do not put extra emphasize on pointing my elbow inwards, but I do keep it straight. So it is basically the back of my elbow points straight back and the inside of my elbow straight forward, instead of to my hip and outward as the videos mentioned

I did a few free-swings with no ball infront of the mirror, and I noticed when I do a free-swing of my arm like I always do (with no emphasize on the elbow, but still decently close to the body), that although my swing is straight and my wrist is straight too, my arm moves ever so slightly angled to my left around the release-part of the swing. This is something I have never seen or spotted mainly because that part of the swing goes by so darn fast. So I decided to tuck-in my wrist to my body and did a free swings like that and noticed my arm keeps much straighter, basically because the elbow does not allow me to make my arm go to the left.

So could it possibly be that me throwing to my left has been an elbow issue all along? Do I need to work on actively keeping my elbow pointed inwards for a consistent release?

[kajmk]

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[kajmk]

Sent text to admin ...

[kajmk]

Henromon, thanks for the update.
More from a bowling layman erstwhile student of the game.
Hopefully an active experienced coach will offer some help.
Are you familiar with The story of the 6 blind men and the elephant?

Here is one version.



https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_m ... n_elephant


If you submit some videos it could take some of the guesswork out of the mystery.
http://wiki.bowlingchat.net/wiki/index. ... e_Coaching

[kajmk]

Still getting server error. Submitting post in parts to determine error source.

[kajmk]

Submitting piecemeal taking offending links out
Addendum, keep head over ball, see wiki reference under coaching - two handed style forum post has pictures posted by Jim Merrell

Keep eyes on target line and focal point, see wiki reference under coaching, title Teen masters skill experience videolook at video 7 at about 2:48

[kajmk]

Contains targeting method with focal point in video 7

Teen Masters Skill Experience video
http://wiki.bowlingchat.net/wiki/index. ... ence_video

[kajmk]

Jim Merrell- Keep Your Head Over the Ball
Keeping the head over the ball during the entire approach
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1052

[TomaHawk]

[url]

Bowling is an unusual sport in that there are many tremendous participants the world will never hear of. Not everyone has the desire nor the wherewithal to go on tour and "make" a name for themselves.

I had the unique opportunity to work with this young man. In every sense, truly one of the best bowlers you will ever see and he does it so, so effortlessly.