How to Hold a Bowling Ball
Bowling is a sport that has been enjoyed by people who are young and old. This game requires a lot of patience and practice to be good at the game. Bowling can be really competitive while remaining a really enjoyable game whether for recreational purposes or as a tournament. It isn’t necessary to mention that anyone who ventures into this game should learn the basics of the game first.
One of the first is how to hold a bowling ball. You should learn how the bowling ball is to be held and thrown. Not only is it necessary to be able to strike down your target, the bowling pins but also if you do not hold the ball correctly then its possible to injure yourself especially while releasing the ball. First off, the bowling ball should be picked up with both hands. Make sure you turn the ball and make sure that the holes are on top. You will have to pay attention to the holes. You will see that two holes are close to each other while the third hole will be at a slight distance from the other two. This is basically because the holes close to each other are for the ring finger and the middle finger while the third hole is for your thumb.
You need to hold the ball upwards in your seat of your palm. The ball should be rested against your abdomen. Then, place your fingers into the holes on the ball and almost as soon as you do that you will see that your index finger and the little finger are the only fingers that remain exposed from the ball. Hold the ball upright. While holding the ball, look straight at the lane and aim for your target – the bowling pins. You will then have to move toward the line. Once you reach the line, release the ball. However, before you release the ball, you need to swing your hand backward. In swinging your hand backward, you will be able to gain some momentum when the ball is released from your hand. Make sure that before you throw the ball keep the ball under your chin and swing all the way back until it is comfortable and then aim for the target. It is advised that if you are a first time bowler then you should practise just the swing a few times to loosen your muscles and get a feel of how far back to swing your hand and with what speed.
When you are a beginner in the game, this is step1 in getting the game right. When you have mastered the game, you can then worry about angle of the swing, the right momentum etc. Beginners should try to get the least weighing ball possible for themselves as a lot of muscle power is required for heavy balls. Also, you need to be really careful when you throw the ball as there are many possibilities of getting injured like we mentioned before. There is a specific technique of holding the ball for this reason and the best way is to employ the basic techniques. Practice will improve your swing of the ball and it will become perfect after you have learnt the lane conditions and the other characteristics of the game.
Remember, releasing the ball is the most crucial part of the game. The right speed and the right positioning of the ball will help you reach the target. Gripping the ball is also important as you need to grip your fingers around the ball according to the ball’s size. Only the grip will help you make a good release and strike the target properly. This game requires a lot of technique to play and ball handling is a very important factor in this game. When using a heavy ball make sure that your hand gives the ball support because if you do not get support the ball might slip out of your hand and could cause damage to either your hand or your foot. Remember the bowling ball has been known to cause quite some sore toes to bowlers.
There are various hands guards that are available in the market. These hand guards will help you grip your ten pin bowling ball well. When you are holding the ball you will also get support and you can have better control on the ball. Thumb guards are also available. Sometimes while holding the ball the thumb is the weakest finger of the three that you are using. Everything depends on your technique. The hooks that you make too will become perfect as will the back-ends. Some balls come with just two holes. This is simply because some players do not like using the ball with 3 holes. In such a ball, the middle and ring finger are fitted in while the thumb is exposed.
A lot of professionals prefer playing with the bowling balls with two holes as they find it an easier grip. Some get a better and stronger hook while playing. The same technique of holding the ball is employed except that the thumb is exposed. This will give the player a better grip on the ball. You will have to place the ball under your chin and then run towards the line as usual. Make sure you take the right number of steps towards the line as it will let you get a good judgement of the lane and also give you an idea on the lane condition. When releasing the ball, the ball should be a metre away from the ground or lesser. Do not let the ball bounce as this will disrupt the friction of the ball and will mostly result in a gutter ball. Bowling balls should be learnt to be held properly. Without knowing the dynamics of the ball well you will not be able to play the game right and enjoy it thoroughly.