Bowling Ball Release Discipline

Written By: bowlingball.com | Written On: Tuesday, October 8, 2024 | Updated On: Tuesday, October 22, 2024

When releasing a bowling ball, the technique and timing of your release are critical for accuracy, power, and consistency. Here are some of the most important things to remember when releasing a bowling ball:

1. Relaxed Grip
   - Your grip should be firm but not too tight. A relaxed grip allows for a smooth release without excessive strain on your wrist and fingers. Avoid squeezing the ball too hard, which can reduce control and hinder a clean release.
2. Proper Hand Position
   - Keep your hand behind the ball during the approach and delivery. As you release, rotate your hand slightly counterclockwise (for right-handed bowlers, clockwise for left-handers) to create a natural hook or spin.
   - Your thumb should come out of the ball first, followed by your fingers, which help impart the necessary lift and spin.
3. Thumb Release Timing
   - The thumb should exit the ball first, followed by your fingers. Releasing the thumb earlier gives the ball a clean path down the lane, while the fingers provide lift and rotation. Delayed thumb release can cause the ball to drop or lose direction.
4. Finger Lift
   - As your fingers leave the ball, they should give a gentle lift to generate roll and axis tilt. This lift, combined with the rotation of your wrist, helps create the hook that can lead to better pin action. Keep it controlled, not overly aggressive.
5. Wrist Position
   - Keep your wrist firm but flexible. A strong wrist position helps maintain control and adds power to your release. Avoid bending or breaking your wrist backward at the point of release, as it can cause a loss of control.
6. Follow-Through
   - Your follow-through is essential for accuracy and consistency. After releasing the ball, your arm should continue moving in a smooth upward motion, with your hand finishing high (around shoulder level). A solid follow-through keeps your ball on target and ensures a clean roll.
7. Body Balance
   - Maintain good balance throughout your approach and release. Your body should stay stable, with your head down and your shoulders aligned. If you lose balance, it can affect the release, leading to inconsistencies in your shot.
8. Release Timing
   - The release should occur just before the ball reaches your ankle during your slide step. This helps maximize the momentum of your approach and allows the ball to roll smoothly onto the lane.
9. Stay Loose
   - Tension in your body, especially in your arm and shoulder, can affect your release. Stay relaxed to ensure fluidity and better control over your shot.
10. Visual Focus
   - Focus on your target (whether it's the arrows on the lane or a particular pin) rather than the ball. Keeping your eyes on your target helps guide your release in the right direction.
By mastering these elements, you’ll achieve a more controlled, powerful, and consistent release, improving your bowling performance.
As an advanced and talented bowler, it is extremely important to make sure you develop a consistent release technique.
Bowling ball release discipline is an essential part of the game for gaining a good ball reaction and to being able to “read” the lanes and align to the pocket and convert spares effectively.
Now, everyone knows that release means “let go!” In our case, you are letting go of your grip on the bowling ball.
The questions are when and how?
Your release must be made as consistently and precisely as possible shot after shot.
If you develop a repeatable release technique, you control your bowling ball skid distance and overall ball reaction. By repeating a sound release technique, any slight adjustment needed can be easily made.
The moment you release your thumb from the ball must be as close to the same time relative top your fingers exiting the ball every shot so you gain this consistency of ball skid distance control which, in turn, produces a good overall ball reaction you seek.
The moment of release is a trigger movement. Your thumb exits the ball slightly before your fingers apply a rotational movement. The rotational movement of your fingers produces the rotation of axis and tilt your standard technique uses.
If your moment of release varies too much, that is to state that if your trigger movement varies too much, your finger rotational movement also varies. Additionally, the angle of entry your ball enters the lane surface varies as does the distance beyond the foul line your ball first contacts the lane surface varies.
The moment of release, therefore, is critical to producing a consistent ball skid distance and gaining a reliable ball reaction.
If you must spend time working on physical components of your game, work on your moment of release technique.
Feel the moment your hand exits your bowling ball and develop an awareness where your where your hand leaves the ball in relation to the bottom of your forward swing arc.
The length of your sliding bowling shoe is a great reference point to feel your release occur. This endeavor requires practice and awareness in developing the feel of when and how you let go of your ball.
A factor which can assist you in developing the feel you need to release your ball on time, every time, is ball speed control. By establishing a good swing tempo, your job of governing your ball speed at the moment the ball leaves your hand becomes a doable task. Coupled with the speed of your steps and of your swing movements, you can establish a basic ball speed every time you release your ball. This speed control notion is part of controlling your ball skid distance. Also, good speed control makes your task of releasing your ball effectively and on time very possible. Bowling ball release discipline is critical in building a winning game.

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