Getting both your hold and release techniques right in bowling will go a long way to achieving more strikes and also reducing the likelihood of injury.
We take a quick look at some simple hold and release techniques that anyone can have a go at.
Bowling Hold Technique
How you hold the ball, right from the start of the bowl, will affect the entire release action and eventual score. The first thing to remember is that it you need to engage both hands for much of the bowl – especially the start. It’s also worth considering bowling gloves for a better grip.
Choose a ball based on your hand span rather than your strength. If you are buying your own ball along with your bowling gloves from a store such as Petes Pro Shop, you can have the ball drilled especially to the right size. Pick up your ball with the non-dominant hand (the hand you won’t be inserting into the finger holes) around the bottom, and insert your two middle fingers into the hole and your thumb into the large hole. As you progress to the lane, raise the ball and hold it up between your hands before shifting the weight to the dominant hand as you start the full swing action.
Bowling Release Technique
The most important thing about improving your release technique is to stop thinking about it as a standalone movement and instead think about your swing more holistically. The release is a part of the overall swing, and seeing it in this way will automatically improve your bowl. The same tempo should be applied on both the back and forward swing to create this continuous movement.
As you enter that final sliding step, ensure your sliding knee is contracted enough to support the full weight of your entire body. As you do this, your bowling arm should be facing the floor with the ball at the lowest point of the swing. When you release, let your thumb come loose ever so slightly ahead of your fingers and let your hand continue the swing up.
These simple techniques will make a big difference to a beginner at ten-pin bowling. Also watch some videos from experts on YouTube to get a visual sense of how to hold and release the ball.