Know Your Bowling Release Range

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 7/2/2013; Updated: 4/20/2023

Let’s begin with stating that keeping things simple when it comes to making a good release of your bowling ball in competition can work in your favor.
In order to keep things simple, don’t try to be a bowling “Jack of all Trades.” When it comes to releasing your ball, know your own ranges in release techniques and trust the ones you can depend on when under pressure.
If you're trying to determine how many releases you should build into your game, the answer can be as simple as one wrist position and one amount of bowling finger rotation.
If you begin with a flat wrist position which allows you to exit your thumb from your bowling ball slightly before your bowling fingers, you can “tweak” your wrist position slightly either tilted forward or tilted back.
Tilt your wrist no more than one half of an inch forward or back from the flat positioning. Rely on your natural delivery motion to get you through competitive situations. Don’t attempt to cup your wrist as far as your range of motion allows. Also, avoid trying to tilt your hand back at the wrist as far as possible.
Build your game from a flat wrist position and modify the degree of forward or back tilt just enough to change the skid length of your bowling ball as it travels on the first half of the lane.
Each of these three wrist positions can be varied with the degree of finger rotation you opt to use in controlling the amount of desired axis tilt.
By rotating your bowling fingers only one inch of rotation with each wrist position, you will produce a forward rolling motion on your bowling ball with low axis tilt, but with slightly varied skid length.
If you are strongly committed to getting a greater amount of axis tilt, you can increase your finger rotation to perhaps two inches of rotation. With the increased finger rotation, you still retain the ability to deliver your ball using one of the three wrist tilted positions you have developed.

Using this simple system of modifying your wrist tilt and your finger rotation slightly can present as many as six different delivery options.
When under pressure in competition, it is usually best to rely on your strengths and not gamble too much on exaggerated delivery techniques which you seldom practice.
Keep your release techniques simple and streamlined and work at them until you are extremely confident any option you choose in competition will hold up and help you achieve the results you seek.
If you have any questions regarding these wrist positions and release techniques, then we recommend consulting an experienced bowling instructor to help you dial in your ranges of release and use them to your advantage.