The Bowling Hand

                      Happy Valentines Day! Have fun and wear something red if you are bowling today/tonight!

    The state of the Hand holding the bowling ball is extremely important. The bowling hand should be kept dry, but not too dry and i't's best to keep a Rosin bag and a regular or micro fiber towel in your bowling bag so you can wipe moisture away (Check out my Blog Post from 4/26/21 on Equipment needed for Bowling). Too much sweat or wetness on your bowling hand can cause you to lose your grip and you may drop the ball or have a poor release. There is also a little air blower at each pair of lanes near the ball return that can help keep the hand dry. I like to hold my hand a few inches away just before I'm getting ready to bowl. 

Here are a few tips and suggestions that will help keep your hand in good condition:

1. CALLOUSES and BLISTERS--
            Excessive bowling, a tightly fitted bowling ball, an improper ball release over a period of time, and just the natural swelling of the fingers can cause unwanted blisters which can turn into callouses.

    
SOLUTIONS--
         Use a product called "Nu-Skin" or "Defense Skin Protector" which I spoke a little about in my Blog
    Post from 4/26/21 on Equipment. You can purchase it online or right at the pro shop in your bowling center.
    If the shop is closed, you can borrow it from a fellow bowler if you should get a blister while your in the middle
    of bowling.Some centers have vending machines and you can get a package there. 
    You can just apply a small amount of the liquid onto the blister (it will sting a little) place one of the small patches in
    the box on top of that, and again just apply a small amount of the liquid over that. Allow it to dry a few minutes
    by blowing on it or holding your hand over the air blower. It will act like a new piece of skin so you will be able to
    bowl with minimal pain. When you are done bowling, just run water over it and it should peel off.
          Callouses can be softened by soaking the area in warm water or by just filing them down a little. You can use
     sand paper or a nail file to do this. I bought a small sanding block that I like to use.
​         You can also do some of the hand and finger exercises I mentioned in my Blog Post from 5/17/21, especially if
    you have a tournament coming up and may have to bowl more than the normal 3 games (do this several
    weeks before the big day). These exercises will help you prevent any hand strain.
   
         If the ball is too tight for your fingers, you can call the pro shop and have him widen the hole a bit more before
    your next league night. It's better to have a slightly larger thumb hole so you can use the tape I mentioned and
    get a perfect fit for your thumb each time. Remember, it's important to have all the fingers feel right in the ball to assist
    with a good ball release.

2. FINGER NAILS--
        Keep your nails clipped short! I know some of you gals out there love to have long nails, but if you want to be
    a serious and more competitive bowler, you'll need to keep them clipped otherwise you will NOT be able to grip the
    ball or release it properly and therefore you will not be able to get much action at the pins!


3. FINGER SWELLING--  
        This happens to everyone from time to time from blood pressure, changes in weather, and water retention in
    the body and is usually temporary. 


SOLUTIONS--
        You can take some aspirin or Advil which are both good for inflammation in the body. Check with your doctor first if 
    you have never taken them. You can also soak your hand in some icy water for about 5-10 minutes or as long as
    you can stand it. I have taken a tissue or handkerchief and wrapped my swollen finger in it, then inserted it slowly into  
    the bowling ball hole. I repeated it a few times and it would then fit into the hole.
        DO NOT go to the pro shop and have him widen the holes for you. Hopefully the swelling is just a temporary
    condition. If you find you are retaining water and your fingers are swelling often, then you will probably need to have 
    the hole/s widened more, just not too much. You shouldn't have to use more than a few pieces of the hole tape to get 
    the right fit.


Don't forget to do your exercises and especially the hand/finger ones too!

Please join me next week when I'll be discussing "What is Pre-Bowling"?

​Good Luck and High Scoring!!