" What is Lift In Bowling and Turn"?

   ​ Anyone can throw a bowling ball down the lane, but those who know how to apply LIFT and TURN simultaneously and properly, will be the ones with the highest scores and averages! The two work together to create PIN ACTION!

**LIFT:
      
​    Lift is an UPWARD PRESSURE that is applied to the ball by pulling the two middle fingers toward the palm just at the moment of the ball release. In order to do this properly, you need to lift the fingers just as the thumb is coming out of the ball, not after the thumb has left the ball, when it would be too late. You shouldn’t break the wrist too much (when it’s slightly bent down) or you won’t be able to apply the proper lift. Lifting needs to be done when the ball is at the bottom of the downswing, which will enable you to apply the maximum amount of finger pressure onto the ball. At the point of release when the fingers are lifting, the elbow needs to be slightly bent which will give some extra power behind the ball. 

**TURN:
     
     If you hold your ball with your palm flat at the stance (thumb at the 3:00 position and the pinky at the 9:00 position on a clock face) and keep it that way throughout the downswing and on the release, the ball will have NO TURN. Turn is motion from the hand and wrist toward the pocket area. We need to produce some TURN because this will get the ball into the proper position when we release it. When SIDE ROLL takes over SKID, the ball will begin to HOOK. Turning your hand and placing it in different positions at the point of release, can create more pin action. There are several ways people TURN the hand in order to achieve good pin action.
    
    Try not to TURN your hand too soon because this may limit your ability to LIFT properly. Your timing (having the arm and feet in sync with each other) is  extremely important. 
   
 **LIFT and TURN work together to put extra REVS on the bowling ball.
    
    Practice LIFTING just as you begin TURNING the ball, and then lifting the ball a split second after you turn it, to see what these minor adjustments can do. 
   
     Sometimes I’ve held my thumb in an 11:00 position at the stance, on the down swing, and on the release. Even though I didn’t turn my hand at all, the ball hooked because my palm wasn’t FLAT, it was sideways. If you want to try a CRANK or very large hook, try holding your thumb at the 10:00 or 11:00 position at the stance, then TURN OUT (turn the hand to the right for righty’s) to the 4:00 thumb position on the back swing and then back to the 10:00 or 11:00 position on the down swing and release. This will also put more REVS on the ball giving a bit larger hook on the ball and more action at the pins.

    Have fun experimenting with them and try using them on different lane conditions in the league when you feel confident with the results from your practice sessions.

     
Join me next week when I'll be talking more about "What Do I Need To Know About Bowling"-Part 5. I hope to see you then.

Good Luck and High Scoring!