I’ve been a straight bowler for years. Finally decided to get a new ball for a good hook and this video looks very helpful and easy to understand.

"Shake hands with the lane." That's how I was taught 30 years ago.

in the middle of bowling all i needed was one second of this video thanks a lot!

I played bowling 22 years ago, actually I'm 40 years old. I'm came back to the tracks, this video is great for me, thanks a lot. Best regards from Spain!

Thank you so much!!! You have no idea how clear and easy your explanation was. Explained exactly what I was doing wrong and how I should be bowling.

Oh, and loving your instructions .. you need to more of those .. great stuff!!! .. and so helpful for crappy bowlers like me. You have such a nice smooth style. Definitely something to emulate.

Nice vid. The "football" and "shaking someone's hand" examples are of course teached for many decades, but the most KEY thing that the modern release has, is the bending of both wrist AND elbow, which you didn't mention. This 2 joint un-coiling is what creates the high RPMs of today's bowling.

Great channel! I am a 24y/o male and have been bowling only for fun.....until now. I bowl with a game average of 150 and have finally listened to friends, family, and the strangers around me when they told me to start signing up for a competitive league near me. So glad people like you dedicate time and energy into making these videos and showing others just how interesting and intricate bowling can be for those unaware.

I've begun answering questions for newcomers on a few FB bowling sites. So far nobody close to home but this video I just sent to a guy who wants to throw a hook, getting his first fingertip ball. It shows exactly what I was telling him although I stressed to only do the basic release and not the loaded for a while...walk before you run. So much I can teach as I'm a past student of the great Don Johnson and his "Urethane Release", but this newcomer has a while before he can even attempt that one 😂. You're doing a good thing here Sir. My lower back is gone and with 7 years of physical therapy I'm still not to the point of being worth the pain for a league night but I'm dying to try the new oil and patterns (held PBA regional card but terrible luck) as I keep seeing clips of suitcase release grandma with her 3rd 300 game, not to mention 20 years ago a 2 handed no thumbs release hit the left gutter at 40 feet! I averaged 230's with a Columbia Blue Dot, 300s with a Pink Hammer... you get the idea. Anyway, keep up the good work

Thanks for this. Finally got a ball (vibe) and I was literally bowling better with a house ball. Others that I watched were saying release at _oclock. This was so much easier to visualize. I’m going to try again tonight.

I love the "Shaking Hand" analogy, helped me understand how, thank you!

Great teaching vlog! Simple and to the point!!

Nice straight forward video. Thank You Forrest!

Thanks Forrest! This video will definitely help beginners.

Watched plenty of videos for beginners hooking the ball. This was easily the best. Great examples of football and shaking hand. Hadn’t heard football before. Great job of keeping it simple.

Awesome video! Been playing straight ball for years and felt that it was time for me to learn to hook/curve. Greetings from Malaysia

That football too was just what I need lol. I only use my pinky and ring finger to bowl no thumb. I was never taught properly but I love the way I bowl. I’m going to play a few games when I get off work in the morning to see how this works.

Thank you, this 1 video made my game go from embarrassing mess to alot of fun. For the past 4 weeks on my Tues night league I had 600 series. I know for pros it's nothing but for a heavy equipment mechanic I think it's fantastic. Thank you very much

Instant “like” for comparing it to underhand throwing a football. After watching tons of videos, that comparison gave me something to instantly recognize how it should feel. Thanks!

glad for the comparisons to other sports. makes it much easier to understand

Shaking hands definitely correct. I remember the telephone first though. I'm 67 and am still learning. Yr videos are very helpful. Also helps to stay up with the game. I stuck with old ball for to many years. 12 to be exact. Not good. Lanes, oil, and bowling balls chance so often. I held a 185-190 avg with an old Ebonite Game Plan ball for so many years. The ball tracked out and react anymore. I now have Brunswick Knockout, black and blue. Not the most reactive but does the job. I carry a 206 avg now on house shots. My best is 779, so far. Not a pro by any standard but do love the increase. So many people at lanes will help you. Just ask and observe. An old dog can learn new tricks. Lol Keep the tutorials coming Forrest.

Just starting to bowl , glad this was my first video of instruction

Ok just wanted to share this with you, Ive balled for about 15 years but stop before the pandemic. I really just havent gotten my game back... until I watched this vid. Shot 299 yesterday in Sunday morning trios league. Shaking hands was KEY!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

Forrest you're the best ....... Thank you for this!

Great simple analogy. Thank you. Just converted to finger tip release and I’m relearning how to bowl all over. In a good way.

great video - can you do a video from your perspective on the differences between solid pearl and hybrid and when you use them

Good stuff Forrest I always look to your videos to see how I can improve my game.

This video was huge help, imma driver for Knight Refrigerated, we have a two lane bowling alley at the Phoenix, Arizona terminal; ill definitely keep practice on this when im here.

this is very helpful! simple methods to understand

Thanks! This really helped me . When you made the football analogy I instantly understood coming from a guy who used to be a quarterback, so thank you again for the great tutorial

Thank you for that great trick .... that's very help me for improved my games!!!!

Very informative thank you 😃 I'm wanting to Improve my game hitting the 10 pin is my Achilles heel

I've been releasing the ball like this for a while now, but I haven't been loading the wrist like you demonstrated, which is probably why I haven't been getting much control over the hook. Gonna try it next time I play, Thanks 👍🏽

Thanks for the tips. I will try them.

I was bowling with my 20 year old son a while back. We had the lanes for a couple of hours so eventually we started experimenting with our throws. We were trying to figure out how to hook the ball but no matter what we did, we would end up with the top spin like you were showing. We never did figure it out and get the ball to hook. I don’t get to go bowling that often, but I might be referring back to this next time I get to bowl! Thanks for the tips!

Thank you. Verry helpfull. Nice technique! Keep it up

More videos like this please. Footwork, arm swing etc. Thanks

I love the way you show Thanks

The best bowling lesson ever.

This video is soo helpful and clear 🙏🏽❤️.

Thank u sooooo much u really helped me with the football analogy😊

I’ve gotta send this to my son. He’s 17 and still rollin straight at the headpin 🤦🏻‍♂️😂 hopefully your coaching technique helps him more than mine!

Helps a lot thanks so much 😊

That was a pretty good way to explain how to bowl shorter and longer oil patterns.

That ball came out beautifully 😁 I actually bowl like that without trying to put that overhand twist on it. Nowhere near as great as this guy, but nice to know I am actually doing something right lol. After a few years of bowling it just kind of came to me. Great tips here.

Thank you sir for your sharing how to start bowling

Some other things I point out to new bowlers is finger tip drilled balls, and how they encourage a release to hook, and also how to unload the wrist at the bottom to help the thumb come out of the ball before the fingers.

thank you. great demo. great instructions.

Definitely gonna comments again after I try iy. Thank for the tip

This is a great video!

I appreciate this break down. Im try this tonight when I bowl tonight in my bowling league.. Whats a good position on the floor to be when you rolling hooks so that way you get in that pocket to secure a strike? Thanks for all your insights in advance.

Great tutorial!

Thanks for the tips. They were helpful.

thanks i did football analogy was perfect!

Really helpful. Thanks.

Starting in a more bush league but still league tomorrow and haven’t played in years haha! Safe to say I’ll play straight tomorrow but I really want to practice this technique

Great teaching style

Ty bro you saved my ass you are the greatest

Great video, Can you show a closer look at your hand position, and wrist when trying to hook more? Thank you

Thanks for the video Forrest. Long time bowler still with this problem! So, it’s a matter of both the timing of the turn as well as the degree ? Most of us rank amateurs turn too early as well as too much.

I have a pro roster brace , die to having a broken rist that was rebuilt from accident. I still roll a 16 lb ball. I roll down 9-11 board with a soft hook to pocket I also bowl in 3 different houses with different lane conditions. My arsenal is 3D , the gem, and purple hammer and the urethane. What hand position do you recommend for my circumstance And thanks for your help and videos.

Excellent!!

Thanks for sharing, subscribed

First I’m hearing the underhand football idea. Might have to use this to coach up some of my teammates!

Forest-after years of wearing a wrist support, I'm working this summer on ditching it. So far, I am completely up the back of the bell with a ton of forward roll, but it's as if I no longer know how to hook the ball! Any suggestions or drills? is it "ok" to come slightly around the side of the ball? We've heard so many pros remind us that only amateurs do that while pros are "up the back of it", yet I'm stuck lol! Any help would be appreciated. Thank you

I try to give my elbow/wrist a little more outward rotation on the backswing to where my palm is facing towards the wall and the back of my hand is facing my body and then come up into a handshake to give me a little more rev rotation

Looks amazing! Please clarify how to combine both of those hand movements (throwing a football and yo yo). Thx

My name is Forrest also! Subscribed 👍🏾 Thanks for the bowling tips. I was getting around the ball too much. Instead of behind the ball!!!

Great job, but quick question, how do you figure out where to aim with spin?

The first explanation I've heard that didn't use more jargon than even quantum mechanics, thumbs up (no pun intended)

Bro insane ❤

I am new to trying to bowl with a hook. One area I am struggling with is how hard to grip the ball and grip technique. I’ve had a few attempted releases where the ball stayed on my thumb but perhaps that was because I wasn’t aiming my thumb towards the sky… not quite sure yet. Thank you for the video!

Thank you so much !

Der schönste Sport für mich😍❤

I will try this at league! Thanks Dorris Krigger!

Wow..I will start my own video's!!

Good explain thanks alot bro

I'm having difficulty with my release as you demonstrated, also, I feel more comfortable with my index finger closer to the middle finger as opposed to the Peace like position...is that ok, or should I try to correct.

Thanks Forrest, I love your form, you will win on the Tour soon if you keep working as hard as you do. I've been working really hard to eliminate the, "Chicken Wing Spinner" When I stay under and behind the ball it's so much better. A pretty good 220 league bowler told me that I can't get revs on the ball because my fingers/span is too short. Do you need long fingers to get more revs?

Could we see the loaded position from a side view? Or a better view to view the loaded position you hold the ball?

Thanks for the information. Still learning how to do this, and my main issue so far is keeping my hand behind the ball at release. Any tips on how to do that? My hand naturally ends up on the outside even though I cradle the ball with my hand under the ball at the start of the release.

so i haven't ever used my thumb because i couldn't figure the hook out with it. i only used the 2 fingers. but the same process i guess. with that being said how long do you think the transition will be by adding the thumb. i am starting a bowling leauge in september and would like a nicer release by then.

how do you create that snap effect at release? At my downswing my hand is always on top of the ball instead of behind. Maybe the ball is too heavy?

Thank for sharing

Good job on hand positions. Show bowlers how to create momentum on the armswing. What happens is new bowlers don’t know how to start the swing and cannot get their hand in those positions because they will most likely force it. Maybe swing momentum like Britney’s brother Chris 😉

question on the 2nd release i know u start with the loaded hand/wrist but when u go to let go of the ball do u unload it like cup uncup or do u keep ur hand firm and just handshake with the lane ? i feel like u stay firm but same time i feel like if u load u need to unload to really do the release ur doing in this video at 3:32

These releases are also great when you're doing #2

Thank you for the tips

I am a straight bowler for many years.. at best a 200 bowler. However, I want to start bowling competively... How light is your ball supposed to be, in order to be able to throw and pull your fingers out on the release? And what factors (hole placement, not too much hole grip, etc) do you consider when fitting for a ball, in order to properly hook the ball.

I did this minimally on accident, previously bowling wasnt my thing due to bowling being a mental game, so i drank some alcohol and saw much improvement and scoring my first and second strike

The bowling god, see you on the next one.

bro you just helped me understand what to do thx

Thank you for the tutorial :-)

It’s very helpful 😊😊😊

Just as numerous people have suggested, the bowler could think of trying to shake hands with someone whos facing you out on the lane. You extend the thumb out with the fingers to grip the facing someones hand. I would like to interject a certain thought of getting yourself to picture of feeding the ball onto the lane like feeding tree branches into a chopper, or placing paper into a paper shredder. Just move the hand forward with the ball and get to extend the ball and hand to reach out out onto the lane FEEDING to roll the ball into the lane surface. The tendency might be to do something such as roll the hand such as topping or give the wrist some frisbee motion. That has bad results as can be an imitation of high average bowlers rotation action. The best thought of you releasing ball onto the lane is a certain giving a push action to the ball so that the thumb will exit the thumb hole and then the fingers while still in ball, generate a leverage or finish coming out of fingerholes.

Loved the vudeo but the thing u didn't explain is to where are u aiming? U throw the ball to the middle pin? Or to the side pine?and how do u know to make the ball spin on what time? When u shot the ball he went straight for a sec then last second he just spin to the middle like how do u plan that?

I have a hummer black widow 2.0 trying to get the right spin on is there any way you can help

Forrest I noticed you throw over the fifteen board. I throw moreover the ten board so do I not have the right grip in my ball? I throw finger tip....

Ever since I began bowling, I have only ever used my two hands. When I first learned two hands, two handers seemed so easy to hook. I found that it was very challenging to hook with one hand as soon as I switched to using just one. I can perform the two-hand handshake position as demonstrated in the video, but I am unable to perform it with just one hand for some reason.

I have a question, if i want to keep my hand behind the ball in order to give effect, I need to be with the forearm in tension right? I can't put the hand behind the ball, maybe i have week forearms or... I am doing the technic to put the hand behind the ball badly and you don't need to be in tension at all? I want to know, i've been trying to give effect to the ball for a long time but i can't put the hand behind the ball... Do you need to be using the forearm to put the hand in the right possition, like doing force?