HOW TO HOOK A BOWLING BALL | Tips and Tricks to Gain Power on the Lanes | Ben Lapointe

Welcome back! This video is GREAT for beginners or even more advanced bowlers, to help gain a better understanding of the fundamentals that go into making a bowling ball hook.
First video after reaching 100 subscribers! Make sure to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE and lets get this channel growing at a rapid rate!

[@JacobSmith-ob7kn]

I think you may have just given me a lightbulb moment. Thank you

[@danchopp1589]

Great job explaining Ben! Enjoy your content, keep up the tips!

[@benlapointe14]

Thanks Dan!

[@SeaJackson]

I practice hooking at home on carpet with a stack of pillows to cushion the impact and roll the ball across the carpet into them. If you do the motion correctly you can actually see the hall hook on the floor.

[@benlapointe14]

That’s a good drill! Keep up the great work

[@coopergraf1138]

Great video and very helpful!

[@benlapointe14]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@Goldiney]

Buddy, I've seen dozens of videos by "professional" trainers and they don't even come CLOSE to how well you explained the concept and process. Great video.

[@TSTB]

very interesting. helpful❤

[@Kurt_Ridgewell]

R.I.P to my couch 🛋

[@benlapointe14]

*No couches were harmed in the making of this video*

[@philthomson4848]

Awesome video, helped me out a lot !

[@briguyinsi]

I think the yo-yo explanation is confusing for some. I go with the Spider Man Web shooting analogy as a starter.

[@benlapointe14]

I like this analogy as well. Personally, I have heard about the yo-yo more in my lifetime, but they are both great ways of looking at the concept of unloading at the bottom!

[@ronf.4512]

It's nice to know I'm not the only one that uses the Spider-Man analogy.

[@kevintran2522]

To get that yo-yo effect you just need to straighten the elbow. When you cup the hand deep under the ball the elbow will bend then once you straighten the elbow at release the wrist will naturally snap straight. Very hard to snap the wrist by itself with so much weight. Learned the hard way.

[@kvas2420]

Confusing is the fucking understatement of the fucking year

[@clausschieritz6350]

Greetings from germany, good video😊

[@benlapointe14]

Hello! Thank you for watching and the feedback! Stay tuned for more!

[@ronaldhigh7377]

Really great thanks

[@rich2376]

Wow, can't believe my bowling search produced a video from a Sarnia guy. Well, I'm originally from Windsor but have lived in Southern California since 1981. In my league, I suffer from dry lanes. We are the second league bowling on Wednesday nights. So, when we take over, I can't keep the ball in the pocket. I'm hitting the head pin high or even Brooklyn. Do you have a video or recommend a video that shows how to combat dry lanes? Thank you.

[@surfboardshack3327]

You make that ball look like it’s 6#. Any tips for building up enough strength so that cupping doesn’t feel like it’s straining my wrist?

[@benlapointe14]

Aside from building strength by exercising, a lot of people use wrist supports/braces!

[@dikualamdinabale5612]

Do you have to eliminate use of brace to achieve yo yo release?

[@jdliskewl]

Hey man, love the video. My question is what if you struggle staying under the ball/equator? I have 15lb ball and I'm not a weakling (in my opinion) lol. But I feel in my downward motion like the ball is slipping away and not in control. I've had my balls all custom drilled to my hand and fingers. So I'm confused to why I'm struggling so bad to stay under it. Any tips would be appreciated man.

[@benlapointe14]

The best way to get used to this feeling of having your wrist cupped at release is by practicing the foul line drill! Not only will this help with technique, but it will also help strengthen up your wrist.

[@DrakeJGonzalez]

I need this

[@jesslong75]

Can I do this with conventional drilled tropical surge? 12# still feels heavy for me , I’m averaging 120

[@nassimbaaziz]

great video. Do you think you could do a video bowling with only house balls?

[@benlapointe14]

It’s definitely been an idea! We’ll make it happen👍🏼

[@DGWaffle-jv7yq]

You mention coming up the back but your example doesn’t show up the back. Your example release at the beginning is more of tweener position. I think the tried and true analogy of throwing a softball pitch tends to help newbies. I also like teaching the feeling of the suitcase to get the hand feel and then slowly rotate the hand position to the desired final position.

[@benlapointe14]

When talking about technique, I am trying to say that as you un-cup your wrist to generate power, your hand and fingers will roll up the back of the ball to get you to the desired rotation. Even though the rotation isn't necessarily "up the back" the action to get there always should pass that hand position to migrate to your rotation! Thanks for watching and I hope this helps explain my idea better!

[@UhKimboze]

I’m a 2 hander and I just watch because maybe there is some new information or a different way of explaining I haven’t heard before. I’m not struggling to hook rn but always looking to improve. One thing I question is one problem I have had twice before which was very painful. I have swung my ball into my ankle and I don’t know why I did that and as I keep getting more power I really want to avoid that I don’t know why it happens.

[@Dhamp]

Yo! For 2 handers, practicing drills just throwing it with one hand, (still no thumb) can help with revs. It may also help with swing placement.

[@benlapointe14]

A lot of two handers find benefit of practicing with a rugby ball or a football! Would give you an option for practicing outside of the bowling alley, as well as with something that won’t hurt as much on the ankle!

[@UhKimboze]

@@Dhamp thank you I will do that!

[@UhKimboze]

@@benlapointe14 thank you I will take a look at getting one. I wonder if any other bowlers smashed their ankles, I’ve never heard of anyone else doing it but it isn’t fun it hurts like the dickens!

[@NewVisionLCS]

What weight s the ball your using in this video?

[@jdliskewl]

Also, my fingers (middle and ring) typically hurt pretty bad after a few games. Is that a sign of wrong technique? Like I'm twisting with my fingers not coming up the back of the ball like you said in the beginning?

[@benlapointe14]

Your fingers definitely should not be hurting. Where abouts are they hurting (finger tips, middle knuckles, etc)? This could have something to do with your span. I forget to mention in my reply to your other comment that having a feeling of not being able to hold the wrist cup could be because you feel like you are falling out of the ball. This could also be due to your drilling, thumb pitch specifically. If you would like to chat more about this. Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram @ben_lapointe14.

[@ronf.4512]

What pound ball are you using?

[@benlapointe14]

15 pounds!

[@canefan17]

Do 2H’ers release in a similar way (yo-yo?)

[@benlapointe14]

Fairly similar. One way of training the release for two handers is by throwing a rugby ball!

[@canefan17]

@@benlapointe14 That's interesting. Have never heard that one. I guess it forces you to stay under the ball.

[@zedsodead]

They keep saying its a yo-yo. I've played with a yo yo. Ive thrown a bowling ball and Its not the same. A yo yo goes down, a bowling ball goes out. There's nothing similar about them to me. It's so frustrating I wish someone could explain it differently, I just can't seem to get it.

[@benjaminchang1382]

I do not like people talking about like playing yoyo ball.

[@benlapointe14]

Just the best way I’ve found to process the idea of it in my head! Any other suggestions on how to think of it?

[@benjaminchang1382]

@@benlapointe14 just because not everybody knows how to play a yoyo ball

[@mtrithart]

Most reason why people twist their wrist is because they have trouble getting the thumb out. Some issues with that cause this: Ball is not drilled properly to fit their hand and poor technique (Bad footwork, poor timing, poor swing, hand position). The key is a person must be willing to change what they are doing. Practicing this a few times a week is not going to cut it. You must get this new release engrained with muscle memory. Best advice: Everyone has a phone. Set your phone up and record what you are doing. Get videos from the side and behind the ball. Just realize it's going to take some time.

[@benlapointe14]

Well said!

[@tonyguerrier2258]

Just a thought. Break this down a little more. Super slow motion with commentary during the super slow motion. Had to watch multiple times and slow you down.

[@benlapointe14]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@thatwaynard]

What size ball do you use? And how fast should I bowl? I average 12 mph. Is that too slow?

[@benlapointe14]

If you’re referring to the weight of the ball, I throw a 15 lb ball! Speed is relative to your game and there’s no fast or too slow! I would say the average speed for most would be about 15-16 but that’s all just an average!

[@thatwaynard]

@@benlapointe14 my only problem is I’m trying to get my form better so I can be able to curve the ball better. But the bowling ball seems so heavy when holding it with my wrist under the ball. Idk it just would seem so heavy even when I use a 12 lb ball. It’s just then I hold it the way you say in the video, it would be so heavy trying to bowl like that