Mastering The UFO Spinner Release | Part 1 | BrunsNick

[@pettyd123]

This is comforting knowing I’m not the only one in the world who bowls like this 😂

[@MyLameAnimations]

I tried this couple of years ago. I bought a 12 pound ball, drilled it conventional, and got on a league where I would bowl only UFO spinner. I went through exactly the same things you went through. My ball always wanted to hook left. Every once in a while, I would throw a ball that faded right and did exactly what it was supposed to do, but I couldn't repeat it consistently. After a couple of months, I decided it was as good as it would ever get, and I went back to bowling normal. It was a very frustrating experience, but I'm glad I did it.

[@theamflitebowler]

Looking forward to see part 2! Thanks for making this video on this kind of release. I'm also a ufo spinner bowler too.

[@brunsnick]

Awesome!

[@jimk9290]

A couple of observations. On the backswing, the wrist is broken, and the index finger is pointing to the back of the swing line. At the release, the fingers will rotate to a position just about straight up at the ceiling, with the thumb pointing at the mark down lane. The arm swing goes straight toward the mark as well, and the elbow stays in line with the swing plane, no chicken wing. Also, some of them actually have the palm pointing slightly to the right at the point of release. Here, hold my beer, and I'll show you.

[@X-Singapore]

It was popular over in my country in the late 90s and early 2000s. Use your thumb to push forward to get the backup going

[@davefuelling7955]

If you take a ball and set it down and spin it so it stays in one spot, the axis of spin is straight up and down, at 12:00. From what I saw, the spinner release has the axis of the spin on the left side of the top of the ball around 11:00. You were still throwing with the axis on the right, between 1:00 and 2:00, so the ball wants to go left. Your release is wrong and that's what you keep doing the same. You need to get your wrist to the left side of the ball with your thumb moving to the right at the release point. Try standing still and spinning the ball in front of your right foot with the spin axis left of center. Once you get the feel of that motion down, then try to replicate it on the lane.

[@CliftonDon74]

Brunsnick, I just watched a video of a guy who threw a "Twist" ball review using the UFO Spinner Helicopter style. He was an experienced bowler of this style and used a 11.5lb ball. He flicked it like throwing a palm up high five to the head pin. Looks like you are throwing too much angle. You need to square up and throw the ball over the 3rd arrow towards the head pin. If it hooks just a little, it hits the 1-2 or 1-3 pocket. But when the ball touches the lane, it needs to be landing on the lane board 15

[@newbloodink]

When I first started learning how to hook this is how I use to do it, then I took my thumb out and I got it down. Glad to know that people actually throw like that.

[@anunheardtruth3071]

it took me a long time to get used to this and I could only get around 250-300rpm and the coaches just kept hammering it in not to come around it but didn't help much

[@athlonen]

Here's the fun thing to think about this release, and why it is a smart thing to have in your mental bag: this type of release TAKES THE OIL PATTERN COMPLETELY OUT OF PLAY. When everyone is fighting to create a line through the pattern, Rule of 31, changing surfaces, balling up or down, etc., that is all in the mindset of trying to figure out the pattern and work through it. Then when everyone struggles on it or moves so far left that they have to loft the gutter, you have a lot of people complaining; or when you have the 2-handers eating up the oil, everyone else is stuck. Well, instead of trying to fight through the pattern, this type of release takes the pattern completely out of play, and instead relies on deflection off the pocket and plenty of sidewall action. Yes, there is the tendency to leave a LOT of 5-pins or 5-9s, but again you're still hitting the pocket instead of having to play such an extreme angle that you can't control your ball, let alone the lane. That is where this type of release has an advantage and leaves you to still score while everyone else struggles. Just something to think about.

[@tinarhoades3178]

Just found your video today--and I love this!! I've been bowling every Thursday for a year. (Our local joint offers 2 hours of weekday bowling for $10, from 9-noon, so, you can't beat it.) Anyway, after seeing someone "spin" their ball 2 months ago, I tried to "spin" for the first hour of bowling last week. Two things I noticed helped me improve my technique (and, truly, I have much less knowledge than you when it comes to bowling, so, this is totally by trial and error). The lower my hand was to the ground (no lofting) at time of release, as well as starting almost dead center in the lane made for a successful outcome. Also dropping from an 11 lb. to a 10 lb. ball improved my swing, as I'm 5'0" and weigh 98 lbs. I've had difficulty learning to hook, but I think I can get a handle on this spin thing--or, at least, the probably not so proper way that I'm spinning! Please make us another vid, once you've perfected your technique. :)

[@remington1439]

Wow Nick that looks hard and especially to get it to the pocket. This seems like a whole weekend to complete the idea of working the pocket. It’s cool seeing you do this video. Enjoy all your videos and the knowledge you share with us.

[@leonardwong5968]

Mr BrunsNick, the very last shot of your video, 30:36 until 30:41 is your best ever throw and release. Maybe you can see the Malaysian Spinner Bowlers how they do it compare with those Taiwanese Spinner Bowlers nowadays.

[@tyler.valencia]

I didn't know this was a legit way of throwing until this video. My wife actually bowls this way, and when she's on, SHE'S ON. Strikes and spares! She's still in the beginner stages, but the cheap T-Zone that she throws works better for her over her Twist. When she throws the Twist, the results are similar to yours in the video. I don't have any suggestions but I thought I would share that tidbit.

[@yeop73]

Hi Nick. I've been playing the Spinner/ UFO style since 1999. Still not the best of player. But achieving frequent high scores just not that diffucult. The best I can guide you is to not loft the ball. Try to release the ball as low and as quiet as possible which means that u need to release it a little earlier. Follow through the pendulum swing upward until your hand reaches about at least your eye level while and making sure your thumb is pointing to your target.. be it the arrow or even the pin. Happy spinning. Cheers😊

[@williamtay3799]

First of all he need to time his step and the swing of the ball. The basic of spinner bowler is momentum.

[@azmijamil8527]

Pendulum tu apa mksdnya yoep

[@douglasmarx5029]

Thanks for doing the vid. Gives me something to try and learn about

[@tritnheat1]

Could watch you struggle at this for hours. 😂

[@brunsnick]

🤣🤣🤣

[@stevefox3179]

for the ball to backup roll. you need to make the fingers come out first then then thumb.. 1)thumb rotate from 12 to 6pm, use elbow to rotate . 2) finger out first. 3) thumb push thru.

[@stevefox3179]

try finger deep 1 1/2 instead of 2 section. so finger can come out faster than thumb. logic opposite or rolling hook.

[@stevefox3179]

try out a pan cake core ball to take core out of play. a different layout will cause the ball to hook or backup. focus on release to check is it backup or hook.

[@revilnemessis7166]

My suggestion would be do foul line and one-step drills to get the feel of the release before you go full approach.

[@athlonen]

Nick, I know you already have access to some videos, but if you haven't seen it, have a look at the 2015 QubicaAMF World Cup. If I remember right, that was the year it was in either Hong Kong or Macau. Marshall Kent and Danielle McKewan were our entries for that tournament. Marshall lost to someone in the finals, either from Taipei (Taiwan), Macau, Hong Kong, or mainland China, and he was throwing a spinner while Marshall was lofting the gutter. That tournament should still be on KZbin. Also, Ron Hoppe coached in that area around 20 years ago (I know he coached Singapore around that time). He may have some insights on that. Last I remember, he was in the Seattle area.

[@tonyrubaszewski6811]

If you have a 2" pin same lay out but 2" up, over 3/4" to the right... And throw it normal.. Great lay out for me.. My best lay out i ever did

[@mattnischan582]

I used to throw like this for a long time. The basic idea is that you have to pretend the ball is a top, and spin it like a top. Fundamentally it's a suitcase type of release. In other words, if you are looking straight down at the ball, your thumb is at the center of the clock, with your fingers at 6. As the ball comes through the downswing into the release, then you twist your entire wrist and forearm to take your fingers from 6 to 12 (still suitcasing, again trying to spin it like a top). Your thumb will end up pointing down towards the ground at the release with your fingers towards the sky, and the thumb will actually come out last instead of first. If you get that right, then the ball will more or less spin around a single point down the lane as if it was a top.

[@scottythompson940]

Cool video talk tech bowling bowling ball

[@ElleJimmyTan]

Hi Brunsnick, greetings from Malaysia! I started to learn this technique since last year Oct (2022) and still trying to master it. It is indeed hard to find any info about this release in English since this release technique is invented by Taiwanese. I only can find more of the videos tutorial in chinese written as 飛碟球 (UFO ball). I found out the concept of this release , not sure if it’s correct but it works for me, whereby the release is not rotating only the wrist, but the whole arm. Keeping in mind like how we would play yoyo (loop-a-loop). Keeping the ball as close to ground as possible instead of lofting for better control of the ball direction. Hope this gives you some ideas on how u can release this technique. Cheers!

[@williamtay3799]

Malaysia had many good spinner bowlers! In fact some of the top spinner is better than the current Taiwanese spinner. Taiwan spinner had dropped.

[@vitooltiranasawat8541]

Hook bowl style with mostly heaviest 16 lbs.ball with high impact has benefit from wall bouncing which they call "messenger". Spinner style need slow ball impact, the front pins hit by the ball will change their position from vertical to horizontal that they can destroy the other remaining pins. This style no bouncing need to add its point, pure ball efficiency. Actually spinning style bowler can have only one ball throughout the game.

[@elbowloloco7499]

I've never noticed that a back-up is desired by the this release. The idea is to get it straight down the 17 board with and then ball deflection (toward the 10-pin) does all the work. I have not see UFO bowlers use rough surface reactive or urethane balls, more like smooth, shiny, even plastic balls. Try it with a plastic ball. This release came about in Asia because of extremely dry worn-out lanes where a hook would be uncontrollable. Some bowlers even use this release to get the ball straight to a spare.

[@brunsnick]

They all used light weight Reactive when they came to the states. And this ball is one they use specifically.

[@anunheardtruth3071]

I think it really depends, people want the backup but some people do hook it normally but ideally you get 90 degrees axist tilt and next to no axis rotation. Some spinners also intentionally hit brooklyn because it suits their axis rotation better. Also I was wondering why they would use reactive instead of plastic apparently it's not to get the hook but to get a grip on the lane surface when the ball hits the pins. I don't bowl anymore, but I started out in a youth league as a spinner with a slight normal hook using a 12 lb White Dot. I think it helps to throw a few sessions straight without spinning to get some ball speed with plant and pull. I was able to generate far more ball speed but accuracy and consistency were difficult to maintain - a bit like Ryan Shafer who is what I call a spinner hook player (though I had much higher axis tilt and low axis rotation). often leaving the 5 pin and going brooklyn but often the messengers would mix well. When I did get a hooking ball it was a real struggle as my rev rate went down the drain (maybe like 250-300) and I still had a fairly high axis tilt which led to some weird splits.

[@butchcoolidge3261]

I think you need to finish with your palm facing up and towards the pins, hand higher in the air. And I think that your elbow needs to stay tucked into your side. I also think you need to look down at an arrow or dot closer to you. Somewhat the way Wes Malot throws his shots. You also need to post your shot and don’t look up until after your ball goes over your mark. And push the ball straight through the heads with a little more speed. Don’t know if this makes sense to you. But definitely another interesting video.

[@rafabonati7757]

My Dad always threw a spinner back in the 40s-70s. Of course, the lane conditions were totally different back then. He also had a skipping look in his approach footwork. His average was probably in the 170s. 16 pound rubber ball with colored specks all over it. He never liked the oil, as that caused his ball to just skid. One thing I noticed with the player you had recorded is he was more in the middle of the lane at release. His hand was right on top of the ball and the ball spun almost over the center arrow, perhaps 2 boards to the left of it. I think you were more to the left in an effort to aim the ball across the lane. Your hand was coming around the side just a bit instead of being directly on top. Just my observations.

[@scottst33]

Nick---Don't the fingers come out first and the thumb last? I have seen some UFO Spinners bowl and that seems like what I have seen.

[@300x2869]

"It's not a tuma!"😂

[@brunsnick]

Someone got that far into the vid 🤣

[@300x2869]

@@brunsnick come with me if you want to live!!! 😂 argh!

[@NicoN561]

Maybe try throwing from right to left since you still have a little bit of hook? This is definitely very interesting to watch lol

[@brunsnick]

I did try a few shots in there. Still couldn’t hit my target 🤣

[@AussiePillow1]

In one of the videos ive seen, there was a guy that didnt put his middle finger in the ball, just the ring and thumb

[@anonymousmouse237]

Do lane conditions affect the spinner release?

[@brunsnick]

Not as much no.

[@Alldayertexas]

Could you share any links to videos from Wang Hangbo that you mentioned you watched earlier in your Part 1 video?

[@brunsnick]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pqWUgnuXorOnbcUsi=NgwkURRn8fmSuIVP fb.watch/nHCIIA-nCL/?mibextid=v7YzmG

[@taimok556548]

Ehy not polish it up so it doesnt roll so early?

[@brunsnick]

Just threw it out of box.

[@elbowloloco7499]

*straight down the 17 board with no hook is desired.

[@HaroldJackson]

Funny but we have some bowlers at our bowling alley that bowl just like that. And they have a 200 plus avg.

[@feverdream2661]

So how did the China team do in the WSOB?

[@brunsnick]

Pretty decent. Off memory, a few daily cuts and one was close to a finals.

[@slim6088]

I literally went from a straight ball to this release to the pro release. Lol my coach didn't like the ufo release at all so he showed me how to properly hook a ball

[@TepDanial]

I'm former spinner bowler with numbers of trophy and prefect 300 twice in the tournament and at present retired. The way I saw your way of release is a bit wrong. the correct way to release the ball is by turn the wrist with straight arm without any small bending of your elbow. if you release with bending elbow it will cause the ball travel hook to the left.

[@davidbeckwith2403]

How long until you take it to league?

[@brunsnick]

Lol maybe. They’d accuse me of sandbagging for sure.

[@chihtienjohnsonchung5308]

I'm taiwanese UFO bowler Thanks for your sharing

[@billycomtw1019]

Turn right or left in the back end depend on your rotation tilt angle positive or negative. You can strike like a Brooklyn or a normal pocket hit(need to hit thick to the head pin to strike out the 5 pin). Most players throw a light ball between 11 to 12. Few players and me throw a 15 ball. It’s quite different power there, In my opinion, heavier ball deep into the 5 pin or increase the pins reaction, it strikes easier to me. But I just bowl this style when the lane oil runs out or been mess up.

[@Evidenze2007]

just my opinion, reduce backswing angle, 15% twist before reach your left leg , after left leg 85% twist the ball and your index finger should pointing front & upwards towards pin 1 after releasing the ball.

[@hans-jrnmortensen5032]

I am not a great fan of the spinner! But as we say, its not how, its how many!!!!!!! And it works for some players! 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

[@aw-stk]

You need to learn my release its ring pinky and thumb in ball pinky and ring finger go in ball to the 2nd crease on each finger. When you do this it keeps you way inside the ball and continues hard downlane. I got 500+ shorts trying to get people to see the advantage once you get used to it.

[@No_Lucks_Given]

I respect all bowlers but man does this look like cosmic bowling on friday at midnight.

[@traviskirk3834]

My dad has a magenta urethane hammer that looks like a pearl while I have the older version from ebi when the black hammer was released over here the magenta was made and it was a good 1-2 punch with the black widow urethane solid and the og black widow solid, and I cashed with the ebi magenta urethane hammer and my dad also got the red pearl urethane hammer asymmetric that I got from him , and the Carmel black widow urethane but I will stay with the ebi magenta urethane hammer, the og black widow solid, the black widow urethane solid and my old faithful the faball enterprise blue pearl hammer urethane.

[@williamtay3799]

UFO spinner is not just turn the ball in front. U need to follow the momentum and when u take 3rd step your ball must be behind then u slide on final step, your hand start to turn when coming down and once straight at the pendulum which is straight 180 degree, release the ball with the thumb to push and finally the fingers. U may watch Wu Hao Ming video.

[@300maxman]

Just play UFO ball and don’t delve too deeply into this ball type. In fact, it has flaws. If you play it for a long time, your fingers will deform. The good thing is that it doesn’t require a lot of strength. I’m Taiwanese, but I don’t play UFO ball.

[@brunsnick]

Thanks for the input! Appreciate it.

[@300maxman]

@@brunsnick If you want to study UFO ball, you can find many reference videos on KZbin playing "Taiwan UFO Ball"

[@ElleJimmyTan]

Indeed! I started to see corns growing on my middle finger and my knuckle is bigger. 😢

[@300maxman]

please take care

[@wenchinhsieh4025]

如果你的動作輕鬆又順暢，不亂用力，利用小臂去做球的翻轉，而不是利用手腕，由拇指提供一個支點順勢把球延伸出去，基本上是不會影響到手指。 飛碟講求的是柔、順、黏，只是大多數的人都追求球速跟轉速，越打越用力，才會發生你說的情況。 所以打飛碟需要有一個好的老師，還有好的協調性！

[@ppdrawings]

You really have to know how to bowl straight and target very well before this will work . . . I was first a straight bowler, so the spinner style is not hard for me at all. Just try to bowl as straight as you can and target the 1-3

[@JohnChipello]

A couple of comments. Drilled ball wrong. The lay out should be for a left hander so that the ball deflects to the right

[@n0ret82]

point your index finger at the 6 o'clock at the start and the backswing (palm facing up) and aim towards having it point to 12 o'clock by the time you release the ball (Palm facing down) Your thumb should be pointing towards the target after you have released the ball. Wrist should not be cupped the whole time Edit: by the way, that Chinese bowler you mentioned has really very awkward form, even for a UFO Spinner bowling style 🤣 But hey, whatever works eh?

[@squidly2112]

HA! .. I bowled so poorly in league tonight, I probably should have tried this! .. I couldn't really have done any worse .. LOL

[@elbowloloco7499]

I don't know why you keep swinging it 15 boards. You have to go straight down the 17 board. It should deflect off the head pin and roll across the 3-6-10. No back-up is required. Use a shiny ball, maybe even 10 pounds.

[@CliftonDon74]

23:35 that shot that struck wasn't a spinner style, you reverted to the more normal style.

[@garydiamond9615]

You need to use the Don Johnson Golden Palm, and a robbys revs, and that other thing on your finger, 🤣🤣🤣 then it will come out perfect, you may need thumb surgery after however.

[@rogercarlson2330]

question i just thought of....wouldnt it be the same thing with throwing a lighter ball like we normally do into the 1-3 and letting it deflect to the right?

[@nordattack]

Ugh. The Spinner track is a tiny circle at the very bottom of the ball exactly opposite the grip center. About 2-3" in diameter. If the track is larger than that then you are not spinning the ball like a top.

[@mattyhayes3201]

haha! Noice!

[@slapdog1833]

Why not use a plastic ball?

[@brunsnick]

They want some friction

[@HamsterTMS]

A bowler here from the USA, hook shots are just not for me, when I heard about the spinner/helicopter/UFO and learned more about it, I've been practicing it. According to my research, the spinner is a type of straight shot where the ball is spinning while rolling straight, the reason why a lighter ball is used for spinners is because it's using deflection as an advantage rather than a disadvantage by causing the pins to knock each other down like dominoes. I also watched some bowling championships in China, I saw some Spinner Bowlers versus Hook Bowlers, the Spinner Bowlers are very talented and really know how to score strikes, I also watched PBA Bowler Robert Smith compete with a Spinner Bowler from Taiwan, Robert Smith lost that match. I wonder why there are no Spinner Bowlers in the PBA? I'm very sure that Spinner Bowlers from Asia would compete very well in the PBA. As for me, I have had some days where I did very well with my spinner shots and some days where I did terrible, recently I have been increasing my scores so I think I'm getting better, I still have a long way to bowl like a pro sometime.

[@AnguirusTCG]

Im an US born UFO Spinner too. Friend tipped me off about this style and I used it ever since. Let's spin to win!

[@HamsterTMS]

@@AnguirusTCG just ordered my 11lb, hybrid reactive ball, and once I get it I need to get it drilled with a conventional hole pattern. After all of that, it will be time to spin & win

[@AnguirusTCG]

@@HamsterTMS my avg is mid for now but when I get strikes I enter the clutch mode. Highest game was a 215 and will only keep going up

[@rousefire]

As someone who has popped a tendon and ripped a bicep while bowling, I wont be trying this.

[@吳承志-w6x]

打過曲球的人 要在打飛碟球真的很難

[@BooyaCS]

Watching the slow mo of the "spinner release" your index finger needs to be straight back . Something like 9 and 3 (fingers and thumb) with the index finger pointing at 6. Then from there you rotate over top of the ball like you are opening a lid to a jar. When you release it your wrist (in addition to the rotation) should almost "flick" the ball off with the back of your palm facing upwards. It's almost like your fingers are exiting first then your thumb. Your wrist should be bent (broken) like a suitcase release. Then rotate it over like a top and flick wrist upwards like you want to wave (palm towards the pins fingers up)

[@brunsnick]

Thanks! Will take some work.

[@carrollkuykendall6607]

So basically a left handed brokylin result😂

[@kenredman2527]

Robert Smith showed me how it's done. It's not a spinner that you are throwing.

[@brunsnick]

I almost called him during filming but he’s 3 hours behind.

[@AR_Hyperunderbones]

I will make video how to play spinner for you bro...come contact me😃im from Malaysian spinner club..im maybe not the best spinner but i can teach basic spinner release

[@WilliamGuess-ns6th]

Your signing up too far left?

[@brunsnick]

Maybe. Tried all over.

[@FearTheWeird300]

I read that there is zero muscle being used. The spin should just happen naturally

[@brunsnick]

Will take a long time to build that kind of muscle memory, but the top pros definitely muscle it.

[@johnenriquez4816]

I feel like I used to see this release when I was a scorekeeper wayyyyyyyy back in the day. Anyway, your angles are way too steep through the fronts.

[@jaychen28]

I can teach you how to do ufo

[@studio8456]

스피너 투구 방법을 내가 만든 영상이 있어야

[@tenpinspinneraustralia8754]

Everything must go down the middle. Bring your hand up in front of your face.

[@elbowloloco7499]

Your release is OK, just think about the following. Sorry for so many comments.

[@brunsnick]

Thank you for your help!

[@danielmuza8556]

After watching you I can see that you have side spin. It should spin like a top. Your hand in the backswing in not in the proper position. You will see that when you go back and watch your own video. Keep trying though. I enjoyed watching.

[@jtshanks]

reverse spin biscuit

[@李帥元]

應該來台灣學習一下

[@brunsnick]

Good idea!

[@GracieGarage]

All of these Chinese folks are from the Shaolin Temple. This is widely known thru out China. The monks have developed a special bowling style. Best to go to China. Sit at the steps of a bowling alley. Until someone lets you in to teach you this ancient form of bowling.

[@jaychen28]

What you do is totally wrong!

[@brunsnick]

No kidding.

[@larrylacroix3944]

What is bowling coming to. Not true bowling to me

[@jedikevin20]

? Folks been bowling like this for decades oversees though. Long as you can get 10 pins down, its all bowling to me.

[@PinoyBowlerGS92]

How about you quit Bowling then. I’m tired seeing another American ranting anything about Bowling (except StringPin garbage, its valid reason why to hate it) especially about this Spinner or UFO style when its only in China, Taiwan, Hongkong and even Singapore. There’s no restriction on what delivery or style other people are doing. Grow up old man

[@CliftonDon74]

Overseas? Like where? I guess it's okay. It looks like it requires 0 wrist strength and if folks can do this with about a 30rpm rev rate and get strikes, I would like to see it.

[@jedikevin20]

@@CliftonDon74 Japan & South Korea are usually where I have seen it. You would see a couple folks ufo spinning at the Bradley each year in Kentucky since that is one of the toughest long pattern high volume tourneys in the states and UFO spinning takes the oil pattern out the equation.

[@CliftonDon74]

I just looked up a ball review for this style. Looks like a legit style that kind of breaks bowling down to its most basic components. The beauty of this style is it takes the ball core and coverstock out of the equation, so expensive balls don't matter. Plus, the oil pattern doesn't look to be a big factor. Definitely something to explore.

[@jeremy87turbo87]

From what I see, I studied it pretty good and it looks as if hes throwing right down the left middle to the right middle head pin with a left spin, not a backup ball. The left spin holds it against the pins. Is what I'm gathering from when it hits. But hes actually throwing it. Cross lane from the left dead center board to the right dead center board.

[@rogercarlson2330]

i seen RPM and couldnt help but think Ninja.......