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M03W04:

Q: How To Break Out Of Your Bowling Slump?

A: If you love to bowl, you will experience times when you aren't performing your best. It happens to everyone, even the best players in the world.

Here are some thoughts on how you can break out of your next slump:

Check your gripping of your bowling ball and your setup when taking your stance position on the approach. Many bowlers will tend to slip into bad habits gripping the bowling ball or setting up with poor posture without even knowing it.

Alignment errors or poor posture can lead to swing mistakes and bad shots. Take a look at your hand gripping your bowling ball before beginning your walk to the foul line. Your bowling hand has the most influence on the ball motion, and the manner by which you grip your ball has the most influence on your delivery technique. So check your grip and make sure it is what you want.

A slumping posture can be the cause of poor swing alignment. An improper tilt with your bowling shoulder or with your torso can lead to a poor backswing and to an out-to-in downswing.

When you are at home, take your bowling ball and set up in front of a mirror. Take a look at your posture and upper body tilt from a full frontal angle and from a side angle.

Next, do a tension check. When bowling poorly, tension creeps in. When you get back to the practice lane, make some shots being aware of the tension in your hands, forearms and shoulders before beginning an approach.

To eliminate tension, add a slight bounce with your flexed knees before stepping away and beginning your approach. Watch the tour players. You will see little tension in their shoulders, neck, or arms before beginning to bowl. Your objective is a continuous swing motion while smoothly moving off of each step into the next.

In bowling at a competitive level, there is a fine line between trying too hard and not trying hard enough. Instead of trying overly hard, bowl instead with a full focus on making a smooth and well paced approach.

On every shot, do everything you can before making the shot and plan for success. Analyze the shot, select your sighting target, go through your routine and then let it go. Make one good shot at a time, then update your thinking to your next shot.

When practicing, spend a little more time working on the part, or parts, of your game where you are struggling. You can work out what is ailing you so repetition will help you with your confidence. Don’t forget to also practice the strong keys to your game.

Change the inner-voice. When you are not playing well, the voice inside your head tends to beat you up with a constant supply of negative self-talk.

Talk to yourself like you would want your best friend to talk to you. Your best friend would tell you positive things about your game. Your best friend wouldn't say things like “you are terrible.” Be aware of any negative self-talk and change it. You control your bowling destiny.

Try these tips out the next time your game gets off track and you’ll be able to break out of that slump on your own.

M03W05:

Q: What Do You Mean By All That Matters In Bowling Is The Next Shot?

A: You cannot win a bowling tournament in the first game. Winning an event takes every game, every frame, and every shot in each frame.

It makes little sense to think too far in front of your very next shot. Success comes from doing the right things at the right time and boiling down your focus to one good shot at a time.

That’s it, one good shot at a time.

Thinking about a bad break in a previous frame does no good when it comes to planning your next shot. Thinking too far ahead does no good in planning your very next shot.

Reduce your thinking to the lowest common denominator. Do not think too far ahead nor dwell on previous results. Stay in the present and focus on your next delivery.

One key in making a good delivery rises above the physical game strategy. This key is a mental key.

Take dead aim at your target. That’s right, take dead aim.

If you sight on the lane at the bowling arrows, for example, and your target is determined to be the 2nd arrow in this example, visualize one board right and one board left of the 2nd arrow as your 3 board-wide target path and take dead aim in the middle of that path.

Wear the paint off of your target. Being accurate means good shot making. Taking dead aim helps improve your accuracy.

So much of winning is mental, a full commitment to executing your shot properly. There can be no question that good physical game fundamentals, good execution when it matters most, and thinking on the fly when faced with adjustment decisions are important to achieving success. Thinking about the keys you need most at the moment you make your next delivery is most important.

No matter how many good tips you get on the mental aspects of the game, no matter how much you know about the game and about your game, it comes down to one good shot at a time. Take dead aim and make one good shot at a time.

This disciplined approach will help you overcome pressure situations and help you make a good delivery when under the heat of bowling battle.

This notion of dead aim is certainly not a new one. This phrase has been used in golf, rifle shooting, and likely other endeavors for many years. In bowling, taking dead aim means making a full commitment to hitting your sighting target every delivery.

Since you can only make one delivery at a time, take dead aim each delivery. Stay focused on your job at hand, forget what is happening around you, make a crisp decision on how you will execute your next shot, and think only about that shot.

Once your shot is complete, immediately update your thinking to the very next shot you face.

In the final analysis, success on the lanes gets down to making good shot one at a time.

M04W01:

Q: How Can You Add Bowling Revs By Adding Lag?

A: If you are a player with less revs than most “Power” players, but more than “Stroker” type players and you want to add revs to your game, then add swing lag.

Just as we hear about the golf swing, instructors recommend adding lag in the downswing to increase distance. The key is in the retaining of wrist lag so the unhinging of the wrists just prior to impact with the golf ball will add distance.

In bowling, we can add power (more revs) by adding lag in the forward swing.

Adding lag in the forward swing requires a couple of arm and hand action moves so you get into position to uncoil your wrist as your thumb exits the bowling ball producing an increase in your rev-rate.

The first point to focus is the beginning of the downswing. The 1st 12 inches of the downswing should begin by allowing gravity to smoothly let the ball drop into the downswing from the top of your backswing without using arm or hand force.

The next move is to pull your bowling ball forward toward your shoulder, which will cause your bowling elbow to break slightly, while your bowling hand scoops under the bottom of the ball. This happens while swinging the ball in a forward motion into release zone at the bottom of your forward swing cycle.

Scooping the bowling ball gets your hand under the ball. The elbow bends slightly to accommodate your wrist scooping under the ball.

Your wrist will then be fully loaded to uncoil at the moment your thumb exits the ball. As your wrist uncoils, your fingers apply a snapping action, as you continue to follow through. The result is increased ball revolutions and increased overall power.

Two handed bowlers use this technique to the maximum extent and thereby gain maximum revs.

Adding lag in the bowling swing means to scoop your ball by cupping your wrist on the downswing and allowing your elbow to bend so your hand can get under the bowling ball.

When you release the lag, your wrist unhinges quickly as your thumb leaves the ball. So you can apply decisive finger action on the ball which is what creates increased revs.

Caution must be taken to practice this difficult maneuver. It is advised to learn to add bowling lag while using the services of an experienced bowling instructor to prevent injury and to learn a proper technique.

Becoming a power player is not for everyone. There are as many, or more, successful players today using fewer revs than do power players. The modern bowling ball technology allows players using adequate revs to be formidable in competition.

If you want to add revs to your game, add some bowling lag.

M04W02:

Q: How Can You Be Sure About Your Bowling Adjustment?

A: If you want to raise your average, be sure about your bowling adjustment. When you think it is time to make some type of adjustment to hit the pocket, after missing one or more consecutive frames, it is important to know the adjustment you choose will get the job done.

Since there are several adjustments you can choose when you need to find the pocket again, make certain you avoid over adjusting and missing the pocket again.

It is so commonplace for you as a bowler to over plan a simple adjustment, making two adjustments instead of the single adjustment you originally thought would work.

Case and point - you think you need a slight angle change to pick up some skid length because your bowling ball hit high and you did not get your ball into an area in or near the pocket where you could get a strike.

You make the move with your feet and where you sight on the lane knowing you will pick up the extra skid distance to hold your ball from hooking high in the pocket or on the “nose”.

If you make the adjustment you planned but you added another at the last moment, such as picking up more ball speed or changing your release, you made two adjustments instead of merely the angle change you figured out to be the right solution.

Now your ball skids too far and you leave the “bucket” or the “washout.”

You made two adjustments when you knew that the one angle change adjustment was all you needed.

Now you paid the price for indecision. You paid the price for over correcting. Somewhere in your mind you doubted your decision that the angle change would have done the job.

What you can learn from this example is to know your adjustments and what each will do on given lane conditions during competition.

Since you can change ball speed, make a release change, make a loft distance change, make delivery angle changes, and change bowling balls when you need to make an adjustment, make sure you understand what each will accomplish before deciding to make multiple adjustments for one bad ball reaction.

When you make a clear decision to use one of your many adjustment techniques, trust your instinct, trust what your eyes see, and ultimately trust your judgement.

Resist the urge to do more than is really needed.

Keep your decisions simple in competition.

M04W03:

Q: What do we mean by "Bowling Wrist Lag"?

Commonly known as a term relating to the downswing in golf, bowling wrist lag refers to the wrist action entering into and during your bowling release.

In golf, the key is in the retaining of wrist lag so the unhinging of the wrists just prior to impact with the golf ball will add distance.

In bowling, we can add power (more revs) by adding wrist lag in the forward swing.

Adding wrist lag in the forward swing requires a couple of arm and hand action moves so you get into position to uncoil your wrist as your thumb exits the bowling ball producing an increase in your rev-rate.

The first point to focus is the beginning of the downswing. The 1st 12 inches of the downswing should begin by allowing of gravity to smoothly let the ball drop into the downswing.

The next move is to slightly cradle your ball prior to the release. Power players do this naturally. It is a difficult move but an effective technique if you wish to generate increase wrist lag and more revs on your ball.

The cradling effect causes your bowling elbow to break slightly while your bowling hand scoops under the bottom of the ball. Scooping the bowling ball gets the palm of your hand under the ball.

In this wrist position, as your thumb exits the ball, you will have enough hand and fingers left in the ball to create revs as if you used no thumb to hold the ball at all.

As your wrist uncoils, your fingers apply a snapping action while as you continue to follow through. The result is increased from adding wrist lag is increased ball revolutions and overall power.

Two handed bowlers use this technique to the maximum extent and thereby gain maximum revs.

Caution must be taken to practice this difficult lag release. It is advised to learn to add lag while using the services of an experienced bowling instructor to prevent injury and to ensure the proper technique. Adding revs may also necessitate a swing change to best match with your new delivery angle.

Becoming a power player is not for everyone. There are as many, or more, successful players today using fewer revs than do power players.

The modern bowling ball technology allows players using adequate revs to be formidable in competition.

Also, using an adjustable wrist support device is another method of adding wrist lag and increasing revs.

Add lag and add revs.

M04W04:

Q: Did You You Know That There Are Two Modern Walking Patterns On The Bowling Approach?

A: If you are a right handed bowler aspiring to greater performances and hook the bowling ball, then it benefits you to walk left and throw right.

Right handed bowlers who hook the ball gain delivery path accuracy because walking left easily allows for the swing path to align with the delivery path. The opposite walking pattern works for left handed players.

This walking path strategy allows for the swing to follow the direction the upper body and result in an inside-out forward swing path toward the sighting target on the lane.

Walking left on the approach will help you realign your bowling ball at the top of the backswing from behind your shoulder position and tuck it in behind your shoulder blade slightly to accommodate a left to right swing path.

Successful coaches today teach two techniques which typically accomplish the same end.

One technique for walking left, using a 4 step approach as a reference to describe these techniques, encourages good balance has been around for several decades.

This technique goes as follows:

1. The first step with the right foot moves straight ahead from it initial positioning.

2. The second step with the left foot steps to the left about 5 boards.

3. The third step with the right foot steps in front of the second step in a tightrope fashion as to step along the center of your torso.

4. The final slide step slides to the right and under the chin or between the shoulders. This slide step supports your body weight and builds a stable and balanced platform to deliver the ball. The sliding bowling shoe should enter the foul line in a fairly straight line so the toe points to the pocket.

The pattern is more easily recalled as "straight on one, left about 5 boards on two, overlap on three, and slide under the center of your body on four."

The next technique is very similar as goes as follows:

1. The first step with the right foot moves left from it initial positioning about 5 boards.

2. The second step is straight.

3. The third step with the right foot steps in front of the second step in a tightrope fashion as to step along the center of your torso.

4. The final slide step slides to the right and under the chin or between the shoulders.

This pattern can be simplified as “left on the 1st step, striaight on two, overlap on three, and slide under the body center on four.”

Of course, if you use a five step approach with either technique, the first step is straight to get you into motion, then the remaining four steps follow the above described patterns.

Both walking patterns can serve you well.

With some practice, supervised practice with a bowling instructor, you can change your walking path comfortably and effectively to accommodate your inside-to-outside swing and delivery path while keeping your swing tucked closely to your body on the forward swing.

Anytime a footwork change is made, you will have to adjust your present alignment system for strike and spares by making this change to match with your walking pattern.

If you work on your game and are presently walking straight or to the right, then strongly consider these walking path changes.

Walk left, throw right, and reduce the number of shots you deliver inside your target line.

M05W01:

Q: Do you make Bowling Notes?

A: OK, you have heard them all - all of the routine bowling tips about practice suggestions when trying to improve your game. But have you ever considered taking bowling notes?

You have learned that you must work on your physical game fundamentals in practice or with a coach.

You know it is a good idea to understand the differences in each of your various bowling balls.

Maybe you have read tips about playing both house conditions and challenging tournament lane conditions.

By documenting a few notes during your practice, like in a journal or bowling diary, you can recap elements of your game during practices and make reminders about things you must work on in future practices.

By taking a few notes after you complete your league sessions, you can record differences in how each lane reacts on your pair. We all understand that no two lanes play identically so documenting differences in your ball reaction might end up helping you the next time to compete on the same pair of lanes.

It is also a good idea to record the ball reaction you get from each bowling ball used in a given session of competition. You can make notes reminding yourself to alter the surface texture of a given ball in a certain way to improve your ball reaction next time you bowl.

If you are changing pairs in a tournament, making a few simple notes after each game about where you ended up playing each lane can be useful if you return to that pair later in the same tournament or at a future time in another event.

Making notes about pairs of lanes when you change bowling centers across your city can also become useful so you do not have to remember how you played the lanes weeks later when returning to the given center or to the given pairs of lanes.

Avoid getting too carried away with recording excessive information, rather just denote “bullet points” with a couple of words or a phrase, so you know what you were thinking next time you refer to your journal or notebook.

If you do not like to work too hard on your game, taking a few notes can be helpful the next time you bowl.

Let’s be honest, you good bowlers across the country are certainly capable of maintaining a decent average with very little practice on most lane conditions. So you may be lax on practice time or perhaps seldom practice.

If you elect to compete in a tournament with prizes available for the top finishers, you will want to sharpen your game before competing. By having a few notes for reference purposes, you might save time and get right to the keys of your game.

Coaches suggest you prepare your own practice checklist containing an outline of the components of your game and working on them in a disciplined manner. Taking notes is an extension of this checklist. The power is in the pen.

It has been written that writing crystallizes thought and thought motivates action. Make a few notes, organize your practice routine, and recap your competitive sessions. It may surprise you just how much useful information you have relating to your game, if you take time to record what you know works for your game.

M05W02:

Q: What do we mean by Three Board Wide Bowling Ball Path?

A: Bowling is a game of inches. Don’t try and be so precise with each delivery that you tighten up and make an errant shot instead of a good one.
Although most of you are trained to use a spot on the lane as a sighting target, try using a three board wide track instead of a slim mark for aiming purposes.
In fact, expand your sighting imagination a bit further and visualize a three board wide delivery ball for your bowling ball to follow from the time it leaves your hand until impact with the pocket pins.
If you visualize a three board wide bowling ball delivery path, all you need do is to deliver your ball inside the path on its way to your spot on the lane and to the pocket.
Trying to squeeze a shot over a very small mark on the lane can cause swing tension which, in turn produces inconsistent ball speed and adversely can affect accuracy.
Your three board wide delivery path must have the intended delivery angle where you release your ball established in the front portion of the lane, the path your ball follows in the mid-lane, and the angle your ball will roll from the breakpoint to the pocket.
PBA Hall of Fame Champion, Mark Roth, would say that he picked his spot and then aimed to the right of the spot to a three board blue colored area he imagined as his ball track. Then to the left of his spot, he visualized a red track he wanted to avoid.
There are many ways to sight when trying to hit a target on the lane. If you use this three board wide ball tracking visualization, you eliminate excessive pressure trying to hit a small spot down the lane.
It is also important to realize that although we all believe we are better shot makers than we really might be, the house lane conditions (oiling pattern) at most every bowling center today is a very forgiving pattern which actually can steer your ball to the pocket if you are aligned correctly.
Being deadly accurate is not a must to achieve high scores. Delivering your bowling ball in the right tracking path is vital to hitting the pocket, however.
Next time you are practicing, try this three board delivery path sighting method and see if you find getting your ball into the pocket a simple task.

M05W03:

Q: What do we mean by "Early Bowling Timing"

A: If you are an experienced bowler looking to improve your game, understanding the concept of early timing is a good place to begin.

It is important for all skill levels of bowlers to develop good physical game fundamentals. Timing is an important key to a good swing because it helps you coordinate your steps with your arm swing by synchronizing them when you walk to the foul line and swing your bowling ball.

Simply stated, timing is best described as the relationship between your footwork and arm swing. It is best to address this concept of early timing referencing a four step approach.

Using a four step approach as the model where a right handed bowler steps first with the right foot (opposite for left handed bowlers), then the beginning of the swing, known as the pushaway, for an early timing motion begins before the 1st step begins.

Some bowlers will merely drop the bowling ball from the stance positions straight down toward the floor and walk away from the ball creating the backswing motion in the overall swing cycle.

This type of timing motion gets the ball well into the swing early enough to arrive at the top of the backswing as the 2nd step is completed but risks not generating enough swing momentum for sufficient ball speed.

Other bowlers will extend the bowling arm forward and toward the pocket and allow the ball to fall freely into the backswing creating a 180 - 200 degree backswing radius.

During this type of pushaway motion, the bowler will take the first step once the ball begins to fall into the backswing without holding the ball motionless in front of the body while trying to catch up with the steps.

This type of pushaway motion is a very common beginning motion to the swing cycle and begins by moving the ball into the swing arc prior to taking the first step.

The key to the early timing sequence is to have the bowling ball moving into position to start the backswing as the bowler takes the 1st step.

In both examples of early timing, once the first step is complete, the bowling ball will be near the lowest point of the backswing cycle, nearest the floor, on its way to the top of the backswing as the bowler begins the 2nd step.

Since the approach is designed to be one continuous and organized movement, it is important to get the ball into the swing cycle early enough so the ball is at the top of the backswing and ready to drop into the downswing as the 3rd step is completed.

An early timing cycle as to allow the ball to begin movement into the swing cycle before taking the 1st step produces a favorable timing sequence.

Most coaches prefer teaching an early timing swing cycle as opposed to a late-timing sequence.

The reason is because the bowling ball is ready to enter the downswing and arrive at the release point near the bottom of the forward swing without the bowler having to force the ball into the downswing. Or without having to cut the backswing short and hurry or force the forward swing and the bowling ball release.

The vast majority of top-performing players in the world use an early “pushaway” motion so the swing cycle has plenty of time to complete itself and produce an effective release and follow-through motion.

It can be said that the early timing motion controls the timing sequence and also helps establish a proper swing path aligned to the target.

M05W04:

Q: Why do bowlers don't like to be assigned at the end pairs of lanes??

A: It can be surprising how many bowlers do not like bowling on the end pairs of lanes. The end pairs offer some psychological challenge to many bowlers and they will admit to not liking end pairs.

The reasons can vary why bowlers do not favor end pairs. Some bowlers simply do not like bowling very near a side wall to the building. Some bowlers insist the lane conditions are different on end pairs than on pairs nearer the middle of the bowling center.

Any number of reasons cause displeasure to bowlers when they are faced with bowling on end pairs.

The simple fact is that a good number of leagues and tournaments in every bowling center in the country are contested on end pairs. Therefore, it would make sense to find a way to adapt to the end pairs and increase your comfort level if you are one of those players not liking end pairs of lanes.

End pairs can often be high scoring pairs of lanes. In a lot of instances, the end pairs do not get as much routine linage as do center pairs over the course of a month of league and open play bowling. Hence, they do not break down as much as other pairs in the same center.

Although not always the case, end pairs can be closely matched in the way your bowling ball skids down the lanes. So your alignment can be the same, or nearly close to the same, on both lanes.

If the end pair you bowl on during league or tournament competition is the pair the maintenance team typically begins oiling the lanes on first, you might observe a noticeable variation in the volume of oil applied to the lanes in comparison to other pairs.

There can either be a lesser volume of oil or a higher volume of oil applied by the machine depending on the machine settings, the buffing tube, or the changing of pressure from air displacement in the oil tank, as examples.

Temperature and humidity can cause end pairs to vary your ball reaction compared to pairs near the center of the house. In many cases, there are not double entry doors at the side entrances to the bowling center and the lanes can be directly exposed to dirt, sand, or moisture from the doors opening and closing frequently during your competitive sessions.

Whatever your fears are about end pairs, the one sure way to better familiarize yourself with these pairs is to practice on them when you can.

When you bowl some practice games, ask for the end pair if one or both are available for use. Avoid asking for your favorite pairs of lanes each time, because you will learn little or nothing about the end pairs.

As the saying goes, “there is nothing to fear but fear itself.” Never fear the end pairs. Learn to keep an open mind that adjustments likely will be required to hit the pocket when moving to an end pair and be ready to adjust as needed.

M06W01:

Q: How To Control Your Bowling Ball Skid Distance?

A: Controlling your bowling ball skid distance is an important part of getting a consistent ball reaction and hitting the pocket repeatedly.

The skid length of your bowling ball depends on a few simple factors which you can monitor and work on yourself, if you wish to improve your ball skid distance control.

Ball skid (slide) typically refers to the distance your bowling ball will skid on the front end of the lane before changing directions at or near the mid-lane.

Here are a few things you can look for to help you regulate your ball skid distance:

1. Do not overlook the importance of having your bowling ball surface texture prepared precisely the way you need to match best with your local lane conditions.

Avoid allowing too many games being bowled before refreshing or resurfacing your bowling ball coverstock.

2. Deliver your bowling ball at as close to the same speed you can each shot during your sessions on the lanes. Although you may vary your speed as needed on given lanes, try to regulate that speed from shot to shot so you project your ball the same distance down the lane the best you can.

3. Release your thumb from your ball as close to the same time near the bottom of your forward swing cycle.

Avoid hanging on one shot and lofting the ball further than normal, then releasing the ball before the bottom of the down swing and dropping the ball on another shot.

A similar release point each shot with speed and loft distance control are keys to creating skid distance consistency.

4. Release your hand from the ball below your sliding knee level at the mid-point of your calf on your sliding bowling leg.

Using the same amount of sliding knee flex each shot and letting go of your ball at the mid-point of your slide leg calf will regulate the elevation your ball is from the floor each delivery. This will help you achieve a gradual angle of bowling ball descent into the lane surface.

5. Avoid inconsistent rotation with your bowling fingers at the moment you let go of the ball. Adding finger rotation will increase axis tilt and your ball will follow a slightly different skid path as well as skidding different distances.

These are a few reliable tips to help you work on your skid distance control and gain a dependable ball reaction much needed during competition.

M06W02:

Q: What Do We Mean By Bowling Thumbs Up?

A: Hall of Fame Champion Johnny Petraglia told his playing partners to follow-through with their bowling thumbs up.

He said that regardless if you are a power player or if you are someone who simply stays behind the bowling ball with a modest finger rotation (a "stroker" type player), this one trick of following-through thumbs up will help you not overturn the ball and produce a strong ball reaction.

If we think about this, no matter how much you rotate your wrist and bowling fingers when delivering your ball, you will develop a very effective release by not allowing your bowling thumb to rotate past a “thumb’s up” position.

When your hand releases your bowling ball, make certain your bowling thumb points straight up and continues into a full follow-through position.

The main reason any bowler loses power with their release is when the bowling thumb overturns and points to the opposite side, non-bowling side, of the body.

Overturning of the ball results in the bowling fingers rotating over the top of the ball causing a weak ball motion, and a noticeable loss of the rate of revolutions applied to the ball.

Some experienced and highly skilled players will intentionally overturn the ball to kill effective roll, particularly on dry lane conditions. Generally speaking, unless you are very well practiced at controlling this technique, it pays to simply avoid overturning the ball.

Switch bowling balls before selling out an effective delivery technique.

Keep you bowling thumb pointing up when it exits the ball no matter how much your fingers rotate the ball and the result will be worthwhile.

If you are having difficulty with your release, it is recommended you consult a bowling instructor or an experience bowling professional.

With a little practice, you can count on a good delivery style with this thumbs-up technique producing consistency from shot to shot.

M06W03:

Q: How Important Is The Bowling Ball Skid?

A: There are several factors related to the skid of a bowling ball. First, it is important to understand the term “skid” when referring to the bowling ball motion.

Ball skid (slide) typically refers to the distance a bowling ball will skid on the front end of the lane before changing directions.

Once a bowling ball is released onto the lane surface, the ball will skid a given distance until inertia slows the ball from the skid phase to the next phase of ball motion, the hook phase.

The skid distance has several factors influencing overall skid length:

1. the bowling ball coverstock (shell)

2. the drilling layout

3. the amount of axis tilt imparted on the ball by the bowler

4. the launch speed of the ball

5. the volume of oil conditioner applied to the lane surface where the ball initially travels

The two key factors any bowler must consider when choosing to purchase a bowling ball is the length potential and hook potential of a given ball.

The length potential refers to how far the ball will skid in relation to other bowling balls.

The hook potential refers to how much the ball will hook in the mid lane and what angle of entry will the ball use on the back end of the lane.

Once a bowler can control the skid distance on a given lane condition, then the hook potential is the next factor in achieving a desired overall ball motion.

The skid length can be altered by any number of adjustment techniques:

1. change of ball speed

2. the drilling layout which creates a given static weight imbalance in a given bowling ball

3. the delivery technique adding or reducing axis tilt (commonly known as how much you turn the ball)

4. delivery angle adjustments which determine how long a ball will travel in the heavy concentration of lane oil

Although your bowling ball rotates in the front end of the lane, it will skid in accordance with above mentioned factors.

Once your ball leaves the skid phase of motion, it enters the hook phase of motion in the mid-lane.

As your ball changes direction in the 2nd transition on the back end of the lane at the breakpoint, it will enter the 3rd phase of motion, the roll phase.

Once your ball is rolling from the breakpoint to the pocket, it will maintain its entry angle until it impacts the pins.

Since the 1st phase of ball motion is the skid phase, then your first concern as a player is to control the distance of skid.

If you are aligned properly to the pocket, then your ball will not travel beyond the breakpoint before changing directions or before it reaches the breakpoint based upon your making a good shot.

M06W04:

Q: How Efficient Is Our Bowling Arm Swing?

A: Many factors go into developing an efficient arm swing which leads ultimately to consistency and scoring results.

An efficient bowling swing is exactly what you think it would be - a swing that requires minimum effort and has repeatability.

All elite-level bowlers, amateurs and professionals alike, have repeatability in their swing. An efficient and repeatable swing leads to solid shot making.

Learning how to build an efficient swing is attainable for you as an everyday bowler if you are willing to put some effort into a few swing keys.

Here are a few keys to help you build an efficient bowling swing:

1. Develop the correct kinematic sequence. Kinematic sequence is the order in which different parts of your body move throughout the swing.

Focus on three main areas, your lower body, upper body and your bowling ball position relative your swing cycle.

For example, a correct downswing sequence begins with allowing your ball to fall freely using the forces of gravity during the first 12 inches of the downswing from the very top of your backswing.

A great way to feel a good sequence is to make an underhanded throwing motion. When you throw an object underhanded, as in bowling, pay attention to which part of your body moves first.

Your step before your slide moves before you release your ball which is your lower body movement(your legs). Next, your upper body moves toward your target by virtue of the walking momentum you are gaining, and then and you release your bowling ball and follow through.

2. Master your posture. Efficient bowling swings require solid fundamentals. The spine angle of your upper body helps you create an athletic posture if positioned above your lower body properly (your legs).

To guarantee your posture is good, you will need feedback. Great feedback can be attained by use of an experienced bowling instructor to watch you closely in real time , by a video, or by means of a camera snapshot as you enter into the step before your slide. These techniques will help you determine if your posture gives you balance and keeps you in position to make accurate deliveries.

3. Swing within yourself, then train to improve. Many bowlers physically limit their ability to make efficient swings. Strength and flexibility are two factors that can limit most players.

Use balance as your guide to make efficient golf swings. If you find yourself off balance at any point throughout the swing, particularly during the release phase in your swing cycle, then chances are you’re over-swinging.

Try and swing no more than 90 percent of full power to control your bowling ball speed, avoid losing balance, and strive to make accurate deliveries along your intended swing path.

If you want to improve your strength and flexibility so you can make more aggressive swings, consult a physical trainer or perhaps a physician and get appropriate advice how to improve your overall fitness as it relates to bowling and to your age.

An efficient arm swing doesn’t just happen, it must be developed. With a little time working on your swing, you can improve the quality of your shot making and watch your scores rise.

Last edited by benny on Sun Sep 14, 2014 1:40 pm; edited 1 time in total

M06W05:

Q: How Can You Apply Bowling Swing Practice Drill Strategy?

A: Let’s discuss the notion of bowling swing improvement drills. It is next to impossible to work on your entire swing cycle with the goal of improvement all at one time during practice.

Developing and implementing bowling drills to break down your swing into smaller sections is the way to practice. It is often easier to isolate and improve a particular part of your swing than to try and change the whole swing at once.

Start by having a plan for every practice. Every minute of practice should be accounted for and you must strive to make every minute of practice count.

Practice plans help prevent your session from being unproductive.

Identify your limit for concentration during practice and restrict your shots to match that limit. If you can place complete focus on your practice shots for 20 consecutive shots but no more, limit your practice on a particular technique to just 20 shots.

Forcing additional deliveries if you are not fully focused on what you are trying to do can be counter-productive and a general waste of practice time.

If there are three keys to your swing you wish to work on, as example, then work on them one at a time. Make sure you feel like you have improved in the first element of your swing before moving on to the next.

This practice technique is an important one. It means that if you break your swing down into more manageable sections, you place maximum emphasis on one key at a time for the maximum amount of time you know you can focus on during the given practice session.

Choosing effective drills to help you to improve a key to your swing and then mastering them one at a time is a proven and reliable way to practice and see results.

Develop your practice plan and then embark on the plan by selecting one key to your swing at a time and work on it exclusively until you know it is time to move on to the next.

Controlled, specific practice will help you develop your game much quicker than just launching shot after shot down the lane in hopes of improvement.