This is my first set of videos. I am a 25yr old bowler from Massachusetts. I've only been bowling consistently for the past 12 months. Previous to this current interest in bowling the last time I threw a bowling ball was around age 13.

Let me know what you think. I can take it.

3 Videos
2 Views from behind, throwing the natural
1 View from the front

one a side note, i don't know if this is really a bad thing...

i think ur stance is a bit too tense going into the approach, maybe try a more natural stance.

the best bowler belgium has ever had once told me, you should stand in the stance like you are standing here with your beer in your hand, completely relaxed.

I don't think you would stand that way when holding your beer

You have two big problems that I see. The first is that you really muscle the ball. Since there will be 5 more posts saying don't muscle it, I'll move on. The second is that when you get the line, your shoulders and head jolt around to get the ball where you want it. Just watch the movement of your head in the first video; it's really easy to spot. I think a lot of it is from your starting stance, and from you muscling the ball. You are so hunched over that to get the ball up you have to open your shoulders a ton to get your backswing up. Then when you get to the line, you have to close everything up so you don't throw it straight into the gutter. If you stop hunching over and get your elbow close to your body, it should help a lot. That alone won't fix it completely, but it will help.

I agree with the two above me.

Bowling isn't about power its about finesse. Look at mikhial's avatar on the left side of his post, you will see the finesse in his game. You don't have to throw the ball through the building in order to get a strike, just watch a senior league and you will see as many 7 mph strikes as you can imagine.

Its a game of placement more than raw strength. Its like pool, it takes touch. You can't just blast the ball into the pocket on every shot or it will rim out, you have to roll the ball into the pocket, not force it down its throat.

The hunch thing is a start to your muscling. You are so tense in your setup that your body is rearing and ready to go. Similar to a bull in the starting gate. You look like you are caged up, as soon as you start your approach its like that gate was opened and you are exploding out of there. Its a hard thing to do, but in all reality the less you try to do the more you will be able to accomplish. By allowing gravity to work for you instead of against you, you will hit your target more frequently, strike more, and leave less garbage to pick up if you do not get them all.

Check out these videos: http://www.nextlevelbowling.com/page.php?page_id=9

Work on your posture in your set up, all the way through to the release.

My thoughts... first, being from Minnesota, the Garnett jersey stings a bit. As far as your bowling... I see strength, pretty good timing, strong release, and an overall natural ability, especially for someone that's only been bowling for a year.

Playing that line, with that speed, with a urethane Natural... I would have to guess that the lanes your bowling on are quite dry. Is that normal for those lanes? Do you always bowl there? What happens when you bowl on oily lanes? Do you have a reactive ball?

Yeah, you're a little bent over, but I don't see that as a problem. There are many very good bowlers who start out that way, and many others who are upright. As Norm Duke stated in his training video, he starts both ways, depending whether he wants to really hook it, or not. The open shoulder is fine, you close it up right on time, and come through the ball pretty well. If I were your coach, I would like to see a little more knee bend, you're a little stiff legged at the line. I would also suggest that you tone down the aggressiveness just enough to smooth it out some, so that you are solid, and on balance at the line. Your slide foot is squirreling all over the place.

So, how is your game? Always in the pocket? Leave a lot of ten pins? Accurate? Spare shooting? Does your knee ever get sore? What would you like to improve?

From what I see in a few seconds of video, you have a ton of potential.

Thanks for all of the reply's and suggestions. My average strike ball speed is 18.5-19.5 depending on how the lanes are playing. Carrying the 10 pin is not a problem, just takes adjustments as it does with any bowler. I average 190. I know I don't need to throw the ball 18-19mph to strike but thats just a comfortable natural speed. Throwing 22 plus would be trying to throw it through the back of the building. I'm pretty sure i get a decent amount of revs on the ball so some of my speed is necessary just to get the ball down the lane.

The natural has been very helpful lately with reducing the amount of splits I leave. I've never had any problems with my knee getting sore? I miss some spares here and there. I would most like to improve my form. The better my form becomes the better a bowler I will be.

The top video is on fresh oil (notice theres no pins on any of the other lanes). The shot is a typical house shot, medium oil. I prefer to bowl on heavier, longer oil and score better as well.

My other balls are the Hammer burn, virtual energy and a plastic ball. The virtual energy gets the most use, its drilled lefty strong, so weak for me. The Hammer burn is my strongest ball. Drilled pin below middle finger. It snaps extremely hard so it doesn't get as much use.

I was aware of the knee bend and muscling issues. I've had one coaching session and thats pretty much the two things he focused on. I plan on spending a lot of time over the summer working on those two things. My being hunched over comes from my size, i'm 6'3 220 so somehow I have to find a way to get the ball smoothly onto the lane. Its just another of the many things I have to work on.

You don't have to hunch over to get down at the line. Stand upright more and bend those knees.

I'm bigger than you are and I don't have to bend over like that. Just food for thought.