Was at the lanes today with my digital camera. Please view and tell me if I am doing anything wrong.

Approach, side view.

http://media.putfile.com/MOV0100693

Approach, rear view.

http://media.putfile.com/MOV01005

My computer couldn't recognize the format. Sorry.

You've got the balance idea. Just need to get lower to the line and stay down. Let that trail leg collapse all the way if you can. You're a tall guy, so its more difficult. Try keeping your finish position a bit longer....wait until the ball hits the pins.

Pushaway is already fully extended(and a bit too high) before your approach starts. This creates tension in your swing arm from the very start. Its difficult to have a free gravity fed swing if your arm muscles (especially the forearm) are already tense. So bring the ball in towards your body, so that you can actually generate a pushaway, with less muscling. In that stance your non bowling hand can support most of the weight of the ball. Try to get your balance arm out straight. You might need to do that if you get lower to the line, as it'll be required to keep your balance there.

I'm not familiar with your house (of course) but your line to the pocket is too direct for nearly any condition. Try starting more to the right with your feet and target, so that you can get some pocket entry angle to the 1-3 pocket. Even a plastic ball reacts better coming in at this type of angle. When and if you experiment with this, note where your feet are (what board) and what target you are aiming at. You may need to angle the ball in from the 5 board depending on the conditions. In a totally strange house I start lining up with my left foot (toe, but most use instep) and count 12 boards to the right for my target. I have a two board drift, so that takes my "key" down to 10. Gives me about a 2 board swing ball path. Once you get this number, it is much easier to line up in any house quickly. Another example. I'm in a strange house and say I see other bowlers and they are all hitting around 7 board. I know I need to set up my feet at least at 19 board for starters.

The video went by so fast that I couldn't really see your backswing. Nor did I see a way to replay it without going in and out of the web site. Thanks for sending it. Hope my comments help.

Erin

Also another thought. You are a tall guy with a long wing span (arms) so its easy for you to generate ball speed. You probably don't need as much speed as you are currently generating. If you bring the hall in towards your body and hold it at waist or breast level in line with the bowling shoulder), that should still generate enough ball speed. Plus the slower speed might increase your target accuracy, and give the ball a chance to hook instead of skid.

Erin

Erin, if you go to the slide bar and click it back to the beginning you can restart the video. Also, if you use the pause button with the slide bar you can replay sections over and over.
I noticed from the backside view which cought the entire approach that there were two three things that need to be addressed. Erin, maybe you could go back and verify this. It looks to me that your non-bowling arm (left) is raised too high. This causes you to drop your shoulder too far. Your steps are not in line. You sort of stagger step to the line. It's not horrible but needs to be addressed. The last thing is timeing. Although it does not look bad at the end you do not start your push away until you have completed your first step. I saw this clearly on the view from behind believe it or not. The ball should start to move at the same time you start that first step and you should definetly bring the ball down to waist level and hold it in close the body and under the shoulder. You seem to set up with the ball centered on the body. Just move it a bit right so it starts under the shoulder.

Absolutely Dick. I think the pushaway is the first thing to work on. You need to have one to begin with. So as Dick as said, if you use a 4 step approach, you need to start moving the ball with your first step.

And I would then work on making that balance arm effectual. Straight out, not waving. I think this is not too difficult to change. Not like the pushaway issue. That's going to be a bit of a challenge. I think if you gain a pushaway, timed properly with your steps, the rest of the timing issues will fall in to place.

Erin

Is there any other way to watch the videos? Putfile blocked all singaporean net users to protest the use of the death penalty in our country

Sorry, I should have posted more info. I throw a Columbia white dot, 14 lbs. I throw straight for now, working on getting my form down before I get a reactive ball. My instep on my left foot lines up on board 24, and my aim point is at the middle arrow (board 20 I think).

So I will move the ball to the right so its lined up with my shoulder.

Some things I don't quite understand.

1. Starting my pushaway lower? I don't really understand the entire pushaway idea yet. Is gravity doing the work her or do I actually push the ball away from me to get it going?

2. Balance arm. Straight out the entire time or bring it straight out as I go further in my approach?

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.

1. It means to basically hold the ball in a lower position in your starting position. Push it away while letting it drop(gravity) at the same time.
here's a clip: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kennmelvin/vAppBV.htm

2. Keep your balance arm straight out parallel to the foul line. At or lower then 90degrees to prevent your right shoulder from dropping too much
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kennmelvin/vAppDrew.htm

Because you are using a white dot, you will have to move everything right (feet and target) and point the ball into the 1-3 pocket. That should get you more pocket entry angle and better carry. Because its not going to hook, especially in the middle of the lane where most houses put more oil.

Erin