Again I started bad but came through towards the end.. first game a 152 but still managed a 560+ series. Still it was a second consecutive horrible week for our team and we lost 4 points (all 3 games). The worst thing was how it ended. The last game (I'm anchor) I needed a spare / 7 to tie spare / 8 to win. What do I do? Bowled a spare / 6 and lost the game for us. I had been hitting 9's and strikes all nights and hadn't missed the head pin until that very last dreadful throw. In my attempt to "keep the ball on the lane" I pulled it way left. This ones going to sting for awile... or at least until I get a chance to make up for it Monday

Tyveil,
Oh that gotta sting. But there allways next week. Three Weeks ago we played this team and they needed 8 pins to win and he went high last two time he was up the anchor bowler so he send it out further but he sent it to far out and gutter the ball. Boi was he ticked he left the lanes until it was his turn on the next game. But he ended up shooting a 269 at us the second game to win that one.

Well, tonight was the first night in my attempt to bowl all three league nights since my injury.
I have been very erratic so far. I have no consistency from night to night. But, I still an consistent from game to game. And, that is the bad thing. My Herman Muster aproach either works well, or doesn't. And, I don't know why or how to change it.

I have been as high as 750, and as low as 500, with a couple of 600's in between. I see my problem more in spare shooting. I am not as good. But, tonight, that wouldn't have helped. The laneman got me again, putting down an easy House shot. And, that requires me to get my ball out on the lane, and that is one thing I cannot do. No matter how hard I try, I cannot get down and get the ball out enough.

So, tonight, I went to another less agressive ball and tried to play 15-18. The ball didn't finish on the first shot, leaving a 2-8-10. Then I went to the right. Strung 4.
Then, came in light for a pocket 7-10. Another strike. And another pocket 7-10. That set the stage that I was unable to shake all night. Opens with splits. I think I only got 5 spares all night, I remember a 7, two 4's and two 10's.
I had way more than 5 splits. And, they always came at the wrong time. Sometimes, 2 in a row.
I didn't help the team, shooting 40 pins under average. But, every score was within 10 pins of each other. When I am consistently bad, it just stays there. I can't shake it.

Sounds like a rough night Dennis. I know your pain all too well when an injury keeps you from doing what you come to expect of yourself. After the bowling did the pain get worse? My pattern was bowl-pain-bowl-more pain-bowl-pain was extreme-then recover for the weekend. I hate to say it but if you have to shut it down it will help you bowl later on. If you can limp along without injuring yourself more for the balance of the Winter season then you can do that and shut it down for the Summer. With my injury it still bothers me even as I type this and I did it back in August. I've gotten stronger, the pain is tolerable but it's still not right. I'm thinking about taking the Summer off and going lefty in one league. I'd just hate to see you rush getting back into it like I did and prolong the recovery time.

On an up note if you bowled and the pain or injury is no worse it may have just been some rust you had to knock off as well. My first few weeks back were irratic to say the least. Good luck!

As usually happens, so I am told, my upright approach may be causing other problems. I now have had a lower back strain, that I went back to the therapist for.
Although, I have tried to stay as erect as possible without bending my sliding leg, it seems that I have a slight muscle pull across my back as a result. It happened a week ago. I now wear a back brace to bowl too. It helps, but really limits my mobility.

I can't wait til my body tells me that I can go back to being who I am. I walk stiff legged, can't bend, back brace, can't reach, just pitch the ball out as far as I can. Boy, a video of me would get a lot of citicism on this board.

The main problem, as I see it. My equipment is aggressive, and built for oil. At this slower speed of my approach, I cannot control the ball as well as I have to. last night, the laneman didn't help. It is extremely difficult to shoot across to my breakpoint. I pretty much have to bowl straight down the lane. This causes a radical backend hook, that often results in an uncontrollable dive.

I have been trying everything to reduce the ball tilt. But, that is coming naturally off of my hand. And, I don't want to create a temporary solution with a jury rigged release, that possibly will cause future problems.

I have 2 weeks til my first tournament. Then, 1 every 2 weeks through March.
I gotta fix this.

Sounds like a break would be a good idea. I know it is no fun to not bowl, but if you already strained your back (I can relate I have a bad back as well), what else are you going to hurt by continuing?

Mike

Yea I think if I were you I'd take the 2 weeks off at least until the tournament. It may be something that can only be "fixed" by rest. 2 weeks of little to no activity can do a beat up body a world of good.

League Update - Monday nights (men's competitive).
We started the night 2 points out of 1st place, with 2 teams tied for first (so we're in 3rd). Both top teams took 3 of 4 points. We took 4 of 4.

It was really amazing how we pulled through in the 10th frame every game. Every game was close and every game we won it in the 10th. Being a comparatively low average team it was surprising to see all 5 of us closing out the 10th every time and it counted. Their anchor was hot... cussing, punching things, throwing things.. at one point he even ran outside in 10 degree weather in his bowling shoes (no covers).

On a personal note, I shot well. Ended with a 213 game and a 578 series. My low game was the 2nd (175) where I again stuck with my first ball a little too long and got bit with 3 splits (my only 3 open frames). I have slowed down my swing to try and wait for the ball to fall in the backswing. This seems to have made a big difference as everything was fluid and consistent.

Thanks for the advice. I will take the counsel of my therapist, who just says, every day will feel different. Play it day to day. If I do my exercises, everything will strengthen, at least, it's supposed to. My fear is that a 2 week layoff would be more detrimental to my game. I don't know. It's 6 of one and half dozen of another.

The first tournament, I am bowling with my son in a doubles event. I can't give up this opportunity. Father/son thing, you know. Bonding.

It is surprising, although the back brace is cumbersome, there is little if any discomfort when I remove it. I guess it is doing its job.

Even if you were in plaster from neck to knee, you'd go to that tournament, so don't sweat it, Dennis. I bowled almost all of the season before last with wrist pain that badly hampered my game, but I wouldn't let up, so I just had to do the best I could and try to ignore the discomfort. I didn't bowl for two months after season end and then got some help with my release so that the pain didn't come back. Believe it or not, I finished up going up a pound in ball weight and have had no problems since (touch wood)! As is usually the case with injury, if you try to protect the damaged area by changing the way you go about doing a particular task, it ends up putting stress on another area that is not used to it... bingo! Another injury!! Strengthening exercises are, I think, the only way to fix it up and you are already doing that. The brace will help, but you will probably need some abdominal strength work to fix up the back problem for good. Stick with it Dennis, it will sort itself out in time but ain't it frustrating that your body, that has served you so well for so long, has decided to start quitting on you when you least need it to? I guess we are paying for all the liberties we took when we were a bit younger and indestructable!
League update - our Summer League concluded last night, I had a reasonable effort with 202, 151, 161 and 223 to finish with a 184 average for the night and 172 overall. Big improvement from my Winter season average of 150 and 200 games are coming along a bit more regularly. We start back into regular competition in two weeks... looking forward to it already!
Good luck and good bowling to all.
Cheers,
Allan

My therapist has me doing stomach exercises as well. Just as you mentioned. She's a great help. Maybe I don't see her enough. But, I am on a schedule and I'll stick to it.
She massaged my lower back the other day and had me lying on my back and twisting my bent leg across my straight leg while holding my back firmly to the table. Whole bunch of popping noises were heard in my lower back, and it felt great. She reminds me of a character in a movie. Have you ever seen Porky's? It's a high school comedy. And, there is a female gym instructor in it that looks like a gorilla in a cut off t-shirt. My therapist is not exactly like that. The therapist has more hair on her arms. LOL
She is a good 185-190 lbs with big shoulders. She has to be to move a lug like me around.