well, coming off the last year and a half i have been struggling, going from a 220 avg all the way down to 180, going over this over and over in my mind i came to realize it was do to trying to muscle the ball and really getting low causing my ball speed to be very slow and my aim to be off. i stood higher, and moved back to 2nd pair of dots and am now hitting nothing but 200s again, will see this next league what my avg will be. problem solved right?

well over the last couple months ive been feeling some pressure in the right side of like i guess you would say my groin area and i cant seem to figure out why, its not an injury because playing tennis and baseball havent seemed to bring up any pressure whatsoever and doctors have not seen any problems. im starting to think that maybe because even moving back ive kept a 4 step approach that i might be stretching too much at the very end, so im thinking of making it a 5 step to even out steps, but before i do that i wanted to see what other people thought about it, see if anyone else has faced a problem like this.

Yes, you probably pulled a muscle in the groin area from taking too long of a step. I did the same thing when I first started bowling again... It was pretty sore for a few days! I now start from about 6" to 1 foot behind the first set of dots even though I'm a fairly tall person.

I'd suggest either moving forward on the approach or going to 5 steps. You may know this already, but one often-recommended way to find your best starting position is to stand at the foul line, facing away from the pins, and take 4 or 5 comfortable steps forward (however many steps you plan to use in your delivery), then add one half-step. Look down and take note of where you are, and start from there.

Sounds like a pretty reasonable self diagnosis. Don't push it, it takes a while to heal, and with repeated strain, even longer.

thanks so much guys, well i did it 1 1/2 months ago and when i came back and bowled again it wasn't pain like before but i could feel the pressure from it. i never thought of doing the foul line and taking steps back, i did before but didn't think to do again with standing straighter up, ill do that and see which feels best. thanks for responding quick.

also now that i think of it, i hear that you should be letting the ball swing and not so much using your arm to swing, but my thumb tends to get yanked on and gets sore after a few throws, dont feel it when i swing with my arm only when i let the ball swing, any ideas what thats all about?

Sounds like you are using your arm muscles and gripping the ball. Your arm should swing freely, and you should not grip at all. It is all gravity once you push the ball off.

yes, that is what ive been told, but when i hold the ball and just let it swing and just relax my hand, the ball takes my thumb and pulls on it causing my thumb's skin on the knuckle and sides of the thumb to get irritated and swollen.

Then, you are bending your thumb. You could look at a pitch change in your thumb hole, but start with some black bowlers tape on the back side. One or 2 pieces should help your thumb come out easier, and without bending it.

Your thumb should come out of the ball if it is relaxed when it reaches a 90 degree angle from the floor on the downswing. Most bowlers grab with their thumb to hold on to it. Don't. Let the thumb come out and the ball roll off your fingers.

alright, i'll try it Saturday, ill let you know how it went, thanks for the help.

well today really sucked, staying with the 4step and finding the spot on the approach where i need to start did help not get pressure in my leg, but now i have no power whatsoever. i cant swing the ball, the back swing alone made my thumb swell up and all i did was put my thumb in the ball. i went from throwing close to 15mph to throwing 7, i have nothing on the ball; it hit the pins and left things i cant even believe. with only 1 month till league, things don't look good, i'm already behind a lot of people my age when you look at how long i've been bowling, all the [censored] that has been going on is just holding me back and now its looking like i'm going to lose another year.