I went out and was testing my new ball today. So I decided to bring my video camera along... The whole hour I was having some real issues with hitting my target, I mean I'm not even close. There were a couple shots I missed by more than 7 boards. I was looking at my videos and I noticed that the ball doesn't come anywhere near my slide foot.. The video below was one of my few shots that were close and I actually got a strike.. I believe the whole hour I might have had 3 strikes. Any way I was wondering how can I correct that issue... I know that the ball should be fairly close to the ankle, but mine is nowhere near it.

If you think it would be better for me to post one of my other 60 bad shots of today I will, but to be honest the form looks to be the same, just missing the head pin brooklyn and taking out the 7 pin. I bet I did that on at least 15 shots.

Brian,

I am just starting out, and I have the same problem with my approach/release.

Does your slide foot land parallel with your previous step? I was just reading Bowling Execution by John Jowdy, and he says,



I was thinking this may be at least part of the reason in my case...because I"m pretty sure I don't do it that way. And the other part of my problem is a swing path issue I think, where I tend to bring the ball behind my back slightly, which causes me to swing around my body, rather than straight through.

We can't see the whole approach to see what is going on before you enter the picture. I think the biggest issue is you are swinging the ball and think you have to let your are swing away from the body to do this. The cellphone or whatever is clipped on your side hanging off your hip on the ball side of your side isn't helping either. When something is on your side like that you subconsciously try to keep the arm out from the body to avoid it. You are also popping up at the line at release which often causes you to pull the ball, where you missing to the left of your target often? If so that will cause you to cross over easily, especially playing inside like that.

I agree with infernocal about needing to see all of you from set up to the line in order to better determine what's going on.

Yes I was missing left... Way left I would be aiming for 15 and hitting 22-25.. Kind of embarrassing. I actually forgot that my Blackberry was there until I looked at the video. I'll get another video that has the full approach... At least I think I am getting more behind the ball now.. The last video I took the general consensus was that I was suit casing the ball.

Yeah, you're definitely more behind the ball now.

Your timing is very early, I can't see when you start your arm swing, shoot a shot from the side and I can see when you should start the ball. If that's not possible, try starting the ball a whole step later. Instead of starting the ball with your right foot on the first of a 4 step start it on the left foot, starting on the right foot only works if you take a long extended push away which is kind of out dated.

Once your timing is fixed, your right leg will get out of the way of the ball sooner and the ball will be able to get closer to your left leg.

Thanks, I never realized that I was early... I use a 5 step approach and have a small push away as I'm making my second step. I'll try and get a side shot.. that is a little more difficult as I don't have a tripod.. So I guess I'll go out and get one.. without a tripod I would have to put the camera 3 lanes away and that is just not doable at my center.. They are always packed. I might be able to put the camera one lane down, but not much more than that.

I never realized that that was OK to do. I actually let the ball drop into the swing on my 3rd step in a 5 step approach, but I just assumed that I started the ball late and everything caught up by the time I got to the line. I get all messed up if I try to get the ball into the swing earlier. Good to know.

Well, I got the video up of a shot from the back that shows the full approach.. I tried to get some shots of the side yesterday, but my battery in my camcorder sucks and would die before I even rolled the ball... So I'm either going to have to buy another battery or bring some extensions cords to the alley... LOL yeah that won't look retarded.

Anyway this is a video of a whole practice game that I played yesterday (8 min)I was trying to play further left and swing the ball to the outside.. It's a line I'm not too comfortable with, but I found out real fast that on the chameleon I need to learn it, and I will probably need to know how to do it on the cheetah as well.

So if your wondering why almost all my shots were Brooklyn that is why.

Oh and those weren't gang signs I was flashing I was keeping Track of what frame it was for video editing as I played seven games yesterday. No I didn't get any better at playing that line.. I'm too afraid of throwing it in the ditch for some reason. And right so since I did twice in this game.

edit: I don't know why I missed those easy spares either.. I was kicking myself for it... I don't normally miss the easy ones.. I was just off yesterday.