Well yesterday’s practice was a success even though I was forgetting some of the other good stuff I had been working on.

My objective was to exaggerate my knees to the left and head to the right on set-up to compensate for "leg structure" - kind of like carving a turn in snow skiing - to get my head over the ball, and the ball close to my side (and maintain that alignment all the way through my approach).



After looking at my Video I think a can exaggerate knees to the left even more today. My brain was telling me that I looked stupid snow skiing on the approach but I can hardly tell on the Videos!

I bowled 7 games in practice. My low was 179, my high was 247 (I missed an easy 10 pin in the 1st frame). I was striking consistency and my spare ball was deadly. Four games over 200, two games in the 190's & the 179. The funny thing is that I wasn't really going for score.
I bowled as far left as 30 going over 17, as far right as 10 going down the 2 board, and five board increments in between.

My last few shots on the Video I put white tape above my finger holes to see my ball rotation. Would anyone comment on it? Maybe calculate ball speed and/or side rotation for me - I have no idea what my numbers are.

Thanks all in advance, (almost have game)

~ John

Your timing is early again, the ball and your slide foot get to the line at the same time, you want to be able to say the word football, say foot when your foot stops and ball when the ball passes your foot, in these clips they are right on top of each other.

To correct this, try taking a bigger swing, as it is now, your swing is very controlled and short, you need to let the ball swing your arm freely instead of grabbing it at the push away and guiding it the whole way, the swing barely passes your right hip before it starts back forward. I would like to see it go shoulder high at least, if not head high. The best way to achieve this is to find some place safe to swing the ball back and forth so you don't kill someone and practice swinging the ball back and forth and loosening up your shoulder, then try a regular approach with the camera on so you can see if that corrects your timing.

I'm not sure why the ball is still a mile away from your slide foot at the release, it is my hope that the longer swing will allow your right hip to clear so the ball can pass without having to swing away from your body, if not, you need to keep your elbow in tight to your body during the swing.

On a positive note, your foot work looks better, your slide is in front of your right foot, but if you can't clear your hip and get the ball in closer to your slide foot at the release, I may have you try something a little different.

Here is a shot from today's practice. I'm trying not to control and cut off my back swing.



Ever since I started moving my knees & hips to the left with my head to the right over the ball & big toe, I have been scoring very well.
When I practice I usually bowl seven games. Today is the first time all seven games were over 200. My high game was 246 (two 10 pins left, one made & one missed)
I am still trying to figure a way to get the ball closer to my slide foot on release.

I added a Video of me swing my 16 Lb. shot-putt, and swinging my bowling ball loosening up my swing.

~John

John, I am not having luck getting the vid to play, I'm glad you are scoring better, hopefully you are on the right Track.

Try this:


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8901572644360641984&hl=en

this is good advice for most bowlers, i think what you're advising is more properly called 'slightly late' timing. his timing is not really 'early' per se. 'early' would mean the ball arrives at the line ahead of the slide foot.

If ideal timing is the ball arriving just after the slide, and he is arriving in time with the slide, I would say he is early.

Semantics

it is semantics. the classical definition of 'perfect time' is ball passing the ankle just as the slide stops. most bowlers nowadays seem to strive for late timing. late timing does have its advantages but often results in a muscled downswing--if you are too late. a little bit late is usually good in my experience.

ijon83, was that a 16 pound shot-put ball you swingin in the video? That seems like a good idea. It could probably do a lot of things for someone's swing.

I think you should also work on getting that trial leg over just a bit more.

Hi DemolitionMan.

That is my old 16lb high school shot-put. The funny thing is that I can swing it back & forth all day long with my wrist at a "cupped" right angle, (My thumb points at my index finger), but when I swing my bowling ball with my thumb swung over to point between my ring & middle finger my wrist wants to "break" back. I've often wondered if my thumb hole should be off set instead of centered? My hand is pretty wide.

I really have to think about my trail leg. My natural balance seems to want it behind me.

~John

The reason you find the bowling ball more difficult is most likely due to arm tension from squeezing the ball. As you know, it is easier to grab a small thing than a big thing - forward pitch makes the grip more like holding a baseball - reverse makes it like palming a basketball.

Many people have longer ring finger spans than middle finger spans (myself included). In fact, I'd say it's probably "most". You may need a quality fit check.

Hi cgeorg,

I've migrated my thumb hole to 5/8 forward. I have been a clincher in the past. I did my time almost putting the ball through the alley ceilings. I've gone through the cold sweats of fear afraid the ball won't come off my hand. I now love my 5/8 forward and get out of it very clean. If I can learn to not grip and get out of the ball anyone can - but it’s not for the faint of heart. The only thing that locks my thumb in the ball is if I "break" my wrist back.
I am in the process of backing off my 5/8" forward to 7/16" since I have learned to not grip the ball. (Per Erin - Atochabsh). Also I am lengthening my span on my spare ball & taking its 5/8" forward thumb to 1/4" forward - similar to Chris Barns).

Will up date,

~John

Hmm - it could just be where the weight is then. In a shotput, the ball is very dense and the weight is close to your palm. With a bowling ball, the weight is a good 4-5 inches away from your palm. So, you lose leverage, even with the same weight, making it harder to hold the same 16 lbs.

John, your swing looks better, but your cadence went back to 1..2..3..4..slide instead of 1..2..3.4.slide, keep the swing the same and speed up your feet that should get the trail leg out of the way and get your timing right.

EddieK, the modern method for perfect timing is to say the word "foot" as the slide foot stops then say the word "ball" as the ball passes, if timing is right you should be able to say the word football, with john, the foot and ball are at the same place at the same time, so he is early. In ye oldern days it was thought that the foot and ball should be at the release at the same time, but it was later found that the bowler is better able to impart leverage at the line from a stable position if the foot is still moving as the ball is being released, then the bowler is not stable. Many things have changed since then and timing is just one of them.