Are you tired of leaving single pins and pocket splits? BALANCE is the key!
“I buried that ball in the pocket, @#?!%?!.”
How many times do we hear (or say) that? And then we blame the lanes, the ball, the pinsetter, our teammates, our opponents…and sometimes even the ball return……instead of ourselves (i.e., our finish position).
Accuracy and angle of entry are certainly important ingredients in any serious bowler’s game, but pinpoint accuracy will never overcome improper ball rotation or poor leverage. It is nearly impossible (unless you are Walter Ray Williams) to impart the necessary action on the ball if you are consistently off balance at the foul line.
Are any of these scenarios familiar?
- Do you kick your trail foot up in the air or hop after release?
- Where is your head when you release the ball?
- Do you “get low to the lane” by bending at the waist?
- In what position is your balance arm?
- Where is your follow-through?
By far, the most prevalent balance problem stems from that “graceful kick in the air” which many of you insist indicates “that perfect form.” But…look what that kick really accomplishes:
If your trail foot is up in the air, where is your shoulder? “You’re dropping your shoulder, man!”
If your trail foot is up in the air, where is your follow-through? “You’re pulling the ball, dude!”
If your trail foot is up in the air, where is your head? “You missed your mark by a mile, man!”
If your trail foot is up in the air, where is your balance arm? “You’re turning your body, girl!”
Problems are often easy to spot, but the cause is not always so evident to the untrained eye. We’ve all heard those same comments from our teammates week in and week out during league play. What no one seems to acknowledge, however, is that all of these common ailments stem almost exclusively from being out of balance at the line:
When off-balance, it is impossible to get your entire body (especially your legs) into the shot. (Do you try to muscle the ball with just your arm?)
When off-balance, it is impossible to follow-through with authority. (Are you able to “punch a hole in the ceiling” or is your follow-through a wimpy wave in the air?)
When off-balance, it is impossible to lift and turn with strength. (Does your ball imitate the blade of a helicopter as it rolls out 50 feet down the lane?)
Your chin, sliding knee and sliding toe in perfect vertical alignment; your trail foot behind you in contact with the approach at between 7 and 8 o’clock; and your balance arm waist high and out to the side. Not evident in the diagram but absolutely necessary for execution are a few feelings you must experience:
At least 90 percent of your weight should be on your sliding foot. If you feel weight on your trail foot, you are rearing back on release and losing that all-important leverage.
Your head must not move from your stance position through release. If you bend at the waist, leverage again is sacrificed.
If your balance arm is out in front of your body, your shoulders will be open too much; if your balance arm is behind your body, you will pull the ball.
Spend a few practice sessions working on balance. You will probably feel awkward at first, especially if you have been bowling for years. Remember, it takes at least 1500 reps before your body develops the “muscle memory” to make a new technique feel natural.
Leave a reply to Bowling Technique in Detail – That All Important Finish Position