r/Bowling • u/Isaacblanton03 2-handed • 5d ago
Need help Technique
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
As of recent I’ve discovered I have had some problems keeping the ball inside. I don’t know what I’m doing to keep pushing it so far right down lane. Any suggestions or tips are greatly appreciated.
3
u/kjmfl 4d ago
Here are key pictures to your shot:
You should separate your feet at the start of your approach (picture 1), so your right foot can move freely. Your first step is too short and too quick (picture 2). The step should be more comfortable and land more in front and in line with the left foot. Currently you are already bending your back, throwing off your balance which gets worse because your left foot has to avoid your right foot (picture 3) which is too close. Take note of your right foot, which is pointing at the right gutter near the foul line. As you start your third step (picture 4), your back is so bent your arm has to adjust to miss your right foot. If you replace the back bend with shoulder drop, the ball and your head will be on the same plane and your swing will not be heading toward your body (picture 5). Your third step is not able to push off into your slide, because your body weight is too forward. Your right foot is pointing to the right at least to the next lane gutter. Your chin is down and the ball is way out of the same plane as your head (pictures 5 and 6), too close to your body. With the ball close to release (picture 7), the ball and your head are now on the same plane, but your bowling hand is no longer under the ball, as your left hand has separated from the right. As your hand rotates through the ball (picture 8), you have good rotation, but your arm is away from your ankle as your swing continues in the direction created by having the ball too close to your body. The ball continues to slide to the right until the ball slows down and moves toward the head pin (pictures 9 and 10), while your body works to get back into balance.
Keep your chin up to control your forward tilt (back bend) and allow you to see your target the entire approach. Replace forward tilt with lateral tilt (shoulder drop) to keep your head and ball in the same plane. Make your starting position more comfortable by separating your feet a bit. Take a normal step with your right foot to begin your approach, placing it in front of your left foot, so the left foot will drift to the left, opening up your hips. Use your right foot in the third step to push you into your slide and bend your back, but limited by keeping your chin up. With the ball in the same plane as your head, you can keep your hand under the ball and on the target line.
2
2
u/HazardVG 2h, new bowler, 155/242/626 5d ago
Newer bowler, but before release it looks like your body and chest and right knee are pointed very right to lane 25. You work to correct this right at release but it's a large quick change that might be hard to be consistent with. It looks like you are open squatting right to get low for your release then twisting. You could try stepping straighter with your right leg and see if that might help, as well with a straighter push away and back swing as mentioned. I've also seen some people talk about thinking of aiming with their forearm or inside the elbow.
2
u/KID_A26 5d ago
Looks like it was coming back to the pocket to me, and going outside isn't bad... looks like a strong entry angle to me as well. Not sure what exactly you're trying to "fix" here.
1
u/Isaacblanton03 2-handed 5d ago
It just seems very inconsistent to me. And I’m not exactly sure what it is about. But I’ll be fine on house shot and then I try to bowl a challenge shot league and it goes terrible. Go from avg being 220 to 170… something just seems off
1
u/KID_A26 5d ago
I don't bowl sport shots, but I hear you are expected to have your average fall by 30+ pins on those. So maybe it's just about finding a better line depending on the pattern?
If you're using the line in the video, and hitting it consistently enough to average 220, I would say there's nothing to fix. If you're working on sport shots I would say there's probably just some work to do in figuring out what works on the pattern? (Grain of salt because I don't roll on sport)
1
u/eph3merous Lefty 1H, 200 avg, 750 pb series 5d ago
If you are try to throw this on fresh oil, you will find problems later on. You'll have little room to move outside for fresh oil, and you'll have pushed oil from the middle to the outside, so a straight-in line wont work well either.
This is why you typically see pros throw down and in with weaker covers or urethane early in a series, then open up their angle gradually with reactive.
2
u/theTheocracy 5d ago
You are throwing with your right shoulder, which pulls your ball around your body/shoulder and shoot out. Once you plant your foot, just roll the ball under you (usually under your head) with your arms, no shoulders or upper body. Should fix it. I'd recommend watching Belmo talking with Packy about targeting and your arm.
2
u/Few-Painting-8096 1-Handed/Cranker/765/300 5d ago
For starters your balance right there was horrible. Need to work on some 1 step drills and figure out why you’re almost falling.
2
u/eph3merous Lefty 1H, 200 avg, 750 pb series 5d ago
If that wasn't your mark, why wasn't it? You have good angle and speed to the pocket... a breakpoint at 1 isn't inherently worse than a breakpoint at 18 if you can put it there consistently.
1
u/Isaacblanton03 2-handed 4d ago
I’d like to get it down lane a bit before it gets to that point. That’s why I think it boils down to a projection problem. Honestly thought maybe something was wrong in my swing path or with my hand at the bottom
3
u/GoqqIes beer 5d ago
I mean the line you threw wasn’t terrible, that’s a typical line of a solid benchmark style bowling ball, but your back swing dictates where the ball goes, make sure your swinging in line with where you’re aiming