ways to help your bowling form at home

[wdc1987]

Does anyone know of any ways to help your bowling form at home. Will not beable to go bowling this week if we lose power in our area due to the hurricane.

[itstyler]

what i do... is stretch. especially since you have problems with your right arm every time you bowl... or wrist.

[wdc1987]

Explain how that is working on my form. I have been told to take a broom and grab each end with it behind my back and do squats on my left leg to help my posture and balance. Stretching will be best before workouts and bowling.

[wdc1987]

http://www.bowlingball.com/BowlVersity/how-to-practice-your-bowling-arm-swing

[billf]

Work on the finish position with arm swing. Can be done with or without a ball.
Swinging a ball back and forth. Helps maintain a free arm swing.
The release drill. Slide leg goes with your foot on the floor, knee bent. Balance leg goes with your knee on the floor behind the slide leg. Now release your ball into a couch cushion or pillow.

[wdc1987]

Thanks billf.

[Tampabaybob]

Many times, my wife looks over at me while sitting out side having a cigarette, and I'll be swinging my arm and rotating my wrist and fingers. At first she'd ask, "What the hell are you doing?" Now after 10 years of marriage she just looks one and smiles and shakes her head. Bowling is repetition, repetition, repetition. Doesn't matter where you do it, just do it. If you go out for a walk, swing your arm as though you have a ball and flip your fingers and wrist as though you're delivering it. Do that and the next time you bowl, it should come easier to keep your elbow in, and release the ball more automatically. Try it, it basic and it helps.

Bob

[wdc1987]

Thanks Tampabaybob will start doing that.

[MinnesotaBowler]

Not sure if you would need this drill or not but something you can do at home to practice your arm swing is to perform your approach in front of a mirror. I used to bring my arm around and behind my back and by doing this, it allowed me to see my mistake and correct it. You can also discover other technical flaws such as footing, balance, and just overall form. If you don't have an open space with a large enough mirror you can always use a camera and videotape yourself. I have done this many times with or without a ball and it has allowed me to see some mistakes in my game.

[Tampabaybob]

Minnesota......

Absolutely, great point...videoing yourself at the bowling center is the best way to see "exactly" where your faults are and what you need to fix. I've videotaped many bowlers, adults and junior bowlers and the first reaction is, "THAT"S ME ?" Much eaier to pick out the problems and it'll save hundreds of hours of time trying to fix something on your own.

Bob

[snugbucco]

Explain how that is working on my form. I have been told to take a broom and grab each end with it behind my back and do squats on my left leg to help my posture and balance. Stretching will be best before workouts and bowling.

They found that stretching before a workout can lead to injuries. Best to do it afterwards. :cool:

[wdc1987]

stretching doesnt increase your chance of getting hurt. It doesnt prevent it either. Stretching before does use a small amount of energy but not enough for you to notice. Im sure there is hundreds of articles that say stretching is good for physical activities and there is hundreds saying it is bad. it also depends on what type of stretching you do Ballistic,Static or Passive/Isometric.

I have seen more people get hurt because they do nothing before the activity. i myself will do some kind of stretching before the activity and after.

[Hampe]

They found that stretching before a workout can lead to injuries.

Where did you hear that? There's a school of thought that says static stretching before an activity might reduce explosiveness, but I've never heard of it causing injury.

[floridanative772]

I cant believe that stretching before is bad. I personally have felt the benefits of when I do as opposed to when I don't. If your muscles are loose and warmed up there should be less chance of damage

[snugbucco]

Stretching before bowling or any light activity is kool . I was talking about if your about to lift heavy weight, I should of been more clear sorry... I hurt my shoulder blade about 2 years ago, my physical therapist told be about how warm up with active stretching and light weight and not to do deep stretches before lifting progressively heaver weight. Reason being after you stretched you increase your range of motion more chance of a joint problem or a stabilizer muscle get strained.. I also have read several article on bodybuilding.com ... but at the same time i've read articles form that site that contradicted everything I just said lol

But yea research is just research most the time with studies like this you don't know if its real or not, probably just a half truth just to make an article like most the fitness articles i read.

[bowl1820]

The pros and cons of stretching have been a debated for quite awhile.

Theres a thread about stretching posted by Motiv Girl about Warming up and the latest research into stretching.

http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads/8507-Warming-up-the-latest-research-into-stretching?highlight=stretch

this site has this also but with charts.
http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/warming-up-the-latest-research-into-stretching-42328

[billf]

Dynamic stretches before bowling. Static stretches after. Or so says the USBC. I say any kind of stretching is better then no stretching, especially as we age. Static stretches don't force blood into the area. Dynamic does. Therefor dynamic stretching is really more like a little warm up than actual "stretching".

I use to stretch, static, between sets. It wasn't too long before I realized that wasn't feeling the greatest. After usually felt the best until 48 hours later.

[striker12]

the thing i do most o the time and alot of pb bowlers do this is find a areqa in your house where u can practice your arm swing like your approach and swing and u have to do it on tile floor or wood cause carpet u can use your sliding foot unless u dont slid.

[Fatal]

Striker I do that as well. Thing i have trouble with the most is my slide knee.

[striker12]

the one thing that help me get my slide consistant i put a carpet down and put some tape infront of it and did my approach into that and if i ever slid over the tape its a foul but just having my toe on it is not cause the edge of the carpet is the foul line and i wanted to be atlast 1/2inch back from it and that is with out my bowling shoes on just in socks witch its hard to stop but if you recently cleaned the floor dont do it cause you will slide too much but helps cause if the bowling allie cleans the approach area then u will know what it feels like but if my bowling allie ever cleans the approach area i jsut slow right down on everything.

[billf]

Striker I do that as well. Thing i have trouble with the most is my slide knee.

What kind of problem are you having with your slide knee?

[JerseyJim]

Try this drill. You can do it anywhere.
http://bowlingknowledge.info/images/stories/slowinski_push_btm_apr_2007.pdf

[Fatal]

I will definitely try that drill Jim