Stroker high backswing?

[GoodGorilla]

Every time I have tried to get a high backswing just to learn how, it took a little bit of shoulder effort to get it up there. However, a stroker isn't suppose to use muscle in the swing. I do put my balance hand forward and a little down, but I have not jerked it forward or anything like that. How is this suppose to be done correctly? I'm actually asking because my brother really wants to know. Does it have anything to do with a figure 8? push away left, cross over steps go left?

[bowl1820]

Read this:
Click this for How High Can A Free Swing Go? by Ron Clifton (http://www.bowl4fun.com/ron/tip41_files/tip41.htm)


Here's a quote I like also.
"Back swing height is irrelevant as long as there is no muscle required to get it up there, or keep it from going up there. If you just let your arm swing, you'll find your arm swing is as high as it needs to be and no more."

[Zothen]

I am a stroker(about 250 revs & 15-16mph) and I have a big armswing and it's all about gravity!

Think of your arm like a pendulam! Push your ball out to 3 0'clock and keeping your hand under the ball let gravity bring your arm to 9 o'clock,then gravity will bring it back to 3 o'clock were by you should have released it into a handshake position. Remember to keep your arm straight and ball close to your slide foot upon release.

If you have never used a big armswing you might have some shoulder pain,but,once you get the proper form you should not have any pain in shoulder.

Check out some youtube videos of Pete Weber bowling form. I know their are several videos on these boards,but,don't remember where.

Zothen

[GoodGorilla]

I am a stroker(about 250 revs & 15-16mph) and I have a big armswing and it's all about gravity!

Think of your arm like a pendulam! Push your ball out to 3 0'clock and keeping your hand under the ball let gravity bring your arm to 9 o'clock,then gravity will bring it back to 3 o'clock were by you should have released it into a handshake position. Remember to keep your arm straight and ball close to your slide foot upon release.

If you have never used a big armswing you might have some shoulder pain,but,once you get the proper form you should not have any pain in shoulder.

Check out some youtube videos of Pete Weber bowling form. I know their are several videos on these boards,but,don't remember where.

Zothen

I think you are describing the figure 8. Are you left handed? books and videos I see, say to do the opposite being right handed. They push left first. Then walk left, either by step overs or walking strait left, and have the ball finish I can't remember.

[billf]

I consider myself a Stroker but have been told with speed over 18mph and over 400 revs that's not the case lol
A right-hander will use a crossover step to their left with the right foot to put the ball out to the right. The figure 8 or pro loop that you are referring to is actually very minimal. The pros who have perfected it can do this within a 4" area when viewed from behind. By 4" area I'm talking about viewing this loop from the rear and the area is horizontal from there.

[harroo]

I think any style you shouldn't be putting muscle into it. It should be a free arm swing for constancy. But having said that its easier said than done.

[Tampabaybob]

The article by Ron Clifton, nails it. You do have to get lower in your approach, on or about your 2nd or 3rd step, to pull off a higher back swing. One of the inherent problems in trying this would be losing site of your target because of moving your head too much on the approach. If you can maintain your accuracy, no problem. But if you start pitching the ball all over the place, I'd say go back to your regular backswing and maintain your accuracy.

One of the guy's on our league actually brings the ball straight up above his head, just before the foul line. Averages high 200's, has his foot planted at the foul line while the ball is half way down, but it's a weird approach to watch. And yeah a year or so ago, he lost grip on the ball and it fell on his head!!

Bob

[AngeloPD]

Wow that article makes so much sense. i will try to do that the next time i practice because i muscle the ball on the way up on the back swing.

[GoodGorilla]

Yesterday I bowled at an ally which I only been to one other time. The lane was oily, but the ball was gripping like it wasn't oily. The lane was also fresh, so I tried many attack angles and speeds. Eventually I was standing errect with the ball abit higher than normal. By doing that, the backswing was higher. Half way past the second game I found the sweet spot playing 5 boards left of center, with a high backswing and my IQ ball to score a 255. After I was done the lane operator explained to me the lane. It was a 40 foot christmas tree pattern with medium oil on synthetic lanes. I am accustomed to playing on played dry lanes. Or oily lanes, both of which use the top hat like pattern.

[GoodGorilla]

I've got this down pretty good now. Like I explained in the last post.
1. Stand up strait.
2. hold the ball up higher than normal.
3. let the ball drop into the swing.
4. bend forward when the ball passes the leg.
5. Let the ball go to the top of the back swing and fall.
6. release.

It's harder for me to do all the hand/wrist action with the high back swing because the swing is faster on the way out than a low swing.

[Tampabaybob]

Yesterday I bowled at an ally which I only been to one other time. The lane was oily, but the ball was gripping like it wasn't oily. The lane was also fresh, so I tried many attack angles and speeds. Eventually I was standing errect with the ball abit higher than normal. By doing that, the backswing was higher. Half way past the second game I found the sweet spot playing 5 boards left of center, with a high backswing and my IQ ball to score a 255. After I was done the lane operator explained to me the lane. It was a 40 foot christmas tree pattern with medium oil on synthetic lanes. I am accustomed to playing on played dry lanes. Or oily lanes, both of which use the top hat like pattern.

Good game.....looks like you should be bowling at this house instead of the other. The oil pattern explained to you is similar to what I shoot on and last year I think we had 37, 300 games. Why bowl in a house that doesn't want to oil when you can bowl, and bowl well, in a house that ties care of their lanes and bowlers.

Bob

[GoodGorilla]

Good game.....looks like you should be bowling at this house instead of the other. The oil pattern explained to you is similar to what I shoot on and last year I think we had 37, 300 games. Why bowl in a house that doesn't want to oil when you can bowl, and bowl well, in a house that ties care of their lanes and bowlers.

Bob

I will seriously consider this. . I was going to open a new thread on this topic, but you brought it up. I'm getting fed up with my home center. You know what he does? He knows what times I come in, so he will not oil the lane until after I am done, if at all. I have sources.

[Tampabaybob]

Wow, That would be enough to make me want to switch. Now if he's doing the lanes because there's a league coming in after you practice, then I could see him waiting. When you bowl in a league, you should expect to bowl on freely dressed lanes as everyone else in the league is doing. So I would ask you this question.....what time are you going in to practice and is it just before the leagues start? In the house I managed, if someone came in to practice before the league, I would put them on the end lanes and start oiling from the other end. I would give them a time limit so my mechanic had time to dress the last couple of lanes before the league came in. That way the entire league had the same shot.

So if that's the situation then I understand. If not, I'd find another house to shoot at. AND practice as well.

Bob

[GoodGorilla]

I don't bowl there every day, I usually bowl at 3 different lanes. But the one I am talking about I go to the most often because it is the cheapest, and it is the closest to where I live. It isn't all bad because he gives me discounts on top of it all. Normally I show up on Mondays, tuesdays, wendsdays, fridays, and saturdays. Yeah, sometimes I also bowl in more than one place in a day. Anyhow on Fridays I show up late after a dollar a game day, which the lane is always tore up which is to be expected, but I'm sure there's a lane somewhere that hasn't been utterly destroyed as the ones he puts me on. On Saturdays there is a kids league in the morning which the operator only oils those lanes, and none of the others. One time I showed up while they were oiling and they stopped where the kids play and leave the rest. The oil all the lanes after the kids leave, on Sundays the oil is the left overs from the day before. They oil on Sunday night, or Monday Morning which the lanes are usually alright. Tuesdays the oil is put down in the morning and left all day, Wed I am not so sure about. I don't every bowl on Thursdays.
The second place I frequent the most is like 50/50 with their oil. Their lanes are oiled much more often than the first place, and has the largest amount of good bowlers to learn from. I went there on Sunday and the lane was completely fresh (something I have only seen probably one other time anywhere), but if I show up there later in the day that place has the worst carry down imaginable. But I do like this place because of the large number of experienced bowlers, and the guy who runs the place always gives me a discount. He also cares very much about his bowlers and his establishment.
The place I talked about that I experimented with the high back swing, I never bowled there other than Saturdays or Sundays. However, they have the most modern racks and lane equipment. But their prices are higher than the other two places I bowl, not by much. Last time I went there, they had their 20th anniversary which the games were a buck, and they had a professional BBQ show up which sold stuff for a buck, everything was a buck including bottled beer. I may just head on down there next time I bowl just to check it out. First time I bowled there an older guy handed me a wad of free games. Probably like 10 or more.