Bowling Form Problems

[atambohmer]

Hey, I'm new to the forums and somewhat new to bowling competitively. I bowl okay with my current form, but I don't like it much. I can't even figure out how to do the backswing correctly. Instead of trying to explain my form problems, I'll just provide a video of me bowling. I'm the left-handed bowler in the video using the green 14 lb DV8 Misfit. And thanks in advance for any suggestions. I don't know if grip tape would help or not. Basically I need help figuring out how to improve my backswing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRE8c1BOrzw&feature=plcp

[The German Shepherd]

If you want a good tutorial on bowling mechanics, check youtube for videos of Parker Bohn III. If I were you I would work on the knee bend a bit though it looks like you threw your share of strikes! Nice work!

Jay

[75lockwood]

Hey, I'm new to the forums and somewhat new to bowling competitively. I bowl okay with my current form, but I don't like it much. I can't even figure out how to do the backswing correctly. Instead of trying to explain my form problems, I'll just provide a video of me bowling. I'm the left-handed bowler in the video using the green 14 lb DV8 Misfit. And thanks in advance for any suggestions. I don't know if grip tape would help or not. Basically I need help figuring out how to improve my backswing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRE8c1BOrzw&feature=plcp

Welcome to the boards!

based on the video, the first thing that comes to mind is the lack of kneebend, if you bend your knees more when you setup you will be lower on the release and as such have left drop to the ball.

do you have a unedited version of this video that includes your setup for each shot?


regarding your back swing, it should be a natural motion that you shouldn't try to force, being a cranker your timing with be a little late but you should still be smooth with everything. i did also notice that you seem to be on a 3 step approach (see below), have you tried a 4 or even 5 step approach? it may be a good way to improve your timing
676

Edit: can someone please explain how to imbed the images in post?

[75lockwood]

If you want a good tutorial on bowling mechanics, check youtube for videos of Parker Bohn III. If I were you I would work on the knee bend a bit though it looks like you threw your share of strikes! Nice work!

Jay

you stole my knee bend note, i was trying to make and upload that picture for 30 minutes lol

[noeymc]

first u bowl with only 2 fingers? hard to tell but thats what it looks like to me i maybe wrong

[billf]

I thought the same thing, no thumb. Well? If thumbless, they tend to have less of a back swing than others.

[noeymc]

I thought the same thing, no thumb. Well? If thumbless, they tend to have less of a back swing than others.

i was going to say the same stuff but wanted to make sure first i need to get a video camera and post mine and let people tell me what they see lol i dont see my coach for another month :( ( he teachs classes and is very busy)

[atambohmer]

Thanks for all of the responses, everyone. I'll work on my knee bend and the 4 step approach. And about the thumb, I've gotten into a bad habit of not inserting it all the way, but I have been using it. I'm going to try and eliminate all of those bad habits, though. Anyway, thanks again. Now I know what to work on the next time I bowl.

[striker12]

welcome to the boards.

one thing i have to ask is have you guys ever tryed putting your thumb in the ball and throw the ball down cause it seems like when i was watching the video guy on left lane every time he threw the ball was out of his hand before the was even done his approach a few times, guy on right lane did alright was getting lower then the guy on left and was pushing the ball away good.

but i think the other guys said enough about the knee bend so no need for me to say anything about that.

[75lockwood]

Huh, at first i didn't notice that you were going thumb-less, but after stocking your youtube account it became a lot more obvious lol

it seems like a lot of people in your league bowl thumbless, is there a reason for this? (nothing wrong with it) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntJk1O6JTK0&feature=plcp

[atambohmer]

Well, my friends mainly bowl without their thumbs. Like I said earlier, I do use my thumb, but I haven't been inserting it passed the first knuckle. Haha, and no, there isn't a great reason for it. It's just become a bad habit and I'm trying to get away from it and develop a more proper form, starting with inserting my thumb all the way, then making sure to use 4 steps and getting down the knee bend.

[75lockwood]

Well, my friends mainly bowl without their thumbs. Like I said earlier, I do use my thumb, but I haven't been inserting it passed the first knuckle. Haha, and no, there isn't a great reason for it. It's just become a bad habit and I'm trying to get away from it and develop a more proper form, starting with inserting my thumb all the way, then making sure to use 4 steps and getting down the knee bend.

could your span be off? if it doesn't come naturally to fully insert your thumb that is a little troubling, when you do properly insert your thumb, do your fingers reach the holes properly?

not inserting your thumb fully does explain why you tend to drop the ball on release, if get the thumb down you should have a lot more control

[atambohmer]

could your span be off? if it doesn't come naturally to fully insert your thumb that is a little troubling, when you do properly insert your thumb, do your fingers reach the holes properly?

not inserting your thumb fully does explain why you tend to drop the ball on release, if get the thumb down you should have a lot more control

No, the span is fine. I just developed a bad habit. When I cup my wrist with my thumb in all the way, I seem to lose the cup in my backswing, and I can only throw the ball straight. Would you suggest lifting weights and building up some more strength in my arm/wrist?

[billf]

Doesn't seem to be a very big league but it's a start. Are the lanes even oiled? What started the bad thumb habit? Either use it correctly or don't use it at all or it will mess with your progress. (before someone names the one pro that only three people on here have even heard of, stop naming the .1%ers as an example of what regular people can do).
To work on your swing just hold your ball in your hand and swing it back and forth. The less you muscle it the better your swing will be. Everyone's flexibility is different and affects the back swing height as does the amount of knee bend and bend at the waist.

[75lockwood]

No, the span is fine. I just developed a bad habit. When I cup my wrist with my thumb in all the way, I seem to lose the cup in my backswing, and I can only throw the ball straight. Would you suggest lifting weights and building up some more strength in my arm/wrist?

if your having trouble with holding your wrist there are wrist supports that can be used, but not cupping your wrist shouldn't remove all hook, sure you won't have the revs of a cranker, but you should still hook the ball.

try holding your wrist straight, can you hold this position through the back swing?

[atambohmer]

Doesn't seem to be a very big league but it's a start. Are the lanes even oiled? What started the bad thumb habit? Either use it correctly or don't use it at all or it will mess with your progress. (before someone names the one pro that only three people on here have even heard of, stop naming the .1%ers as an example of what regular people can do).
To work on your swing just hold your ball in your hand and swing it back and forth. The less you muscle it the better your swing will be. Everyone's flexibility is different and affects the back swing height as does the amount of knee bend and bend at the waist.

Okay, the bad thumb habit started from not having a coach and never learning the right way to hook the bowling ball. I just went off of what another student in my gym class said to do a couple years ago. I decided that I'm going to use my thumb correctly from now on, though. Bowling is an awesome sport, and I want to be able to do it right. I'm still filming most times I bowl so I can track my progress over time, and if I have any other concerns after figuring out the thumb issue and the knee bend, I'll be sure to post it on here. Thanks for all of the advice, everyone. I really appreciate it.

[75lockwood]

Okay, the bad thumb habit started from not having a coach and never learning the right way to hook the bowling ball. I just went off of what another student in my gym class said to do a couple years ago. I decided that I'm going to use my thumb correctly from now on, though. Bowling is an awesome sport, and I want to be able to do it right. I'm still filming most times I bowl so I can track my progress over time, and if I have any other concerns after figuring out the thumb issue and the knee bend, I'll be sure to post it on here. Thanks for all of the advice, everyone. I really appreciate it.

Bill's a Coach! :cool:


Just remember, if you want to work on something like this don't worry about the scores, i can guarantee that your scores will drop, but once you rid yourself of the bad habit your game will be better because of it!

[noeymc]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoyRbBHXQOA

[atambohmer]

if your having trouble with holding your wrist there are wrist supports that can be used, but not cupping your wrist shouldn't remove all hook, sure you won't have the revs of a cranker, but you should still hook the ball.

try holding your wrist straight, can you hold this position through the back swing?

Yeah, I can hold a straight wrist position through the backswing. I can throw straight just fine without a cupped wrist. I guess I just don't know how to put a hook on the ball that way. Also, I might as well note that the backswing isn't a problem when I don't cup my wrist. I guess now I'd just like to know what I need to do to get the ball to hook stroker style without a cupped wrist. Thanks in advance.

[noeymc]

wont let edit but this is a good 4 step and 5 step video

[billf]

Good luck and hopefully what you learn here can be passed on to others in your league.

[atambohmer]

Good luck and hopefully what you learn here can be passed on to others in your league.

Yeah, I'll definitely show them the proper method once I'm confident that I can do it myself. And that league is a "just for fun" league with some college friends. I did recently join a more serious league, and I'm doing well so far, but I'd like to do better, especially when I see the form that some of these guys have. I want to be like them, and if I can't figure out the right form with all of the great tips on here, then I'll probably get a coach.

[billf]

There have been a few on here that spent the money for a lesson or two (myself included) and felt it was money well spent. Luckily you have the ability to record yourself so that will help as I'm sure you noticed that what you do and what it feels like you're doing are not the same thing. The fact that I can't see myself bowl in the moment is a big thing that has stalled my own progress. Hopefully work picks up soon so I can see my coach again. It's easier to correct at the moment than seeing it three hours later and then correcting it days later.
BTW, all leagues are for fun. That's rule number one: always have fun! But I know what you mean.

[Ball99999]

Hey, I'm new to the forums and somewhat new to bowling competitively. I bowl okay with my current form, but I don't like it much. I can't even figure out how to do the backswing correctly. Instead of trying to explain my form problems, I'll just provide a video of me bowling. I'm the left-handed bowler in the video using the green 14 lb DV8 Misfit. And thanks in advance for any suggestions. I don't know if grip tape would help or not. Basically I need help figuring out how to improve my backswing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRE8c1BOrzw&feature=plcp

I'm not sure what you're doing exactly. Are you bowling without a thumb (for some reason that's the popular style among people who bowl with house balls, often I've even seen the mentality like you aren't really bowling manly style unless you do that.)? That's why you don't have a traditional backswing, you have to bend your elbow so much. Everyone looks like they're rushing.

[billf]

He said he has the bad habit of putting his thumb in part way. Comprehension (Bill 1)

[MisterSinister]

He said he has the bad habit of putting his thumb in part way. Comprehension (Bill 1)

LOL. @atambohmer, If you are a half thumber, find videos of Tom Smallwood. He uses half his thumb, and is a top level pro. The biggest thing, be smooth. Your delivery is short, and compact, but herky jerky. My delivery was similar. I started to smooth it out whem I added a step, and went to a 5 step delivery. Even though he is a thumbless bowler, you can also learn a lot from watching Tom Daughrety. Half thumb, and no thumb is very similar, and TD is one of the best no thumbers in the world right now. I have said it before, a good delivery starts feet up. You can stay with a 4 step delivery. Just make you footwork smooth, and get a good solid slide (or a good step and plant) and have a sloid base to throw off. I have gone bowling, and didn't throw a ball for a half hour. I just went and worked on my slide for a while, before I even threw a ball.

[Zothen]

He looks like he's palming(No fingers)it. The ball seems to be hitting the pocket consistantly,but,it depends on what it is your really looking for. You cant do a bigger armswing the way you throw the ball.

Zothen

[atambohmer]

I made a few adjustments today. I realize I still have a long way to go, but I did make another video to get feedback on. I bowled a 151 today, which is about 40 points lower than my usual high game every time I bowl, but hey, I'm trying something new. Anyway, here's the video. Thanks for your time. And my main two questions are at the end of the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PisXgiDjJAU&feature=youtu.be

[75lockwood]

I made a few adjustments today. I realize I still have a long way to go, but I did make another video to get feedback on. I bowled a 151 today, which is about 40 points lower than my usual high game every time I bowl, but hey, I'm trying something new. Anyway, here's the video. Thanks for your time. And my main two questions are at the end of the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PisXgiDjJAU&feature=youtu.be

it looks good, one thing i did notice was when you release the ball your swing does not continue up, you appear to be trying to place the ball instead of rolling it. try swinging your arm back and forth while you sit there, get it used to the free motion.

other than that, your looking great. yes your not scoring quite as good, but a 151 the first time you try a completely new style is unexpectedly good. keep at it and have fun!

[noeymc]

when you stand at your start off push the ball out about a half a foot try when you start to keep your fore arm flat to the ground i am unsure why you want more hook i let the ball go all the way down the lane before i hook and mine only does 4-7 boards maybe? all your really trying to do is hit the pocket if you want more hook you could try lowering your ball speed and you can do that by droping the ball down from your start position when you come up shake the hand and try to keep your arm slightly bent but mostly straight i am not a coach but these are the things i see bill would probably be able to help you more

[noeymc]

also try to bend your knees a little more and you will need to change your mark on the lane

[atambohmer]

it looks good, one thing i did notice was when you release the ball your swing does not continue up, you appear to be trying to place the ball instead of rolling it. try swinging your arm back and forth while you sit there, get it used to the free motion.

other than that, your looking great. yes your not scoring quite as good, but a 151 the first time you try a completely new style is unexpectedly good. keep at it and have fun!

Yeah, I see that now. I'll work on rolling it.

[75lockwood]

Yeah, I see that now. I'll work on rolling it.

Glad to help :D


also try to bend your knees a little more and you will need to change your mark on the lane

This is true, you could still do with a bit more knee bend, but you are making some nice progress, as for the mark, have you tried starting further out?

[atambohmer]

also try to bend your knees a little more and you will need to change your mark on the lane

Alright, I understand that I'll need to change the boards I start on, but being lefty, would you suggest I move further left or right?

[75lockwood]

Alright, I understand that I'll need to change the boards I start on, but being lefty, would you suggest I move further left or right?

move your mark left, going straight up third arrow into the pocket doesn't provide enough entry angle.

play around with it, experiment with different lines, i personally play 2 boards right of second arrow (right handed) and move left as the lane breaks down.

[atambohmer]

move your mark left, going straight up third arrow into the pocket doesn't provide enough entry angle.

play around with it, experiment with different lines, i personally play 2 boards right of second arrow (right handed) and move left as the lane breaks down.

Alright, cool. I'll move left further and see what that does. Thanks for the input.

[Tampabaybob]

Watched both of your videos and you definitely have made an improvement on the second one. The biggest thing that jumps out at me is your finish position at the line. Try keeping your left leg behind you with the left toe on the floor. This is your balance leg and should hep stabilize you at the line and give you more leverage. Also from a balance point the right arm should be straight out, thumb facing down, from your body at the line. When you finish your release, you should be able to hold that balance until the ball actually drops off of the pin deck. Also watch that right slide foot, you don't want to have it pointing too far to the left. Try to have it as straight as possible. If you check some of the videos of the pros you'll notice they are almost all perfectly straight at the line with their slide foot. Pointing a little left won't hurt you but if it 's pointing too far, it'll mess up a good start swing plane.

Good luck, keep practicing and keep us updated.

Bob

[atambohmer]

Watched both of your videos and you definitely have made an improvement on the second one. The biggest thing that jumps out at me is your finish position at the line. Try keeping your left leg behind you with the left toe on the floor. This is your balance leg and should hep stabilize you at the line and give you more leverage. Also from a balance point the right arm should be straight out, thumb facing down, from your body at the line. When you finish your release, you should be able to hold that balance until the ball actually drops off of the pin deck. Also watch that right slide foot, you don't want to have it pointing too far to the left. Try to have it as straight as possible. If you check some of the videos of the pros you'll notice they are almost all perfectly straight at the line with their slide foot. Pointing a little left won't hurt you but if it 's pointing too far, it'll mess up a good start swing plane.

Good luck, keep practicing and keep us updated.

Bob

Hey, I didn't get a chance to read your advice before I went bowling again, so I'll work on it next time around. But I did make another video and I'm pretty happy with the improvement I made from last time. I still have things to work on, but the swing feels more natural now. Here's the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN5SMIYP3ng&feature=youtu.be

[75lockwood]

Hey, I didn't get a chance to read your advice before I went bowling again, so I'll work on it next time around. But I did make another video and I'm pretty happy with the improvement I made from last time. I still have things to work on, but the swing feels more natural now. Here's the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN5SMIYP3ng&feature=youtu.be

Looks great you are definitely improving, keep up the good work and you will get there!

i noticed that as the video went on your arm swing began to get a bit more free, but you should work on keeping it beside you, if you want to add power or speed later on, having your arm cross your body like it is can cause consistency issues.

[atambohmer]

Looks great you are definitely improving, keep up the good work and you will get there!

i noticed that as the video went on your arm swing began to get a bit more free, but you should work on keeping it beside you, if you want to add power or speed later on, having your arm cross your body like it is can cause consistency issues.


Yeah, I noticed that when I watched the video a few times but not when I was bowling. I'll probably be more aware of it now, though.

[noeymc]

kinda hard to see in the video but i am going to say 2 things if i am wrong from what i see you can check but when you finish hold your end pose till the ball hits the pins look at your arm it should be pretty striaght you dont want it bent 2nd and you already know bend tho kneesssssssss =D

[noeymc]

also i cant believe i missd this but follow thur from your shoulder your kinda short arming it bring your arm up above your head

[atambohmer]

kinda hard to see in the video but i am going to say 2 things if i am wrong from what i see you can check but when you finish hold your end pose till the ball hits the pins look at your arm it should be pretty striaght you dont want it bent 2nd and you already know bend tho kneesssssssss =D

Haha, yeah I'm going to stress the knee bend today.

[atambohmer]

also i cant believe i missd this but follow thur from your shoulder your kinda short arming it bring your arm up above your head

Alright, thanks. I'll do that today.

[atambohmer]

I don't think my form changed significantly since yesterday, but I figured I'd make a video of me playing a game from start to finish rather than a compilation of clips. I have a pretty good idea from earlier comments of what I should be doing to work on my form. Now I just need to actually do those things. Right now, I'm just wondering if there's an easy way to increase ball speed or if I should just hit the gym and start lifting some weights. Oh yeah, and here's the video of me bowling earlier tonight. Other than two open frames, I did okay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr357BT9kKU&feature=youtu.be

[noeymc]

please remember i am not a coach but try throwing your ball out on lane about a foot looks like your setting it down, around 55 sec to about 1:08 your followed though nice i push it to the right some times to but it doesn't look to bad for ball speed there's a lot of ways but i am not sure what would be be for you that's something id ask bill

[BoomGoesTheDynomite]

So I'm not really a coach either but I think the best thing you could do at your level is work on your balance and release at the line. I would recommend looking at some videos on youtube regarding a one step drill. Then once you feel comfortable with that move back to a 3 step drill. I still use these drills and are very useful.

[noeymc]

he's doing a 4 step and he looks like he's pretty close to the foul line it doesn't look to bad id leave that alone for a while and try to focus on follow thur and and not setting the ball down bending thos knees ;) and work on stare down your mark i love cosmic bowling and very nice spilt pick up you've come a long ways my friend lol you've made great improvements

i am not attacking you or saying you wrong because we all need footwork improvements but he just switched from a 2 finger approach to i guess normal you should read thur everything and see what's been said and what hasn't

[Tampabaybob]

I don't think my form changed significantly since yesterday, but I figured I'd make a video of me playing a game from start to finish rather than a compilation of clips. I have a pretty good idea from earlier comments of what I should be doing to work on my form. Now I just need to actually do those things. Right now, I'm just wondering if there's an easy way to increase ball speed or if I should just hit the gym and start lifting some weights. Oh yeah, and here's the video of me bowling earlier tonight. Other than two open frames, I did okay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr357BT9kKU&feature=youtu.be


Watched your other video before this one and there is a definite improvement showing. What I'd like to see you do is get a deeper knee bend at the line, kick that left leg out further and hold it there. When you release the ball at the line, and it was mentioned earlier in another post, your arm needs to be STRAIGHT OUT TO YOUR TARGET. You're pulling your arm in front of you, which would indicate to me you're lifting your eyes off of your target a split second before you release the ball. You must, repeat, must, watch your target until the ball rolls over it...then look up at the path of the ball and the pins. You can't hit what you don't see, and also remember this...your left hand will always follow your eyes. If you look up a split second too soon, you will pull the ball right.

You're on the right track, keep practicing and you'll see the improvements.. Big thing is to stay DOWN at the line, balanced on just your right foot and keep your left leg behind you with the toes on the floor.

Bob

[J Anderson]

I think part of your problem is that the ball swings to the right behind your back. This is causing the ball to push left on shots that are released a bit early. The pulls are probably an over-correction from the misses to the left. You can practice your swing with out going to the bowling center, The problem is to do so without getting into the habit of holding onto the ball past the release point.

[atambohmer]

Watched your other video before this one and there is a definite improvement showing. What I'd like to see you do is get a deeper knee bend at the line, kick that left leg out further and hold it there. When you release the ball at the line, and it was mentioned earlier in another post, your arm needs to be STRAIGHT OUT TO YOUR TARGET. You're pulling your arm in front of you, which would indicate to me you're lifting your eyes off of your target a split second before you release the ball. You must, repeat, must, watch your target until the ball rolls over it...then look up at the path of the ball and the pins. You can't hit what you don't see, and also remember this...your left hand will always follow your eyes. If you look up a split second too soon, you will pull the ball right.

You're on the right track, keep practicing and you'll see the improvements.. Big thing is to stay DOWN at the line, balanced on just your right foot and keep your left leg behind you with the toes on the floor.

Bob

Alright, so my next move will be to keep my arm straight out, keep my eyes on the target, and of course, the knee bend. Thanks for all of the help so far, Bob. It really has helped me with my game, which actually helped a couple of my friends stop palming the ball and attempt the same form I'm trying to learn.

[billf]

Hmmm, where to start. 1: the gym won't give you any speed. Bowling is a muscle free sport. That fact is what allows the little guys (Norm Duke, Pete Weber) to compete with the big guys (Wes Mallot, Mike DeVaney). Speed is generated first by the legs and second through how fluid the swing and release is. Your foot work is better than it was but still atrocious. Your tempo to the line is too slow the last two steps. Your feet are too far apart on your steps. This comes into play because as any baseball player knows, the closer your feet are from side to side, not stride length, the more the horizon moves. I am the opposite extreme as people wonder how I don't trip over my own feet as they almost go one in front of the other. Yours are still just beyond shoulder width apart at the step. Your whole delivery looks overly methodical, almost mechanical. I'm not trying to be mean or an *** just bluntly honest. As you correct all these other issues your ball speed will increase naturally. Once that happens then and only then, should you learn how to adjust your speed. Doing so now would only hinder your progress in more important areas.
Your release is inconsistent because your wrist/hand position is inconsistent on the back swing. The ring finger, ideally, should lead the way on the down swing. The easiest way to do this is to set your hand/wrist accordingly in the stance. Once you get use to the feeling in the swing then it won't matter as much in the stance as you will automatically lead with the ring finger. To help with hitting your target, when your balance hand comes off the ball, point it towards your target, thumb down so your thumb will block anything above that target. This will help you focus on that target. As your swing comes down use your balance arm as a counter-weight. Once your swing comes to your ankle, accelerate both arms with the palm of your balance hand pointing down and towards the back. You will find that with a proper knee bend this is a really easy way to keep the same swing, lock on your target and use momentum and balance to finish the swing. The acceleration is where a lot of Revs come from while maintaining control.
Knee bend. Also used to control amount of loft the correct way. Whatever bend you have in the stance is the amount of bend you will tend to have at the finish. Bob teaches lower, lower, lower while I teach same plane. Both work and are effective but to differing degrees for different people. My new favorite person is Tony Chin. Why? He reminds me to keep the proper body alignment with my TOE, KNEE & CHIN aligned perfectly at 90 degrees to the lane. Now you will never be able to order Chinese food again without remembering that. So get in to your stance bent at the waist and knees, stay bent at the waist and let the power of your legs propel you forward. The legs are by far the strongest muscle group on the human body so use them. I've yet to hear of a person that could bench more than they could squat unless a serious injury or disability was involved.
When you go into your slide, mini-slide or plant, whip that balance leg behind you. Keep it low with the foot preferably on the ground. The foot on the floor with help maintain the power through the finish while keeping balanced. Post the shot. This means hold the finish position until the ball passes through the pins. Watch the ball go all the way through. Get into that habit know because later seeing what the ball does after it hits the head pin will help you make decisions about the shot. For know it ensures that you can't come up on the release and ruin an otherwise good delivery. Plus by holding it you can see where your slide foot is a determine, did you drift? did you hit your target? did your foot go at some strange angle while sliding?
You made a ton of progress from the first video. If you hadn't I wouldn't have been so blunt and given so much information at once. But by making this progress I see how serious you are and capable of handling the changes without worry or scoreboard watching too badly. So don't take my critique hurtfully but rather as a compliment. Keep up the hard work!

[billf]

LMAO I just notice I made a point #1 and then went on a rant and didn't number any of the others

[atambohmer]

he's doing a 4 step and he looks like he's pretty close to the foul line it doesn't look to bad id leave that alone for a while and try to focus on follow thur and and not setting the ball down bending thos knees ;) and work on stare down your mark i love cosmic bowling and very nice spilt pick up you've come a long ways my friend lol you've made great improvements

i am not attacking you or saying you wrong because we all need footwork improvements but he just switched from a 2 finger approach to i guess normal you should read thur everything and see what's been said and what hasn't

Haha, thanks. It felt pretty good when I picked up that split. And I'll keep working on my follow-through and not just setting the ball down. I gotta say, it feels good to actually be making progress. The first day of working on the right form sucked, but it's gotten better, and I actually enjoy bowling more now than I did before when I only partially used my thumb to put a lot of revs on the ball.

[Tampabaybob]

Alright, so my next move will be to keep my arm straight out, keep my eyes on the target, and of course, the knee bend. Thanks for all of the help so far, Bob. It really has helped me with my game, which actually helped a couple of my friends stop palming the ball and attempt the same form I'm trying to learn.

My pleasure. You're one of the few that actually "work" at improving. This is the type of bowler I will spend hours with at the lanes to help them progress. The bowlers that go " Uh huh" and go do something entirely different are the ones i leave for the other coaches. There are plenty of bowlers that actually "want to learn" the game and it's those that I enjoy spending my time with. Good luck and keep us updated.

Bob

[atambohmer]

I got my new high score post-form change. It was 235 before I changed form, but I got a 191 today, and that's the best I've done since I started working on my form. I noticed today that I released a lot of my shots right before the foul line, which might have been a result of me trying to go from a cupped wrist to a straight wrist in my down swing. At the start of the video, I listed what I still need to work on as well as what I worked on today. Let me know if I should add anything to the list of goals to tackle next. I did do the knee bend pretty well on the game that I didn't film, but I didn't do it for the one that was filmed for some reason. I don't know why. Anyway, here's this week's update. I hope I improved enough to make it worth your time. And if not, sorry about that. I'm trying to get this down right. Thanks for your time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMsWVnt1rBw&feature=youtu.be

[Tampabaybob]

I got my new high score post-form change. It was 235 before I changed form, but I got a 191 today, and that's the best I've done since I started working on my form. I noticed today that I released a lot of my shots right before the foul line, which might have been a result of me trying to go from a cupped wrist to a straight wrist in my down swing. At the start of the video, I listed what I still need to work on as well as what I worked on today. Let me know if I should add anything to the list of goals to tackle next. I did do the knee bend pretty well on the game that I didn't film, but I didn't do it for the one that was filmed for some reason. I don't know why. Anyway, here's this week's update. I hope I improved enough to make it worth your time. And if not, sorry about that. I'm trying to get this down right. Thanks for your time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMsWVnt1rBw&feature=youtu.be

Huge improvement !! Looking good but you're bending backwards at the line which is making you fall back after you release the ball. Where you want to be is "perfectly" balanced on your right slide foot AFTER you have released the ball. This will increase your leverage, roll, and accuracy.
Watch this video and you'll see what I mean:[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch feature=player_embedded&v=N5nnDbV0znE"]

Bob

[kmf]

Don't apologize. You have made some great progress and as long as you're trying and trying hard then you have nothing to apologize for. Keep u the great work!!

[atambohmer]

Huge improvement !! Looking good but you're bending backwards at the line which is making you fall back after you release the ball. Where you want to be is "perfectly" balanced on your right slide foot AFTER you have released the ball. This will increase your leverage, roll, and accuracy.
Watch this video and you'll see what I mean:[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch feature=player_embedded&v=N5nnDbV0znE"]

Bob

Thanks, I'll take a look at the video.

[atambohmer]

Hey, my game has improved a lot in the last couple weeks. I'm getting close to my old average again. Yesterday I bowled a 158, 178, and 177. I made a video for those games, but the youtube uploader isn't working well. Basically, I'm having trouble making spares on the left side. Since I'm left-handed, what should I be doing to make those spares consistently?

And I have one more question not related to form but I'll post it here anyway. My parents are going to buy me another bowling ball for Christmas and I told them to get the DV8 Reckless. I was just wondering which drilling layout I should get for my style of bowling. Right now, I'm fine with bowling stroker style but I would eventually like to learn cranker style the right way (with thumb) and use both styles depending on how I feel like bowling. So would anyone recommend I get the Big Curve or Big Crank layout? My Misfit ball has the Big Curve layout. And here's the link explaining them if anyone needs to look at it. Thanks.
http://dv8bowling.com/uploads/balls/DV8_Drilling_Instructions.pdf

[Mike White]

Hey, my game has improved a lot in the last couple weeks. I'm getting close to my old average again. Yesterday I bowled a 158, 178, and 177. I made a video for those games, but the youtube uploader isn't working well. Basically, I'm having trouble making spares on the left side. Since I'm left-handed, what should I be doing to make those spares consistently?

And I have one more question not related to form but I'll post it here anyway. My parents are going to buy me another bowling ball for Christmas and I told them to get the DV8 Reckless. I was just wondering which drilling layout I should get for my style of bowling. Right now, I'm fine with bowling stroker style but I would eventually like to learn cranker style the right way (with thumb) and use both styles depending on how I feel like bowling. So would anyone recommend I get the Big Curve or Big Crank layout? My Misfit ball has the Big Curve layout. And here's the link explaining them if anyone needs to look at it. Thanks.
http://dv8bowling.com/uploads/balls/DV8_Drilling_Instructions.pdf

As for making spares, I would recommend you learn how to throw the ball straight with the thumb in the ball.
At the same time I would recommend you learn how to roll the ball in a curve/arc/banana with the thumb in the ball. You already have more than enough curve. You lack control.

As for a layout, you select a layout based on the difference between how you comfortably throw the ball, and what you want the ball to do.

A Big Curve, or Big Crank layout is not an absolute. You still need to be the one that throws the ball.

Path = You + Layout

Layout = what you need to modify your natural path to achieve the desired path.

[atambohmer]

As for making spares, I would recommend you learn how to throw the ball straight with the thumb in the ball.
At the same time I would recommend you learn how to roll the ball in a curve/arc/banana with the thumb in the ball. You already have more than enough curve. You lack control.

As for a layout, you select a layout based on the difference between how you comfortably throw the ball, and what you want the ball to do.

A Big Curve, or Big Crank layout is not an absolute. You still need to be the one that throws the ball.

Path = You + Layout

Layout = what you need to modify your natural path to achieve the desired path.

Alright, I'll work on my control and try to find which line(s) works well for those left side spares. And that makes sense about the layout. Thanks for the help, Mike.

[atambohmer]

Two of my friends, Dillon and Justin, have recently started using their thumbs while bowling, and they need some starter's advice. We're bowling again tonight, so I can relay any suggestions you give to them. You can skip to 4:29 in this video to see them in action. I included clips of them bowling with and without their thumbs just so you have an idea of how they did bowl and how they're doing right now. They appreciate any of the expert advice you can give them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POR2M2i80YY

[atambohmer]

Alright, I've gotten pretty comfortable with the current form I'm using now. Does anyone have one or two suggestions of things I can work on still? I don't want to tackle too much at once, I'd just like to know a couple things that I could do better. I also feel like I'm at the stage where it would be beneficial to have a coach now, so I don't have to bowl a certain way an entire day before I find out I'm doing something wrong. Anyway, here's a quick two and half minute video of my most recent night of bowling. It was a great time, as usual, which is what really counts when it comes down to it...but perfecting the proper form would be nice too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSkAuM-4z_E&feature=youtu.be

[scottymoney]

As far as layouts, I don't think you should be concerned about it. Find yourself a driller who will watch you bowl and let them decide what you need. I was able to do this and after 4 frames the guy knew exactly what I needed. Makes a huge difference. I looked at layouts for days and I am glad I decided not to tell the guy what I wanted but to have him watch me.

For spares you said you were having trouble with left side spares which most people have trouble with the same side they are handed. What I learned to do was to stand way left as a right hander and to roll it all the way across on an angle using the middle arrow as my mark. this has allowed me to pick up my 10 pins with ease. So for you try standing all the way right use the middle arrow as your mark.

With where you are at now picking up spares is all that is holding you back. And after watching alot of your videos you just need to work on the "exploding" part at the end. By this I mean your last few steps really exploding with power and as your hand gets to the release point explode through your follow through. One of Norm Duke's videos, which is on the forums I think in the video section talks about the exploding through which will make a difference.

Lastly don't worry about hook just get that ball down the lane and let it do its job! Creating hook takes time but it isn't worth anything if you can consistently hit near your mark.

[atambohmer]

As far as layouts, I don't think you should be concerned about it. Find yourself a driller who will watch you bowl and let them decide what you need. I was able to do this and after 4 frames the guy knew exactly what I needed. Makes a huge difference. I looked at layouts for days and I am glad I decided not to tell the guy what I wanted but to have him watch me.

For spares you said you were having trouble with left side spares which most people have trouble with the same side they are handed. What I learned to do was to stand way left as a right hander and to roll it all the way across on an angle using the middle arrow as my mark. this has allowed me to pick up my 10 pins with ease. So for you try standing all the way right use the middle arrow as your mark.

With where you are at now picking up spares is all that is holding you back. And after watching alot of your videos you just need to work on the "exploding" part at the end. By this I mean your last few steps really exploding with power and as your hand gets to the release point explode through your follow through. One of Norm Duke's videos, which is on the forums I think in the video section talks about the exploding through which will make a difference.

Lastly don't worry about hook just get that ball down the lane and let it do its job! Creating hook takes time but it isn't worth anything if you can consistently hit near your mark.

Awesome, thanks for the response. I will work on the "exploding" part of my shot and I'll ask my driller to watch me bowl. And if he can't, I'll probably just show him one of the videos I made to show this forum. And I brought my spare ball that I bought a few months ago which really helped for the left side spares.

[scottymoney]

Spares are the key to scoring. Leaving those opens hurts! My best games have been when I can hit my spares stringing strikes together helps a lot but if you leave the opens it hurts. You have come along way already, just stick with it! Your first video looks like a bunch of teenagers just at the lanes goofing off. But you have steadily gotten better. I also caution you against reading too much and trying to keep changing things.

We had a poster I won't name names (99999) who couldn't be happy with anything and always had to keep changing things. He also wouldn't post a video so you could never see what he was doing. You are on the right track and willing to listen. Just keep at it and try not to keep changing, enjoy the game and work on consistency before trying something new.

[atambohmer]

Spares are the key to scoring. Leaving those opens hurts! My best games have been when I can hit my spares stringing strikes together helps a lot but if you leave the opens it hurts. You have come along way already, just stick with it! Your first video looks like a bunch of teenagers just at the lanes goofing off. But you have steadily gotten better. I also caution you against reading too much and trying to keep changing things.

We had a poster I won't name names (99999) who couldn't be happy with anything and always had to keep changing things. He also wouldn't post a video so you could never see what he was doing. You are on the right track and willing to listen. Just keep at it and try not to keep changing, enjoy the game and work on consistency before trying something new.

Yeah, I know. Missing easy spares can be frustrating, but the spare ball I have made the left side spares way easier. I still missed a few, but I've only been using that ball for one day to practice left side spares. And yes, we were just messing around in the beginning and trying to have a good time doing just about anything to get high revs, but then I joined a league (not the one I posted on YouTube) and I wanted to start learning to bowl with a better form. I'll probably keep up with stroker style or whatever it is that I'm doing for a while until my scores are consistently higher. Today I'm going to try to find Norm Duke's video that you mentioned and work on what he has to say.

[scottymoney]

http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads/11631-Next-Level-Bowling-with-Norm-Duke-1-2-3-4-5-6

[Mike White]

Two of my friends, Dillon and Justin, have recently started using their thumbs while bowling, and they need some starter's advice. We're bowling again tonight, so I can relay any suggestions you give to them. You can skip to 4:29 in this video to see them in action. I included clips of them bowling with and without their thumbs just so you have an idea of how they did bowl and how they're doing right now. They appreciate any of the expert advice you can give them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POR2M2i80YY

Looking over the videos, I think you may have misunderstood something. Now you seem to be throwing the ball fairly "flat".

Lets look at Dillion as an example. Starting at 4:30 he is trying to turn the ball over, but is doing so before the thumb is out of the ball. This results in the ball spinning like a top. At the 4:45 point he throws the ball without the thumb. The way the ball is rolling is what you want to achieve with the thumb in the ball.

By waiting until the ball is near your ankle to release the ball, the thumb is out of the ball, but the fingers are still in the ball. At that point you throw it just like you had no thumb in the ball.

By combining the thumb in the ball armswing, and the thumbless ball release, you get the "explosion" that Duke speaks of.

Todays oil patterns will help guide a good rolling ball towards the pocket.
The thumbless approach allows you to achieve a good rolling ball while making plenty of other errors.
That is why you seem to get good scores quickly with thumbless, but you will plateau much lower than your potential.

[atambohmer]

Looking over the videos, I think you may have misunderstood something. Now you seem to be throwing the ball fairly "flat".

Lets look at Dillion as an example. Starting at 4:30 he is trying to turn the ball over, but is doing so before the thumb is out of the ball. This results in the ball spinning like a top. At the 4:45 point he throws the ball without the thumb. The way the ball is rolling is what you want to achieve with the thumb in the ball.

By waiting until the ball is near your ankle to release the ball, the thumb is out of the ball, but the fingers are still in the ball. At that point you throw it just like you had no thumb in the ball.

By combining the thumb in the ball armswing, and the thumbless ball release, you get the "explosion" that Duke speaks of.

Todays oil patterns will help guide a good rolling ball towards the pocket.
The thumbless approach allows you to achieve a good rolling ball while making plenty of other errors.
That is why you seem to get good scores quickly with thumbless, but you will plateau much lower than your potential.

I see what you mean. I do sort of just place it on the lane when it should be pushing it onto the lane. Thanks for pointing that out. That's the main thing I'll work on today as well as the "explosion." And I'll let Dillon know what he's doing.

[noeymc]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTdmONtZohY



ok so this is what i see your hand is on top of the ball try to stay under it but you are looking much better =D i think your ready to go see a coach =D

[atambohmer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTdmONtZohY



ok so this is what i see your hand is on top of the ball try to stay under it but you are looking much better =D i think your ready to go see a coach =D

That's awesome! Yeah, I'm going to start searching for a coach sometime this week. Hopefully it isn't too tough to find one. I'll just start by asking if my main bowling alley has any coaches' phone numbers on hand.

[noeymc]

http://www.mybowlingcoach.com/FindACoach.aspx

http://www.bowlingball.com/find-a-bowling-coach.php

[atambohmer]

http://www.mybowlingcoach.com/FindACoach.aspx

http://www.bowlingball.com/find-a-bowling-coach.php

Well that's a cool way to search for coaches. It looks like there's just one in my area, and the next closest one is 56 miles away. I guess that makes it easy to decide which one to call.

[noeymc]

lol yeah

[atambohmer]

But how am I supposed to contact him if he doesn't have his email or phone number listed?

[atambohmer]

Well, I'm back at square 1. Those search engines are cool, but I can't contact a USBC certified coach in my area. I'll just have to see if my bowling alley knows any coaches.

[AZBowla]

Your local pro shop should be able to help you out with finding a coach. I know if I were one in your area that's where I'd advertise...

[atambohmer]

I started putting my hand behind the ball (not sure if it's enough or not) but it seems to be making all the difference. I'm making more strikes and spares now. The left side spares are also much easier when I use my spare ball. And I tried contacting my pro shop about finding a coach, but he was at a funeral today, so I'll call back tomorrow. Anyway, here it is. My scores ranged from 158-169, but I felt like today was my best performance so far.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwhawQteH2s&feature=youtu.be

[scottymoney]

Nice work, still need to get a little more knee bend. You need to start working with your brother! He has the hook part down but it is the sloppy no thumb release. But then again if he is anything like my brother he doesn't want to hear any advice from his big brother.

[atambohmer]

Haha, yeah. Trust me, I've tried to convince him to use his thumb, but he's pretty stubborn. It doesn't help that he bowled two games over 200 (not in the same day) so he thinks he's pretty good the way he is. I'll try to work on more knee bend. I don't know why that's the one thing I've had a lot of trouble with, but I'll keep working on it.

[scottymoney]

Don't worry I struggle with the knee bend also. It is natural to stand straight up and so it is tough to break.

With your brother it never helps the issue when they see some success a certain way. It makes it tougher to let him know that he could be better if he did it differently.

I refer to the no thumb bad form bowling as the "teenager punk kid style". Mainly used by those kids who annoy you and wonder why they are there cause they have no real form or desire to line up correctly. They somehow get the ball down the lane and hits pins and it truly is one of life's mysteries.

[atambohmer]

Don't worry I struggle with the knee bend also. It is natural to stand straight up and so it is tough to break.

With your brother it never helps the issue when they see some success a certain way. It makes it tougher to let him know that he could be better if he did it differently.

I refer to the no thumb bad form bowling as the "teenager punk kid style". Mainly used by those kids who annoy you and wonder why they are there cause they have no real form or desire to line up correctly. They somehow get the ball down the lane and hits pins and it truly is one of life's mysteries.

Haha, that's an awesome way to think of the no thumb form. Yeah, he got seven strikes in a row one game, but he misses so many easy spares. Sure, I miss some still, but not many of the easy ones. It's like he just figured out how he should throw the ball for strikes on a house shot, but if he leaves pins up, they rarely get knocked down on the second shot. He even bowls without his thumb when he tries to throw straight. It's frustrating to watch, but he refuses to change right now. When I bowled without my thumb (well, partial thumb, but same thing pretty much) I ended up hurting my wrist, and that's what it took to decide to learn to bowl the right way. Whether it sounds bad or not, I hope he starts to feel some uncomfortable soreness sooner than later.

[75lockwood]

Don't worry I struggle with the knee bend also. It is natural to stand straight up and so it is tough to break.

With your brother it never helps the issue when they see some success a certain way. It makes it tougher to let him know that he could be better if he did it differently.

I refer to the no thumb bad form bowling as the "teenager punk kid style". Mainly used by those kids who annoy you and wonder why they are there cause they have no real form or desire to line up correctly. They somehow get the ball down the lane and hits pins and it truly is one of life's mysteries.

hey! i take offense to this! i'm a teenager but i'm also a perfectionist lol

regarding your form, with practice you will get better and better, what i do for knee bend: line up on the approach, bend my knee's a few times finaly resting with them bent, then start the approach. its good to get a routine together that way you do it every time and you get used to it

[atambohmer]

hey! i take offense to this! i'm a teenager but i'm also a perfectionist lol

regarding your form, with practice you will get better and better, what i do for knee bend: line up on the approach, bend my knee's a few times finaly resting with them bent, then start the approach. its good to get a routine together that way you do it every time and you get used to it

I haven't tried bending my knees a few times before, so it's worth a shot. I'll try it out, and maybe that's just what I need.

[noeymc]

the lower you are the easier life is but you got to find a comfy spot when bending your knees

[Mike White]

I refer to the no thumb bad form bowling as the "teenager punk kid style". Mainly used by those kids who annoy you and wonder why they are there cause they have no real form or desire to line up correctly. They somehow get the ball down the lane and hits pins and it truly is one of life's mysteries.

The thumbless is the target audience for todays oil patterns. The 10:1 ratio only requires you throw the ball from left to right across the oil line, and have enough revolutions to stop the ball close to the oil line producing artificial accuracy.

You can cross out further right but those are the shots that have the potential of going thru the nose.

Back in the late 80's early 90's the BPAA decided they couldn't afford integrity. They needed to make their customers happy rather than challenged. Net result after some fighting with the ABC (now USBC) is we have much easier lane conditions.

[scottymoney]

The thumbless is the target audience for todays oil patterns. The 10:1 ratio only requires you throw the ball from left to right across the oil line, and have enough revolutions to stop the ball close to the oil line producing artificial accuracy.

You can cross out further right but those are the shots that have the potential of going thru the nose.

Back in the late 80's early 90's the BPAA decided they couldn't afford integrity. They needed to make their customers happy rather than challenged. Net result after some fighting with the ABC (now USBC) is we have much easier lane conditions.

Very true, and it always comes down to making the customers happy. Although I think they need to educate people on what oil patterns are as to show them the differences I bet over 75% of bowlers don't understand that there is different patterns and certains patterns make it easier than others.

Thumbless bowlers have one thing going for them, they don't get their thumb stuck in the ball. Although now they don't have that excuse!

[Tampabaybob]

I started putting my hand behind the ball (not sure if it's enough or not) but it seems to be making all the difference. I'm making more strikes and spares now. The left side spares are also much easier when I use my spare ball. And I tried contacting my pro shop about finding a coach, but he was at a funeral today, so I'll call back tomorrow. Anyway, here it is. My scores ranged from 158-169, but I felt like today was my best performance so far.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwhawQteH2s&feature=youtu.be

Great advances in your form, and roll on the ball. The only thing I'm seeing is to have you STAY DOWN at the foul line. Look at the video of Norm Duke and carefully watch the slo mo parts where he's ending at the line. Knee bent and he's holding his position until well after the ball has been released.

Keep up the good work.

Bob

[atambohmer]

Great advances in your form, and roll on the ball. The only thing I'm seeing is to have you STAY DOWN at the foul line. Look at the video of Norm Duke and carefully watch the slo mo parts where he's ending at the line. Knee bent and he's holding his position until well after the ball has been released.

Keep up the good work.

Bob

Alright, I'll work on staying down at the foul line, which would probably be even easier once I get the knee bend down. That's going to be my main focus the next time I bowl, which will be today or tomorrow for sure since I have league on tomorrow night.

[Tampabaybob]

ok, let us know how you did.

Bob

[atambohmer]

ok, let us know how you did.

Bob

Will do. The next time is at league, and I won't film there, but I'll let you know how things go. I've been watching a few videos on youtube and I'm practicing the motions of the knee bend at home. Hopefully it goes alright. And if not, I'll just keep working on it until I can get it right. I've only been using this form for under a month, and I've learned a lot, so I have a feeling I'll be able to get it down soon.

[Tampabaybob]

Will do. The next time is at league, and I won't film there, but I'll let you know how things go. I've been watching a few videos on youtube and I'm practicing the motions of the knee bend at home. Hopefully it goes alright. And if not, I'll just keep working on it until I can get it right. I've only been using this form for under a month, and I've learned a lot, so I have a feeling I'll be able to get it down soon.

Take your time in learning this. As the saying goes, "practice makes perfect".

Look, I've been bowling over 54 years, and I still make stupid mistakes along the way. Having been at the top (as a PBA member) and shooting 80+ games a week, I know how long it takes to make a change, and the effort and expense involved. You're committed, and that's good, but understand it'll take a while to get everything under control and be able to know each and every movement in your delivery. You'll know when you're approaching that point, as you'll be able to instantly make changes in your style/approach to overcome certain conditions.

Press on with your improvement and don't let a few bad games or series deter you from your goals. Good luck, and keep us informed to how you're doing.

Bob

[atambohmer]

Take your time in learning this. As the saying goes, "practice makes perfect".

Look, I've been bowling over 54 years, and I still make stupid mistakes along the way. Having been at the top (as a PBA member) and shooting 80+ games a week, I know how long it takes to make a change, and the effort and expense involved. You're committed, and that's good, but understand it'll take a while to get everything under control and be able to know each and every movement in your delivery. You'll know when you're approaching that point, as you'll be able to instantly make changes in your style/approach to overcome certain conditions.

Press on with your improvement and don't let a few bad games or series deter you from your goals. Good luck, and keep us informed to how you're doing.

Bob

Well, I bowled a 132, 169, and 190 in league. At least I got better as the night progressed. Anyway, I didn't work on the knee bend much while I was there, but the good news is that I have a coach now, so he should be able to help me work on the knee bend and other various things.

[noeymc]

Great news on the coach i really enjoy my time with the coach and i see results so enjoy it and try your best to take in the info he gives you

[billf]

I try to instill this in all my clients but naturally check with your coach; practice is for working on things and thinking. When bowling in league or tournaments, let your body just do what it does. Pay attention but don't think too much. My best games are when I'm distracted and don't have time to think like when I'm breaking up arguments or fights. I run over, roll the ball and run back to the affected area of the alley.

[atambohmer]

Well, I bowled my first game over 200 with the new form today. That makes six total, and many more to come in the future. I haven't been able to update on here recently because I haven't been bowling for almost a week. I have final exams coming up in under a week and I need to put more time into those right now, and then from December 13th-January 14th, I'm probably gonna be bowling every other day or so, as long as my wallet can keep up with me.

[atambohmer]

My coach gave me some advice on spare shooting, and I've been a lot more consistent in making my spare shots. I don't even need to use a separate spare ball to hit the 7 pin anymore. I was practicing with a couple friends and my first two games I scored 152 and 144. I had one strike in those two games, but I made most spare shots. I didn't leave any single pin spares up, so that felt good. Then I picked up my game and bowled a 174, 212, and 170. All of the clips are in order. Recently, I started improving my push away at the start of my throw, and I've been using better lines to pick up spare shots more consistently.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3baf5xnaYZ4&feature=youtu.be

[noeymc]

u are looking a lot better

[atambohmer]

Thanks man! I've been working on it

[Tampabaybob]

My coach gave me some advice on spare shooting, and I've been a lot more consistent in making my spare shots. I don't even need to use a separate spare ball to hit the 7 pin anymore. I was practicing with a couple friends and my first two games I scored 152 and 144. I had one strike in those two games, but I made most spare shots. I didn't leave any single pin spares up, so that felt good. Then I picked up my game and bowled a 174, 212, and 170. All of the clips are in order. Recently, I started improving my push away at the start of my throw, and I've been using better lines to pick up spare shots more consistently.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3baf5xnaYZ4&feature=youtu.be


Great improvement !! Looking real good. Stay with the coaching and your scores are going to get better and more consistent. As for shooting the spares.....absolutely one of the most important things in the game. I'll take a good spare shooter for a teammate any day of the week.

Keep up the good work.

Bob

[atambohmer]

Great improvement !! Looking real good. Stay with the coaching and your scores are going to get better and more consistent. As for shooting the spares.....absolutely one of the most important things in the game. I'll take a good spare shooter for a teammate any day of the week.

Keep up the good work.

Bob

Oh yeah, I'm gonna keep practicing and take advantage of a coach. I'm bowling over 200 more often now. Today I averaged over 180. I bowled 153 the first game, then I found my mark and got 187 and 208. What can I say, bowling is even more fun now, and it's all thanks to you guys who helped mold my form into what it is now and a coach who's helping me with spares.

[Tampabaybob]

Great games !! You've come a long way in a very short time, and although I know you put in a lot of time (and money) the effort is paying off. Keep up the good work. A happy bowler is a bowler for life, that will eventually pass on their knowledge of the game to other new bowlers.

Bob

[Hammer]

Inserting your thumb only part way in the ball is probably why you have a short backswing. As you are swinging back your brain can sense that the ball feels like falling off and so your arm tenses up to control it and automatically makes a short backswing and your hand grips it tighter for control. If your ball is drilled for three finger bowling anyone will tell you that you have to insert the thumb all the way in to swing it correctly. The correct swing is not rocket science. You hold the ball in front of your bowling shoulder and at the right time you push it straight out from in front of your bowling shoulder and let gravity swing the ball back with no control of your arm or hand. Also keep the arm with the ball relaxed with no tension in any of the arm muscles. I don't see how you can hold the ball properly with the thumb only part way in. That is a habit you need to break. I am taking for granted that you have a fingertip ball.