Good or bad practice idea?

[I suck at bowling]

Lately I have set up a wall of pillows in my living room and started practicing my form and release by throwing one of my balls at it.

I'm sort of going in slow motion and working on my balance and getting rid of my violent head bob. Now will this actually help me when I go back to bowling on actual lanes?

[swingset]

I bowl down a carpeted hallway into a cardboard box trap I made. It helps, a lot. It doesn't work 100% because the slide isn't there but it's great to work on swing plane, staying behind the ball, wrist positions, you name it. I also have a mirror that faces me which is a great visual aid not afforded to you on "real" lanes to visually check my backswing as I do it.

I think it's a great idea, combined with real lane time is a useful tool.

[SmilingBowler]

This is a great chat topic! I often practice my steps and backswing with a ball, but rather than releasing the ball at anytime or at anything, I slowly rotate it with my wrist as if I'm letting go, as I catch it with my left hand. Then I turn around and do it again. I do this about 8-10 times about an hour before bowling.

On a similar topic, I'm considering shortening my 5-step approach to a 4-step approach, but rather than testing it out on the lanes and getting all off balance, I'm taking the time to walk through the steps and swing without a ball now. Tomorrow I'll give it a try with a ball, at home. I think my third game this Sunday I'll try it out for the first time on the lanes.

Any little bit helps when can practice at home. Whether its a specific motion you are working on, or just slowly walking and adjusting your stance. One other thing I like to do at home is to mimic my stance (without a ball) from approach to release and then do it in reverse. This helps with muscle memory and that, more than anything can help you easily apply the motion to the lanes when you have a practice session.

[ArtVandelay]

I value my furniture too much so Im going to say: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?

But all kidding aside, its a great idea. Its like anything in life: you have to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run. The key will be finding a way to translate this to real bowling and find a way to slowly speed it up. But most of all: have patience!

You might want to go to one of those "all you can bowl," things and just roll a whole game straight into the gutter. Dont even try to hit the pins. Just concentrate on if the ball is doing what you want it to do. As you speed it up and get up to speed, incorporate the pins.

For me, this simply isnt practical, but I like the idea behind it!

[billf]

It's a wonderful drill and one that is in the USBC recommended drills hand book. The mirror is also a great idea and one I used to help with my backswing.

[billf]

Here is a link to some of the coaching tips on the USBC website that you may find helpful. They all have videos so show, not just tell, you how to do them.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA92A6E300DFFF066&feature=view_all

Here is the link to the above mentioned book, which comes with a DVD http://usbcbowlingstore.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=23&catID=16

[RoccoRock]

I've done similar things around my house. Releasing my ball on to my couch, or bed. Plus I do it at work with an old beat up ball on a cement floor. In my case, it tool a while, but the hard work and all those drill started paying off.

[jbeck]

These are all great ideas and I also have a mirror to watch my swing. My wife and kids look at me crazy when I'm doing this, but oh well I'm weird to them anyway.

[I suck at bowling]

It actually really helped me on the grip change, but I'm still having a really hard time getting rid of my head bob at release.

What can I do to help stop this?

[ecub]

The head bob looks like of a result that you're REALLY trying to throw the ball hard, so you can get the speed and rev rate. Have you tried a slower release and approach? Eventually, through practice, you may be able to generate the speed and rev rate with a nice slow, controlled approach, like Osku or Belmo. Although I'm a 1 handed bowler, I used to have a really high back swing to generate the speed. Of course, that ruined my timing, accuracy, & rev rate. I lowered my back swing, but increase my follow through speed, which created faster speed, higher rev rate, and better accuracy.

[75lockwood]

shadow bowling!

people think i'm nut's, because they will randomly see me pretending to bowl. every time i'm in my kitchen or hall at home i do it because i can slide on the tile floor

[SmilingBowler]

The head bob looks like of a result that you're REALLY trying to throw the ball hard, so you can get the speed and rev rate. Have you tried a slower release and approach? Eventually, through practice, you may be able to generate the speed and rev rate with a nice slow, controlled approach, like Osku or Belmo. Although I'm a 1 handed bowler, I used to have a really high back swing to generate the speed. Of course, that ruined my timing, accuracy, & rev rate. I lowered my back swing, but increase my follow through speed, which created faster speed, higher rev rate, and better accuracy.

That was exactly what I did in my third game last night. Once I lowered my back swing and focused my forces on my release and my follow through, my ball worked its magic. Threw a 193 (+20) after throwing an abysmal 147 and 159 in the first two.

[GeoLes]

I practice swing and release at the gym on the basketball court with any ball I can find. I hold dit like a bowling ball, stand 8 feet or so from a wall (we have a portable drape that separates one side of the court from another that seems to work best). The ball its the curtain, rolls down and back to me.

Lots of good ideas out there.

[billf]

Stop trying so hard. In an effort to get smoother I attempted to slow everything down, including ball speed to emphasize form. After three or four throws I felt better and looked up to see that my ball speed had INCREASED. When everything is right it will be fluid, smooth and easy. When it all comes together, you too can throw a 20+ mph hook.

[GeoLes]

I have to agree. Think of it this way. There is a little old lady in a seniors league who weighs 95lbs and throws a 12lb ball. The ball goes slowly down the lane, hits the pocket and all pins fall. it does not require force, just momentum.

I concentrate on simple push away, let is gently swing down, back and forward on the same line smoothly. Just let it swing back and forth with no effort. Just put the ball on the lane and follow through with finger lift from a low finish stance. Let the ball "do what it do". Adjust accordingly to find your pocket.

[sprocket]

I don't know if it's a good idea to actually throw the ball, but for sure you can practice your foot work at home. I took a lesson one time from a guy who was a really good instructor. So, for at least an hour all he had me do was WALK (walk being the key word) to the foul line and then relax totally at the release point. With no ball of course. He'd tell me over and over that I had tension at the release point. He didn't stop until he was satisfied that I was doing what he wanted me to do. I have put marks on the laminate floor that represent where I want my steps to go. Be careful if you do this though, and don't assume you know where your steps should go. Look it up first online.