Different Styles of Bowling?

[WolfGirl1980]

What are the Different styles of bowling and explain them in detail? For Example Tweener, Stroker, Cranker etc but define them and name all the others I don't know what style I am.

-Sara

[J Anderson]

What are the Different styles of bowling and explain them in detail? For Example Tweener, Stroker, Cranker etc but define them and name all the others I don't know what style I am.

-Sara

I think that it isn't really all that helpful to know what style you are. I know its human nature to try and label everything and everyone, but too often the labels can hurt as much as they help. A bad coach may think in terms of all strokers do this and all crankers do that, and try to mold you into their image of whatever kind of bowler you've been labelled as, instead of really observing how you bowl to reinforce what you do well and fix those things that are holding you back.

I suppose that it can help when asking for advice on picking a new ball to say I'm a tweener,but even then it would be better to say I throw 15 to 16 mph with a 275 rpm rev rate and like to stand on board 30 aim at the 12th board at the arrows.

[WolfGirl1980]

I think that it isn't really all that helpful to know what style you are. I know its human nature to try and label everything and everyone, but too often the labels can hurt as much as they help. A bad coach may think in terms of all strokers do this and all crankers do that, and try to mold you into their image of whatever kind of bowler you've been labelled as, instead of really observing how you bowl to reinforce what you do well and fix those things that are holding you back.

I suppose that it can help when asking for advice on picking a new ball to say I'm a tweener,but even then it would be better to say I throw 15 to 16 mph with a 275 rpm rev rate and like to stand on board 30 aim at the 12th board at the arrows.

How do I find out my rev rate and my speed?

-Sara

[Zothen]

It's a long tedious process unless your pro shop has software for this,otherwise it's the old fashion way. You'll need a video camera,stop watch and white tape and the formula for calculating. You can get it by typing youtube video on how to calculate rev rate.

Zothen

[Gunz1911]

Speed is the easy one, its rev's that I need to do. My phone camera just doesnt go into slow motion. Though I guess speed is only easy when my wife can figure out how to work the stop watch on my phone...

[bowl1820]

What are the Different styles of bowling and explain them in detail? For Example Tweener, Stroker, Cranker etc but define them and name all the others I don't know what style I am.

-Sara

Heres a whole page telling about them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowling_form

[GeoLes]

I think that it isn't really all that helpful to know what style you are. I know its human nature to try and label everything and everyone, but too often the labels can hurt as much as they help. A bad coach may think in terms of all strokers do this and all crankers do that, and try to mold you into their image of whatever kind of bowler you've been labelled as, instead of really observing how you bowl to reinforce what you do well and fix those things that are holding you back.

I suppose that it can help when asking for advice on picking a new ball to say I'm a tweener,but even then it would be better to say I throw 15 to 16 mph with a 275 rpm rev rate and like to stand on board 30 aim at the 12th board at the arrows.

I agree. All these distinctions can be distractions. Another perfect example of how relative the terminalogy is. You stand on board 30. Is that your left foot or your right foot? (asuming you are right handed, or course). what part of the foot? big toe, little toe? instep?

A more accurate distiction is over which board is the ball spotted on your starting stance.

[J Anderson]

I agree. All these distinctions can be distractions. Another perfect example of how relative the terminalogy is. You stand on board 30. Is that your left foot or your right foot? (asuming you are right handed, or course). what part of the foot? big toe, little toe? instep?

A more accurate distiction is over which board is the ball spotted on your starting stance.

I didn't really mean to hijack Sara's thread. Actually the most accurate description would be to go by what board the center of ball is over when it crosses the foul line. Since this is almost impossible for most bowlers to determine without help, the next best thing would be to use the board the inside edge of your slide foot ends up on. That way drift is taken out of the equation when describing the path of the ball.

[GeoLes]

Sorry to hijack the topic.

That's right. It IS a good idea to pick a spot and try rolling though the second arrow. Find a spot that seems to work for you. (note that spot any way you want - foot, ball, what ever you like).

As things change adjust from there.

[Greenday]

I think that it isn't really all that helpful to know what style you are. I know its human nature to try and label everything and everyone, but too often the labels can hurt as much as they help. A bad coach may think in terms of all strokers do this and all crankers do that, and try to mold you into their image of whatever kind of bowler you've been labelled as, instead of really observing how you bowl to reinforce what you do well and fix those things that are holding you back.

I think focusing on your label will make a person start to think they can ONLY throw one way and that it's the only way they should throw it from then on. Sure, it'll be your A-Game, but what happens when your A-Game doesn't work? Gotta be able to adapt and switch things up.

[DrOcktagon]

Post a video so we can label you...

Cranker - high rev rate, lots of speed, big hook.
Stroker - lower rev rate, slower speed, less hook(usually), more traditional style.
Tweener - everything inbetween.

Of course it doesn't really help you to know which category you fall into, but it's only natural to want to know where you fit into these descriptions.

[Perrin]

Speed is the easy one, its rev's that I need to do. My phone camera just doesnt go into slow motion. Though I guess speed is only easy when my wife can figure out how to work the stop watch on my phone...

If you have an Iphone there is a free app called Coachmyvideo. It will break down to frame by frame on your phone. I assume it probably exists for Andoid also but I can't confirm that.

[billf]

Hmmm, so Wes Mallot is a power stroker, interesting. I would have classified him and Chris Barnes as Tweeners. Just goes to show how subjective it can be.

[TCJ]

I tend to think of strokers are relatively low-rev bowlers who play mostly from the outside and have a very smooth delivery. In general, they tend to be much more accurate than crankers at the expense of some power. It's a simple way to bowl that can be effective, but I think a lot of people find it boring because it doesn't look as impressive.