Rate of Progress

[NYMIKE]

I'm 34 years old, since my teens I used to bowl couple of times a year. Then I served 4 years in the army for 4 years, bowling was cheap so I bowled probably 10x times a year during those 4 years. I did not bowl at all until 2 years ago, one day I asked at my AMF alley how do I get better at this, the older man that works there told me to come join the league. I joined and averaged around 120 with a house ball. Then I purchased my own ball (DV8 schizo) my average has risen to 125, helped by my high series this week of 481 (173, 136, 172). In 20 weeks of play I hit 400 series 4 times, but twice in the last 3 weeks, however the week I missed it was a 329 stinker. In general I'm very inconsistent. This week I practiced at a different alley, they have 2 hour special for $15, I bowled 13 games and averaged 125 over those games. I'll try to get a day of practice besides my league play. This season is mostly done, so realistically my average will stay more or less the same, is it realistic that next season I can average 150? How long did it take you guys to get respectable at the game?

[Bradski9]

I've been bowling my entire life, but at most I would bowl twice A month up until 2 years ago. I've gotten serious about it these past two years, my Average for the first year was 170, and now I'm at the last 2 weeks of this years league and my average is 195. It won't be easy to make such a big jump in average, you will have to practice your butt off.

[bowl1820]

This season is mostly done, so realistically my average will stay more or less the same, is it realistic that next season I can average 150? How long did it take you guys to get respectable at the game?

"In general I'm very inconsistent." that right there is one of the main problems. Bowling is a game about being consistent, repeating shots or and over. Practice with purpose, pick one or two things and work on them.

150 next season, sure just pick up a couple of more spares every game your there.

[fortheloveofbowling]

I'm 34 years old, since my teens I used to bowl couple of times a year. Then I served 4 years in the army for 4 years, bowling was cheap so I bowled probably 10x times a year during those 4 years. I did not bowl at all until 2 years ago, one day I asked at my AMF alley how do I get better at this, the older man that works there told me to come join the league. I joined and averaged around 120 with a house ball. Then I purchased my own ball (DV8 schizo) my average has risen to 125, helped by my high series this week of 481 (173, 136, 172). In 20 weeks of play I hit 400 series 4 times, but twice in the last 3 weeks, however the week I missed it was a 329 stinker. In general I'm very inconsistent. This week I practiced at a different alley, they have 2 hour special for $15, I bowled 13 games and averaged 125 over those games. I'll try to get a day of practice besides my league play. This season is mostly done, so realistically my average will stay more or less the same, is it realistic that next season I can average 150? How long did it take you guys to get respectable at the game?

That is a realistic increase early on in your bowling. Go out and practice when you can and practice spares over and over. Find your spots with your eyes and targeting for the the pins 2,3,4,6,7,10. Practice and practice more on picking up your spares. As with any bowler though if available find a certified coach.

[Aslan]

is it realistic that next season I can average 150? How long did it take you guys to get respectable at the game?

Kinda depends on the style…but for me I started at 121 and after 13 weeks was at 135. And that was really just a new ball and practice. 13 weeks later my average was in the mid 160s…where it's stayed for this past entire year.

So, in my experience, getting a higher average should be relatively easy early on…but once you get to a certain point…it'll take paid instruction and time to get to the next level. And i think that number is different for everyone.

Example: On my new team there's Lady A, Lady B, Boy, Old Guy, and me.

- Lady A throws a house ball and averages around 100. If she got a new ball and just got some minimal instruction she could get to the 110+ range easy. A lesson once a month and maybe she could be in the 130s by the end of the season. But her potential is probably capped at 150ish.

- Lady B is older, wider, and has a bum knee. She rolls 120-150. She doesn't strike much but is an above average spare shooter. But her game is probably capped in the 150s.

- The boy, thinks he's God's gift. He hasn't been bowling very long…maybe a year. He has no real knowledge of the game such as which pin is #6…but he's a thumbless bowler and he strikes a good amount. He can't pick up the 7-pin though…so while he is a threat to throw a 250s game every match…a 600 series is rare. Given his style and inability to pick up 7-pins….and trouble with spares in general…he could maybe be a 170s bowler…which is about where he's at now.

- The Old Guy doesn't have much left in the tank physically and tends to be all over the map. He's never much of a 200 threat…a great game for him would be 190. He's not likely to take lessons or try to improve much at his age…so his ceiling is more like a 150s.

- I'm a 160s bowler. My scores are fairly consistent. I tend to strike at 20-30%…and leave 3 open frames a game. I might t bowl in the 220s, 230s, 250s…but for every one of those game there's the occasional 114, 116, 119. Until I can fix my inconsistent release, I don't see a ceiling much higher than the 170s. If I could strike more, that would help. If I could leave less complicated spares, that would help.

So, yeah. 120s to 150s is no problem at all.

[NYMIKE]

I definitely need a lesson with a coach. I'm strong physically (I squat in the 400s and bench around 300) however I'm not a hard thrower at all relative to others in my league, tells me my mechanics are poor. My spare shooting is atrocious, but last week it was alright, therefore high series score. I'm left handed and I usually bowl from the middle over the second left arrow, there are were outings the ball would never curve back to the middle, I thought its my throwing, lol until my teammate who averages 170, and always good for a 200 game told me to shift left, so my bowling knowledge is not great, but I'm learning. I have no idea where to find a coach in Queens, in the AMF center I bowl in there is no coach. I'll inquire at Astoria Lanes, which I'll start bowling once a week this week, because they have 2 hours for $15 weekday special. It's a nicer alley, but it's a little further from my house, plus I like the guys that are in my league. It's a shame but sport of bowling is dying in Queens, as I'm typing this we have 5 active alleys, 20 years ago we had probably 20, and my teammate who averages 170 comes down from Manhattan, because bowling situation is even worse there, they have a couple of alleys for parties and stuff, but no league alleys.

[fortheloveofbowling]

I definitely need a lesson with a coach. I'm strong physically (I squat in the 400s and bench around 300) however I'm not a hard thrower at all relative to others in my league, tells me my mechanics are poor. My spare shooting is atrocious, but last week it was alright, therefore high series score. I'm left handed and I usually bowl from the middle over the second left arrow, there are were outings the ball would never curve back to the middle, I thought its my throwing, lol until my teammate who averages 170, and always good for a 200 game told me to shift left, so my bowling knowledge is not great, but I'm learning. I have no idea where to find a coach in Queens, in the AMF center I bowl in there is no coach. I'll inquire at Astoria Lanes, which I'll start bowling once a week this week, because they have 2 hours for $15 weekday special. It's a nicer alley, but it's a little further from my house, plus I like the guys that are in my league. It's a shame but sport of bowling is dying in Queens, as I'm typing this we have 5 active alleys, 20 years ago we had probably 20, and my teammate who averages 170 comes down from Manhattan, because bowling situation is even worse there, they have a couple of alleys for parties and stuff, but no league alleys.

You don't have to throw the ball super hard to be effective. You are probably correct is the assessment that mechanics are a reason for to low of a ball speed though. With that kind of lower body strength though that is a good base to have. The lower body is a huge factor in throwing the ball effectively.

[Aslan]

You don't have to throw the ball super hard to be effective. You are probably correct is the assessment that mechanics are a reason for to low of a ball speed though. With that kind of lower body strength though that is a good base to have. The lower body is a huge factor in throwing the ball effectively.

Or he's over-throwing it. I have a strong guy on my Tuesday team that fires the ball at least 20mph…at LEAST…but even with the strongest equipment available (he buys a new ball every 3-4 weeks…there are nights the ball doesn't make it back to the pocket…and a LOT of nights he doesn't carry well. Sometimes the "athletes" that try on bowling need, as Rob would say, to treat it more like a dance than an athletic movement. It's contrary to many other sports because your best shots tend to come from being as relaxed as possible. The minute you "try"…you are on the road towards inconsistency and lower scores. Low level bowlers can "muscle" the throw or put a lot of effort into it…because after 30 years of doing it that way…they've taught themselves to throw that way consistently enough to average 184 on a THS. But at the PBA level…even though it "looks" like they are really throwing rocks out there…most of them are making very minute changes to a very relaxed movement.

I once threw 6 strikes in a row in practice, pre-league, not even aiming at my intended target, and not always hitting the pocket…just trying to burn in a line right of my intended line. I ended up bowling horribly during league play that night. As I analyzed the data…and gave it some thought…I realized that my "burning a line in" shot was just me walking up relaxed and just alying the ball down on the lane. I wasn't "trying" to make a good shot….and that "not trying" was likely why I was able to get the ball off cleanly, low, and on target…which led to good ball motion down lane.

[RobLV1]

Just watch clips of Michael Fagan. Spaghetti arm as I like to call him, is a perfect example of letting the ball do the work. There is no muscle involved; just good timing, momentum, and gravity. The effectiveness is apparent in his achievements.

[Aslan]

Just watch clips of Michael Fagan. Spaghetti arm as I like to call him, is a perfect example of letting the ball do the work. There is no muscle involved; just good timing, momentum, and gravity. The effectiveness is apparent in his achievements.

I thought about him last night when I was bowling. I was trying to get a higher backswing and start with my hand on the inside quarter like he does. But all that did was make me toss it in the gutter because I kept my shoulders open, my timing was messed up, and my hand didn't make it around the ball in time.

Apparently watching a couple slow motion videos of Mike Fagan's release does not = me being able to throw it like Mike Fagan.

[Amyers]

I thought about him last night when I was bowling. I was trying to get a higher backswing and start with my hand on the inside quarter like he does. But all that did was make me toss it in the gutter because I kept my shoulders open, my timing was messed up, and my hand didn't make it around the ball in time.

Apparently watching a couple slow motion videos of Mike Fagan's release does not = me being able to throw it like Mike Fagan.

Darn there goes my plan. I guess I'll have to put my PBA membership on hold for a while

[rv driver]

Darn there goes my plan. I guess I'll have to put my PBA membership on hold for a while
I plan to just bowl vicariously through Chris Barnes on the Tour.

[RobLV1]

I thought about him last night when I was bowling. I was trying to get a higher backswing and start with my hand on the inside quarter like he does. But all that did was make me toss it in the gutter because I kept my shoulders open, my timing was messed up, and my hand didn't make it around the ball in time.

Apparently watching a couple slow motion videos of Mike Fagan's release does not = me being able to throw it like Mike Fagan.

Thinking about Michael Fagan, the height of your backswing, or the position of your hand during league is a really bad idea. When you are bowling league, your only thoughts should be about how to knock down the most pins possible. We'll talk tomorrow.

[NewToBowling]

Plus most of the pro's use the modern release. They don't use the handshake position. Their fingers and palms are facing them after release.

I've been watching slow motion videos of Fagan, Barnes, and Rash and don't really know how it's done and don't think I would ever be able to do it myself.

[Aslan]

Thinking about Michael Fagan, the height of your backswing, or the position of your hand during league is a really bad idea. When you are bowling league, your only thoughts should be about how to knock down the most pins possible. We'll talk tomorrow.

Yeah. I found that out by bowling a 123 and 153. So, I kinda stopped doing that and bowled in the 180s for the 3rd game. I'm back to focusing on getting low…relaxed release at the line. I'll work on the monster backswing and hand starting in the inside quadrant in practice or lessons. I thought it would be an easy thing to add…sort of "plug and play"…and that was foolish.

That being said…it was the last game of the season and we are in the middle of a 31-team pack with point money already paid out and sweeps on Saturday…so we really had nothing to play for.

[NYMIKE]

Just give an update, after not improving over the course of the season, I found a coach, old school guy 30 years on the lanes. I was using bent elbow technique, hence I was awful. For the passed month I been seeing him once or twice a week. Initially my scores got even worse, to the point I thought of quitting. Finally this week progress started to happen. Yesterday in practice I bowled 505 in 3 games, today in front of my coach bowled clean game 192. I signed up for summer program at AMF, $30 to bowl 3 games every day all summer, and I been bowling about 4 times a week. My coach preaches grandpa clock pendulum swing and preaches right timing. I hope I continue progressing.

[GeoLes]

I thought about him last night when I was bowling. I was trying to get a higher backswing and start with my hand on the inside quarter like he does. But all that did was make me toss it in the gutter because I kept my shoulders open, my timing was messed up, and my hand didn't make it around the ball in time.

Apparently watching a couple slow motion videos of Mike Fagan's release does not = me being able to throw it like Mike Fagan.

If you believe that, watch Wes Malot and The British Beefcake - (I can't think of his name, Stuart - something) - They have virtually no swing at all.

Bottom line is to develop your own style. Properly done, it can be very effective.

[bobforsaken]

A major improvement is not out of the question with hard work. I work as hard as anyone Ive seen for the last year and a half. I started averaging about 130 when i got my first ball. End of first 10 week non sanctioned league i was averaging in 160s.... i subbed and joined a roster at the end of the 2014/15 season and established an official average of 184. I did a quick 7 week non sanctioned league this summer and averaged mid 190s. Tracking my progress threw the summer (bowling 4 or 5 times a week) and im averaging in the 200's.

You get out of it what you put in to it. Good luck man... its hard but you can reach whatever level you want

[jlwonderley]

If you believe that, watch Wes Malot and The British Beefcake - (I can't think of his name, Stuart - something) - They have virtually no swing at all.

Bottom line is to develop your own style. Properly done, it can be very effective.

Stuart Williams, they call him Beef Stu. He and Wes actually bring the ball around shoulder/head height, although they lean forwards more than a lot of other guys I think, which would make it seem a bit higher.

Stuart's style does look similar to Wes Malott, although his release and follow through are different. Wes's follow through is kinda short, but Stu's is even shorter and stops more abruptly. Wes get's his hand way inside the ball and rotates the wrist a lot, following through to the left while Stu follows through straight.

Here they should both of their styles:

https://youtu.be/1F02-LD_siU?t=209