Good day with coach...

[foreverincamo]

Spent an hour and a half with Jeri Edwards this morning. I showed her some video of me from a couple of days ago. I showed her how I was dragging my big toe on my right foot during my release, and how far around the ball I was during release.
She altered my approach but for only the last step. She did that by changing how I use my left arm. I was always taught that the left arm was for balance and held out to the side. When I released the ball my left arm would pull behind me a bit. Been doing that for years. Thrown 300's doing that.
BUT, she had my left arm in front of me, Palm outward and thumb downward, and held it there until I released the ball. My trailing leg was pulled around to the 8 O'clock position behind me instead of 6 O'clock, and this aligned my leg and spine and head and opened up my swing plane
Doing all that at release allowed my hand to remain further behind the ball instead of coming around the ball because I was wrapping the ball around my waist. I did that because there was no other way to release the ball without hitting myself in the leg. Now my toe stopped hurting because I'm not smashing it into the floor and dragging it behind me, and my swing is straighter and hand position is better. My timing is still a bit early but I can adjust that.
All in all, I have hope for my game improving. I'll see her again in 3 weeks. Until then it's more league play and practice.

[JasonNJ]

Sounds like a productive session. Let us know if this improves your game.

[foreverincamo]

Tell you what, it was strange having my left arm pointing out in front of me instead of behind me. Add consciously picking up my trail leg and ripping it to my left and resting on my little toe instead of my big toe surely felt better. I'm going to practice tomorrow morning if my back will let me. I'll let you know what it does for my game. I know I'm excited to practice instead of dreading bowling at all. That's how sore my toe was getting.

[foreverincamo]

Bowled for three hours today. Worked on my slide foot position and keeping my balance arm out front like my coach wants. Didn't bowl great, didn't bowl badly. Still a little on my big toe but barely. Fighting arm position but getting better at it. Did throw 6 of the balls I resurfaced on my new spinner. They all were fine. Some balls went a little farther down-lane then they used to, but I didn't loose any hook.
I had a few instances where I was able to hit the ball from inside instead of the outside like I normally do. I could see the rotation increase and the ball hooked earlier. But it was sporadic at best. I'll get there this summer. Lots of work to do to improve my game.