Finally got back on the lanes....

[Phonetek]

Well I gave it a shot for the first time on an actual lane instead of the back yard. Lets just say it wasn't at all pretty. The first ball I threw I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone because it felt rather odd. The shoulder didn't hurt at all but it certainly doesn't move exactly how I prefer just yet. I bowled two games. I had to use my old 16 lb ball and freakin house shoes because my equipment is still down south. It is what it is with that.

When I started game one my ball speed was a pathetic 12 mph and I had a hard time keeping it from hooking off the lane. I can't even describe the ball rotation but it's WAY WAY wrong. Over the course of the game the shoulder loosened up a bit and I did a little better. I adjusted to the lack of speed and was able to hit some pins and pick up a few spares. I ended up with a mere 96 for the first game. Game two I loosened up a little more and did better, managed to get one strike. I ended that game with a 158. Not horrible but not stellar. I was able to get my ball speed up to 15 mph so again, not horrible but not stellar.

I guess this is going to take some time. I probably should have planned ahead better and did some stretches and exercises before I went. Now that my physical therapy is over I can still do the exercises at home. As far as bowling I'll try to do a couple games two or three times a week and move up from there. I have a LOT of work to do to get where I was. Because of the lack of back swing my timing is a mess, my mechanics are a mess and I look rather lost out there. For now the important thing to do is to go through the motions, not worry about score and focus on getting back to having fluid movements and work on stretching that shoulder. If I don't stretch the shoulder then nothing else is going to work right.

[J Daisy]

Sorry to hear that, but at least you're getting back in the swing of things now. It must feel nice being back on the lanes after such an interval.

[Phonetek]

Oh yes, great to get back. I'm also back working at the bowling center I was at before I went to TN. I kinda felt like a part of my identity was missing. So good or bad bowling I'm happy to be back. I'll get there, it won't be long.

[GrumpyCatFace]

Good to see you around again sir. :)

[Phonetek]

Yeah you know how I am by now. I'm like that 6 pack of club soda in your cabinet. You forget about it for a while then it suddenly appears in front, then fades to the back again but it's never gone.

[Phonetek]

Bowled tonight, threw a few games with my son. All and all I did okay. My arm seems to have freed up more. My ball speed is only a tick below my normal speed so that's good.

Follow through is not quite there but pretty close. Timing is also off, feel pretty awkward now and again. Probably explains why I can't hit the same mark twice.

It's a little frustrating but at the same time I know I can't just come back after a fairly evasive surgery and be 100%. Also it's only my second time hitting the lanes since.

My son said that if he didn't know me he wouldn't know I was ever injured by the way I was bowling. Kinda cool to have my son providing me the encouragement. A little flip fling on the roles. I did manage to pop off a172 my last game. Meh... not terrible

[Blacksox1]

Yeah you know how I am by now. I'm like that 6 pack of club soda in your cabinet. You forget about it for a while then it suddenly appears in front, then fades to the back again but it's never gone.
LOL, welcome back Phonetek

[Phonetek]

It's good to be back. Working at the bowling center, bowling and being on here a bit. One thing I've learned from the lock downs and my absence from bowling in the many aspects is, that it is a very important part of me and my life.

I wasn't just bored and depressed, my whole identity was missing. It's funny how certain things define us. Bowling definitely defines me and I'm glad it's back in my life. I'm actually somewhat happy again for the first time in a long. It's great doing what I love again and it feels pretty damn good!

[Phonetek]

I decided to go in early yesterday and throw a few. Shoulders feeling fine. Ball speed is pretty much there. When I hit my mark I bury it, when I miss, I miss badly by like 5 boards. I had 4 strikes in a row in two out of three games then threw it out the window both times. Having difficulty shooting spares.

In the middle of the first 4 in a row the second game I pulled a muscle pretty bad high up on the rear of my left leg. I fought through it and shot the third game. It's fine today after a nights sleep. I guess I need to start stretching before bowling. My mind still thinks I'm a young man but my body knows I'm almost 50. I ended up with 183, 209 and 203. Not great but slowly getting better.

[J Anderson]

I decided to go in early yesterday and throw a few. Shoulders feeling fine. Ball speed is pretty much there. When I hit my mark I bury it, when I miss, I miss badly by like 5 boards. I had 4 strikes in a row in two out of three games then threw it out the window both times. Having difficulty shooting spares.

In the middle of the first 4 in a row the second game I pulled a muscle pretty bad high up on the rear of my left leg. I fought through it and shot the third game. It's fine today after a nights sleep. I guess I need to start stretching before bowling. My mind still thinks I'm a young man but my body knows I'm almost 50. I ended up with 183, 209 and 203. Not great but slowly getting better.

Sounds like it might be a timing issue on the misses.
Same here on the mind/body thing except that I’ve got a dozen years on you. The current thinking on stretching and bowling is that you want to get the blood flowing in the big muscle groups first, so you want to do things like arm circles, trunk twists, jumping jacks, etc. before bowling. Save the static stretches for after.

Glad to hear the shoulder’s okay.

[Phonetek]

No doubt on the timing issue. I can feel it soon as I release it. I expected these kind of things given the injury and the amount of time that had elapsed with all my down time. I wasn't expecting miracles. All and all I'm very satisfied and not frustrated at all.

I seriously thought I was done for good a year ago. So the fact I've gotten this far in grateful. Plus each time I have bowled which is only 3 times so far, I made vast improvements each time over the last. That means next time I'll probably do even better. I'm happy with that.

On top of that, each time I bowl it makes my shoulder move a little farther to giving me more range of motion in general which is permanent. Basically bowling is proving to be physical therapy. The more range of motion I get back the better quality of life I get. It was worth having a sore rear end for.