Any known causes for a high shoulder?

[ackwdw123]

Hi, I wanted to ask the group about an issue I am seeing with my son. He goes into his approach and lifts his shoulder. At first I was thinking the thumb hole might be too big and was causing him to compensate by grabbing the ball and raising the shoulder, but his thumb hole doesn't seem to big. He used this ball last season and he didn't raise his shoulder, so I doubt it is weight/too heavy. He raises it as soon as he begins his approach. I'm stumped and hoping someone might have some other things to check.

Thanks in advance,
-ack

[bowl1820]

Question:

How high does he hold his balance arm in relation to waist level during his approach?

Higher or Lower can affect the tilt of your shoulders, raising and lowering the ball side shoulder somewhat.

[ackwdw123]

Great point. I recall he had the balance arm close to his side and wrist is low. We will be able to bowl again on Saturday and I will keep an eye out for it. Might be a good time to revisit his entire release.

[J Anderson]

Hi, I wanted to ask the group about an issue I am seeing with my son. He goes into his approach and lifts his shoulder. At first I was thinking the thumb hole might be too big and was causing him to compensate by grabbing the ball and raising the shoulder, but his thumb hole doesn't seem to big. He used this ball last season and he didn't raise his shoulder, so I doubt it is weight/too heavy. He raises it as soon as he begins his approach. I'm stumped and hoping someone might have some other things to check.

Thanks in advance,
-ack

Another question: is his shoulder high in the set up or does it go up as he starts to walk?

[RobLV1]

The relevent question is: where is his shoulder when he releases the ball? Where it is before that time is totally irrelevent.

[bowl1820]

The relevent question is: where is his shoulder when he releases the ball? Where it is before that time is totally irrelevent. .

I don't exactly agree with all of that statement, IMO if someone sees that something has changed in your approach, like raising your shoulder that would be just as relevant also.

Where thing's are at the start of and during the approach have a bearing on where they are at the release.

"Just knowing what city someone arrived at, doesn't necessarily tell you if they took the best road to get there."

[Amyers]

If he is raising his shoulder he is starting off with a decent amount of lateral tilt I'm guessing and maybe subconsciously correcting for it during the approach. As long as the shoulder drops back into place before the release it shouldn't be a big issue. is head staying over the ball during the swing?

[RobLV1]

I don't exactly agree with all of that statement, IMO if someone sees that something has changed in your approach, like raising your shoulder that would be just as relevant also.

Where thing's are at the start of and during the approach have a bearing on where they are at the release.

"Just knowing what city someone arrived at, doesn't necessarily tell you if they took the best road to get there."

This is why the USBC offers a progression of Coaching Certification Classes. Level One and Bronze look at the bowler from the start of the approach to the foul line. Silver and Gold Levels look at the bowler from the foul line backward. Something amiss at the start of the approach may be an area of concern, but as long as it has righted itself by the time the bowler reaches the foul line, it is often deemed to be a non-issue.

[J Anderson]

This is why the USBC offers a progression of Coaching Certification Classes. Level One and Bronze look at the bowler from the start of the approach to the foul line. Silver and Gold Levels look at the bowler from the foul line backward. Something amiss at the start of the approach may be an area of concern, but as long as it has righted itself by the time the bowler reaches the foul line, it is often deemed to be a non-issue.

I think the ball is back in the original poster's court. He noticed a change in his son's approach. He did not say whether this has had a negative effect on his son's performance.

If it is a problem, it could be as simple as he's trying to copy someone else. It could also be that his hand has grown since last season and the ball no longer fits. It might also be that the ball is now too light for him.

[ackwdw123]

Thanks for the information. I will be able to observe my son tomorrow/Saturday morning. This observation came about after he came to me asking if I could watch him and see if anything seemed incorrect. I noticed right after the push off, while ball was dropping in step 2 of his release, he looked like he was pinching his shoulder up. I had his span increased a week before his league started. He used this ball last year and I don't recall him raising his shoulder.