A question about the pushaway step?

[Hammer]

Now I am talking about the pushaway that goes straight out from your bowling shoulder. If you have a four step approach the pushaway happens on the first step. If you have a five step approach the pushaway happens on the second step. Now with that out of the way here is the question. Is the timing of the pushaway different depending on the person doing it? I have seen pushaways that start to happen as soon as the pushaway step starts to go forward. I have also seen pushaways that didn't happen until the heel of the pushaway step hit the ground. Could this be something that each one of us should try out to see which one is better for the timing of our shot? Maybe some of us have targeting issues because we are doing the pushaway too early or too late in our approach. Depending on the timing of your approach and swing this might be something to check out in practice. One way might work better for you then another. Anyone have some thoughts on this?

[billf]

The trick to timing isn't where you're at in the beginning or middle but does matter at the end. Even in a muscle free swing, the amount of muscle used plays a role in the speed of the arm swing.
I teach the "text book" timing for the pushaway/hinge and 99% of the time, by the time we get sopine tilt, release, swing height, swing slot, etc. done the timing all comes together.

[Greenday]

I do a five step and I push away on the first step. Really, it just depends on the person.

[Rdmonster]

After having this forum point out that my beginning motion was weird I did alot of research. I first had to determine how many steps I used to begin with...turns out it was four. Then I watched a bunch of online video to see how top level bowlers who use a four step approach began their pushaway. I tried to mimic that. The best thing is it did not hurt my timing.

I also used this technique to work on getting a straighter arm. I think it helped because I tied it all together and concentrated on dropping the ball to a straight arm position when I began my pushaway. I'm sure I was still muscling it but Rome wasnt built in a day.

[Hammer]

I do a five step and I push away on the first step. Really, it just depends on the person.

How do you keep your swing timed with a five step approach and the pushaway on the first step? Do you take short quick steps? Have you ever tried a pushaway on your second step to see how that works for you? It seems like that would make you have targeting issues or accuracy problems.

[Tampabaybob]

Bill's right on the money.....everybody is a little different and what really matters is that your ball and slide foot are getting to the line simultaneously. Just watching some of the pros you'll see many varied forms of an approach, yet what they ALL have in common is that split second at the foul line where everything has to come together. Takes practice, but for most people it's easily doable.

[Greenday]

How do you keep your swing timed with a five step approach and the pushaway on the first step? Do you take short quick steps? Have you ever tried a pushaway on your second step to see how that works for you? It seems like that would make you have targeting issues or accuracy problems.

When I switched over to the five step approach, I initially did the pushaway on the second step, but my timing was completely off. I'd get to the line well before my armswing caught up. Then we switched it to between the first and second step. Got a little bit better so we switched it to the first. I basically take two medium speed steps then three quick steps.

I used to bowl around 13mph. Now, when I'm getting it right and I'm on oil, I can get up to 16.5mph. I think part of it is that my quick steps are speeding up my ball speed.

[Zothen]

I push ball forward on 1st step and my swing starts when my left leg comes forward.

Zothen

[Rdmonster]

I push ball forward on 1st step and my swing starts when my left leg comes forward.

Zothen

This is what I have begun trying to do.