In my quest to learn beter bowling another lightbulb!!!!!

[GeoLes]

Rolled last night in league and was putting the ball in/around the pocket generally, but something was off and I was not closing frames due to so many outside track releases. Struggled for two games (I even put three balls in the gutter). Attibuted that to timing, so I began counting my steps

1-2-push-swing-slide and release.

It worked, but then I realized that I had been stepping straight forward on my 4th step causing me to actively swing forward on the downswing. If I made that 4th step a cross step, dropped my left sholder towards my mark, opening the back sholder at the height of the swing, it caused me to actived my right hip allowing me to use more torso leveage. All the difference in the world. No more outside releases, the ball has more speed as the arm gets further out front before release too.

Chris Barnes and I have similar build, I try to model my approach after him but, I have seen Michal Fagan bowl and he has this really pronouced, long, low, effortless swing throughout, like his arms are 6inches longer than anyone else. He kind of just leans the shoulder into his mark, opens up and just "long arms" the ball down the lane. That's what this adjuatment felt like. Smooth and effortless. I closed every frame thereafter.

New drills for my practice.

Just an observation to share should someone else find that it works for him/her.

[billf]

If I'm trying to get the ball out, I cross over on the first step. I'm also back to using a 4 step approach.
Teaching a 4 step was messing up my own 5 step.
Fagan's "long, low" swing gives him a very large margin for error in his release. Very good to have it you can do it.

[Zothen]

Has anyone ever tried the 1 step method and does it work?

Zothen

[J Anderson]

Has anyone ever tried the 1 step method and does it work?

Zothen

The late Tony Reyes used to do a one step on the trick shot competitions. I don't recall him ever not striking with it.

It really is more of a practice routine than a method of bowling. With the slow ball speed any differences in your release are magnified, great for practice, not so good if you're trying to win a game.

[GeoLes]

I figured out 1-step in practice drills and it is pretty accurate due to the absence of "extra moving parts". However you do lose ball speed without the extra steps and push into the slide. That means less pin carry.