Do you use lateral and forward and back adjustments on the approach?

[mjoyce]

Interesting. I'm confused as to how you determine when to move forward/backward

[vdubtx]

A move forward or back is just to get a different angle into the pocket. Can be just a slight movement that gets the angle needed with conditions on the lanes.

[Aslan]

Actually, thinking about this more: I never move forward/backwards to adjust.

Me neither. But since I throw a relatively straight ball...speed adjustments aren't really impactful. I can make "slight" speed adjustments with a "slightly" higher backswing. Seems like moving too much backward/foreward would throw off timing too much.

If you're using a pendulum swing...and you start with the ball chest level...if you move forward, the ball would have to move to belt level...backwards it would have to move to head level. Otherwise you'd have to muscle the ball at some point...since gravity and the weight of the ball are constants. Am I right/wrong?

[Hammer]

Forward and back movements I use for either speed adjustments or pocket adjustments. If I want more speed I move further back from the foul line and hold the ball lower in my setup. Your feet automatically pick up speed so the ball goes through it's cycle from backswing to release quicker using gravity and not muscling the ball with your arm to speed it up. If I want slower speed I hold the ball somewhere between belt high to chest high and start my swing using gravity. From this height the ball will take longer to go through it's cycle from backswing to release so your feet will move slower to give the ball time to get through it's cycle. I know a lot of folks probably think this is backwards but it isn't. Speed is controlled with your legs and the speed of your approach and not how hard your arm can swing the ball. Using your arm you will have missed targets, pulled shots and your ball will not work how it is made to work. You will grip the ball harder with your hand also which cuts down on revs and shot consistency.

[Aslan]

Forward and back movements I use for either speed adjustments or pocket adjustments. If I want more speed I move further back from the foul line and hold the ball lower in my setup. Your feet automatically pick up speed so the ball goes through it's cycle from backswing to release quicker using gravity and not muscling the ball with your arm to speed it up.

Interesting..so you compensate for not only the increased distance to the foul line, but also the lower momentum of the ball due to a lower starting point...by increasing your foot speed?

If I want slower speed I hold the ball somewhere between belt high to chest high and start my swing using gravity. From this height the ball will take longer to go through it's cycle from backswing to release so your feet will move slower to give the ball time to get through it's cycle.

Again, higher release point, more gravity, more force, higher arc...longer backswing...but you slow down your feet to compensate. Interesting.

I know a lot of folks probably think this is backwards but it isn't. Speed is controlled with your legs and the speed of your approach and not how hard your arm can swing the ball.

Thats interesting. It would explain how someone could generate more ball speed without "muscling". But I wonder if you took 5 pro bowlers, similar heights, similar starting "level" for the bowling ball...and they all start as far from the foul line as possible...would they all have virtually identical ball speeds? From a pure Physics standpoint, they must. All have the same force due to gravity...the same distance to reach the same foot speed. I wonder what pro ball speeds are and how much it varies? Interesting.

[Aslan]

I may not be understanding...it just seems like foot speed would be canceled out by the adjustment in ball arc to maintain the same release point. But I'm probably missing something.

[noeymc]

your ball speed comes from your legs

if your ball hits high move back to speed it up so i pushs a little further

ball hits low move up to slow down

your body will naturally slow down your ball speed or speed it up

[MICHAEL]

All of the above. Lateral,forward, back and hand position. Just depends on what I see my ball doing

I agree,,, 100 percent!! Left/right,,,, forward/backward all moves that can make a huge difference in the ball position going into the pocket! Also the hand position which is what I am working on now! Lots to lean,,,, and the more you lean, the better you scores are going to be!! I was telling my son yesterday, the more you LEARN ABOUT ADJUSTMENTS, the better your GAME!