Recent technique videos for noeymc

[noeymc]

Set-Up/Appraoch:
- ball under right shoulder (rather than left side utilizing the DYDS method). yes this is a good thing to work on also push or hinge the bowl towards your target

- short first step, straighten first step (no more funky crossover). the cross over step isnt truly bad a lot of good bowlers do it but your foot should be in front of your other foot a SLOW FIRST step will slow your approach down


- don't overdue back leg kick. as long as your balanced it should truly matter all that much

- Improve release timing. do u do 4 step or 5 step think kicking the ball

Release:
- roll the ball, stop "chucking" it. loft is not a bad thing try setting a towl on the lane from foul line to where ever it ends try to hit at the end of it

- stop "trying" to hook the ball. the shaking the hand release is a good starting point over turning your hand = bad carry

- release with hand/arm pointed toward the target. grab your target with your hand at least thats how i do it

Other:
- Lower backswing and lower speed if your slow your feet down your ball speed will slow down and if you free your back swing up till you feel the float and wait on the ball it will fix these

[Aslan]

I put this together. Kinda messing around with my video editing software to try and get a better look at the release by picking out some frames and show the shots in slow motion.



Will probably put another video together a little bit into this spring/summer league season, after I've had a chance to work on some of the stuff Rob worked with me on in Vegas.

[Aslan]

Okay, so, quick backstory:

Started bowling in August, first league in September, first sanctioned league in September.

I bowl primarily in a wood house (for now) and was initially taught a very straight up and down "chuck it/high loft" type of delivery which gets the ball further down the lane before the wood lanes can start affecting it. But, that style didn't work so well on synthetics where I averaged 30 pins lower.

I got some instruction at a local clinic and even started doing the DYDS (Drop Your Damn Shoulder) approach…but my average was still very stagnant in the 160s with only slight improvement over the course of the league.

For numbers geeks:
y = 0.6685x + 489.31
R² = 0.00827

So, knowing Vegas (sweeps) was going to be a problem…I got a lesson from our own community bowling celebrity Rob M. while I was in Vegas. He convinced me to abandon the DYDS approach (at least for now) and focus on slowing things down a bit and really trying to "roll" the ball versus throwing it.

This has produced mixed results thus far…but I AM starting to see some improvement. My average is closer to 170 and my spare shooting in recent weeks has really improved. The downside early on was it became more necessary to have a ball that "fit" the lanes. I was trying to use a solid overstock, symmetric core ball on the wood lanes and it just wasn't working. Once I "gave in" and un-retired the Frantic and "balled down"…things started improving.

Last week was a great week. I bowled much better in my May VBT than I did in my April VBT outing. I then beat MWhite scratch in the recent "ASLAN VS. MWHITE WOOD LANES CHALLENGE". And Thursday league (when I shot this video) I had my highest series thus far in that league (557). I'm marking 7-10 times a game…and my spare shooting has increased from the 30% range to the 50% range with single-pin spare shooting increasing from the 60% range to the 80-90% range.

There are still "issues" I need to work out. I'm still hitting left a lot and don't seem to be moving left fast enough to adapt. But, with wood lanes turning into synthetic lanes by the end of next month…I'm not worrying about it too much right now.



From watching the video, I noticed the following things:
1) Balance isn't great. I'm focusing all my effort on getting that ball out in front of me, leaning over the foul line, and accuracy that balance is hit or miss.
2) I'm not square to the foul line. If I'm gonna emulate Earl Anthony…I need to be more square to the foul line.
3) My head is tilted right…which is fine if I'm doing the DYDS…but I'm not…and I as stated above…if I'm going to emulate Earl Anthony I need that head more straight up and down.
4) The approach is still too fast…still have a weird "hop" in there that I can't seem to get rid of.
5) Timing appears "late". Harder to see in the video…but it "feels" late.

Okay…now it's up to you semi-professionals to critique!!! Thanks!!!

[RobLV1]

Your first step is still HUGE! Your footwork resembles a footrace to see how fast you can get to the line, no matter far behind you the ball is when you get there. On the positive side, your footwork looks a lot better, not nearly so helter skelter in terms of lateral movements, but the pace of your feet is still forcing you to throw the ball instead of rolling it. See if you can find some video of Tony Reyes. His "creeping" style might benefit you for a while until you can slow things down.

I'm looking forward to the opportunity of working with you again. Your constant think about the sport is impressive. Your over-thinking, not so much.

[Aslan]

See if you can find some video of Tony Reyes. His "creeping" style might benefit you for a while until you can slow things down.

I'll take a look at that. I tried to fix that crossover step. Barry Asher mentioned the same thing...wanting to make it more "straight". But when I tried this weekend, the ball was hitting me in the leg because I wasn't "clearing out that leg". So I'm trying to find that "medium" where I get that leg out of the way without walking like a disabled person (non-offensively in meaning) where that front leg sort of swings uncontrollably out to the side.

I feel like I've slowed things down a lot...and shortening my approach has helped...but you're right; seeing the videos it appears I'm still running and hopping through the air to get to that foul line. I'll see if I can't slow it down further.

[Aslan]

One thing I noticed today, watching a little Earl Anthony on the inter web….the importance of keeping your head straight and eyes focused. They showed him in slow motion on an approach and I swear his eyes didn't blink and his head appeared to be gliding along on a rail.

Gonna keep that in mind.

[Aslan]

Well; here is the latest installment of "help Aslan learn to bowl" also known as "Road to Iceman VS Aslan; The Sin City Massacre Part I".

Some of the clips were slowed down and some were left at normal speed.

I LOVE the music that is playing in the background…especially in the final frame as I'm staring down that nemesis 10-pin and the music is crescendoing…just adds even more drama to the situation. Also, in the final shot, notice the guy next to me that comes flying in doing some weird release. AND…in the 4th shot of the video, you get to see me use a rare "back-up ball" to try and go after a 4-6-7 split (unsuccessfully).

[Bunny]

Walking smoother and more controlled has helped me. To me it looks like on your first step your pushing off with the toes of your right foot. I don't know the solution but it seems to get your stride moving up and bouncy, rather than forward and smooth.

I've seen some pro bowlers rock back a little onto their heel first. Maybe it gets the foot moving in the correct motion from heel to toe rather than leading with the toe.


Just a thought.

[vdubtx]

Aside from the bouncy steps, I think you are trying too hard to release the ball. Just let it roll off your hand vs. tugging at it or lifting it. Your release is very late with your steps. Just my $.03

[Aslan]

Cool. Thanks.

I think what I noticed is that in every single clip, I seem to be releasing the ball with what I've heard called a "suitcase release". My thumb seems to be coming out first, but not very much sooner than the fingers. So, I think I still need to work a lot on the release. Or hope to just inhale the "gift"….hopefully sooner rather than later.

I have "tried" to change the release and stay behind and under the ball. All I can say is it hasn't worked very well thus far. I lose a LOT of accuracy if I take my focus away from targeting and instead focus on the wrist/snap to quickly bring the hand around the ball. But, I think I need to keep trying.

I've thought that the "bouncy steps" were more under control than in the past. Perhaps I still need to do a little more. I've been focusing a lot on targeting and accuracy which means I've sort of stopped focusing on the other elements of the approach. And that gets me into trouble sometimes because I lose focus on my timing. I have an intentional late timing…sort of like the old Anthony/Carter timing…but in some of those clips it was too late…and when I noticed that I went back to focusing on my timing and counting in my head…to make sure I wasn't at the line with the ball barely coming into the swing.

But, I'll keep working on it and take those comments into consideration. Anything "good" in the videos? The only thing I see as a positive is I seem to be doing a better job "posting" the shots…and I seem to have transitioned from the "hand to the ceiling" posting to the "hand towards the pins" posting. Not sure how much of a positive that is…but it's something I guess.