So the time has come to increase my ball speed

[noeymc]

here are my questions =D

are you building up speed with your feet coming to the line>?

do u do a push away or hinge

how many steps do u take and i know all dots are different from each spot but roughly how far back from the foul line do u start and how close do u finish to it

[zdawg]

here are my questions =D

are you building up speed with your feet coming to the line>?

Prior to today no, my backswing was very short and slow and I think I had my feet timed to that. Today, my feet just kind of sped up naturally after I increased my backswing (I didn't consciously speed up my footwork)

do u do a push away or hinge

Hinge

how many steps do u take and i know all dots are different from each spot but roughly how far back from the foul line do u start and how close do u finish to it

Prior to today, I started at the closest set of dots to the foul line, I'm not sure how far that is, maybe 6 or 7 feet? And I would constantly finish about a foot short. Today, I lined up about a foot farther back, as I was finishing right on the foul line which I had never really come close to before.

[tccstudent]

I would actually like to lose some ball speed. Everytime I try and slow down I lose accuracy. Right now I am working on something else so I am putting my Mach 9999 ball speed on the back burner.

[Mike White]

Prior to today no, my backswing was very short and slow and I think I had my feet timed to that. Today, my feet just kind of sped up naturally after I increased my backswing (I didn't consciously speed up my footwork)



Hinge



Prior to today, I started at the closest set of dots to the foul line, I'm not sure how far that is, maybe 6 or 7 feet? And I would constantly finish about a foot short. Today, I lined up about a foot farther back, as I was finishing right on the foul line which I had never really come close to before.

While there doesn't seem to be a specific rule about where the dots are on the approach, in almost every center I've seen, the dots on the approach are at 3 distances from from the foul line.

1) Within an inch or two from the foul line.
2) Approximately 12 feet from the foul line.
3) Approximately 15 feet from the foul line.

Knowing how far you start from the foul line is important in calculating how much to move laterally when shooting spares.

[Mike White]

In the "old days" I was taught to increase or decrease speed by elevating the ball

How many months ago was the "old days"?

I think you confused elevating the ball in your stance, with elevating the ball out onto the lane.

[zdawg]

While there doesn't seem to be a specific rule about where the dots are on the approach, in almost every center I've seen, the dots on the approach are at 3 distances from from the foul line.

1) Within an inch or two from the foul line.
2) Approximately 12 feet from the foul line.
3) Approximately 15 feet from the foul line.

Knowing how far you start from the foul line is important in calculating how much to move laterally when shooting spares.

I'll see if I can find out today what my normal starting distance is, I've never really considered how far it is and how that affects my game - other than the fact that I know I tend to finish my approach about a foot short of the foul line

[bowl1820]

While there doesn't seem to be a specific rule about where the dots are on the approach

Lane and Approach Markings or Designs
Lane and approach markings shall only be permitted in accordance with the following specifications:

1. Measured from the foul line, a maximum of seven guides may be embedded in or stamped
on the approach at each of the following points: 2-6 inches; 3-4 feet; 6-7 feet; 9-10 feet;
11-12 feet; and 14-15 feet. Each series of guides shall be parallel to the foul line and each
guide shall be circular in shape and shall not exceed ¾ inch in diameter.

2. At a point 6-8 feet beyond the foul line and parallel thereto, there may be embedded in
or stamped on the lane a maximum of 10 guides. Each guide shall be uniform, circular in
shape, and shall not exceed ¾ inch in diameter.

3. At a point 12-16 feet beyond the foul line, there may be embedded in or stamped on the
lane a maximum of seven targets. Each of the targets shall be uniform and may consist of
one or more dowels, darts, diamond, triangles, or rectangular designs. The overall surface
covered by each target shall not be more than 1¼ inches in width and six inches in length.
Each target must be equidistant from one another and set in a uniform pattern.

4. At a point 33-44 feet beyond the foul line, there may be a maximum of four targets. Each
target must be uniform in appearance and shall not be wider than a single board or longer
than 36 inches.

[vdubtx]

How many months ago was the "old days"?

I think you confused elevating the ball in your stance, with elevating the ball out onto the lane.

Think "Old days" is 6 months ago to Aslan.

[bdtrob300]

This is The most common misconception that I've come across when talking with casual bowlers is that a higher backswing will equal more speed. I always tell them that your feet make the ball speed and the easiest way to increase your sped at approach is to drop the ball into your backswing earlier. It makes you move your feet faster without thinking about it.

[Aslan]

How many months ago was the "old days"?

I think you confused elevating the ball in your stance, with elevating the ball out onto the lane.

Think "Old days" is 6 months ago to Aslan.

It's a relatively new invention called Physics which relies on this strange new hippie concept of "gravity". I think they made a movie about it.

IF...a ball is at the end of an arm....and that ball/arm are acting as a "pendulum"...starting the ball higher (before allowing gravity to act on the ball) will create greater momentum into the backswing....making the backswing higher...and thus gravity acts the same way on the downswing, creating more momentum and ultimately ball speed. Now to get super technical you'll note that the backswing momentum is greater than the downswing momentum...because gravity is acting AGAINST the ball as it is in the backswing. So in a "true frictionless pendulum", the ball should start out slightly higher than where you want it to be at the top of your backswing.

However, that assumes it's a true pendulum with minimal (if any friction) applied to the swing. The unfortunate reality is...even though bowlers will swear up and down they don't "muscle" the ball and are just using the "pendulum"....you'll see virtually every bowler muscling the ball at one or more parts of their swing. In order to release at the same point at a foul line..."muscling" becomes necessary UNLESS your footwork and timing are SO REPEATABLE that you can simply rely on gravity to deliver the ball each time. Actually, ANY TIME you see a ball at the top of a backswing and it's HIGHER than where it started at the beginning of the approach....it was "muscled" to reach that height. Why? Becuase if that WAS NOT the case...a playground swingset would be the most dangerous thing in the world...as children start swinging and very quickly start wrapping themselves around the horizonal support because gravity is not limiting them. In addition, the shoulder joint is not "frictionless" (by a long shot) so your shoulder will naturally counteract the momentum to some degree.

Realize, the above does NOT apply to bowling in outer space (lack of gravity).

BUT...to answer Mr. White....with all things held constant, a weight on the end of a stick or rope, when raised to a higher level, will have a greater momentum, which will lead to a greater speed. It's rather simple Physics/Newton's Laws kinda stuff. If you're still not convinced....try this simple experiment at home.

1) Find a solid horizontal beam or pole.
2) Tie a string to a heavy object. It's best if the object at the end of the string is just below belt level when hanging directly in front of you.
3) Have a friend or spouse or sibling pull the weight slightly away from you and then release it. It should bump into your "nether regions" very lightly.
4) Now have the same person hold the weight as his as they can, and THEN let it go. You'll probably note a MUCH higher level of discomfort than the previous attempt.
5) Continue the test, doing that over and over again, until you pass out or the other person dies of laughter.

ETA: FOOTWORK (as I mentioned below) I have "heard" is 4-5 times more effective at increasing/decreasing speed than is changing initial ball height.