So the time has come to increase my ball speed

[Mudpuppy]

Aslan cliff notes stardate 05MAR2014: I have no idea I am just spewing random words I just chuck the ball like it's mashed taters at a food fight

[Aslan]

Aslan cliff notes stardate 05MAR2014: I have no idea I am just spewing random words I just chuck the ball like it's mashed taters at a food fight

I'm trying to teach "age challenged" men physics. I realize Mudpuppy believes "less is more", but it's a complicated concept to limit to a sentence or 2.

[Mudpuppy]

I have been nominated not once, but twice as official cliff notes curator - therefore my interpretation is infallible

[Aslan]

I have been nominated not once, but twice as official cliff notes curator - therefore my interpretation is infallible

I've nominated you as moderator...multiple times. However, I've also nominated Mr. T., Spuds McKenzie, Nick Nolte, and Max Headroom....and have gotten no response on any of the nominations.

[tccstudent]

Aslan cliff notes stardate 05MAR2014: I have no idea I am just spewing random words I just chuck the ball like it's mashed taters at a food fight

mashed taters at a food fight that is legen wait for it dary

[zdawg]

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.

Actually the reason why I need a higher backswing is because in addition to it being WAY too short, its WAY too slow. Speeding up my feet with the same slow and low backswing causes me to pull the short/slow backswing to match my increased foot speed, and screws up my release among other thing (although the ball speed does increase). While my coach said I need it to be at least higher than belt/waist level (which is wasn't anywhere close), I'd like it to be a bit higher closer to shoulder level.

So, yes my foot speed needs to increase, but I can't do it with an extremely short and extremely slow backswing, increasing the backswing height and speed to match faster footwork seems to me to be the most logical solution at least the way I see it.

And I probably should add, when I'm talking about slow speed, I'm talking about I throw it a good 6-7 mph SLOWER than most people in my league. I was watching the senior leagues today, and while a number of them had higher backswings than me, I noticed some with backswings that were similar to mine and the two main things I noticed were: 1) EXTREMELY slow foot speed to match their backswing, and 2) EXTREMELY slow ball speed.

[bowl1820]

And I probably should add, when I'm talking about slow speed, I'm talking about I throw it a good 6-7 mph SLOWER than most people in my league. I was watching the senior leagues today, and while a number of them had higher backswings than me, I noticed some with backswings that were similar to mine and the two main things I noticed were: 1) EXTREMELY slow foot speed to match their backswing, and 2) EXTREMELY slow ball speed.

Watching you in the video, your overall ball speed looked to be around 14mph.

One thing I noticed is Your carrying the ball some before starting it into your swing, IMO if you can get it started sooner you should get a speed increase.

The delay in getting the ball started is where your losing some of the speed your generating with your approach.

Also increase your forward tilt slightly

[zdawg]

Watching you in the video, your overall ball speed looked to be around 14mph.

One thing I noticed is Your carrying the ball some before starting it into your swing, IMO if you can get it started sooner you should get a speed increase.

The delay in getting the ball started is where your losing some of the speed your generating with your approach.

Also increase your forward tilt slightly

Thanks, yeah it was a bit faster that day because we got in right as they were oiling the lanes so we were the first on them - I think the monitor had me at 12-13 most of the day, while Mike and Aslan tended to vary from 17-20ish...still, the amount of hook I was getting I wasn't able to control and that's a used entry level ball (Ebonite Cyclone).

I appreciate the timing mention, I can see that now when I look at it - its funny the video I posted back in Nov my timing seemed about right so that's a bad habit I picked up somewhere along the way.

The spine tilt is something I'll keep in mind when I practice as well, early on I had a more traditional coach insist that my spine stay straight so I'm trying to look for video to watch advanced bowlers to see how they go about it, as in which steps they start to tilt forward.

Thanks for all the advice so far everybody!

[Aslan]

- I think the monitor had me at 12-13 most of the day, while Mike and Aslan tended to vary from 17-20ish...

If I recall, Mike had the highest ball speed at 17.1-19.2mph. My speed varied from about 14-16.9mph. And zdawg was in the 11.2-13.7mph range most of the day. Mike (being the better bowler) seemed to have less variation in his ball speed from shot to shot.

Mike and I disagree a bit about how equipment plays a role in what we were seeing last weekend (see post tournament discussion). But I think that with Mike using one of the biggest hooking balls currently available (Mastermind) and zdawg bowling with such a low ball speed...I had an advantage because my way of throwing and my weaker equipment meant that the lane conditions didn't affect me as much. If you're lofting it 2-10 feet...playing the 9-board...symmetric core...the only "disadvantage" I had was my ball's coverstock (solid/matte).

The simpler (Mudpuppy Cliff Notes) version is:
- Lane conditions affect you more IF:
1) Your ball is in contact with the lane for a greater amount of the 60ft travel distance.
2) Your ball is going slow (so not to skid over lane surfaces).
3) Your ball has an assymetric core or high differential (making it less predictable once it experiences dryness).
4) Your ball has a lower RG or a less polished finish (ball will want to react to the lane surface sooner).
5) You are a higher rev player (making ball turn more drastically when it finds dryness).

I was actually shocked that zdawg was using a Cyclone. His "break" in front of the pin deck...was DRASTIC....it made me think he had some really "high hooking" ball. But it wasn't. The Cyclone specs (diff normal, RG normal, polished surface) would make me think the ball wouldn't react much to the lanes. It has a lower PerfectScale rating than my Frantic that I was using as a spare ball.

BUT....where zdawg was experiencing problems WASN'T the ball (#3 and #4)...it was the speed and contact with the lane surface (#1 and #2). Even a person throwing a urethane ball can get 20 boards of hook...if they are throwing it 6-7mph.

Thats my amateur attempt at analysis. The pro guys on here can feel free to correct me if I am misunderstanding. I've been working hard (outside the lanes) on figuring out bowling ball specs and what they mean and how it affects the ball/game. I think that knowledge is crucial if I ever give in and get an "arsenal".