What foot do you use to mark your starting spot on the lane?

[bowl1820]

Bowled with a guy who has been coaching high school kids for 35 years and has had a number of state champs (he s a bronze or silver coach). He told me with his students he had great results having them mark the starting position with the right foot then align the left foot heel with the toe of the right foot and start with more weight on the right foot and transfer that weight as you step with the first step.

What that's describing is Mo Pinel's "Shift Bowl Technique", But you don't do that to mark the starting position.

You can see it here, read the comments in that thread also:
http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads...ht-by-Mo-Pinel

[Tony]

What that's describing is Mo Pinel's "Shift Bowl Technique", But you don't do that to mark the starting position.

You can see it here, read the comments in that thread also:
http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads...ht-by-Mo-Pinel

Yes, that shift bowl looks like exactly what he was talking about. The marking with the other foot is another thing he said he has taught and uses with success (his description)
I couldn't stand like that all the time and don't, but did try it can see where it might be helpful teaching tool. The setting yourself up with the right foot feels very odd to me, tried it for a game and didn't really care for it.

[Perrin]

Toe of slide foot (left).

I see people (especially new bowlers) line up with their midsection of their body. They try to "stand over" the spot.

And that's why I say the worst thing you can hear from a new bowler is when you ask them where they start and where they target and they look at you like you're asking a question only Stephen Hawking can answer.

we had an older bowling coming back from a long break and struggling. when we asked what mark he was using he said he "didn't want to do anything fancy like aiming" and was just throwing the ball... LOL

[J Anderson]

we had an older bowling coming back from a long break and struggling. when we asked what mark he was using he said he "didn't want to do anything fancy like aiming" and was just throwing the ball... LOL

He must adhere to George Harrison's philosophy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFf3Iupp-2o

[GeoLes]

Great question and answers! I am a righty, and have been using the outside of my foot to mark starting position, but see the good sense of measuring from the left foot (sliding foot) in order to track drift and slide. Part of my problem was initially I developed the bad habit of leaning too far right (not the same thing as dropping the shoulder). My successful solution is to place 80% weight on the left foot and check the hip alignment (my hip replacement 2 years ago didn't help) So again left foot placement makes sense.

The other side of the equation for me is where the ball hangs. I note the spot under my shoulder where ball swings which is about 5 boards away (what I call spotting the ball. for example my setup rolls the ball from 20 through 15, or fourth to third arrow).

To tie this to another thread, when I shoot 10-pin spare, depending on lane conditions, I have to begin abutting the ball return and angle my stride towards the left gutter or gutter cap-depending on the amount of turn in my flat ball) to run the ball flat through the 3rd arrow. Now left foot setup makes perfect sense in determining a straight walk.

[Tony]

Left foot for the reasons the others have stated above (drift).
My guess is this coach got his Bronze in the days of it's infancy and hasn't done a whole lot to stay up to date. I would also hazzard the guess that he is no longer an active coach. Probably deoesn't like two-handers either lol

Looking back I think his suggestions were specific to me when I bowled against him and he could see I was having a problem with my footwork. I have some medical issues that cause some foot problems for me and I had recently tried some new shoes that did not agree with me.
I think he got his bronze back when they were bowling with smooth rocks! lol

[Mike White]

You can use either foot to line yourself up with.

The feet aren't the important thing.

Where the ball is located is the important thing.

An easy example. You want to throw the ball straight down the 8 board.

Your break point is 8 board, your target at the arrows is 8 board, the ball should be directly over the 8 board at the release, and finally, the ball should be over the 8 board at the beginning of the approach.

To confirm you had the ball on line at the foul line you need to know how far the center of the ball is from your slide foot, so when you look down at your foot after the shot, you have a good idea where you released the ball.

Take that back to the beginning of the approach, with the ball above the 8 board, you have a comfortable place for both your right and left foot.

The offset for your right foot, or your left foot will be consistent at the beginning of the approach, but even if using the left that offset will NOT be the same as at the foul line.

As you start the approach your body is in a completely different position than at the foul line.

So you need to learn your foul line offset (from your slide foot), and your starting offset from whichever foot you use as reference.

When playing different launch angles, a little bit of math is required to have the ball at the beginning of the approach be on the same line as your target to break point.

Again, which foot you use as reference is optional.

[billf]

Mike your points are valid and I agree until the last sentence. It's only optional as long as you don't follow USBC Coaching guidelines, WTP, IOC or USOC guidelines. They all state edge of big toe on slide foot.

[Mike White]

Mike your points are valid and I agree until the last sentence. It's only optional as long as you don't follow USBC Coaching guidelines, WTP, IOC or USOC guidelines. They all state edge of big toe on slide foot.

Does the USBC, WTP, IOC or USOC give their reasons why the edge of the big toe on the slide foot is better than any other choice?

Or do they have the GOD complex and "We Have Spoken"

[RobLV1]

It has nothing to do with a God Complex, Mike. It's simply a matter of setting a standard with the left foot so that right handed bowlers can tell if they have drifted during the approach.