Genius Animus - The Journey

[Genius]

Hey guy's I'm new here and will be posting my progress here in this thread. I have been bowling for a long time, but it wasn't until recently that I decided that for me to reach the next level I need to redo my form from the ground up. I had a form that was basically just me following through the ball with no backswing. I had pretty good control and great spin but had zero natural power. Now I have erased my old form and am rebuilding as a stroker. Mostly because I don't have the natural ability to crank the ball.

With this new stroker form I have a very natural swing and a solid lower body balance. I'm having alot of trouble with the release and getting a consistent spin. I had a really good day yesterday and was really popping the release getting great revs and spin angle.


Unfortunately my local bowling center refuses to oil the lanes for ANYONE but league players. They won't let walk in customers use the freshly oiled lanes unless there isn't a league that day. It literally ruins my week to play on "okay" lanes only after the leagues are finished and we have to get lucky that we don't get the lane that the team of crankers played on.

My pride ruins me... It's the fact that I have medium speed, low revs and my plastic white dot is moving 8-15 boards on these lanes. It goes from skid to roll in the first 15 feet. But my pride in learning this new stroker form makes me refuse throwing straight. I could have thrown straight and still easily hit 140. But I didn't I hit an 80/130/107. The second the ball rolled past the arrows it was unpredictable where it was going to end up. Granted my frustrations made me rush my shots and not think as much as I should have, but I've been bowling on these lanes for years and it's only been recent management that has ruined my experience.

I'm just so tired of "retail" bowling chains with no respect for the game. If they came 30 minutes early and oiled the lanes EVERY OTHER DAY, it would be fine, but twice a week for the 15 league lanes only? Are you freaking kidding me?

Rant over. How do I adjust to Mars Desert Dry lanes if I specifically want to work my release at the bottom of my swing? Should I just forget about results and just work on my feel. Just recklessly spin every ball into the gutter focusing on release fluidity?

[ChuckR]

Suggestion: Work on each part of the new swing. I found that when I was comfortable with it the lane adjustments were easier because I knew what to expect from the ball. Yes, after the swing you may have to check out the ball release. Make sure it is comfortable and not forced. Don't know your age, but you will bet older and smooth lasts longer.

[Amyers]

First off when your practicing/working on something score goes out the window just focus on whatever portion of the game your working on that day. The release is always the first thing every bowler wants to work on first but until you have consistent timing, good footwork, and the ability to hit your target on a regular basis having a good release ranges somewhere between impossible and useless.

If your having issues throwing with a plastic ball throwing after league play with the ball over hooking you've got issues that need to be corrected. I would strongly suggest you look into a coach who can make sure that your practicing the right things. You really shouldn't be getting much movement out of a plastic ball even if your bowling on lanes that haven't been oiled in a couple of days more less immediately after league.

[billf]

Smooth and fluid on the approach and through the release doesn't require oil. Don't be mad at the leagues, whether or not they oil is all part of the agreement the league signs with the center. Generally speaking stroker's have low rev rates

[Genius]

My frustrations were not with the league itself but the center. I was speaking with a ground level employee and the "non-league" lanes only get oiled maybe once every week or 2. Anyways, I have been getting a relatively smooth approach and I'm loving my swing compared to what I had before. It was a mess lol. The release is hard to get consistent but It's only been 3-5 trips since I've started the overhaul. I'm not expecting instant results. I want a comfortable feel before anything.

I may have been exaggerating a little, but it feels like the quality of my center in particular is bad. It's an hour drive to the other quality lanes, but their maintenance is top notch and I've never had an experience like I've had on my home lanes. . I've spent a really good amount of times at these further away lanes as well. It's just frustrating that the closest lanes are the ones with the worst rep and conditions lol.

I bowled a solid 500 series today with the new form. Of course league was last night and I had to beg them to give me one of the 'good' lanes, but the shot was clean off my hands and was nice and consistent today. I had a problem with getting too much loft though. It's not an aberrant amount or anything, I just was really focused on trying to practice a really smooth, almost 'ninja-silent' release.

[Amyers]

My frustrations were not with the league itself but the center. I was speaking with a ground level employee and the "non-league" lanes only get oiled maybe once every week or 2. Anyways, I have been getting a relatively smooth approach and I'm loving my swing compared to what I had before. It was a mess lol. The release is hard to get consistent but It's only been 3-5 trips since I've started the overhaul. I'm not expecting instant results. I want a comfortable feel before anything.

I may have been exaggerating a little, but it feels like the quality of my center in particular is bad. It's an hour drive to the other quality lanes, but their maintenance is top notch and I've never had an experience like I've had on my home lanes. . I've spent a really good amount of times at these further away lanes as well. It's just frustrating that the closest lanes are the ones with the worst rep and conditions lol.

I bowled a solid 500 series today with the new form. Of course league was last night and I had to beg them to give me one of the 'good' lanes, but the shot was clean off my hands and was nice and consistent today. I had a problem with getting too much loft though. It's not an aberrant amount or anything, I just was really focused on trying to practice a really smooth, almost 'ninja-silent' release.

One of the centers I bowl has older wood lanes which suck up the oil almost instantly and the last 10 lanes in the center are generally for the open bowling crowd and aren't oiled often either. If they are busy and I get sent down there I know it's just going to be a day to work on my approach and timing.

I recently attended one of the PWBA tournaments and the biggest thing I took away from it was how silent most of the women's releases are. You honestly could not hear the ball hit the lanes from more than a lane away and a few I really don't think it made a sound until it hit the pins.

[Genius]

YES!You know who's form I'm trying to adopt? Danielle McEwan. Extremely smooth and rhthmic. I tend to do as most men do, I lean forward and really get to the line quickly. My instincts are to try really push my release down the lane. I actually discovered I was having trouble getting around the ball for my release. I worked on it and now my axis rotation is ALOT closer to perpendicular with the lane.

I'm really loving the progress on my release, but my hand is swollen from trying so many things that i need to take a break for about a week.

[billf]

Why in the world would you try to get 90° axis rotation as your normal release?

[Genius]

hahaha. I said the exact same thing to myself a while back, but really I did it to really learn about how much axis rotation I can get and how different axis rotations fit my game. Remember I'm new to this 'getting good' thing. It's helped me solidify my release and showed myself what I am capable of.

I'm more of a power tweener when I get all hyped up. I admit at first I hurt my hand and decided I wanted to go "old man stroker" style. Now that I have done that I know a bit more about where I need to be comfortable.

[billf]

Being able to vary axis rotation is a great tool to have. It's also a far cry from using a 90° rotation as the primary release. Big advantage when you can start far right and transition far enough left to avoid others line.