BallReviews

General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: S.thornton on February 11, 2018, 02:23:41 AM

Title: Plant or slide
Post by: S.thornton on February 11, 2018, 02:23:41 AM
Just wondering how many of you guys slide to the foulline or plant your foot??

I know planting your foot has it’s advantages meaning you can take it anywhere but disadvantages maybe physically?

Sliding may give better leverage with good timing, but inconsistent approaches can effect this and your confidence in replicating shots.

Feedback most welcome
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: BallReviews-Removed0385 on February 11, 2018, 03:52:08 AM

I slide.  I have to.  My ACL is still partially torn in the left knee (though stable) but one mistake planting could be the end.  Also, at age 56 I think sliding is less wear and tear on my already old joints.  ;)
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: S.thornton on February 11, 2018, 04:39:33 AM
I understand where your coming from, I’m 48, although I have hardly any issues with my knee, I find inconsistent slide especially far left, some bowls have joins on the approaches, partly worn etc, where I find inconsistencies can lead to injuries when not expecting it.
Also unlike old lane conditions where getting the ball through the headers could be hard work, more oil nowadays allows bowlers to throw to breakpoints easier thus making the ball choice more important to deliver to that area and let the ball/lane do the rest...

Food for thought
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: strikeordie on February 11, 2018, 06:38:37 AM
I have been working on planting instead of sliding. Planting helps me get the ball further out on the lane. I also seem to have less timing issues.
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: six pack on February 11, 2018, 07:40:29 AM
I changed from planting to sliding to where I am a full step deeper on the approach. I have more time with my release, a longer "flat spot", and my spare game has improved . Ohh and I can easily post my shots where as before I would fall off unless I really concentrated on it,now it's automatic. as for time with my release I can easily adjust my release now and see what difference the release changes make. I should of made the change years ago.
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: leftybowler70 on February 11, 2018, 08:24:02 AM
I plant. I tried sliding for so long, but it really THROWS off my timing so bad, it’s not worth the effort anymore. Much more comfortable planting.
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: Impending Doom on February 11, 2018, 04:38:49 PM
I have a short slide, but I have to slide. I can't do a Marshall Holman, but I also can't do a Jess Stayrook.
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: MI 2 AZ on February 11, 2018, 05:00:45 PM
I slide.  Always have.  That can be difficult at my home center because they don't spend a lot of time on keeping the approaches in good shape.  It seems that synthetic approaches don't give a great slide unless they are kept meticulously clean. Thus, teflon.

A fellow bowler decided to switch to a planting because he kept having trouble getting a consistant slide in our center.  I warned him that at age 65+, that probably was not the wisest decision but he continued for several months with the planting.  After that, he said his knee was hurting and decided to go back to sliding.  I passed on (again, he didn't follow through on it the first time) the information that Charlest had given me years ago - try teflon discs.  I took one of his spare soles and cut out holes in them and gave him several teflon discs (again).  This time he tried it and he is now a happy slider, no longer troubled by inconsistant approaches.  The teflon smoothes everything out.  And, by having several holes available to either use the teflon or the cut-out sole pieces, he can adjust the amount of slide for the current approach conditions.
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: AlonzoHarris on February 11, 2018, 07:45:19 PM
I plant.
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: ignitebowling on February 11, 2018, 08:17:35 PM
I like a short slide.

 There's a millions heel and sole options and I typically use one heel and sole. As the one sole wears down it becomes the sole used for tackier approaches and I buy a new one to use for slicker approaches.

I use the brown number 2 sole and the cleat heel.
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: bergman on February 11, 2018, 10:45:54 PM
A long slide always worked best for me. I have late timing and by deploying a longer slide, it "slows down" my last step just enough to allow my swing to catch up at the foul line. Taking the last step in a heel-to-toe manner gets my plant foot to the line
a tad quicker than sliding, exacerbating my late timing. A longer slide is a technique I have also used for students who had similar late timing at the foul line. However, every bowler is different. Some very good bowlers have extreme late timing at the line but it does not hurt them one iota.
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: Cornerpin on February 12, 2018, 07:14:01 AM
Plant.  Found it eliminates any concerns with tacky approaches plus allows me to utilize my legs to generate speed and power.  As an added bonus, don't need to put on a goofy slipper over my shoe when I go to the bathroom.
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: spmcgivern on February 12, 2018, 09:06:43 AM
I have a longer slide than most.  Would like to shorten it up only to provide more consistency on my home house's unkept wood approaches.

One downside for me having a long slide is slick approaches and dry lanes.  Nothing makes me want to pack up and head to the bar quicker than that.
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: Steven on February 12, 2018, 09:47:48 AM
The biggest problem I see with the plant style is the stress it puts on the slide knee. I have two friends who plant, now in their 40s, suffering significant knee issues that have essentially ended their competitive bowling lives. 
 
We don't stay young forever....
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: AlonzoHarris on February 12, 2018, 11:00:35 AM
Something interesting for those of us that say we plant. Try and bowl in your street shoes right after bowling in your bowling shoes. Many realize there's still a little bit of movement with our plant/slide foot.
Title: Re: Plant or slide
Post by: rocky61201 on February 12, 2018, 12:24:45 PM
I bowl with a slide, but in one house with synthetic approaches some of lanes with more frequent use can be/ARE sticky.  When I wind up on one of those lanes I usually end up moving up on the approach and shorten my steps and become a plant bowler.  It's not my "A" game but you do what you have to do sometimes and hope for the best.

I'm 48 with no prior knee problems in my past or problems on a daily basis.  But after one of those nights my left knee starts to get sore.  On the other hand if I keep trying to slide on a sticky approach my knee starts to hurt a lot more.  Nothing worse than coming to a complete abrupt stop in the middle of your slide and yanking the ball left.