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General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Not done on July 04, 2004, 04:16:46 AM

Title: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Not done on July 04, 2004, 04:16:46 AM: I would say, that I have quite a low number of steps,3, but I can cover alot of area with those 3 steps.. like 13-14 feet..

so, how many steps do you have?
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I like it wet...
http://D_Strike_Man@hotmail.com

Edited on 7/4/2004 8:35 PM
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: TheBowlingKid25 on July 04, 2004, 08:07:58 PM: 4 step approach. But its a little odd. I take my first step, then when I take my second one it stops next to my other foot, then I finish normally. You kinda have to see it, it looks like toddler steps.
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16 years and still going strong! 16 years old that is! The names Warrior Princess, Xena..Warrior Princess
And why would I "saw" pins in half, THATS A WASTE OF PINS!
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: dirtbikebowler on July 04, 2004, 08:22:25 PM: 5 steps for me and i have never saw someone take 3 steps before, it would be interesting to see that sometime.
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: SrKegler on July 04, 2004, 08:40:38 PM: Interesting??? Watch Livespive's approach. 4 Steps that cover 3 inches. Kendog says its more like 4 wiggles and a heave.

Me I take 3 steps and a slide.
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~~~SrK - Have balls, will travel

1st law of combat, "Bullets always have the right of way"
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Not done on July 04, 2004, 08:41:00 PM: ya, im working on getting a digital camera to see my own approach lol, never seen it before.
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I like it wet...
http://D_Strike_Man@hotmail.com
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Walking E on July 04, 2004, 09:02:57 PM: I started with 4 steps, then about 10 years ago switched to 5 steps, then switched back to 4 steps last year. And it's a short four steps at that -- I start about 3 feet past the dots. But I'm pretty strong and I muscle the ball, so I don't need the extra momentum of a 5th step, and long steps just result in more timing and balance problems for me.

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You weren't unlucky when you left that corner pin, so shut up about it already!!
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: TheBowlingKid25 on July 04, 2004, 09:04:43 PM: quote:
But I'm pretty strong and I muscle the ball, so I don't need the extra momentum of a 5th step
you DO know thats bad right?
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16 years and still going strong! 16 years old that is! The names Warrior Princess, Xena..Warrior Princess
And why would I "saw" pins in half, THATS A WASTE OF PINS!
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Not done on July 04, 2004, 09:27:30 PM: ya, mine is really.... a regular first step with push out, second is HUGE!!! and third is the slide.

I really have to get a digital camera....
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I like it wet...
http://D_Strike_Man@hotmail.com
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: TWOHAND834 on July 04, 2004, 09:52:41 PM: zK,

That is not odd at all. I take 6 steps myself. I used to take 5, but needed to add the sixth to shorten my steps which takes alot of pressure off my slide knee.
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If anyone out there is worried about the scores being too high, try duckpin!!
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Hammer3003 on July 05, 2004, 01:11:15 AM: 5 step. I can go 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
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Bowl To Win!!!
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: baiki on July 05, 2004, 01:26:36 AM: 3 steps.

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baiki
"Faulty mechanics makes all balls bad." Bill Hall, BTM Dec. '98
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Rev_O on July 05, 2004, 02:04:08 AM: 4 or 5 depending on the lane conditions. on heavy oil, i tend to go with 4, while if they are hooking, i'll take 5 to get some extra momentum.
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Rev-O

"I only have 3 boards to work with, and they all have arrows on them!!"
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Walking E on July 05, 2004, 03:23:32 AM: quote:
quote:
But I'm pretty strong and I muscle the ball, so I don't need the extra momentum of a 5th step
you DO know thats bad right?
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16 years and still going strong! 16 years old that is! The names Warrior Princess, Xena..Warrior Princess
And why would I "saw" pins in half, THATS A WASTE OF PINS!

Not necessarily. I don't muscle the ball nearly as much as I used to, but I don't find that I can get an effective release unless I'm "throwing" the ball. It was much more effective for me (competitively speaking) in the urethane days, especially on dry, tough conditions when overpowering the lane was the best strategy. I had to use the same strategy to score on the state tournament condition last year and it worked like a charm, although I had to cut the hit from my release to keep the ball from overreacting on the insanely dry back ends.
Anyway, my point was that I'm strong enough that I don't need a 5th "momentum" step. I thought I did but it ended up fouling up my timing for years because I was so inconsistent with my first step. Shoot, I could probably go with a 1-step approach and have as much ball speed as some of the guys in my league!
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You weren't unlucky when you left that corner pin, so shut up about it already!!

Edited on 7/5/2004 3:20 AM
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: dev on July 05, 2004, 04:05:13 AM: Hm.. seriously I don't really know the difference between 4 or 5 steps... heh. Currently now using 4 steps..find it quite wired for me, standing @ 164cm using 4 steps to cover my approach.
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Rock77 on July 05, 2004, 11:39:56 AM: 5
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"Why cant I just throw the ball the same way EVERY TIME??
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: BowlingDude300 on July 05, 2004, 11:55:38 AM: I take 5 fairly small steps from a foot in front of the first set of dots. You can see it in my video. I have tried starting from back with bigger steps but just doesn't feel comfortable. I have tried the 4 step approach too but I don't like it either.

Kyle
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Lifes a GAME . . . Bowling is SERIOUS!
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: LuvThatWhiteDot on July 05, 2004, 11:56:35 AM: 4 steps, starting at the second row of dots.
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White Dot
Raising kids is like trying to nail Jell-o to a tree.
http://bowlingfans.com/league
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: RPM MAX on July 05, 2004, 02:59:22 PM: OMG am I the only person in the world that takes 7 steps? Plus I out crank all you guys lol!
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Ernie McCracken on July 05, 2004, 03:06:45 PM: I switch depending on the lane conditions. I can use a 4,5,6, or 7 step approach at any given time with no timing problems. I mainly use a 5 step approach though.
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Evolutionary. Revolutionary.
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Not done on July 05, 2004, 06:04:21 PM: im surprised by how many 3 steppers there are, around here, I am the only one I know of that uses a 3 step approach consistently, and well.
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I like it wet...
http://D_Strike_Man@hotmail.com
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: baiki on July 05, 2004, 06:15:41 PM: Not done,
Change to 4 steps. Gives you better timing.
In my case, I'm too old to change.

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baiki
"Faulty mechanics makes all balls bad." Bill Hall, BTM Dec. '98
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: laner7pin on July 05, 2004, 06:19:28 PM: 4 1/2 for me. My first step is more of a slide, I dont pick my foot up. Then in my "first" step is when the swing begins.
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Swallowing a quarter is nothing to worry about.....if she craps out two dimes and a nickel.....then I'd worry.
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Not done on July 05, 2004, 06:20:15 PM: quote:
Not done,
Change to 4 steps. Gives you better timing.
In my case, I'm too old to change.

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baiki
"Faulty mechanics makes all balls bad." Bill Hall, BTM Dec. '98

believe me, I have tried... The second most comfortable approach I have is the 5 step, but it just throws my timing way outta wack.
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I like it wet...
http://D_Strike_Man@hotmail.com
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: RSalas on July 05, 2004, 06:22:15 PM: If the lane condition is such that I can play far enough right to take a full approach, it'll be five steps, or maybe six or seven if they're tighter and I'm trying to play more up the lane.

Otherwise, it depends on how far the ball return sticks out onto the approach. I feel fortunate when I can take a four-step approach from in front of the return; I usually have to take three from there. The center where I bowl just got new ball returns, which are even longer than the old ones were, so it's more like a two-and-a-half step approach when I have to get deep.
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: BigBZ on July 06, 2004, 10:27:54 PM: I take 3, but start a little weird......instead of both feet together, I drop my right foot back(rt handed btw)about a 1 ft or so. I started doing this after watching a buddy of mine and it seems to have helped my timing quite a bit.
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Ragnar on July 07, 2004, 10:19:54 AM: I take 4 or 5, depending on how my timing is (5 seems to get me back in time if I'm off). I'll stand anywhere from about 5 feet from the foul line to 2 feet from the back of the approach.
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"Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,"
I'm Ragnar Floggurass, and I approve this message
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: livespive on July 07, 2004, 10:36:44 AM: quote:
Interesting??? Watch Livespive's approach. 4 Steps that cover 3 inches. Kendog says its more like 4 wiggles and a heave.

Me I take 3 steps and a slide.
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~~~SrK - Have balls, will travel

1st law of combat, "Bullets always have the right of way"

NOW $#%#$##$ I'm only going to tell you guys one more time IT'S FIVE(5)
STEPS LMAO

Like JasonG said the first one is a short one to get everything in motion.
Although from what others have said the rest are short too lol
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Eric T. Spivey, P.E.
Visionary Test Staff Member
http://www.visionarybowling.com
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: ParoxysM on July 07, 2004, 02:51:18 PM: 8 - first ball (I start 5' beyond)
2 - spare
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185 avg with 8lb polyester ball
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: J_Mac on July 07, 2004, 03:02:17 PM: quote:
4 step approach. But its a little odd. I take my first step, then when I take my second one it stops next to my other foot, then I finish normally. You kinda have to see it, it looks like toddler steps.
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16 years and still going strong! 16 years old that is! The names Warrior Princess, Xena..Warrior Princess
And why would I "saw" pins in half, THATS A WASTE OF PINS!

Well, this is kinda scary, I do the same thing as BK. Do you really slide much BK?
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The summer... time to get my ARSEnal in gear!
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Not done on July 07, 2004, 09:26:18 PM: quote:
Not done,
Change to 4 steps. Gives you better timing.
In my case, I'm too old to change.

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baiki
"Faulty mechanics makes all balls bad." Bill Hall, BTM Dec. '98

ok baiki, today had I went to my new house and started on my long hard journey to a decent 4 step approach.

So, if anyone has any tips or tricks for me while im learning the art of the 4 steps, feel free to share them!
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I like it wet...
http://D_Strike_Man@hotmail.com
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: baiki on July 08, 2004, 10:02:03 AM: Not done

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kennmelvin/kWelcome.htm

The above link will be very helpful.

Glad to hear your intention to change to 4 steps. Prepare yourself for a learning period. Once you've master it and becomes second nature you'll be glad you did.
Your present avg. suggests you are having open frames and few strike strings. Learning and mastering your basic mechanics will make a big improvement.

I'm in Vanc. BC. When I learn the game, nobody tells me that I was doing something wrong.

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baiki
"Faulty mechanics makes all balls bad." Bill Hall, BTM Dec. '98
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Not done on July 08, 2004, 09:00:24 PM: *update*

Day 2 of my struggle for 4 steps, I got the owner of the house I go to, to walk me through a game using only 4 steps, and I am proud to annouce that I managed a 144 my first game, and I made a a few 10 pins... and I finished the night with a 213, I pulled the ball 4 times causing me to 1. lose my balance, and 2. throw left of my intended target.

But, I will stick with it, until I develop a consistent muscle memory.
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I like it wet...
http://D_Strike_Man@hotmail.com
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: TyLytle on July 08, 2004, 09:25:22 PM: I did the 12 steps.. I am much better now!!

But 4 steps for bowling.

Ty
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Not done on July 09, 2004, 08:34:21 PM: Day 3

I got out to the lanes, and bowled 6 games... averaged about mid 150s but my feet are moving quite fast... I have shortened up my first 2 steps.... but my 2nd and 3rd are still pretty fast.
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I like it wet...
http://D_Strike_Man@hotmail.com
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Not done on July 14, 2004, 09:14:25 PM: ok, Day 4

worked out my timing on my first 2 steps, first is much shorter... second is pretty normal. I notice that I can play alot deep and with more accuracy as long as I don't muscle the ball. I have an much easier time steping in for my slide and getting the ball down and on the lane not lofting it. Again, I averaged mid 150's and made alot of spares doing so.

Thanks for the advice on switching to 4 step!
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I like it wet...
http://D_Strike_Man@hotmail.com
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: baiki on July 14, 2004, 09:22:25 PM: Not done,

Good for you.
Don't rush things. Bowling is a game of repitition(sp).
Try to learn and master one thing at a time.

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baiki
"Faulty mechanics makes all balls bad." Bill Hall, BTM Dec. '98
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Not done on July 17, 2004, 04:57:42 PM: day 5

I got out bowling today and found I still have some residual muscle memory and it reacts when I am beggining to bowl well and am anticipating when I should do. I managed to average 201 today and am finding that I am much more stable at the line with a 4 step approach and can get alot lower with a smoother release.
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I like it wet...
http://D_Strike_Man@hotmail.com
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Not done on July 27, 2004, 01:49:37 PM: over the last week I got out a few times, and worked on my delivery... surprisingly, everyone I bowled with said my timing was near perfect so I havent changed it.

my delivery is now move of a slight slope down to the lanes, rather than a lob, I have much better control, accuracy and stability at the line.

But, I find I need a larger thumb hole until I can get my thumb holes redrilled with reverse pitch.

Thanks for the tips, good bowling to ye.
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I like it wet...
http://D_Strike_Man@hotmail.com
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: baiki on July 27, 2004, 04:34:33 PM: Not done,

Did your spares percentage improve?
If so, then you're ready for the next step.

To me, Ball fit is most important. I'd have it check out and corrected before you pick up other bad habits trying to correct.

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baiki
"Faulty mechanics makes all balls bad." Bill Hall, BTM Dec. '98
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: a_ak57 on July 27, 2004, 04:41:17 PM: 4
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-Andy
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Ragnar on July 27, 2004, 04:43:05 PM: 4 or 5. If my timing is bad I'll shorten my approach by 3 or 4 feet and take 5 very tiny steps. A bit of this often gets me back into time for my normal 4 step approach. I've no idea why this works.
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"Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,"
I'm Ragnar Floggurass, and I approve this message
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: FBM357 on July 27, 2004, 05:10:04 PM: 4 steps, but stand a good 12-16 inches front of the 1st set of dots

V
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"If you want SQUARE work, you DON'T CUT CORNERS!!!"....
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: chainsawstorm on July 28, 2004, 12:07:23 AM: I have a 4 step approach, and i start in the middle arrows with good results 220 average in 2 houses
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black cherry bomb and golden nugget combo equals 230 average
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Not done on July 28, 2004, 10:28:36 PM: quote:
Not done,

Did your spares percentage improve?
If so, then you're ready for the next step.

To me, Ball fit is most important. I'd have it check out and corrected before you pick up other bad habits trying to correct.

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baiki
"Faulty mechanics makes all balls bad." Bill Hall, BTM Dec. '98

actually, yes, my conversion did go up.... not much, but it did... also, I can string strike together much better and can control my reasle much better.
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I like it wet...
http://D_Strike_Man@hotmail.com

Edited on 7/28/2004 10:24 PM
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: J_Mac on July 31, 2004, 02:33:33 AM: I finish too far from the foul line with my 4 step approach... now I either have to figure out a 5 step approach, or move to a spot about 2 feet in front of the first set of dots. *sigh*
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It's kinda hard to read the lane if you don't know the language...
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Not done on August 05, 2004, 12:27:42 PM: I just realized that, for the last month, ive shot at least one 200 each time ive gone bowling.... I start with my heels basically jus on the approach and finished about 3 inches before the line. first step is a little shorter to help with timing, second is a little longer, third the ball is at the apex of my backswing and forth, I step in to get my foot under me and almost just as I stop sliding, maybe a little after. I let go of the ball at around 10:00 with my thumb, nice and low on the lanes.
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I like it wet...
http://D_Strike_Man@hotmail.com
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: sheppy335 on August 05, 2004, 01:15:33 PM: 4 stepper used to be 41/2
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Oil is served Best with fingers!
Why does the 8 Pin laugh at me!

Sheppy
Title: Re: How many steps in your approach?
Post by: Daytonstroker on August 05, 2004, 05:16:35 PM: 6-7 steps for me
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"To bowl or not to bowl that is the question"