BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Rightycomplex on July 01, 2017, 02:04:36 PM
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So as I scroll down this timeline and look, I just feel like theres too much talk about the tools that people think they'll buy and make them better and not about that magical time of (you guessed it) PRACTICE!!!! I wanted to make a post to see put some ideas out there. Maybe we can help one another by bouncing ideas. IDK, but its a break in pace than talking about 30 or so balls that haven't even come out yet.
For me personally, lowering my axis rotation some so that my equipment is more playable on the tougher and flatter patterns. To me it seems like most of the sport patterns want the lefties left and that isn't what I do for the majority. I discovered that the more I lowered my AR obviously the better front to back motion I get so my mediocre shots are makeable single pin spares instead ugly combos. Its not something I can do consistently yet so to the lanes I go. But it has also given me great information about my bag, layouts that work and needing more asymmetricals which I hardly ever throw. I also get a lot of great visual pointers from watching guys like Anthony Pepe and Gary Faulkner Jr. as to things that I can do with my hand and how fast these guys are getting the ball into the swing with minimal effort. Im hoping to bowl more and have a more productive season as I feel I'm kinda stuck at 220 THS and 200 Sport.
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7 pin (obviously) also lowering some of my axis rotation as well....
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Are we talking about practice, bruh??
I'm really working on the things I learned from Slowinski. Doing the drills, trying to build up my core so I can complete the motion needed for today's game. When I get it right, I look like a totally different bowler. Want to hit the gym too and get in shape.
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Footwork. I tinkered with my span and release this past season with good results, now I've got to shore up my slide. It's not awful, just a thing or two that pops up a bit and makes me shake my head. Yes, right after the release lol.
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I am working on lofting the ball. Seems like I get better backend reaction when I loft.
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Well again after Nationals, Im working on SPARE SHOOTING! I usually only throw plastic at the right side, but now working on throwing it at all spares. Footwork and release as always lol
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I'm taking time to let me knee feel better before starting back up for the fall.
My son is working on tightening up the loose ends in his game since he wants to bowl college this fall. Working on off arm (keeping shoulder level or lower) positioning and developing more of a pro release and not coming around the side of the ball anywhere near as much as he currently does. Hoping it helps with shot consistency.
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7 pin (obviously) also lowering some of my axis rotation as well....
I struggled with the 7 myself. What I started doing to remedy that is looking at the bottom of the 7 or any key pin I'm trying to hit and just following through to that pin. Works very well for me and something to try. I also throw the urethane type plastic balls with a bit of surface on them. My current spare ball is a Motiv Artic Sniper that I just hit with a surface pad to knock the shine off. Nothing is more vital than the spare game and although it's boring to practice, the results have been astronomically better.
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Are we talking about practice, bruh??
I'm really working on the things I learned from Slowinski. Doing the drills, trying to build up my core so I can complete the motion needed for today's game. When I get it right, I look like a totally different bowler. Want to hit the gym too and get in shape.
Lol not the game but just practice. I'm all for the gym but my round shape won't allow it.
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Boy, the ball junkies probably won't come to this thread. Much more important to worry about balls that aren't even out yet and their predecessors. Anyway. I'm getting lessons twice a week and some the things I've worked on:
-staying tall at the line
-pushway in time with second step
-pushaway going to the extreme right (feels that way) looks straight
So far:
-rev rate went from 450 to 525
- less missing left
-ball motion is easier to read
- not working as hard to "bowl"
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Quieter throwing shoulder.
I have a tendency to close my shoulders past perpendicular when rotating back through the swing. It tends to get worse the more I warm up, get comfortable, and start to want to rip on it.
I've also been working on a B release with much less axis rotation.
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this is a far better topic then what I've been reading lately and I was just thinking about it not to long ago... I've been wanting to work on my bent elbow release that was starting to work well for me at the end of last season. effortless revs and easier on the old bod. being a middle aged cranker aint easy.
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Three months ago I decided to go back to my old ways, and in addition, work on the parts of my game that Mark Baker instructed me to focus on. I dv8'd after I had a session with him 3 hrs ago and it was big mistake.
Everything is looking really good the last 3 months. Now that I'm producing in my "comfort zones" - up the boards and on the track, I'm working on expanding my lane play/game this summer going inside more when lanes allow it.
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Timing of getting the ball moving. I sometimes delay my push away for some reason.
Getting around the ball more as I tend to stay behind it too much and kill my rotation resulting in weak backend recovery.
Balance at the foul line.
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Boy, the ball junkies probably won't come to this thread. Much more important to worry about balls that aren't even out yet and their predecessors. Anyway. I'm getting lessons twice a week and some the things I've worked on:
-staying tall at the line
-pushway in time with second step
-pushaway going to the extreme right (feels that way) looks straight
So far:
-rev rate went from 450 to 525
- less missing left
-ball motion is easier to read
- not working as hard to "bowl"
I like this, and staying tall at the line is something I try to do as well as coach(I don't coach, basically just give pointers from what I see). So far it has helped my slide and flatspot.
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Physical consistency and spare shooting.
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Working on more versatility with my release. Different hand positions and rotation. Secondly, playing different parts of the lane and different angles. My outside game is pretty solid. Need to work on the weaknesses.
It's tough right now with playing a lot of softball, but still trying to find some time for practice.
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Well again after Nationals, Im working on SPARE SHOOTING! I usually only throw plastic at the right side, but now working on throwing it at all spares. Footwork and release as always lol
^^THIS
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Every thursday the past month I have been working with a coach. We have done some drills including, one-step drill, finish drill and some others. We worked on my grip, my stance and I am even purchasing some new equipment. I promised myself at the end of the 2016-17 season i would work harder in the off season and hopefully get to the goals i have already set for myself, including multiple 300's, 800's and an average goal of 235+ for the 2017-18 season. Its not always about buying new equipment.....
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Kind of in the opposite boat where my spare shooting is my biggest strength but not being able to average more than about three strikes a game is keeping my average under 200. My big goal is not having to rely on my spare shooting to carry me so much.
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After throwing the ball like crap when I subbed for doubles/singles at nationals, the last month plus I've been consistent in repeating my release.
I'm looking forward to when our scratch league switches to last years doubles/singles pattern in a couple of weeks to cap off the summer.
My main goal has been to stay balanced at the line. Staying balanced has definitely seemed to have improved my shot repeating
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I was carrying the ball too long before starting the ball into my swing. Trying to get the ball into my swing quicker for me has not been easy......need to coordinate not moving my feet out too fast and starting my arm sooner....it is getting there.
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During the summer time I bowl on A men's trio which is 4 game for 12 weeks. This is the time I try to fix my game. About 2 years ago I move my feet up on the approach to get my release
point close to the foul line. It slowed my ball speed as well and My carry % has suffered because of it. Last night I moved back and my speed increased about 2 mph. Great! Along with the speed increase came more strikes. So that will be what I will work on this summer and also getting more leverage and balance.
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Like most bowlers, I need to work on repeating shots (footwork and timing). I was very good at repeating shots when I came back from a 19 year hiatus 6 years back. However, bowling on THS has caused some very bad habits to become ingrained - with no penalty other than when I am bowling on flatter/less forgiving shots.
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I'm working on taking shorter steps to the line and staying taller at the line. I throw it so well and on time when I have to get deep and in front of the ball return. I want to replicate that tempo and timing no matter where I have to stand on the lane, just about 6-8 inches in front of where I normally stand. I'm also trying to lose another 15 lbs this summer to help with my endurance overall. Too often I find myself lugging to league, feeling like crap at 7 at night when all I want to do is sleep.
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Always working on my timing. Specifically when to start my pushaway or getting the ball moving. Most nights it's perfect and everything else works out. Sometimes if my pushaway gets off even just a little bit the rest of my game goes with it.
I heard somebody say once "how/when you start affects how/when you finish at the line." I'm a firm believer in that one. Start the swing early then finish early resulting in tugging the ball left and going high or coming around the side of the ball and going low. That's my main problem.
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I wanted to add to this thread that there's nothing wrong with "working on strikes". A game that I often play with a practice partner is "Strikes". Usually, a friendly wager is on, but we will pick a number, usually 20, and the first player to 20 strikes wins. The caveat is, you have to win by 2 and if any pins are left on the deck, and or gutter, that strike does not count. All ten have to be back, in the pit and non-visible. There's going to be times where you have to throw the back 6 or 7 for the cash and these confidence builder drills have helped me a lot, especially in those times where you're in brackets or side pots on the china and you have a 9/ early. 270+ is making all the money and there's going to be a handful of guys that have front-9 potential in them every game. You're going to have to strike for the dough eventually, and for me these drills help...especially when in a slump.
This places a premium on shot repetition and having the proper match up with ball/surface to get the proper angle through the pocket to "strike" in this game. Usually when I practice, I pay for 6-8 games and do not keep score. This allows you to block off parts of your practice session and by eliminating score as a variable, you truly get to work on specific needs.
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As usual, approach & release, Approach & Release, APPROACH AND RELEASE. :o A never ending ordeal. :D
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Never ending Jim, never gets old.
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To add, I have this awful habit of sliding left 2-3 boards every once in a while. Needless to say I always miss 2-3 left at the arrows when this happens. Took 19 games, now its fixed. When your coach stands 2-3 left of where you lineup with your feet, the muscle memory gets squared away rather quickly.
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I practice 3 days a week or so. usually Mondays ill practice on spare shooting non stop. Wednesdays I usually will wait til there is a slow time in the center and actually turn scorers on and change pairs each game on the side of the house that has all the bday parties and set a goal of where I want to get to in however many games I'm going to bowl.
Thursdays I put out a tougher pattern to practice on. when I practice spare shooting, I also work on balance at the line and armswing
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I have been working on timing and arm swing, and footwork, as well as consistency. I have had to switch playing hands due to an arthritic issue with a pair of joints in my hand. It has been fun and interesting, and sometimes frustrating, but the upside is focusing on proper technique from the beginning. The more I work on keeping my hips fixed and shoulder on target and not moving, or "quiet" as they say, I have noticed some results like I used to put up, though it is still a work in progress. It is remarkable how much better you do when you focus on a single key as you line up and begin to move.
Also, with this new swing, I find myself having to tweak my old spare system of 3-6-9, as I have a greater degree of axis tilt, and my spare ball will move a bit on this side then it did on my other one.