Whether you are new to bowling or someone who often bowls as a hobby, you may fall victim to one of the common bowling mistakes. These mistakes can significantly affect your performance and adversely influence your game.
But knowing what these mistakes are and how to avoid making them is half the battle won.
What to Focus on When Bowling
When you learn a new skill, the first few things you master are the rules and the technical steps of performing this new skill. The same applies to bowling.
Understanding the underlying principles that will result in a successful game is key to improving your skills and increasing your wins. Here are five critical points that you should focus on:
Timing
This is an important aspect. Your timing helps you to coordinate your arm swing with your footsteps as you approach the foul line. Essentially, you want to avoid late timing or early timing.
Timing is a common problem in bowling, especially for novice bowlers. Timing is critical to a good swing when bowling.
Ball speed
This is the most critical skill required for bowling. When the ball has too much speed, it risks going into a hook phase too far into the lane. Adversely, when the speed is too slow, the ball will go into the hook phase too soon in the lane. Ideally, you want to control the ball’s speed, skid, hook phase, and roll.
Release
The release refers to the point at which you release the ball into a roll down the lane. If footwork and arm coordination are synchronized, the ball should be released at the ankle. If you release it too late in the swing, the ball will bounce on the lane and veer off to the side into the side of the lane.
Footwork
Footwork is the basis of bowling well. Your footwork affects all other aspects of bowling such as direction, balance, timing, rhythm, and speed. In addition, you will not have the desired control over the ball to release it consistently, with the right amount of power, or accurately.
Projection
The projection refers to the skid of the bowling ball on the front end of the lane before the ball starts to change direction in the middle of the lane. The skid is determined by the bowler’s delivery style.
Tips to Help Fix Mistakes While Bowling
Here are a few tips to help you prevent some common bowling mistakes:
- Keep your bowling arm to the side of your body. The swing moves straight forward and backward. If you hold the ball in front of your chest, before you start to swing, you will need to move it to the side before commencing the swing. This will affect the accuracy of the swing.
- The pushaway swing should be aimed at your target for increased accuracy.
- Avoid drifting on the lane by practicing before actually releasing the ball.
- Ensure that your movements are coordinated and controlled to prevent an early or fast release of the ball.
- Don’t drop the ball. Release it on the last step as your foot starts to slide. And make sure it’s before the foul line.
- Don’t loft the ball on release. Make sure the ball is fitted properly to your hand to prevent this.
Categorised in: Bowling