Author Topic: Balance/Approach (Read 2845 times)

Jay · « **on:** March 20, 2010, 08:06:36 AM »

I had a lesson yesterday and my coach told me my main area of concern is that I basically don't use my legs enough and I use my body too much. He said my push away and swing are consistent and good. I don't really force the downswing My timing is good but I fall off balance(and possibly have other problems) because instead of driving forward with my legs and body(or even if I try with my legs), a lot of the time my upper body dips down to the right. It doesn't seem to help when I throw the trail leg over a certan way either.

I don't think I've always done this which kind of confuses me because I haven't always been the best at using my legs either. I'm over 6'0 so I almost feel like that's contributing to it because maybe I'm trying to get my release closer to the ground that way. I'm wondering if there's any mental tips to help keep my body from doing this, or if there's possibly something else triggering it. I'm playing around with 4-5-6 steps and where I stand on the approach trying to find my sweet spot too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr46nlp7PdY - This is just to try an show what my body is doing as I go to release the ball.
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Justin

dizzyfugu · « **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2010, 07:54:01 AM »

I had a similar problem - huge body (6'2"), fast feet, planting my slide and bending over to catch up with the swing.

Slowing footwork down was one remedy, but the bending was hard to come by. I would not bend my knee, still with the planting tendency.
A fellow bowler who watched me play suggested one day that I should try a half-sitting position right from the adress position. I tried this and it was a start to improve my overall delivery. I also learned that I had to be careful not to start and end up in a crouched position, but the "duck walk" ahd two benefits:

a) I was able to bend my sliding foot's knee for a real slide (Finally!)

b) my body's CG was shifted back, preventing the bent upper body

The latter was achived through conscious effort to keep the shoulders square and upper body upright. Looked a bit funny for a while, and I got several comments about this wacky style.

But once I got the timing and slide in synch, I gradually started with a more upright starting position, which is today "normal", and I have learned thorugh this detour how to lower during the approach, bend the knee and actually slide. I even got positive comments about the huge slide I make nowadays... But it was along process, probably 9 months.
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DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany

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Author Topic: Balance/Approach (Read 2845 times)

Jay

Balance/Approach

dizzyfugu

Re: Balance/Approach