BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: notsohotshot on October 01, 2013, 12:36:05 PM
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I am still struggling with not enough ball speed and tho I have tried several different suggested things I still cannot produce the needed ball speed to carry even a decent amount.. I have tried moving the ball higher in my stance, moving my feet faster but both of these messes up my timing so badly that I end up going back to what I know.. I need some newer or different suggestions.. Will starting my feet ahead of the ball make me increase my foot speed and help increase ball speed??
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Confederate,
I would say maybe try an increase in the height of your backswing if you've already tried:
-holding the ball higher in your stance
-starting at the back of the approach and building momentum
-a lighter weight (14?)
JMO
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When I want more ball speed, it's more of a mental process. Not sure what is happening physically, but i focus on projecting the ball toward the breakpoint. This typically works better than any sort of conscious physical adjustment I try.
Try a mental approach.
Scooting back on the approach has also helped me in the past.
Now if we could get some suggestions on keeping speed down ;D
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Thanks for the replies. I am already using a 14# ball and when I have moved back on the approach I usually stop that much short of the foul line which just gives the ball more time to slow down. Higher backswing I can try..
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Thanks for the replies. I am already using a 14# ball and when I have moved back on the approach I usually stop that much short of the foul line which just gives the ball more time to slow down. Higher backswing I can try..
What is your current speed and what is your goal (to get it to)?
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I have to work hard to keep 13mph and if i could raise it close to 15 mph I think that my carry would increase a bunch.. How much does having 325-350 revs hurt my ball speed?? I try to come up the back of the ball but probably lift the ball more than I should.. I have been trying to feed it into the lane more and not so much finger and when I can do that it seems to help some.. Any tricks to help with the change in tempo if i speed up the feet or even raise my backswing??
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Any way to post a vid ?
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Any tricks to help with the change in tempo if i speed up the feet or even raise my backswing??
In my stance, my right elbow is flush against my belt with the right forearm extended. As I take my first step, I extend the ball forward and slightly upward in the direction of my intended line. The slight upward motion increases the arc which, in turn, increases my ball speed by about 2 mph. I have also tried to increase the arc by holding the ball at chest level and moving back on the approach.
However, I stopped the upward motion and the chest level approach because they screwed up my timing. There are trade offs that you make when you try to increase your speed. I decided not to sacrifice the extra speed for poor timing and less accuracy.
You should try the above and see if it works. Good Luck.
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Less muscle= free swing. If you are holding the ball at least waist high and projecting the ball forward, your backswing should be near shoulder high. If so 15 mph should be no problem, unless there is some serious muscling going on. A normal shoulder high back swing and a loose free down swing and release should net 15 mph easily. Let the weight of the ball and gravity do the work for you.
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Less muscle= free swing. If you are holding the ball at least waist high and projecting the ball forward, your backswing should be near shoulder high. If so 15 mph should be no problem, unless there is some serious muscling going on. A normal shoulder high back swing and a loose free down swing and release should net 15 mph easily. Let the weight of the ball and gravity do the work for you.
Exactly, I do this and get 16mph steady. After a lot of games the only thing that ever gets sore is my hand from all the fingers in the ball.
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What no one has said is that your release affects your ball speed just like your backswing does. If you come around the ball too early or too much you will loose speed.
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I have been a bit faster lately.
Also, my coach recently commented that even though I thought I was hinging my push away was way too dramatic.
We worked on it and I had a massive striking high speed, free arm swing practice day!
I am going back for another reload as I believe the difference from where I am and where I want to be is a consistent 1/2 mile to 1 mile an hour.
Also this week I have plans for some 3 step drills and 1 step drills to free up. They have tended to work for me in the past!
Regards,
Luckylefty
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notsohotshot, I think we are bowling twins. I also struggle with ball speed (11.5-12.5). I have tried everything I can think of to increase speed (moved back, faster feet, holding ball higher, etc) and nothing has helped. I do plant instead of slide and have been trying to change that but it always feels like I am on ice and my foot feels as though it is slipping out in front of me. I am going to try and put a vid up and see if there is any suggestions I can get that may help us both.
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The misconception that ball height in your stance or in your backswing increases speed is incorrect. To achieve more speed (assuming no release changes) is you need to LOWER your ball height in your stance and INCREASE your foot speed in your last two steps.
You will mess up your timing if you increase your foot speed and ball height. You use your feet to determine your ball speed. So if you increase your feet, then the time it takes your ball to get to the release area must decrease. This is why you lower the ball in your stance and also in your backswing. High back swing and high ball position does not equate to ball speed. Just look at Pete Weber versus Jason Belmonte.
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Ball speed is derived 70% from your lower body and 30% from upper body. The higher ball position IMO makes it easier for the 30% portion to increase, but the lower body is the key for me. There are some simple things to do for this. For example, my ball speed went up considerably just by going to a more aggressive soul on my non sliding shoe, giving me the ability to push off harder and really drive into the slide.
Don't forget to talk to your coach, mentor or someone you trust with your game. Also, check out your local pro and see what they have to say...
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I guess everyone can do what works best for them to increase their speed. You can think what you want about the USBC, but here is their coaching recommendation for increasing ball speed:
Ball speed tips for advanced bowlers
USBC Communications
Published: November 20, 2009 | Bowl.com
By Stephen Padilla
USBC Coaching Specialist
Once you are repeating shots and feel like you are getting enough power and ball speed at the pins, it's time to practice deliberately speeding up and slowing down your ball speed in order to promote versatility.
The ability to change your ball speed at will is crucial because it allows you to change your shot shape and the ball's reaction on the pins. Holding the ball lower in your stance can shorten your swing and speed up your footwork, making the ball travel faster. On the flip side, raising the ball in your stance can lengthen your swing and slow down your footsteps, making your travel slower. This may sound backward from what you've been taught, so if you don't believe it, just give it a try. A lot of players are having success controlling ball speed with these simple stance adjustments.
However, it really doesn't matter how you go about changing ball speed; it's just important for you to be able to do so when the need arises. Master this ability, and you will quickly find yourself well equipped to tackle any lane condition you face.
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However, if you are having trouble getting enough ball speed to be the least bit effective, a visit with a qualified coach would be my first recommendation. There are just too many variables for keyboard coaches to fix.
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There are just too many variables for keyboard coaches to fix.
Ain't that the truth. :)
If you can post a vid on bowlingchat.net a qualified coach JMerrell can help. http://forum.bowlingchat.net/viewforum.php?f=12
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TTT
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Find a way to post a vid......then we can see how you are generating what you HAVE and ways to get it to what you want it to be.