Author Topic: Practice with urathane??? (Read 3662 times)

jdball299 · « **on:** November 16, 2010, 12:50:11 AM »

Does it make sense to practice (not in league warmups) during the week with weaker equipment that makes you execute shots in order to improve your shot making? Would this not be similar to hitting blade irons at the driving range all week only to play cavity backs on the weekend? Just a thought but if practice is there to make you better, why not make practice as difficult as possible a few times a week? Especially if you cannot find a sport shot in your area. Any thoughts?
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"...do or do not, there is no try."

St. Louis USBC Sport Bowling
Best Bowling Pro Shops Inc., St. Louis MO.

Cobalt Bomb · « **Reply #1 on:** November 16, 2010, 08:55:22 AM »

I can see your point, but a urethane reaction is completely different from resin. Urethane needs to roll early and makes a continuous arc to the pocket.
You might be better off playing different areas of the lane with resin, unless you plan on using urethane in competition.

Juggernaut · « **Reply #2 on:** November 16, 2010, 09:12:16 AM »

While I agree that practicing with a weak ball will help you build accuracy, I also feel that modern bowling is about more than just that.

When practicing bowling, you are building "muscle memory", which is a way to say that you are developing a "feel" for the way bowling should be performed.

If you practice with a weak ball, you will automatically develop habits for throwing straighter. Then, when you try to open up and swing the ball with a stronger piece, you may be MORE inaccurate at that than before.

Try to practice bowling in the environment in which you will be competing, and with the type of ball you''ll be competing with, trying to develop the good habits and reduce the bad ones.

This is just my opinion. TIFWIW.
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Good transactions list in my profile

Edited on 11/16/2010 10:13 AM

dizzyfugu · « **Reply #3 on:** November 16, 2010, 09:26:56 AM »

A urethane ball is IMHO a good challenge, BECAUSE it needs to be played differently from reactive stuff. You get a different angle, need a different release, and forces you to play areas which you will normally not use. While I would not see it as a holy grail for training, I find this challenge to be a good training tool - a true reality check. You get less room for error, and that's why I have a Blue Hammer in my arsenal. Every now and then I take it with me to training, and it forces me to check my game basics.
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DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany

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jdball299 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 16, 2010, 10:50:05 AM »

Good responses so far...

Juggernaut: I see your point that the ball moves differently and I see your point about practicing on the conditions I would compete on. Difficulty doing that for us that work early days is that most houses only dress the lanes before league, and when they do that they don't let you touch them untill 11:30 at night when the leagues have already blown them up. We for me to practice I have to throw on yesterday's leftovers which as you know plays hell with stronger stuff. Not that it cannot be done, but that is not the condition I will be competing on. If I hold out for a good shot I might as well not practice, around here at least.

at my old house they oiled twice a day...it was nice to go in at 1pm and practice on a fresh shot. Wouldn't happen very much around here, maybe 1 or two places and not every day of the week.
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"...do or do not, there is no try."

St. Louis USBC Sport Bowling
Best Bowling Pro Shops Inc., St. Louis MO.

Juggernaut · « **Reply #5 on:** November 16, 2010, 11:12:22 AM »

quote:
Good responses so far...

Juggernaut: I see your point that the ball moves differently and I see your point about practicing on the conditions I would compete on. Difficulty doing that for us that work early days is that most houses only dress the lanes before league, and when they do that they don't let you touch them untill 11:30 at night when the leagues have already blown them up. We for me to practice I have to throw on yesterday's leftovers which as you know plays hell with stronger stuff. Not that it cannot be done, but that is not the condition I will be competing on. If I hold out for a good shot I might as well not practice, around here at least.

at my old house they oiled twice a day...it was nice to go in at 1pm and practice on a fresh shot. Wouldn't happen very much around here, maybe 1 or two places and not every day of the week.
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"...do or do not, there is no try."

St. Louis USBC Sport Bowling
Best Bowling Pro Shops Inc., St. Louis MO.

Well, in cases like this, you need to concentrate more on performance and less on results. If the conditions are strange, it really won't matter what ball you practice with.

Develop habits that will be beneficial. Practice should be that, PRACTICE, and should not be judged for results, as far as scoring.

Use the time to develop a better spare shot, especially at those pesky corner pins. Play the lanes much as you would under normal conditions, focusing on hitting your mark repetitively, regardless of what the ball does or how many pins you actually knock down.

Break your practice sessions down into what they should be, drills used to develop the skills you will need to actually be a better bowler, build your ability to repeat shots, and don't worry so much about the scoring during these sessions.

I will say this. When I was in the early stages of developing my game, I learned a LOT more on wierd conditions, just playing around and seeing what effect different releases had on the ball, than I did on my "regular" conditions. I figured out little things that help me even now when I run onto some really bad or strange conditions.

A drill I used to practice was something I called "Lowball". It will build your accuracy up pretty quickly if you are like me. I would throw at a full rack, trying to first hit the 10, then try to hit the 7 on my second ball, hitting those two pins ONLY. While I have had 3 sanctioned 300 games, I think I've only ever bowled one "perfect" lowball game of 20.

Good luck.
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Good transactions list in my profile

spmcgivern · « **Reply #6 on:** November 16, 2010, 11:22:20 AM »

quote:
Good responses so far...

Juggernaut: I see your point that the ball moves differently and I see your point about practicing on the conditions I would compete on. Difficulty doing that for us that work early days is that most houses only dress the lanes before league, and when they do that they don't let you touch them untill 11:30 at night when the leagues have already blown them up. We for me to practice I have to throw on yesterday's leftovers which as you know plays hell with stronger stuff. Not that it cannot be done, but that is not the condition I will be competing on. If I hold out for a good shot I might as well not practice, around here at least.

at my old house they oiled twice a day...it was nice to go in at 1pm and practice on a fresh shot. Wouldn't happen very much around here, maybe 1 or two places and not every day of the week.
--------------------
"...do or do not, there is no try."

St. Louis USBC Sport Bowling
Best Bowling Pro Shops Inc., St. Louis MO.

This is the issue most people probably deal with. While it would be great to be able to practice on the exact shot you are expecting to deal with in competition, it just is not practical.

I like to practice with a plastic ball and work on the types of shots I think I will need to play. If I think playing outside 5 is where the shot will be, that is what I will work on. If it is deep inside of 20, then I will work on that. All the while, only worrying about the first 25-30 feet. Whatever happens after that is irrelevant.

But like others have said, it is only one part of the practice equation. It is imperative to understand your equipment and what it will do. That is best learned in the competitive environment. Especially when you cannot replicate the shot for practice. Crankers will be crankers no matter what and will try to play inside. But if they work on playing straighter, then they would be more comfortable if they have practiced that shot. And I doubt they have had any practice environment allowing that type of practice.

Long story short, worry about execution in practice and not scoring.
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I am not a pro-bowler, but I do play one on BallReviews.com

charlest · « **Reply #7 on:** November 16, 2010, 12:35:12 PM »

jdball299,

I would have had to agree with you regarding most current urethanes on the market UNTIL I drilled up the Avalanche Urethane. While it is still urethane, its reaction is closer to a controlled resin than it is to "pure" urethane. (I leave out the Natural and Natural Pearl because I have not thrown those.)

I have not problem practicing with the AU because it really seems like the best of both worlds to me. Again this might just be me, my ball speed, rev rate, my drilling on my AU and the lanes + oil that I bowl on.

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"None are so blind as those who will not see."
BowlingChat.net

Juggernaut · « **Reply #8 on:** November 16, 2010, 01:51:00 PM »

quote:
In todays game, the mental ablity to throw "strikes" is more important than practicing on a tough shot. Practicing on a tough shot only breeds inconsistancy, negative thoughts, and doubts about what to do and what to throw.

You want to be able to string strikes without "pressuring up". On todays conditions, with dynamite balls, the mental ability to stay focused and throw strikes is the most important. Practicing on a tough condition, missing and striking very little is not a good idea.

How you going to practice striking?

Especially if the lanes are wierd?
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Good transactions list in my profile

trash heap · « **Reply #9 on:** November 16, 2010, 02:45:46 PM »

quote:
On todays conditions, with dynamite balls, the mental ability to stay focused and throw strikes is the most important. Practicing on a tough condition, missing and striking very little is not a good idea.

So what happens when you go to Tournament and the condition is tough?

Do you leave and go home?

The Stroke · « **Reply #10 on:** November 16, 2010, 02:49:26 PM »

quote:
quote:
On todays conditions, with dynamite balls, the mental ability to stay focused and throw strikes is the most important. Practicing on a tough condition, missing and striking very little is not a good idea.

So what happens when you go to Tournament and the condition is tough?

Do you leave and go home?

The usual BR member will just come on here and post about how much carry down there was or that it was a reverse block.
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Toodles

9andaWiggle · « **Reply #11 on:** November 17, 2010, 07:55:54 AM »

Personally, I like to practice with everything I have, and try different things with each to see how they react. Usually doesn't help my scores in league, as the shot doesn't change much, but if you go to different houses or look for different patterns, you'll have an idea of what your stuff does, and will have some games under your belt targeting different lines that IMO can only help.

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9~ Internet Tough Guy and
Cyberspace Sheep Lover

APheLion · « **Reply #12 on:** November 19, 2010, 12:33:32 PM »

instead of asking urself to bowl with a specific ball, i say practice without a ball ur basics, specially ur first 3 steps. once everything falls in place, u should have ur timing and swing right.
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When a house bowler misses the mark, misses the break point and strike, for many ppl its called a wallshot. When a pro does that its call adjustment

When a house bowler gets his finger stuck in the ball and fall on the lanes, for many ppl its called lame bowler. When a pro does that its called the Machuga flop! ha i like this one.

Author Topic: Practice with urathane??? (Read 3662 times)

jdball299

Practice with urathane???

Cobalt Bomb

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Juggernaut

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dizzyfugu

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jdball299

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Juggernaut

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spmcgivern

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charlest

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Juggernaut

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trash heap

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The Stroke

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9andaWiggle

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APheLion

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