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Author Topic: Foul line hop  (Read 6106 times)

REvans284

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Foul line hop
« on: July 14, 2008, 04:33:49 AM »
Hey guys..

I've recently realized I have a slight hop at the foul line as I follow through on the release.  Its slightly after I already let go of the ball and continue upward with my swing.  I'm not falling the shot off right, and I'm on balance, though I'm not as low as I'd like to be and my back foot isn't connected to the floor, but is there a reason or explaination why this is happening?

I haven't been video taped and I don't know if it's that I'm raising at the line or leaning too far foreward in the approach and when I am in my downswing the momentum of the follow through causes it, but if I don't continue to finish with the follow through after I release the ball upward it takes out the hop (but the ball doesn't finish like it should). Any thoughts?  Any way to fix it?  The hope is barely off the ground, probably not an inch and its straight up, I land where I slid.

Thanks,

REvans284

Edited on 7/14/2008 12:34 PM

 

Dan Belcher

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Re: Foul line hop
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2008, 12:40:05 PM »
I used to hop badly at the line.

Old form with hop:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPSZQXpAwNs
No hop:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8Q6FUPhUGk

The changes:  I moved forward on the approach to arrive at the line slower with less momentum.  More recently, I also am now working on bending my knee more and not popping up, and just generally improving my balance at the line.  (That is not shown in those clips, I'll have to work on it some more and post a video of that soon)  The idea is to improve your balance and leverage at the line so that you can repeat shots and create good power at the release point.  What exactly is causing you to be off balance at the line, however, is impossible to nail down without actually seeing it on video.  See if you can spot any similarities in the videos I posted above.

lsf_21

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Re: Foul line hop
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2008, 12:43:42 PM »
quote:
I used to hop badly at the line.

Old form with hop:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPSZQXpAwNs
No hop:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8Q6FUPhUGk

The changes:  I moved forward on the approach to arrive at the line slower with less momentum.  More recently, I also am now working on bending my knee more and not popping up, and just generally improving my balance at the line.  (That is not shown in those clips, I'll have to work on it some more and post a video of that soon)  The idea is to improve your balance and leverage at the line so that you can repeat shots and create good power at the release point.  What exactly is causing you to be off balance at the line, however, is impossible to nail down without actually seeing it on video.  See if you can spot any similarities in the videos I posted above.


i was going to blame the hop for bowling at king pin where you cant slide AT ALL!
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Dan Belcher

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Re: Foul line hop
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2008, 01:03:00 PM »
The approaches there aren't as bad as they used to be.  Just have to use a wire brush and gently dust a slide bag over your shoe and rub it off before you start bowling each night.  But I used to hop even at Executive Strike & Spare, which had some super slippery approaches last season right after resurfacing the lanes.

lsf_21

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Re: Foul line hop
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2008, 01:06:46 PM »
executive is like bowling on ice... king pin is where all-stars was this year and i went to throw the first ball and i might as well had been wearing my regular shoes. I had to go to a 3rd higher number slide sole to even slide just a bit.
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lsf_21

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Re: Foul line hop
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2008, 01:07:54 PM »
quote:
executive is like bowling on ice... king pin is where all-stars was this year and i went to throw the first ball and i might as well had been wearing my regular shoes. I had to go to a 3rd higher number slide sole to even slide just a bit.

edit: when we first resurfaced our lanes i could slide a bit in my regular shoes... i tried and i also could at executive at one point last year havent bowled there in awhile
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LuckyLefty

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Re: Foul line hop
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2008, 01:12:55 PM »
I think hopping at the line is cute!

It's a crappy way to bowl but fun as hell to watch!  Don't stop!

REgards,

Luckylefty
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Open the door...see what's possible...and just walk right on through...that's how easy success feels..
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James M. McCurley, New Orleans, Louisiana

REvans284

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Re: Foul line hop
« Reply #7 on: July 14, 2008, 05:00:54 PM »
You see, I'm not sure my hop is even that high, and when I do it, I generally land in the same spot.  I do think it has to do with momentum VS kneebend (the lack of) and that causing you to bent over foreward more.  I can see how you are off balance due to it, but its more front to back and not so side to side, and probably doesn't influence hitting your target as much as it would varience in ball speed.  I think you landed a little farther right because you have (cant tell exactly) a few boards drift left, and when you set it down its more on plane with where you started your push away and first step.  I walk very straight in my approach (which is bad, because I don't have great hip clearance).

I tend to release the ball with a good bit more hand at the bottom of the swing than in your video and its a much quicker release (I don't have as high backswing though), that would generate foreward momentum. I noticed in your 2nd video though, its not much but you do have more knee bend than in the first one and by nature it let your upper body be more upright and also your back leg be more connected to the floor and that would help solve the problem too (Along with being more foreward on the approach).  I think the knee bend is the main problem with my game.  I don't stand back on the first set of dots, I'm more in between, and about 4-8" behind the 2nd set (5 step approach) depending on how I've tried to tweak ball speed.

I have a really crappy camera, and I'm not so sure its good enough to take videos with and be decent detail, but I might find some time to try in the near future.  Thanks though,

Later,

REvans284

Edited on 7/14/2008 5:01 PM

slimjuggalo2002

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Re: Foul line hop
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2008, 05:05:08 PM »
Actually I read awhile back that a hop is caused by your weight being too far to one side of your body.  If you have too much weight on your right side at release you will hop a bit to the right to reposition your weight.  

Hope this helps.
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lsf_21

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Re: Foul line hop
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2008, 05:09:25 PM »
my problem is if i slide to far ill take and turn my foot with a kinda hop b/c i feel like i just slid way to far and dont wanna foul
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LuckyLefty

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Re: Foul line hop
« Reply #10 on: July 16, 2008, 08:32:57 AM »
OKAY....just kidding.

I know some very good bowlers that hop.  They are great!  Until the pressure is on....usually BECAUSE....the inconsistency of the hop makes it very hard to perform under pressure...adding unnecessary variables.  Usually the hop is to the side.

My lucky opportunities to practice with the great Hall of famer Dave Davis let me observe that this pressure performer had a SECRET pressure trick that he worked on in EVERY practice session.  He would practice sliding with his heel closer to his throwing arm than the ball of his foot.  He would also ask bystanders to tell him the space between his slide ankle and the side of the ball.

He wanted two inches or less to be the distance.

When I have successfully used and executed these principles I have gone from total hack to an occassional big money maker!  They work....I'm just too much of a klutz to perform them regularly!

For a well coordinated guy who can bowl high while hopping they could change one's bowling results dramatically!

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS this "SECRET" was also discussed in Earl Anthony's book with Dawson Taylor on bowling!  It works ...even for klutz's!
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Open the door...see what's possible...and just walk right on through...that's how easy success feels..
It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

James M. McCurley, New Orleans, Louisiana