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Author Topic: Stance question  (Read 911 times)

Nollster

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Stance question
« on: August 20, 2004, 02:12:11 AM »
At the Bowlers Education Seminars, we work on a square stance no matter what line we were playing.  This may be because we're trying to perfect other aspects of our game and don't want to get too confused.  As a result I've developed a loop in my swing -- taking it outside going back and bringing it from the inside on the downswing.  From what I understand and have read, the loop isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Hasn't been too bad and I feel very powerful at the release with the ball next to my ankle.  Only real problems are the occassional chicken wing into the gutter.  My coach wants me to open my shoulders as I move left on the approach, i.e. square playing the right side to pretty wide open when getting deeper in the lane.  I understand the philosophy behind it -- making my arm swing straight back, straight through, but I'm finding myself coming over the top trying to keep from throwing it in the gutter.  I also don't feel as strong at the point of release.  How do you do it?

 

Ragnar

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Re: Stance question
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2004, 10:59:53 AM »
All I can tell you about stance/set-up is that I was taught to always square up to my target, not the lane.  So if I'm playing 1st arrow, going down and in I'll be square to the lane, since I'm throwing straight down to 1st arrow.  However, if it's dry and I'm standing in front of the ball return targeting 1st arrow I'll be very open in my stance, angled away from the foul line.  The swing is constant in all this, only the feet, hips and shoulders change their orientation.
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Girlscout

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Re: Stance question
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2004, 12:00:45 PM »
Nollster,

    There is an article by Chris Barnes in the latest
 fall issue of American Bowler. The magazine that comes with your
 ABC membership. Page 38. He makes some good points about position of
 feet in relation to where you want to play the lane,as well as some
 hand position adjustments. I thought it was all good advice.
      GS

Magic Carpet

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Re: Stance question
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2004, 09:02:26 PM »
Nollster,
The stance we teach most at the Bowlers Educational Seminars is to face your Breakpoint...or more. I wrote an article about this on my website called " Getting deeper" if you read that it may help you a lot.

If you have an outside-in loop to your swing that is not all bad. Most of the guys on tour have that type of swing. Most of the time the looped swings come from stepping left during the approach. Very very few people actually have a stright armswing path. I only adjust armswing paths that I think hurt the bowler. So in other words if your loop did not hurt your game I would leave it alone.

Chicken wings can come from trying to control the swing, turning the ball early or cutting off the backswing in order to force the ball forward.

Trying to open and close you shoulders as you make your approach is not a great idea in my opinion. I think that the motions we make should be as few as possible and should come as a natural reaction to a big heavy ball swinging through space. Adding extra motions such as opening and closing shoulders which must be timed perfectly in order for the ball to fallow a predictable path, seems a complicated solution to a very simple problem.

Good luck and I hope to see you at the next BES Sept. 24-26. If you attend and still have this problem make sure you ask me a bout it.
Ron Clifton