I'm old school in my 50s bowling 35 plus years competitively. I've spent the last couple years generating increased rev rate and am about 400 . My next goal is increasing ball speed. But I can't seem to figure it out. I know about legs, backswing, running down the approach and sure those things give me about 1.5 mph over my typical through the pins speed of 15.5.
But what I want to know is how is everyone generating 18/19 and 20 ? It has to be using kinetic energy but I watch and watch and it looks so effortless ? Anyone know what I'missinf?

i don't know a whole lot yet about this, still experimenting myself.  i have found that the push off on step 2 of my 5 step approach seems to have something to do with it.  If i push off a bit quicker, with a little upward thrust, i seem to generate a bit more.  letting the ball come further up the "pendulum" swing is also important i have found. 

are your revs more side roll, or forward roll?  i notice the other night, when i played my first full night with a cranker style, side roll pointing towards the center of the lane, the ball slowed down to the break point, and the revs are the only thing that helped the ball get moving faster to the pocket.  I was playing a straight up the back, forward roll, and the revs never seemed to slow the ball down a bit, infact they may have help speed the ball up some. 

i myself am working on adding more speed and revs to my game.  My goal in the next few years is to be able to consistently, comfortably, hit about 18-20 mph with enough revs to play the middle arrow out to the 5-10 board for a deep, late corner and have the ball come screaming back to the hole.

Due to an injury/disability my speed decreased and rev rate increased.....disaster for someone in his mid 50's....LOL. But with some great help/coaching, I now am overcoming it. Simply instead of trying to increase the ball speed to youthful type #'s, and having to adjust different aspects of the approach for timing, simply changed hand positions to decrease the revs. I also added a milder ball, and started to add more polish to the others.

Dave81644 is right on track. Throwing harder will make you help the ball and it will read early.  Working on hand release and projecting the ball will increase the ball speed by getting the ball to push. Also it is easier to gear down the revs to match the speed.  Dont' believe it?  go to one of the qubica centers that measure ball speed (don't focus on the actual speed as they aren't the most accurate) Throw a strike shot letting the arm fall by itself and appling your normal release and then do the same with a spare ball without appying revs.  The spare ball will be several MPH faster because of the lack of friction yes but also the weaker release.

There is another post here about the hinge pushaway versus the classic old time full push out.  I have combined this with Norm Duke's weight of the bball from the supporting arm to the bowling arm.

This change has seemed to really have a bunch of positive effects for me.  More consistent timing, lower backswing, better flat spot, more speed and maybe a slight increase in revs.

I may be having some balls near 16 mph at the pin deck lately and my ball often takes a pretty sideways move to the pocket(strong side roll) and a large speed decrease from off the hand.  (High entry angles and big speed decrease from off the hand speed as measured by Kegel.)

I'm pleased with this combination and I am looking for a little more.  A combination of watching Norm Duke's video, The Storm basics series on YouTube on the pushaway, and lessons from a good one lately.  Another tomorrow!

Regards,

Luckylefty
PS I was fortunate to be able to be on a team with the "Uber" hand Jimmy Keeth years ago before his death.  I can confidently say that speed at 19 and near 20 at the pin deck on the strike ball, I certainly don't believe leads to massive carry even for the biggest revver of all time.  It seemed like taps high and backrow pins were the cost of such extreme speeds particularly when the teensiest bit high.  My Son a two hander gets up near 19 quite often on his strike ball and is going thru some of the same stuff regarding carry.  A touch softer closes on the pocket better.

Longer Arch?

REgards,

Luckylefty

Like a pendulum. The longer the the arch/swing path the more speed it generates.

Video's taken at IRTC about 6 months ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7QLOc0DQ6o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U_QyGLps94
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw7SPUHE6Vc

I understand about matching rev rate and ball speed and that is why I am trying to increase my ball speed. The whole effort is about creating more power at the pins (off hits light to get bird dogs). When the scoring pace is reasonable I am fine. But then the scoring pace becomes a carry contest I cant keep pace often more than 10 pins in average behind.

With in the last year I have gone to Kegel, IRTC and Mo Pinel in search of an answer to this issue. Everyone thinks my ball speed is adequate. The best response I got was from IRTC which stated the kids learn it naturally and after a certain age it cant be learned. Well needless to say, that just lit my fire to understand how this is done.

This week I went to planting (using a sneaker) increasing my backswing height and physically throwing it harder. Still no significance improvement.

I believe it has something to do with swing speed and opening/closing shoulders. I cant seem to make either happen for me. I start my swing later and it only shortens my swing.

BTW, I am not a believer in a lighter ball or higher starting ball position in the stance will increase ball speed. Because neither seems to do much for me. Besides there is much debate even among the professionals instructors concerning these modifications.

Additionally, I think some of the issue is related to the loss of ball speed due to friction (hook). I pointed this out to Kegel and they said that I was loosing ball speed but it was acceptable. If I use less aggressive cores or less aggressive covers or less aggressive layouts I get better ball speed. If I use a release that is more up the back and not what I call a change of direction release then I get a significant improvement as much as 19-20 through the pins. But of course I have little entry angle.

With increasing my rev rate I have also been improving on "working the inside of the ball" thus keeping my hand behind the ball and I getting increased energy transfer. But its a work in progress.

I appreciate everyones input.

Thanks
I