BallReviews

General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Hellbound on June 07, 2008, 11:25:25 AM

Title: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: Hellbound on June 07, 2008, 11:25:25 AM
Anyone have any techniques for slowing your feet down?
--------------------
Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.......
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: Dan Belcher on June 07, 2008, 09:36:15 PM
If you don't already stand on the front dots, move up to them.  This will force you to take shorter, more deliberate steps.
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: ThongPrincess on June 07, 2008, 09:43:52 PM
Today one of our juniors wanted to slow his ball speed and already has a low starting point for ball so I suggested slowing down the feet.  To do this he slowed the movement of his first step. While his successive steps increased in speed, his overall foot speed was slower.  


--------------------
USBC Bronze Coach

"I cannot change the direction of the wind but I can adjust my sails to reach my destination." Jimmy Dean
Quaker 10/93 - 4/07
Quaker  (http://"http://thongprincess.bowlspace.com/gallery/view_gallery.one?gal_id=1")
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: TWOHAND834 on June 07, 2008, 09:51:38 PM
Try practicing your approach taking the first 2 steps very slowly.  Everything from there falls into place.  You can try moving up on the approach to shorten it enough to take smaller steps which will in turn slow them down as someone else mentioned.  But, usually, the first two steps are key in the timing of your whole approach.  Try this and hope it helps.
--------------------
Steven Vance
Former Pro Shop Operator

If anyone out there is worried about the scores being too high, try duckpin!!
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: ccrider on June 07, 2008, 10:34:38 PM
Count your steps in your mind. The slower you count, the slower you step. My coach told me to try this and it works. Once you get used to it, you will not need to count.
--------------------
Those that can do. Those that can't complain.

My saying for the day: "You can take the ho out of the hood, but you can't take the ho out of the ho."
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: SVstar34 on June 07, 2008, 10:37:44 PM
make your first step longer and slower, it should help slowing everything down, that is what I did when i needed the extra hook before I resurfaced my Pain
--------------------
My Arsenal:
Twisted Fury
Raw Hammer Pain
Blue Vibe

Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: on June 08, 2008, 08:57:47 AM
Assuming your timing is good, why would you want to?

But if you still do, then be careful because each one of us has a "natural" foot speed that is right for them. When they start trying to slow down the feet, they also start 1- muscling the arm swing, or 2- messing up their timing so bad they can't repeat a shot to save their life. Good luck, though.


--------------------
Lane Carter, Strike Zone Pro Shops - Salt Lake City, Utah
Brunswick Amateur Staff
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: se7en on June 08, 2008, 04:36:59 PM
Walk slower.
--------------------
There is nothing so easy to learn as experience and nothing so hard to apply.
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: Hellbound on June 09, 2008, 03:55:52 AM
quote:
Assuming your timing is good, why would you want to?


I need to slow my feet down to get my timing right...First game I have no problem, but each subsequent game my feet get faster and timing is "out the window"
--------------------
Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.......
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: BigWillyStyle on June 09, 2008, 04:17:38 AM
tie your shoes together by the shoelaces....


Seriously though, if you say tht timing is off as games go on, maye you should try taking one less step later into the set. Might sound weird, but think of it like the guys that stand in front of the ball return when they need to get the ball down the lane.

Big Willy Style


quote:
quote:
Assuming your timing is good, why would you want to?


I need to slow my feet down to get my timing right...First game I have no problem, but each subsequent game my feet get faster and timing is "out the window"
--------------------
Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy.......

--------------------
Just my $0.02 so take it for what the Foreign Exchange values it at!
"I was raised by a cup of coffee..."
***This message brought to you by the A.O.B.U.B.O.A. (Assembly Of Back-Up Bowlers Of America) which is now taking applications***  
Honorary Member of the F.O.S. (and also the best back-up bowler the Saws have ever had)!
Visionary Test Staff Member '08-'09
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: on June 09, 2008, 07:49:58 AM
quote:
Quote
Assuming your timing is good, why would you want to?


I need to slow my feet down to get my timing right...First game I have no problem, but each subsequent game my feet get faster and timing is "out the window"
--------------------

Then you have to decide whether it's a "physical" thing to correct or if it's just trying to control your adrenaline or emotions. If your timing is good to start with, then you are doing something different that makes you want to speed up.  Never underestimate the mental side of the game because it's what controls the rest. Every action first started out as a thought sometime or somewhere.

Try taking two deep breaths as you pick up your ball, but before you throw it to allow yourself 5 seconds to focus, but more importantly to relax. Dr Dean Hinitz can explain it better than I can in his book "Focused For Bowling", and also in his articles for BTM. But there's a physical response that happens as we feel anxiety, excitement, fear, happiness, you name it. The best bowlers learn to recognize what's going on early, and tap into ways to keep themselves on an even keel, so to speak. Good luck.




--------------------
Lane Carter, Strike Zone Pro Shops - Salt Lake City, Utah
Brunswick Amateur Staff
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: SirAshley on June 09, 2008, 10:39:28 PM
ahhh the old Mantra... That works every time for me... Here's the way it works... I had the hardest time taking speed off of my shot because I had fast feet. A buddy of mine was like, you need a Mantra to slow you down... He was right, A Mantra is a beat or song which works in time with your shot... It really helps. The trick is to find you sweet shot, then develop a mantra that works to that shot...Anyway, it worked for me, went from 190 average to 209, and climbing....
--------------------
Check out the best Classic Rock Station on the web  

http://www.ringerradio.com


______________________________________________

Join our myspace group

http://groups.myspace.com/ringerradio

and while your @ it... Friend us @

http://www.myspace.com/ringerradio

Edited on 6/9/2008 10:40 PM
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: n00dlejester on June 10, 2008, 07:51:10 AM
What a wonderful thread.  Lately, I'm noticing my feet are much faster.  I've changed my game from 5 to 4 steps with my coach, and adjusted some other smaller nuances.  Now that there's less wasted motion in my approach, I find myself gaining speed quite quickly.  When I try to slow down my approach, I find it hard to not muscle the ball now.  

I'm going to try standing closer to the approach as some of you have said and see how that goes.  I'm also going to try counting my steps.  Heck, I might try all of this and see how it goes.  Thanks for both the OP and the replies!
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: SirAshley on June 10, 2008, 09:05:37 AM
Well I can tell you that standing closer will definitely help you but know this when doing it... IT WILL THROW OFF YOUR TIMING BIG TIME!!! Ok, having said that, I moved forward on the approach last year during a summer fun league. It took about 3 weeks of practicing twice a week to get my timing back. Here's the big catch, I averaged 190 in the Winter previously, this winter, after moving up, I moved up to averaging 209. Moving up on the approach did wonders for me, it slowed me down all the way around. It allowed me to become more accurate, keep the ball on the lane longer, which allowed for a better reaction. Instead of my ball just grazing the pocket at 19 mph, now it was crushing the pocket between 16.5 and 17. I used the Mantra which I spoke of in an earlier reply to get my timing down, but timing is also an issue when you are trying to slow your feet down. Lastly, there is no quick fix for fast feet. Whatever move you make will affect your timing, thus affect your average. The important part of making the change is watching your ball reaction. One you get the desired reaction that you can throw comfortably, then you work on perfecting it. Good luck, I know it's tough because I went through it.
--------------------
Check out the best Classic Rock Station on the web  

http://www.ringerradio.com


______________________________________________

Join our myspace group

http://groups.myspace.com/ringerradio

and while your @ it... Friend us @

http://www.myspace.com/ringerradio
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: n00dlejester on June 11, 2008, 11:25:27 AM
I just got off the phone with my coach (had to reschedule a lesson) and I asked him specifically about this step up and how to slow your feet down:  he said to slide your first step across teh approach instead of picking up your foot.

I'm going to try this ASAP and I'll report back later.

Last night in league I made a conscience effort to slow my approach down, and I shot my first 600 in 3 weeks (I avg'd 211 in winter).  So hopefully this will be a step in teh right direction (every pun intended).
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: bowlallthetime on June 11, 2008, 11:43:24 AM
When I need to slow down, I move up to the first set of dots, and I will also count my steps in my head (don't do it outloud....people will think you are crazy!).  

For example, I needed to slow down my ball speed on the Scorpion pattern..so I moved up to the first set of dots to slow down my feet and armswing.
Title: Re: How to slow my feet down????
Post by: noturcuzin on June 11, 2008, 11:44:43 AM
I have a 5 step approach so what I do is on my 3rd step I drag my left heel a little bit and that slows down my feet. Learned this little trick from western regional player Robby Porter, great bowler.
--------------------
CHRIS FARLEY:1964-1997

JOHN CANDY:1950-1994

JOHN BELUSHI:1949-1982

"NO RESPECT, I GET NO RESPECT."-the great Rodney Dangerfield