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Author Topic: Ball Speed  (Read 5424 times)

JJM

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Ball Speed
« on: May 05, 2011, 10:36:34 AM »
 In reference to ball speed, when it comes to slow, medium and fast, what speeds fall in to these categories?

Is slow 10-15, medium 15-20, fast 20+...?  Also, at what speed do the pros generally throw?

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tommyboy74

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Re: Ball Speed
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2011, 07:14:32 PM »
Generally, you're right in the ballpark with how you broke down the speeds.  Many of the pros usually throw anywhere from 17-21, depending on condition.  There are some exceptions: Eugene McCune regularly throws around 24mph. 

Robert Smith also throws around 22-24mph regularly.  However, he was clocked throwing a spare ball at 34mph once.  Basically he is considered to have the most revs of any one-handed player (has gotten upwards of 550+ which gets into Belmonte/Palermaa territory.  Because he can put so many revs on the ball, he used a Sarge-Easter grip many times to take some stuff off of it.

 

Here is a clip showing Robert Smith vs. Walter Ray back in 2004.  If you FF to 2:20, you'll see how fast Smith can throw on a cross-lane spare.  In fact, he threw it so fast and hard that he sent a pin flying into the plexiglass and cracked it to all hell. 
 



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duvallite

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Re: Ball Speed
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2011, 02:31:18 PM »

 



tommyboy74 wrote on 5/5/2011 7:14 PM:
Generally, you're right in the ballpark with how you broke down the speeds.  Many of the pros usually throw anywhere from 17-21, depending on condition.  


Are those Pro speeds measured off the hand or at the pin-deck?

 

Also, it's my understanding that there is somewhere around a 3 mph difference between speeds measured off the hand and speeds measured at the pin-deck.  Our local house measures speed a few feet in front of the pins.


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TamerBowling

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Re: Ball Speed
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2011, 07:06:21 PM »
Most of the measurements mentioned for pros are off the hand.  I think it's important to know the launch speed and entry speed.  It tells you the speed you are releasing the ball as well as how the lanes are affecting the ball.  I don't find knowing average speed much help. 
That can really only be done with CATS or Digitrax (which I have).


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notsohotshot

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Re: Ball Speed
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2011, 09:53:11 PM »
I gave lots of trouble getting ball speed under normal circumstances but my speed keeps getting lower and lower. Today I thought I was trying hard to put extra speed on the ball and could not get the ball to 13 MPH measured by Qubica.(everyone elses speed seemed correct,but I had a hard time believing how slow mine was). I have tried raising the ball higher in my push away etc. I am out of ideas. HELP Is there any suggestions out there that might help increase speed and keep the ball from hooking so much? I am trying to use weak layouts and balls with dif's lower than .040.


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duvallite

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Re: Ball Speed
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2011, 12:30:12 PM »
Are you coming up the side of the ball too much at release (90 degrees)?  This could account for the extra hook (side rotation), which could also cause your slower ball speed due to increased friction while the ball is going down the lane.  If you change your release so that you are staying more behind the ball and coming up the back, that should help increase your ball speed and decrease the hook somewhat.  Or try only rotating to somewhere like 45 degrees, which would accomplish the same thing but hook more than coming straight up the back.


 
Edited by duvallite on 5/24/2011 at 12:31 PM
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Dan Belcher

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Re: Ball Speed
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2011, 01:51:56 PM »
One thing to remember is that a lot of your ball speed comes from your legs, not from your arms. Watch slow-motion views of the pros viewed from the side. They have a short penultimate step at the top of their backswing, then a long slide step to generate leverage, balance, ball speed, etc.


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