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Author Topic: Does/Can Anyone Do This?  (Read 1836 times)

Jay

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Does/Can Anyone Do This?
« on: January 06, 2010, 12:23:48 PM »
Hey folks, I've done a lot of pondering over my physical game the last several months since I fell into a slump over the summer.  I recently went bowling with basically non-bowlers and for the first time all I brought was my shoes.  Over four games I averaged just under my current league average with a 13lb house ball.  I pretty much just walked to the line without having a stance and deciding when to go, but naturally I started the ball with my right foot still and took smaller steps as I approached the line(since I didn't push away until about 8 feet away from the foul line).  So except for some wrist soreness the next day, now I'm kind of in the mindset of "Why even try?"  I managed to actually have fun with it, hooking a conventional drilled plastic ball.  I'm just like, why do I even bother to have a real stance and approach if I can do just as well(or bad, really) under those circumstances.

So I'm just kind of wondering, does anyone here just walk to the line and throw the ball?  Essentially, that's what I was doing.  Sometimes I've done that in league warm ups but that's it.
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Justin
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FBM357

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Re: Does/Can Anyone Do This?
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2010, 08:59:03 PM »
isn't it ironic how you can simply relax and let the ball 'go'? ... I have the same kind of problem but differ in a way ... shooting my spares... no thought, just grab my ball ... no rush to the line ... free swing and 'doink' .. spare made!

Guess that's why some drink (not to get drunk but to fall in to the relax mode).  So I completely understand what you're saying
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Strider

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Re: Does/Can Anyone Do This?
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2010, 09:32:07 PM »
That a Ron Clifton (Magic Carpet) tip on improving timing.  I use it all the time during warm ups.  I put my fingers in the ball standing off the approach, start walking and put my thumb in during the steps.  Your body will know when to start the swing.  I've done it more times than I care to admit during leagues because my timing stunk that day.  I have a few games over 250 by doing that for both the strike and spare balls, including 10 pins.
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Jay

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Re: Does/Can Anyone Do This?
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2010, 09:34:59 PM »
Yeah it''''s pretty amazing.  Honestly I think the only reason not to bowl like this for me is ball speed and torque on the body.  To get decent ball speed I''''d have to rip on it on the downswing and still wouldn''''t have much, that would put some stress on the rest of the body.  I probably threw the ball around 10-13 mph off my hand.

The other thing I forgot to mention was I still made sure I starting walking with my foot starting on a certain board, I just didn''''t do any stopping or thinking really.  

On a side note, I''''ve seen a small number of people that make it look like they''''re just walking normally in their approach and a controlled push away.  The only difference is they have a stance.  One guy in particular(that does this) bowls on the same night I do but a different league and he averages somewhere in the 215-225 range.

EDIT: Strider, I did not know that was one of his drills.  I''''ve been told about that by one of his other students but I don''''t recall it being on his site if it is.  Your body will know when to start the push away?  I kind of agree with that since I naturally started pushing away with my right foot.  But not everyone does that and I don''''t think that''''s necessarily wrong.  I think the fact that your feet are already moving help get you in rhythm, perhaps.  When you do it do you take more of a baby step approachch or do you treat it as if you''re walking down the street?  I was doing the latter.
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Justin
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Edited on 1/6/2010 10:51 PM
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BBU

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Re: Does/Can Anyone Do This?
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2010, 10:17:14 PM »
I usually grab my ball and go on spares unless its a spilt, then Ill take my time to make a good effort to get it. I usually dont take long on the approach with my first shot either...its more relaxing
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Jay

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Re: Does/Can Anyone Do This?
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2010, 11:30:32 PM »
quote:
Some call it the Zone.  If you are a good bowler, this is when the big games happen.  Nobody has been able to put it in a bottle yet.  The concious mind is pretty strong.


I've also heard of it as Zombie Bowling.
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Justin
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67tbird

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Re: Does/Can Anyone Do This?
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2010, 11:31:21 PM »
I'm certainly at my best when I'm not thinking about my footwork, and just walking to the line. I can focus on hand position, good release, etc. and bowl fine, but as soon as I start focusing on footwork I start bowling badly. Seems that with natural, relaxed steps, and a consistent pushaway, everything else falls into place.
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Jay

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Re: Does/Can Anyone Do This?
« Reply #7 on: January 07, 2010, 05:26:00 PM »
tbird, I'm curious, if you think about staying balanced does that throw you off as well?  Always trying to achieve good balance myself, maybe there's something to focusing on another part of my game to get it.
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Justin
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