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Author Topic: The Art of Adjustments  (Read 5688 times)

n00dlejester

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The Art of Adjustments
« on: May 13, 2015, 11:13:11 AM »
Aloha Fellow BR Members,

Today, I write to you asking about adjusting your target(s) on the lanes. I struggle with adjustments, and would love to hear everyone's opinions on a few things: El Paso then general adjustment questions.

I went to El Paso last week, and experienced two completely different transitions on the team and doubles/singles patterns.  For teams, my adjustment on the lanes was keeping the same breakpoint (the 9/10 area) and just scooting my feet left/further in as the lanes started reading earlier.  During teams, I also downshelled from an IQ Tour Nano at 2k to a Totally Defiant at 1k with some shine).  My breakpoint never really moved, but how I got there did. 

For doubles/singles, my adjustment on the lanes was to moving my breakpoint as I moved further in with my feet (breakpoint starting around 11, and finishing around 15).  During doubles/singles, I used my IQ Tour Nano at 2k. All my other gear was either reading too soon or had trouble reading the breakpoint...I'll be honest, I had trouble reading what the others balls were doing. 

I do have video from El paso, and I'm going to try ripping some clips onto YouTube so we can have video evidence of the above.

Questions about El Paso:
  • In your best guess, what caused the difference in adjustments on fairly similar patterns?
  • As mentioned earlier, during the doubles/singles event I struggled understanding the difference between a ball that read early and poops out in the back and a ball that didn't read at all and had no backend.  What cues do you guys look for to better understand this?

And general questions about adjustments:
  • When do you guys use parallel adjustments (say move 2 with your feet and 2 with your eyes)?  When do you use staggered adjustments (say 2 or 3 with your feet and 1 with your eyes)?
  • When do you find it best to use a larger staggered adjustment (say 7&3 vs 3&1)?
  • When do you find it best to use parallel moves vs. staggered moves?

I'm sure I left out some information, so if you need any more added to this question, just let me know.

Thank you in advance for the help. I hope this turns into a very fruitful discussion - looking forward to it :-)
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SVstar34

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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2015, 11:35:23 AM »
As just general stuff on adjustments... there is no perfect science to it. There are so many different factors that even if you have a general idea of what the adjustment should be, it could still end up being completely different.

You really just have to pay attention to some of the different factors that affect lane play. The pattern itself will give a general idea but the other bowlers and equipment being used can change what the pattern says

txbowler

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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2015, 11:49:34 AM »
What works for me may not work for you. 

A buddy of mine adjusts his eyes to further downlane to get him to attempt to delay his breakpoint (he ends up altering his release and rolling it more end over end to get further down the lane but moving his eyes tells his body to make that adjustment).

If I want to delay the reaction of the ball, I will tuck the pinky.  If I want to get the ball to roll earlier, I will untuck the pinky.

I will rotate the thumb in my starting hand position to various clock positions to change the roll on the ball.

If none of that works, then I start making lane adjustments.  If the heads and midlane are reading too soon, I can ball down and stay in the same line, or move in a catch more oil.

If the ball is blowing past the breakpoint, I can not move my feet and just try to kick the ball out a board or 2 and see if there's enough dry to recover.  On a flat pattern like El Paso, I know there is no dry to catch, so everything will move left (left-handed) 2-3 on the approach and keep the same breakpoint and see what reaction I get.  Then based on what I see, I can again play with release or move more.

Most bowlers at this level of competition I would say have complex games with numerous complex pieces that they can adjust.  It's not just, "oh it went through the nose, I will move 3 & 2"

n00dlejester

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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2015, 12:44:36 PM »
As just general stuff on adjustments... there is no perfect science to it. There are so many different factors that even if you have a general idea of what the adjustment should be, it could still end up being completely different.

You really just have to pay attention to some of the different factors that affect lane play. The pattern itself will give a general idea but the other bowlers and equipment being used can change what the pattern says

Thanks for your insight, SVstar.
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n00dlejester

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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2015, 12:53:47 PM »
What works for me may not work for you. 

A buddy of mine adjusts his eyes to further downlane to get him to attempt to delay his breakpoint (he ends up altering his release and rolling it more end over end to get further down the lane but moving his eyes tells his body to make that adjustment).

If I want to delay the reaction of the ball, I will tuck the pinky.  If I want to get the ball to roll earlier, I will untuck the pinky.

I will rotate the thumb in my starting hand position to various clock positions to change the roll on the ball.

If none of that works, then I start making lane adjustments.  If the heads and midlane are reading too soon, I can ball down and stay in the same line, or move in a catch more oil.

If the ball is blowing past the breakpoint, I can not move my feet and just try to kick the ball out a board or 2 and see if there's enough dry to recover.  On a flat pattern like El Paso, I know there is no dry to catch, so everything will move left (left-handed) 2-3 on the approach and keep the same breakpoint and see what reaction I get.  Then based on what I see, I can again play with release or move more.

Most bowlers at this level of competition I would say have complex games with numerous complex pieces that they can adjust.  It's not just, "oh it went through the nose, I will move 3 & 2"

You bring up a lot of new ideas to me, txbowler. Thank you for this.  I plan on discussing adjustments with my coach, and these release adjustments (looking further down lane; changing roll and thus axis tilt/rotation; and pinky tucked/untucked) are something I know of but rarely utilize.  I look forward to experimenting with these and seeing how well they work with my game.
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hammajangs

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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2015, 02:06:40 PM »
Do a lot of you guys adjust by moving front and back rather that left to right? 

trash heap

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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2015, 02:13:42 PM »
Do a lot of you guys adjust by moving front and back rather that left to right? 

There are some that believe moving forward/back works, and others who think it does nothing at all.

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Brickguy221

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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2015, 04:11:24 PM »
Do a lot of you guys adjust by moving front and back rather that left to right? 

There are some that believe moving forward/back works, and others who think it does nothing at all.




I am one of those that it "does nothing for me when moving forward and back".

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milorafferty

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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2015, 04:15:39 PM »
Do a lot of you guys adjust by moving front and back rather that left to right? 

I'm not a believer in moving my feet up and back on the approach, although I do find that moving my focal point(target) closer or farther away can make a real difference in carry.
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avabob

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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #9 on: May 14, 2015, 11:00:05 AM »
Theories about moving up or back on the approach to help carry have been around for 4 years.  I never have used that technique.  I do find targeting longer or shorter can have an impact on my carry and is a very valuable adjustment.  Typically I like to target shorter when I am playing more direct outside, and target further down the lane toward my break point when I move in.  However there are times when I do just the opposite if necessary

Jorge300

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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #10 on: May 14, 2015, 11:53:00 AM »
Theories about moving up or back on the approach to help carry have been around for 4 years.  I never have used that technique.  I do find targeting longer or shorter can have an impact on my carry and is a very valuable adjustment.  Typically I like to target shorter when I am playing more direct outside, and target further down the lane toward my break point when I move in.  However there are times when I do just the opposite if necessary

They have been around much longer than 4 years. I used to believe that moving back on the approach would help stop leaving 10 pins when I was a youth bowler (back in the 80's). I no longer subscribe to that theory though, but there are many that do. I know make other adjustments rather than move forward or back. The theory behind it is that your body will subconsciously try to end at the same spot you always do and that moving forward or backward will mess up your timing as your steps get larger or smaller to make up for the move. Truth or fantasy, who knows.
Jorge300

xrayjay

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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #11 on: May 14, 2015, 12:54:39 PM »
Moving back and forward works for some bowlers and swear by it. Placebo or not, it works kicking out the 10 pin for them.  And for others, it does nothing benificial to carry. One thing that is true though, and most of us know this, it changes the timing or the footwork and swing length.

I have to admit, when I bowled sport patterns, moving forward and back helped me....
« Last Edit: May 14, 2015, 12:57:23 PM by xrayjay »
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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #12 on: May 14, 2015, 03:37:09 PM »
Lateral moves for me only these days. 

I've learned through my own experience that moving back/up is more of a placebo effect. 
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avabob

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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #13 on: May 14, 2015, 06:11:47 PM »
Typo.  Meant to say 40 not 4 years.  nonetheless, never had any impact on my carry.  Whatever it is meant to do, I think there are hand position changes, targeting changes, or parallel moves that are just as effective. 

One thing that has really changed since the introduction of resin balls is the type of 10 pin left.  In the old days the weak 10 was usually the result of a ball not picking up rotation on the back end due to long oil.  When that happened we tried to move right and gain better entry angle.  Today it is more common due to the ball losing rotation even though it may have strong entry angle.  Many times a parallel move left will remedy a weak 10.  Conservation of rotational energy is more  important in minimizing deflection than is greater entry angle.

Bottom line we have gone from an era where friction was at a premium to one where there is too much friction much of the time.       
« Last Edit: May 14, 2015, 06:21:04 PM by avabob »

n00dlejester

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Re: The Art of Adjustments
« Reply #14 on: May 18, 2015, 11:17:21 AM »
That was a great discussion about front-to-back adjustments.  Thank you all for chiming in.

Personally, moving my feet on the approach does little for me.  Moving my eyes closer to me or further down lane does help change my reaction shape a bit. 

I know this is probably unique for everyone's game, so generally speaking when would a bowler use parallel moves?  It's a new idea to me, and I'd like to learn more abpout this idea.
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