Jeff, lower the ball - yes.  Slower step - I'm not so sure.  When I do that it just buggers up my timing, doesn't really slow me down.  To slow down I start with the ball lower, move forward on the approach to shorten my steps, and (maybe) will  go to a fifth step instead of four.  I think shorter steps work better for me than slower steps.  Could just be me though.
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"Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,"
I'm Ragnar Floggurass, and I approve this message

That I understood.  All I'm saying is that when I mess with the speed of any of my steps my timing goes to poop.  For you, it could work and I could be the oddball here (how very odd that would be, don't you think?)

Give shortening things up a bit a try and see how it feels.  At times I've been as close as 4 feet to the foul line, forcing my behemoth frame into four tiny little steps. (who might that remind you of?)
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"Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,"
I'm Ragnar Floggurass, and I approve this message

Hey Jeff,

Typically speaking, slowing down the footwork should help you slow down your approach which in turn helps slow the ball speed down also.  Lowering the ball to decrease ball speed only works if the bowler has a pretty good pendulum and doesn't muscle.  If he/she muscles the ball in the swing, the backswing height can return to normal regardless of where they start the ball.  

My recommended way to slow down naturally without messing around with your timing is to move up on the approach so your steps decrease in proportionate increments.  This is what we discussed a while back on the "deliberate" motion concept.  Give me a holler if you want to discuss further bud.

Rick

Jeff - My concern about lowering the ball would be the ball getting to the line too soon.
If yuo armswing is a good free swiong then stareting it in a lower position will decrease the height of your backswing. Which means a decrease in the length of the swing.
The ball will get through your swing faster making your feet seem faster.
If you also slow your feet down you exacerbate this ball too early problem.

Lower your ball, but just let your feet go. You can have a short free swing and still move your feet at a good rate and not throw the ball harder.
Just look at old shots of Holman's. Really relatively short armswing with faster feet and that incredibly long slide.

Actually if you can get your slide longer without throwing yourself off it will automatically make your timing better.
The entire time you are in your slide you should be in position to execute a good shot. A longer slide equals a larger window for your swing to catch up to your feet if you move your feet too fast.

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I'll stone no head pins before their time.
Sr. K will. He gets tapped like that all the time.