Author Topic: ankle weights??? (Read 1971 times)

vilecanards · « **on:** December 08, 2010, 04:56:11 PM »

You know, the kind you had to wear at basketball practice? Would they be an effective training/bowling aid for someone with a tendency to RUN to the foul line. Yes, that someone is me, and it really sucks, because if I'm bowling good I tend to speed up going to the line, which throws off any timing I MIGHT have had! I have tried counting my steps (but I forget to do it EVERY time), I move up on the approach (but that REALLY slows my ball speed down, which doesn't work for me), and I even have my teammates periodically (often) tell me to SLOW DOWN!!! Anybody have any good suggestions for fast feet??? Thanks, and my teammates will also thank you....
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Life is not a matter of holding a good hand, but of playing a bad hand well. (R. L. Stevenson)

dizzyfugu · « **Reply #1 on:** December 09, 2010, 01:06:10 AM »

IMHO: NO. Stance is a mental thing, adding weights to your feet will IMO keeping balance difficult. You need to take the hurry out of your game.

A tip: put a sticker on your sliding foot's shoe tip with "SLOW DOWN" on it. It really helps

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MrPerfect · « **Reply #2 on:** December 09, 2010, 08:22:56 AM »

I've coached a lot of bowlers with this problem, and the best way I've found to slow down bowlers is to break down their footwork and make them start over working from the foul line back.

We would start with the no step drill at the foul line, then do a 1 step swing, 2 step swing, 3 step swing, and then move back to a 4 or 5 step swing. Don't allow yourself to move to the next step unless it's the speed you are looking for. If you feel yourself rushing again move back a step in the process.

hammermark · « **Reply #3 on:** December 09, 2010, 08:54:05 AM »

MrPerfect has a good tip there and the only other thing I could maybe add to that is to bend your knees a bit more almost to a point of an exaggerated knee bend. Now this is going to take a bit of getting used to so I would suggest doing it in practice but its very hard to rush or even scurry to the line if you are in a deeper knee bend. This is going to create balance issues for you as well if you rush so it will solve the running problem. Your issue is a mental key and you almost will have to program yourself not to rush the foul line. We all get adrenaline going and tend to speed up especially if things are going well and its a psychological issue more than anything. If the knee bending helps and you can bowl that way that should be fine but moreso the knee bend hopefully will re-program your thought process not to run because in a knee bend you cannot do it. Good luck with your issue.

HM

Fluxuateher · « **Reply #4 on:** December 09, 2010, 09:08:47 AM »

The great Marty Pirano from Syracuse NY, senior bowler now, life time PBA star, 5 time PBA champ from days gone by, used ankle weights forever, even after he was older and one might think that he would not need them any longer. His reason for using them, to slow down his feet during his approach. Marty had a tendency to be quick to the foul line. So if it worked for Marty then I think you can feel good about using them as well...

vkowalski1970 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 09, 2010, 09:38:51 AM »

I have the same issue, when i take my time I bowl great, when i hurry my timing is all over. I struggled fall summer, averaged 20 pins lower than I had in the last 20 yrs. Couldnt figure it out, i was all over with my release. Then a friend of mine just sat and watched me bowl and didnt say anything until I bowled two games.
His observation was that my feet were super quick and I never started in the same postion vertically on the lane. He told me the further back i started the faster my feet were and also suggested I get a pre shot routine. I now pick up my ball and carry it to my start point, look at my mark and then put my fingers in the ball. I also make a specific effort to make sure I start in the same spot vertically on the lane. Since I have been doing this I have not shot under 600, 12 weeks and 24 bowling nights. I feel like I am in time again and confident with my shot. All of this preshot routine has slowed down my entire approach to bowling, both physically and mentally. I use to be very deliberate when i bowled and as I got older I got faster, doesnt make sense but thats what I did.
I never realized how important my foot speed was to my timing, although it is common sense, it was something I forgot about!

MrPerfect · « **Reply #6 on:** December 09, 2010, 10:18:31 AM »

quote:
MrPerfect has a good tip there and the only other thing I could maybe add to that is to bend your knees a bit more almost to a point of an exaggerated knee bend. Now this is going to take a bit of getting used to so I would suggest doing it in practice but its very hard to rush or even scurry to the line if you are in a deeper knee bend. This is going to create balance issues for you as well if you rush so it will solve the running problem. Your issue is a mental key and you almost will have to program yourself not to rush the foul line. We all get adrenaline going and tend to speed up especially if things are going well and its a psychological issue more than anything. If the knee bending helps and you can bowl that way that should be fine but moreso the knee bend hopefully will re-program your thought process not to run because in a knee bend you cannot do it. Good luck with your issue.

HM

Great catch, in my haste to provide him a quick answer I forgot about the knee bend. Usually, we tell the bowler that it's like sitting on a bar stool.

Author Topic: ankle weights??? (Read 1971 times)

vilecanards

ankle weights???

dizzyfugu

Re: ankle weights???

MrPerfect

Re: ankle weights???

hammermark

Re: ankle weights???

Fluxuateher

Re: ankle weights???

vkowalski1970

Re: ankle weights???

MrPerfect

Re: ankle weights???