Author Topic: Lining Up (Read 680 times)

seadrive · « **on:** May 29, 2004, 12:24:09 AM »

I bowled my first week of a summer league last week, in a new house, with a tougher shot than what I'm used to (yay!). I didn't score very well, but I had a good time trying out different lines and releases to find the best path to the pocket, and the best way to carry the 10.

On the drive home, I was reviewing some of the lines I had been playing, and suddenly realized that, on the down-and-in shots, my starting spot on the lanes didn't make sense, given where I was aiming at the arrows.

For example, I was standing 16, looking 9. Now, if I walked straight to the line, that would be okay, but I drift 4 boards to the left, so if I start on 16, I slide on 20. There's no way that I am going to slide 20 and hit 9, without either turning my body to the right, or pulling the ball behind my back and swinging my arm away from my body. Even if I hit 9, the ball would be moving at an angle, not going straight up the boards.

Well, I kept missing my mark to the left, hitting closer to 11 than 9... DUH!!!

I have a very strong right-eye dominance. If I stand in the middle of the lane, the middle arrow looks like it is way left of the middle of the lane. So, if I line up my right shoulder with my target at the arrows, I am always going to be too far left. I have to be careful to use the old Ritger calculation to figure out where to stand, based on where I want to throw the ball.

Do you know where to stand to hit a target? If you are right-eye dominant, and you usually miss left of your target, maybe you're not properly lined up.
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seadrive
Cogito ergo bowl

jimensminger · « **Reply #1 on:** May 29, 2004, 03:40:52 PM »

try this in practice,..line up to play straight down 10. after you release the ball hold your position at the foul line and point your right index finger, with your arm hanging loose straight down at the floor...you should be pointing at the ten board...if not adjust your starting position accordingly.
From that loose arm position swing your arm back and forth toward your target,..this is your swing plane. Drift is irrelavant, if your starting position gets your swing plane on line. This will work from any line you want to play, you can play deep by facing you swing plane projection path,..or you can do the same thing playing outside, going up the boards. Swing plane to projection path is the key. I drift seven boards right, and have a typical inside-out release,..but by knowing where I'll end up at the foul line I can line up to always release the ball on my intended path.
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www.dynothane.com

seadrive · « **Reply #2 on:** May 30, 2004, 10:31:46 AM »

Hi Jim, thanks for chiming in.

I think what you're describing (aligning your swing plane to the projection path) is basically what I'm talking about. Starting on 16, with a 4-board drift left, going straight up the boards, my swing plane winds up around 12, not 9. I needed to start further right, around 13.

It's funny how, no matter how long we've been at the game, we sometimes get sloppy, and fall back into bad habits.

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seadrive
Cogito ergo bowl

jimensminger · « **Reply #3 on:** May 30, 2004, 11:37:07 AM »

Once you understand what your projection path is, and lock that in as a visual, and learn to align your swing plan, it becomes a piece of cake hitting your target. To me, once I get my shoulders at a right angle to the projection path, then playing any angle becomes much easier. Knowing your drift, and swing plane direction is just a matter of a few practice games to see that you are repeating the same approach sequence. Then once you figure out your starting position,..calculate in your drift, and align your body to your swing plane to hit your projection path, this game becomes simple....does all that make sense..?
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www.dynothane.com

Author Topic: Lining Up (Read 680 times)

seadrive

Lining Up

jimensminger

Re: Lining Up

seadrive

Re: Lining Up

jimensminger

Re: Lining Up