Bowling Better with
Coach Brian
Give It Up to Gain - Control
By Brian Dodds
The more I watch struggling bowlers, and struggling golfersJ, I realize how many of us are “control oriented”. Somehow many of us feel that we can be better performers if we control everything. While we usually come to a quick realization that we cannot control our environment we often fail to understand that our environment also includes our body and that there are certain attributes we can gain if we resolve to give up some of our physical control. Watch how many amateur golfers and bowlers in your leagues have good mechanics and then at the last moment appear to try to “help” the ball during the release. Yes, I’m back to that free arm-swing thing again in an effort to help you gain accuracy and consistency in your game.
As most of you regular readers know by now, I am big on the mental game. Part of improving and competing successfully is understanding how dynamic your brain is but also understanding the control you can gain by learning to get your head out of your body’s way so that you can perform unconsciously better than when you think and try to “help out”. The great Billy Welu’s words still hold true today; “trust is a must or your game is a bust”. He was, of course, referring to the arm-swing. Trust that gravity is more reliable than you trying to control your arm-swing by muscling the ball.
Want to be more accurate? Free up the arm-swing. Want to be more consistent? Let the ball swing your arm. Want to see a more dynamic ball reaction? Give up control to gravity. Higher scores your goal? Relax your grip and let it happen.
Begin by resolving to start your next approach with a relaxed but athletic attitude. Take your stance and, after setting up, take a least one breath diaphragmatically. (Watch close-ups of Doug Kent the next time he is in the TV finals.) After exhaling, begin your approach by starting the ball forward in line with your intended swing path. With your arm extended no further than about 2/3rds let the ball swing your arm into your back-swing. In others words, let the ball drop into the swing path rather than pulling, or muscling, it back. Your ball-side arm should not straighten until it is perpendicular to the approach and you have compressed your slide foot in the second step of a four-step approach (third step of a five-step approach). Don’t stop there with your non-control, wait, wait, wait until gravity brings the ball forward. Continue to be patient, talk out loud to yourself if it helps, “wait, wait, wait for it”, until the ball reaches your release point near your slide foot ankle. Don’t’ force it now that you have arrived at this great moment; let the ball release from your hand naturally. Watch the ball all the way through the pin deck and let the brain see, feel, learn this new and better way to bowl.
Following this process, and of course maintaining your balance, letting your feet follow your arm-swing pace (which they will if you have a relaxed, non-muscled swing) and keeping proper posture into your finish position, you will discover many wonders of the game you may not have previously experienced. The ball will release more smoothly off your hand, it will get through the heads more consistently, roll better than before and read the mid-lane better. When it reaches the breakpoint you will notice a more consistent and often times much more dynamic flip. When the ball reaches the pocket area you will have a more dynamic reaction as well.
On the pro tour you will find that the non-muscled arm-swing is one physical game aspect everyone is aware of and works on often. Some will return from the foul line shaking their arm trying to get rid of tight muscles they don’t want to affect their next delivery. Watch Patrick Allen’s arm after he releases his ball. He let’s his arm swing loosely a couple of times to feel that non-controlled swing. The famous Dick Ritger camp program also teaches this method because it is that important. For more control…give it up! and let gravity do the work for you. You will be glad you did.
“If you like bowling, pass it on!”
Bowlers Journal 100 Top Coaches, USBC Master Bronze Instructor & USBC Silver Coach
e-mail Coach Brian@:: bdodds@computer-connection.net
Ó December 2006