Admire Your Bowling Shot

I always emphasize to students to "admire your shot."

That is, they have to be able to hold their final position at the foul line for at least three seconds after they deliver their ball on the lane - or, until the ball hits the pins.

From this position, they will follow through completely, be able to look down at their sliding foot and see that they walked straight, and watch their ball roll over its mark.

This is one of the main keys to improving their bowling game and adding pins to their averages.

This position has been referred to as, "posting the shot," "posting your position," and "trophy bowling."

Whatever it may be called, they all point to being able to finish your bowling approach in a solid and balanced posture at the foul line.

Regardless of whether your shot is a pretty one. or a pretty ugly one, by "admiring your shot," you will be able to definitively tell your teammates what kind of a ball you threw.

You will then be able to identify mistakes you might be making in your approach..

These points add up to improving a bowler's balance, getting more leverage, targeting accuracy, and maintaining consistency.

This article's "Choc-List," then coordinates to the "color" B-L-A-C:

1) Balance. If you can't keep your ending position for as long as it takes to admire your shot, you can't be releasing the ball as close to the same away every time. When you fall of your shot at the point of release, you can't be releasing the ball to your target because your armswing may be inside or outside most of the time instead of in a free pendulum.

2) Leverage. Very simply, leverage occurs at the exact point of release and this is where you put power into the ball. Being ahead, or behind, your release point will affect how strongly your ball will be at the pins. If you are ahead, your ball will seem to hook quicker while being behind makes the ball appear to be sliding. Without proper leverage, your ball reaction on the lane will be lacking "something," and your ball will appear weak hitting the pins.

3) Accuracy. Where are your eyes looking if they're not admiring your shot? A large percentage of bowlers don't know. There have been countless number of times when I challenge my students to tell me what mark they see their ball roll over and the only time they can honestly tell me is when they have truly admired their shot. At the times where they did not, they "thought" it rolled over their mark, yet they missed what pins they were aiming for.

4) Consistency. Once you get into the habit of admiring your shot, you start to become aware of your body's position. Not only at the foul line, but as you go through your entire approach. Because your senses are attuned to holding your position at the foul line, you "just know" where every aspect of your approach should be. By this awareness, your consistency begins to get sharper and sharper and your average improves.

For this suggestion, having BLAC AYS is a good thing. Try them. Practice them.

You will find your average improving as you see your BLAC get better and better.

The "AYS" have it.