In any sport, a desire exists in most to maintain their capabilities at a certain level or at least improve on past performances. Practice is a primary means of allowing this to take place. However, just because you practice a trait, no matter what it is, it does not mean improvement or sustainability will occur.
There is such a thing as quality practice time. I am not indicating that there is a right or wrong way to practice (unless it causes injury or pain), but there are certain ways that can bring more positive results.
Regardless of how you go about acquiring more information on improving your abilities (i.e., taking lessons or reading), if you do not practice before going to the playing field, your performance stands to suffer.
Of the many definitions on "practice" in Webster’s Dictionary, the one I like best is: to perform or exercise repeatedly in order to acquire or perfect a skill. The acquiring part could consist of bringing a new dimension or area into your physical or mental game. Following that, you try to perfect that area, providing it does not hinder your game.
However, if it does not feel right to your body or if you start to struggle in competition, reexamining the new area you are trying or discontinuing would be better.
In simpler terms, practice is a means of improving on present abilities as well as trying new things. I would rarely suggest that you try a new concept while in competition unless I know it really would make a difference. The best place to experiment is in the laboratory, which in bowling is the practice setting.
What can you work on while practicing?
Some of these areas consist of footwork, armswing, release, and follow through, just to name a few. By working on these and other areas, you improve your chances of having them occur automatically in competition. You get the concepts embedded into your system so that when it comes time to perform, there is no need to think about them.
In the areas listed above, here are some ideas to try:
If you are not sure what you need, try asking or looking for help. This can either be instruction, tips from a friend, something you read in a bowling publication, or a video.
FOOTWORK
This is the foundation of your game because it is what you utilize to stand and move to the foul line, so let’s start with it. Varying the speed of your footwork can be done by either moving up or back on the approach or varying the amount of knee bend.
If you move back, it could be because you feel cramped at the foul line in your slide and cannot extend into the shot.
Alternatively, if you move up, it could be because you are overextending or the pace of your footwork is too fast for your body’s natural movement or rhythm.
More knee bend will cause you to slow down without having to move up on the approach, while less knee bend will increase the pace of your steps. Try to walk fast with your knees bent and see how difficult it is versus with no knee bend.
ARMSWING
Since this aspect controls where the ball is going and it also is important to have your armswing in time with your footwork, this is second area to look at. Changing the starting height of your swing can allow you to have more ball speed if your footwork is not up-tempo or if you cannot generate faster footwork. Holding the ball lower is recommended if your footwork is quicker. Try different heights to see which is best for you.
I recommend starting the ball on either your first step (4-step approach) or in the second step (5-step approach) and see how it feels. Although this is not an absolute way to do this, it can be a starting point.
Another aspect to try is getting your swing to have a arcing motion so that the ball is swinging your arm rather than pulling the ball down, then back and upwards, and then back down and through the shot. This is called a free swing or an effortless motion. Regardless of which term you like, it should feel like little or no muscle is being used to get the ball from start to finish.
Finally, when you push the ball, it should be in the direction of your target on the lane since that is where you want the ball to go. If you do not use a target on the lane, pick a general area that you want the ball to travel through as a target.
RELEASE AND FOLLOW-THROUGH
The reason I put these two areas together is because they occur so close to one another that it seems easy just to make them one part for this discussion.
The most effective release is one that occurs at the bottom of the swing next to the slide leg. When you hear the term "hitting up on the ball" or "dropping the ball," it means that the release is not occurring next to the slide leg.
There is a small flat spot at the bottom of every swing, just before the hand and arm start to move upward, where the release should take place. This will allow you to propel the ball onto the lane rather than dropping it behind you, which slows momentum or releasing on the way up which makes the ball go up and then down into the lane.
The follow-through can finish a proper release by having it move towards the mark in the direction of the pins rather than upward towards the ceiling. This allows you to fully extend your arm through the shot to get the ball down the lane farther versus upwards, which can cut the shot a little short.
LEARNING DIFFERENT ANGLES
If you bowl in a variety of centers or in tournaments, it is always important to know how to play different angles. Although you may be comfortable in your home center, other centers can have a different shot that does not conform to your primary style. By knowing how to play several angles (up the boards, down and in, swinging the ball out) you improve your chances of scoring and staying competitive regardless of where you compete.
If a standard practice session for you consists of 4-5 games, try one game playing the lanes straight, then another game moving a little inside and going in a slightly outward direction, then another game moving even further inside and playing outwards. In each of these scenarios, you can either leave your target on the lanes in the same spot or move it inside.
By trying this routine, you teach your body—and more importantly, your mind—how much you can swing the ball outwardly and thus you will get an idea of what your limitations consist.
Practice sessions also can be broken down into segments or parts. For example, one session can consist of nothing but armswing, while another can focus on footwork. What this means is that you should try to get a handle on a given area of your game rather than working on all of them at one time.
Alternatively, if there is one part of your game that does not feel comfortable, then by all means work on that. If you are taking lessons, practice is the best place to work on things you have learned or are trying to implement into your game.
I do not advocate trying to put a new concept into your game and then go right out and try it in competition. Although it might feel right during the lesson, it takes more time to get the concept embedded into your body’s system.
Learning your equipment is best done in practice. After buying a new ball or getting one re-drilled, practice is the best place to see how it works. Sometimes it is not quite right or it hooks more or less than you thought it would.
You also can best determine which ball hooks the most to the least so that when competition occurs, you can better understand what ball to start with or which one to try next as the lanes start to change. The best place to learn this important information is through practice.
Shooting for scores in practice is not something I recommend. I know it is nice to strike, but the scores do not count, even though the scores may have a psychological meaning with regard to feeling good after throwing a lot of strikes or not so good should you not hit the pocket because your game is off. When I practice, unless I am working on spare shooting, I always reset the pins to try another shot at a full rack.
In conclusion, practice is the place to gain knowledge about your game and how it works. Practicing enough of the right things can lead to more satisfying efforts in competition. Although you may not always score well, if you felt good throwing the ball, there is little more you can ask of yourself except knowing how to line up to carry strikes.
Once again, practice to me is best defined with the following: to perform or exercise repeatedly in order to acquire or perfect a skill. There are few who wish to stop improving or getting better in their abilities. Qualitative and productive practice sessions (trying new things but not risking injury) can bring more positive results and longer-term benefits than just going out and playing the line you already know how to play. Practice is a must if you want to stay competitive because those who normally do well in most centers are the ones who practice and become more diverse with a wider variety of capabilities.
This article deals with a few of the more important areas that you can work on in practice. By all means, do not try and overdo it or hurt yourself; stay within your physical limitations and focus on the areas you think need the most attention.
Until next time, take bowling one shot at a time, make the best shot you can each time, and keep thinking.
Lewis Twine Jr., NCABA’s 1992 scratch all events champion and a USA Bowling Silver Level and Dick Ritger Level 2 certified instructor, offers individual instruction sessions at AMF Waldorf.