One of the more surprising aspects I learn from my students is they are not aware that the use of your legs can supply more power and largely affect ball speed. The best bowlers in the world use their legs for just these reasons, which is a key reason why success has followed them throughout their careers.

A person's legs do so much for them. When healthy, they provide far more power than the arms. When you lift or set something down, the use of your legs takes the strain off your back and arms, also allowing your back to arch for balance while using the ground beneath your feet as leverage.

If you compare trying to catch a heavy object with your legs straight and then crouched (bent at the knees), it will almost always be easier to handle with your knees bent. The bending of your knees begins the process where the muscles in your thighs and calves start to work, thus providing the power.

The other part of this is the use of your legs for speed control. You can move much faster when walking with straight legs than with the knees bent.

The misperception I have witnessed and heard from bowlers is that when they need more or less ball speed, they either adjust the beginning height of the armswing or move forward/back on the approach. These can work, but if you want to stay in a routine, a more practical solution is to straighten your legs or bend your knees more, depending on what you require.

If you need to get the ball down earlier, thus emphasizing more roll, bending of the knees can aid you in doing that. Conversely, if more ball speed and length is required, then less knee bend can help in allowing you to get the ball out on the lane farther, thus emphasizing greater length.

These two adjustments do not mean you need to move up or back on the approach. However, some individuals feel more comfortable doing so, but that also could be misleading in terms of ball reaction should your slide end up closer or farther from the foul line.

An example of that would be if you normally end up 2-3 inches from the foul line, and the point where you consistently lay the ball down on the lane is two feet past the foul line. Moving back can alter that in such a manner where you are now 4-5 inches from the foul line; however, the point where you lay the ball down, despite more leg speed, is still two feet past the foul line. Thus, little if any additional length has been created.

That inch or two can be the difference between hanging a 4-pin and a flush strike. It is that close.

Think of the bending of your knees for power similar to lifting weights in a gym. If you want to pick up a bar with weights, this can be accomplished easier by bending your knees first and getting more power from your legs.

This same concept applies to lift on a bowling ball at the foul line (provided your knees can handle the strain). The straightening of your legs (less knee bend) can give the additional ball speed you need, while causing less lift, which will in turn provide the additional length down the lane.

Keep in mind that all of this can be accomplished with little or no variation in the height of your starting swing position or top of the backswing. The armswing (which I will cover next time) should be viewed solely as a mechanism to get the ball to the intended target.

This concept of using your legs for bowling is no different than it is for other sports such as basketball and baseball.

In basketball, jump shots are done by your legs, which launch you off the floor while the arm and hand provide accuracy and touch. The height you spring is largely determined by the distance you are from the basket.

Baseball pitchers push off the rubber, located at the top of the mound, to produce velocity while the arm is the mechanism to get the ball to the target.

I cannot emphasize enough the use of your legs for power and speed. It is best to work on this area of your game during practice so that you will learn how much this affects your ball reaction. I do not advocate trying this for the first time during league or tournament play, as you may either cause a foul or get a ball reaction that is not familiar.

Until next time, take bowling one shot at a time, make the best shot you can each time, and keep thinking.