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How do I increase my bowling ball speed?

Posted: December 27th, 2018, 6:38 pm
by Linknblue
So much conflicting information about this subject. Old school says raise the ball, new school says lower the ball. I've just had a lesson from Jasnau regarding timing but we didn't get into ball speed other than he wasn't in favor or raising the ball. I've tried lowering the ball and moving back and walking faster but it wreaks havoc with consistent timing. Am I on the right track? I'm about 15 down the lane somewhere. I'd like to get that to 17 or 18 mph. I can get that with my spare ball pretty easy.

Re: How do I increase my bowling ball speed?

Posted: December 27th, 2018, 11:26 pm
by kajmk
John, if you submit a video using Jim's guidelines that will she'd light on your situation.

http://wiki.bowlingchat.net/wiki/index. ... e_Coaching" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A bowler's approach can have positives and negatives that yield the final result.
You may have something in your approach that is robbing you of speed and acceleration in your footwork and or affecting your swing.

Re: How do I increase my bowling ball speed?

Posted: December 28th, 2018, 4:17 am
by JMerrell
Linknblue wrote:So much conflicting information about this subject. Old school says raise the ball, new school says lower the ball. I've just had a lesson from Jasnau regarding timing but we didn't get into ball speed other than he wasn't in favor or raising the ball. I've tried lowering the ball and moving back and walking faster but it wreaks havoc with consistent timing. Am I on the right track? I'm about 15 down the lane somewhere. I'd like to get that to 17 or 18 mph. I can get that with my spare ball pretty easy.
Based on your stats, I would consider your ball speed and rev rate closely matched.
You have higher axis tilt and axis rotation which makes your ball speed seem higher.

http://wiki.bowlingchat.net/wiki/index. ... evRate.JPG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Note: ball speed is measured off the hand, typically you can add 2/2.5 mph to the readings on the monitor down lane.

Getting your ball speed up to 17/18 on the monitor as you mentioned would make you very speed dominant.

Question: Why do you want to increase your ball speed?

Re: How do I increase my bowling ball speed?

Posted: December 28th, 2018, 5:49 am
by TonyPR
I agree Jim, that much of an increase in speed without an increase in rpms will probably do more harm than good.

For reference most pros today are at around 16-16.5 mph monitor and 450 rpms plus.

Re: How do I increase my bowling ball speed?

Posted: December 28th, 2018, 5:07 pm
by kajmk
Good example of good sense and judgement.
To change or not to change that is the question ...

Thanks for the lesson.


Congratulations your 55 years of bowling, I guess you like it.
215/200, pretty good at any age.

Re: How do I increase my bowling ball speed?

Posted: January 7th, 2019, 12:27 am
by TheJesus
That's kinda weird. Long ago when they taught to raise the ball, it was harder for me. Once i watched the USBC video showing how and why to lower the ball and move back, it felt kinda easy to pick up for me. (to lower ball speed significantly was a bit harder but still not complicated to me).

For me it makes sense to eliminate the swing from the equation, so all the speed can be given from the legs. But to "eliminate" the swing, you need to change it's timing. That's why it must get lower or higher accordingly.

Re: How do I increase my bowling ball speed?

Posted: January 7th, 2019, 2:30 am
by TonyPR
Yes, I also see ball height more related to timing and cadence. Two ways of creating ball speed come to mind, from swing and from the transfering of energy from the legs (or a combination of both). Two things in common from these two methods is that one, there must be some separation between the time the slide stops and the time the ball arrives near the ankle for release and two, gravity must be involved in the downswing.

When we pull the ball down from the top of the backswing we are not using gravity in our favor, in order to create more speed it is good to wait for gravity to get the ball down from the top of the swing and “help” gravity not overpower it if that makes sense. Once the ball is on the flat spot you can really help transfer that energy forward.

Now, if you use your legs, and personally that is one of the things I have been working at to learn to increase speed in my game as I am an over 40 two hander who only has a few years learning the style, I have found out the importance of using my hips similarly to how a boxer uses them to power a punch or a baseball pitcher to throw a fast pitch. The power step acts like a spring which uncoils transfering that power forward and this can’t be done efficiently by sliding the trail leg to the side and keeping the foot on the approach like the stroker and many ladies do. It is not right or wrong, in fact it looks very beautiful (the sliding of the trail leg to the side) but these bowlers aren’t maximizing energy transfer from the legs.

Finally as said before, ball speed is only one of the factors that help pin carry and a very important one but it needs to be in proportion with rev rate. A good rule of thumb I use when coaching youth is when they reach rolling a 12 lbs ball, I don’t like getting them up to 13-14 lbs until they can consistently roll it at 14 mph with a good release. Once they can do that the same applies to 13 lbs and 14 lbs. A good release is best learned with a lighter ball. Now from 14 lbs to 15 lbs they must have a good release and be able to roll the 14lbs consistently at 15 mph. All these mphs are monitor speed. To me a 15 lbs ball should be rolled at least at 15 mph, otherwise I believe 14 lbs may be better.

Now as for a speed dominant players it is a matter if teaching them to bowl very relaxed, I tell them to try to bowl as if they just got out of bed, relaxed and slow. We have a 13 yr old kid that can roll a 15 lbs ball at 18.5 mph monitor with around 500 rpms one handed. This is great on the shorter patterns but for playing the longer ones the “roll it like you just got out of bed” mantra produces a very consistent 16.5 mph monitor speed that helps his ball read and do it’s work.

Finally to conclude, it’s about matching up rev rate and ball speed, dialing the correct ball weight for the bowler, and teaching the bowler to be consistent at various speeds.