Consistency

[Odie8654]

Coaches;

I apologize there aren't any side views, I can't seem to get any one place at a time when I'm able to get someone to help, or a lane area that will give me a chance to shoot a side view. (Guess that's good for the bowling alleys business, but hard to get videos). So just from this limited view, my issue is consistency, why can't I repeat shots? I see these people do the same thing over and over, why can't I? Pro's as well as coaches tell me, my approach is pretty darn solid. What's the secret. Please don't say practice because the alley is ready to give me a room to live in. It's only four steps for heavens sakes! I can get "style points" for doing a nice motion, I release and follow thru, I hit my mark most of the time, (I can get a tug in there as good as the next guy), eyes are locked on Mark. What am I missing that keeps me from being consistent? Why can't I repeat shots? Now, this past year I underwent, 5th back surgery to add more rods and screws on to the existing, then 3.5 months later had to have entire BACK of my NECK done in hardware as well as partial on the front of neck. Just started back bowling in September, and had to go from 5 to 4 step. But the consistency thing was there before surgeries too. No one seems to be able to help me....can you? I want to be good! I was 193 ave. (not that that's great, but considering, it is for me), now I can't get past 188, and I want to be better!!!!

Hope these links work,Mathis is how I was told to do them.
From behind view:
[youtube][/youtube]

Another behind view:
[youtube][/youtube]
Edited youtube tag

[kajmk]

I'll start the ball rolling by giving you some things to think about.
I went directly to Youtube to view your videos November 2014 and December 29 2014.
Dating them is a good idea. I noticed a first name change from one to the other.
Which do you prefer?

You also mention back surgery.
Do you have any constraints insofar as spinal tilt, ball weight?
I'm asking about spinal tilt, because the optimum lateral spinal tilt I'm told is 20 degrees, more later.

Why the knee brace, what happened, is it bowling related, is it permanent, is it precautionary?

A caveat here, I'm not in Jim's league, you probably know that, and as you can see, 99% of the analysis has been done by Jim. You can learn a lot by studying his analysis and by using the wiki.
Jim will be concise and perhaps provide some pictorial analysis that will be more helpful.
I don't have any software to do justice to a pictorial rendering.

If you have not read the wiki article on preparing videos, I'm including the link here.
http://wiki.bowlingchat.net/wiki/index. ... e_Coaching" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Your older video has a better camera angle insofar as being behind the bowling shoulder.
The lighting however was dimmer and coupled with the dark clothing, makes seeing the hand and ball a bit tougher for these older eyes.

I'm not going to mention every nuance (as I see it), there are other things, but fixing the footwork is in my opinion a primary objective.

A major factor in consistency is foot work.
I'm going to primarily focus and dwell on the footwork here.
Bowlers have the challenge of the ball passing by their bowling side leg twice.
Your December footwork improved over Novembers


An ideal swing looks more like || than |) .
Another way to think about the relationship is simply like the two rails of a railroad track.
Your swing slot looks more like the second example for a few reasons.
The ball has to go around your right leg, your hand is on the outside of the ball, which places more of the ball closer to your leg.

Norm Duke mentions that the ball in the swing takes the place of the right leg in the stance, hence he talks about placing it in the swing in that plane.
Bill Hall has a "drill" wherein the right handed bowler leans the ball on that right thigh and the right leg initiates the ball into the swing and in that plane. It's actually a drill for people who have trouble synchronizing the ball placement with the first movement of the throwing side leg.
Hall was a mentor of Duke, Fantini of Hall.

Here is a footwork pattern that is recommended.
This footwork pattern will help your swing in terms of direction, leverage, and accuracy.
This pattern, coupled with lateral spine tilt, hand position behind or inside the ball, helps keep the ball in line with the head and shoulder and hence the EYES too (eyes over ball leads to accuracy, just like shooting a rifle or in archery)

Look at the videos here, especially Holman and the front views. His eyes were always over the ball.
http://wiki.bowlingchat.net/wiki/index. ... sion_Tapes" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I bowled with a guy with a similar stance and approach for quite a few years. He did not have Holman's power, but he was extremely accurate and almost never missed a common spare.
We all can't have elite power, but we can become very good spare shooters assuming no physical constraints.

I see "200" average bowlers missing too many single pin spares, those spares are the difference between a 220 and that 200. Technology and lane conditions make the strikes come a bit to easy at times. Technology actually keeps some bowlers from being as good as they can be, because they accept a plateau and do not look to improve. I see it every time I go to a center and watch league play.


This is a cut and paste from a five step approach, hence the separation.
I copied the original from one of Jim's posts

Four Step cut and paste.JPG

This is the Five step from which it was adapted.

Feeties.PNG

Here's a 5 step with shoes

Cross over steps - shoes.JPG

The pace of your steps does not accelerate this deprives you of momentum.

Here are two videos with some interesting and appropriate commentary by Ron Hoppe.
There is a lot of good information by Coach Ron Hoppe there.
Also note what he says about ball position in the stance.
A person standing behind you on your bowling side, should not be able to see the ball.
Mark Baker uses the seam on the sleeve as the place to center the ball, basically between the chin and shoulder.

[youtube][/youtube]
[youtube][/youtube]

I'm including an excerpt on footwork this is from a post by Jim Merrell

Source:
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6167&hilit=cadence" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Focus on the cadence of your footwork.

Four step cadence: slow, quick, quick, slide.
Five step cadence: slow, slow, quick, quick, slide

The term quick needs to be accompanied by short. Quick and long don't work.

Well, that's something for you to consider. I hope it helps and does not lead you astray.

You did mention practice.
A 188 average bowler is probably missing an average of 5 to 6 spares a 3 game set.
Be sure to analyze your spare game.
Keep a spare shooting diary.
If what you are doing is not working, that suggests a change.
Body orientation in spare shooting is very important.
If you are not oriented correctly feet, hips, waist, hands, shoulders, you are making the job tougher.
Practice 13 points of contact and then refine that as you progress.
The 13 points are all the front row and the gaps between them.

Well that was a lot of words and space and hopefully enough germane substance.

Feel free to disagree or question as this is only my opinion.

Bowl well and stay healthy.
Better days ahead!
Take care.

Here is some vintage material by Coach John Jowdy, one of Holman's and many other elite bowlers.

Jowdy Lesson 1 The Free Arm-Swing.jpg

Jowdy Lesson 2 Footwork and Approach.jpg

Jowdy Lesson 3 The Slide.jpg

Jowdy Lesson 4 The Release.jpg

Jowdy Lesson 5 Release Angle.jpg

Jowdy Lesson 6 Hand Position.jpg

[JMerrell]

My issue is consistency, why can't I repeat shots? I have looked at all the videos on your youtube site and I see a repetitive motion; perhaps your confusing lack of repetition with the scores you post each time you bowl. I see these people do the same thing over and over, why can't I? Again, you do. Pro's as well as coaches tell me, my approach is pretty darn solid. Overall, your approach has some very good parts, however they are not working in cohesion. What's the secret? If I told you the secret you would be beating all those Pro’s who freely give advice. Please don't say practice because the alley is ready to give me a room to live in. As I said earlier your physical games repetition reflects all the practice you put in. It's only four steps for heavens sakes! I can get "style points" for doing a nice motion, I release and follow thru, I hit my mark most of the time, (I can get a tug in there as good as the next guy), eyes are locked on Mark. What am I missing that keeps me from being consistent? Why can't I repeat shots? Now, this past year I underwent, 5th back surgery to add more rods and screws on to the existing, then 3.5 months later had to have entire BACK of my NECK done in hardware as well as partial on the front of neck. Just started back bowling in September, and had to go from 5 to 4 step. But the consistency thing was there before surgeries too. I believe that 100%. No one seems to be able to help me....can you? I have never had a student I couldn’t help and you won’t be the first. I want to be good!. I was 193 ave. You are good and 193 is too low.

My analysis:

1) During your first step the ball moves straight forward (I can see no ball, this is a good thing).
2) However your first step (see in 2B2) goes straight forward, this is a bad thing. It places your right hip in the way of your back swing path.
3) On step two (1B3) the ball moves further away from your body (the gap between your right elbow and hip have increased), this is a bad thing. It also contributes to an increase in grip pressure and places the swing out of sync with the pace of your footwork.
4) Because your first step went straight forward (bad) and ball placement went straight forward (good) as the swing reaches the bottom of it’s downward arc (2B4) the hips are forced to slide left in order to avoid a collision with the backswing.
5) Looking at the sequence of 2B3 through 2B5, the swaying of the hips results in your swing moving outside your shoulder line and up and left of your head at the top (both bad things).
6) In 2B5 you have completed your third step, but your back swing is not complete, as can be seen in 2B6 as you enter your slide the swing is still going up.
7) Speaking of slide, in 1B6 you walk (heel then toe) rather than slide. This can often lead to knee issues for those that bowl a lot. Seems as though I saw a knee brace in one of your videos.

My suggestions:

1) Increase your lateral spine tilt at address (see 2B1) set-up on the green line.
2) Make that first step a balance beam step, get that right foot in front of the left. As added bonus this will move that right hip out of your back swing path and create a straighter swing path back and through.
3) Do not allow the right elbow to get any further away from your right hip than its position in 1B2. As you move from step 1 to step2 simply allow the right arm to unfold. In 2B3 the ball position should be that of 2B4. Allow that right arm to unfold and this will happen naturally.
4) Eliminate the walk and add a slide at the end of your approach.

Focus on mastering these four items and all the rest of the idiosyncrasy will disappear.

If you feel this analysis has value........click the green button.