Looking to
improve your bowling score?
Here are
some bowling basics according to “Bowling For Dummies” written by A.J. Forrest
and Lisa Iannucci. By focusing on these techniques (and with some practice) you
should be getting strikes in no time!
A Ten-Point Bowling Checklist
You bowl
your best when everything from your stance to your follow-through is spot on,
so pay attention to these ten bowling basics every time you throw:
·
Equipment: A great bowling ball is the start of
a great game, so find one that’s the right weight and feels comfortable,
whether it’s a house ball or your own ball. Add in comfortable bowling shoes,
and you’re ready to hit the lanes.
·
Starting spot: Make sure you’re throwing the first
ball of every frame (called your strike shot) from the same starting position.
Consistency helps increase your chances of throwing strikes.
·
Timing: Each step of your foot should match
up with a specific part of your arm swing and release. Get the timing right,
and you’re off to a great start.
·
Hand and wrist position: Keep your hand and wrist strong
through your entire shot. If you throw a hook, turn your hand and wrist as the
ball comes forward from your backswing until you release the ball with your
hand in the handshake position. If throw a straight ball, make sure to keep
your hand and wrist straight through your release.
·
Approach: Put all the components — timing,
hand-and-wrist positioning, steps, speed, and power — together for a clean
approach. If your approach is off, your throw may be as well.
·
Follow-through: Finish your shot by throwing the
ball down the lane as it passes your ankles. Then bring your arm up to at least
shoulder height to complete the shot. Keep your hand either in the handshake
position or palm up, depending on how you throw the ball.
·
Ball speed: The ideal bowling ball speed is 16
miles per hour, but the right speed for you is whatever it takes to knock down
all the pins.
·
Target on the lane: Keep your eyes on the prize, or the
target in this case. The marks on the lane are there to help guide your ball
right into the pocket, so aim for them.
·
Breakpoint: If your hook shot doesn’t cut back
at the right spot to go into the pocket, a strike is out of the question.
·
Pin action: Bowling is all about angles,
strength, and speed. Find the right combination of all three, and you get
perfect pin action and the strike you’ve worked so hard for.
Check out
our bowling lanes and put
those techniques to the test!
