Delivering a bowling ball flawlessly is everything you need to master the sport. Can you deliver your ball down the lane without making a mistake? As easy as it sounds, it’s actually pretty technical. You must do the whole thing smoothly and be careful at every step. From your footwork to your handwork, to your upper body movements, everything needs to be in synchronization. But one mistake that many bowlers make and that is muscling the bowling ball. Are you one of them? If you tend or attempt to add some extra power during your ball swing, you are doing it wrong, and you need to stop muscling the bowling ball. So how to stop muscling the bowling ball you are throwing? Allow me to enlighten you.
How to Stop Muscling the Bowling Ball?
All righty! So when you go through your approach, one thing you should always want to do is prevent muscling during ball swing. I always talk about not squeezing the bowling ball, and some other stuff. The prevention of ball muscling isn’t being talked about enough. To stop adding power at the last moment of your ball delivery, you need to fix the use of muscle that’s going on in your upper body, especially in your bowling arm.
It’s understandable how everybody wants to be in control when bowling. But that doesn’t mean you have to control things muscularly. Let the momentum, stored energy, and gravity do its work. Throughout your approach, you have to keep your hands relaxed. What you need to do is let the ball fall and swing freely throughout the entire thing.
The part of the approach people have a hard time with is when they get to the top of the swing and all of a sudden they pull the ball down. This is when the shoulder and arm muscles (back of the triceps) are used to get the ball going where they intend to. Bowlers do this thinking they are throwing the ball down the lane, not rolling it. But that just creates the muscling and it is of no use to add a higher power to the ball. That’s not how physics works, my friends!
So what can you do to set things in order? How do you prevent the muscling from happening? When you visit your local bowling alley next time to practice bowling, I want you to let the ball fall from the top of the swing.
For that, you have to let the ball swing back first. As soon as the ball reaches the top of the backswing, just let the ball naturally into that spot while you’re still holding onto it. Do not accelerate until your ball gets to the bottom of your ankle. Once the ball falls and it gets close to your ankle, this is when you can accelerate with your hand at the very last second. Don’t ever engage the mentioned muscles at the top or anywhere through.
So what about the push away? I see so many bowlers struggle with letting their balls fall and swing. They think it is throwing off their timing a little bit if they don’t control it with muscling. I have also noticed that they have a hard time getting their feet moving and that’s when the tempo issue comes into play. Another thing I have observed is that their feet move a bit slow because they are waiting on the swing to get through and then they speed their feet up at the very end to try to catch up with the swing. Now, remember, these are the things you should not be doing.
So what to do instead? Just get your feet moving and when you are swinging the bowling ball, let it fall straight down right on time. Never push it up. Never push it way out. Just let it go without restraining it and hold it with normal grip pressure. As soon as your ball goes past your body, move your feet forward, and don’t take the ball back more than it is needed.
Imagine how a pendulum moves. That’s sort of how your hand will move with the ball in your hand. No need to involve any muscle. Just remember to let go of the ball on time and take your fingers out properly. Finish it with a nice follow-through. Everything will go smoothly, hopefully.
Conclusion
I know this is an awful lot to even think about or comprehend. When you’re bowling the whole thing happens too fast to pay extra attention. So when you’re practicing, take the time to perfect your shots and focus on your arm muscle movements. See if you’re engaging them during the backswing to control the ball. Just focus on letting the ball fall and swing like a pendulum. During your practice sessions, don’t take your approach every time you are throwing it. Just play around with your ball and let it swing back and forth while you’re holding onto it. So good luck and have fun bowling!
Passionate Bowler and Bowling Enthusiast
Jess Pinelli is a dedicated bowling enthusiast with a deep love for the sport that spans over 6 years. With numerous strikes, spares, and a few gutter balls under hes belt, he has honed his skills on lanes across the country. Pinelli’s journey in the world of bowling has been a remarkable one, from casual weekend games with friends to competitive league play and even a few local tournaments.
Driven by her passion for the game, Pinelli decided to channel her expertise and knowledge into the digital realm, becoming a prolific author on this bowling website. She’s your go-to source for everything bowling-related, from mastering the perfect hook to choosing the right bowling ball and even navigating the world of bowling etiquette.
When she’s not busy writing informative articles or reviewing the latest bowling gear, you’ll likely find Pinellis at her favorite local bowling alley, helping newcomers improve their game or enjoying some friendly competition with fellow bowlers. She firmly believes that bowling is not just a game but a community, and she’s committed to fostering that sense of camaraderie both online and offline.
