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Breaking Down Fundamentals - Pace, by Charley Wilson
Updated at July 16, 2011 14:06This may seem an insignificant part of a bowler’s technique; like balance, if you have it, it’s not an issue. You may never even notice that your pace is not conducive to a good game. A bowler often adopts a style that fits his or her personality more closely than it fits his or her best game of bowling. Your pace, fast and aggressive or slow and careful, may feel right to you, but if it doesn’t meet a few basic needs your game may never live up to its potential.
Along with balance, a brisk but controllable pace is necessary for an effective game of bowling. Bowlers that seem to rush the approach are likely to have balance and accuracy issues, though they may appear to generate a lot of power. Those who move slowly to the line with a controlled armswing may be accurate and balanced, but may not generate sufficient ball speed or revolutions to be effective. However, even accuracy can suffer from too much control of the armswing, often seen in the slower-paced bowlers. The pace you first start to bowl with is often influenced in part by your personality. The way you interact with the rest of the world is probably reflected in your bowling style. Be aware of that connection if considering dramatic changes in your style. If you are a methodical, meticulous, precise person in your daily life, it may not work for you to “grip it and rip it”. On the other hand, if you live on the edge, skydiving without a chute, free-climbing Everest, or base-jumping, you’re probably more “cranker” than “stroker” (though those terms are losing favor in the modern game). Still, if you’re at one of the extremes of pace, some modification may be necessary to raise your game to its highest possible level.
Another issue regarding pace is your stature. If you are tall, your armswing alone may generate sufficient ball speed, given any reasonable approach pace. Longer arms take more time to complete a swing, as long as the swing is relaxed and un-muscled (more on this in the next article). If you were to race to the line, you’d probably be there well ahead of your swing, or you’d have to muscle up to get it there in time. That’s the last thing we want you to do. Taller bowlers will naturally adopt a slower pace to the line, and that’s entirely appropriate.
If, on the other hand, you are shorter, you will probably need a more energetic approach. Since the shorter arm will complete the swing much quicker, a slow walk will have your swing completed before you get to the line. There is a tendency among some bowlers to control the swing to match the footwork. In the free armswing discussion, we will see how important it is to develop the free armswing first, then match the footwork or the start timing to it. Changes to your pace for specific conditions will come later.
Although it may not seem obvious, the proper pace can contribute to the body’s momentum, counteracting the momentum of the swinging bowling ball. If you’re not sure how much momentum a swinging ball provides, sit in a swivel chair with your feet off the ground and swing the ball beside you. As the ball swings, the chair will swivel the opposite way. Just as a moving bicycle is easier to balance than a static one, a moving body provides that same counter to the imbalance of the off-center swing of the ball. Obviously too much pace, like an out-of-control bicycle, creates problems of its own. Remember Goldilocks and the three bears: find out what’s “just right” for you.
Finally, ball speed is very important in the modern game. Today’s bowling balls are so aggressive that a slow-moving ball may use up all its energy too early and “roll out” before it nears the pins. A rolled-out ball hits the pins weakly, deflecting drastically, leaving many back-row pins. Since we don’t want to swing the ball with muscle, some method must be found to generate enough ball speed to get he ball to the pins with the right energy. You need to find the right pace for your body type and personality.
Strategies. It’s hard enough to evaluate ourselves in the truly mechanical aspects of the game. This one is personality-dependent, too. It may take an unbiased party to tell you that “You’re heaving it! Slow down!” It takes true dedication to improvement to seek out and accept an opinion that clashes with your own. You won’t improve if you don’t change something, will you?
You may not want to change your style. Maybe you won’t need to, but you need to know what it looks like (from an outsider’s point of view) and how it affects your results. One good place to start thinking about pace is, without setting up on the approach, simply walk toward the foul line, and when it looks right, LET the ball swing and fall out of your hand. You may be surprised at how good it feels, and how effective it is. You may need a USBC Certified coach with video equipment to help you fully realize if your approach pace is right for you.
You can educate yourself by finding a DVD of USBC Athlete Development Drills at http://usbcsportstore.com/, under the Coaching menu. Good tips are often available at http://bowlingthismonth.com/ or http://bowlersjournal.com/; other educational information is available at www.bowlingbookstore.com or through any Smartbowler Pro Shop. Qualified coaches can be found using the “Coaching” menu at http://www.bowlspot.com/ or the “Find a…” function of the USBC website at http://bowl.com/ or, again, through any Smartbowler Pro Shop. Above all, don’t assume that what you need will come to you. Go get it!
Charley Wilson, a USBC Silver Level Coach, has been coaching professionally since 1996. A retired USAF fighter pilot, he currently works as a coach and pro shop ball fitter/driller. Charley is married (Sheila) and lives in St. Louis, MO. Contact – CGWJR@charter.net
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