Bowling Techniques

If you are a serious bowler, you want to continuously improve your bowling techniques to bowl the best game possible on a regular basis. Bowling involves certain skills that need to be mastered and then performed consistently to improve your bowling average. You learn and practice the steps to getting a strike, for example, and then repeat them over and over again.

There are 2 basic bowling actions that, when perfected, can turn your bowling game around: your approach and your swing. There are certain bowling skills used during each one of these actions. Consistently get those things right, and you will become a top-notch bowler.

The bowling approach involves 2 specific bowling techniques: stance and ball position.

The perfect stance sets you up for a perfect shot, and if your stance is off, your shot will be off too. In a correct stance, the knees will be slightly bent and the spine is angled forward just about 3 inches. This leg position gives you the power needed to push off with strength and balance.

Once the stance is right, focus on the position of your bowling ball. Basically this means how and where you hold the ball before beginning your swing. Generally, the ball is held about even with the waist during approach. Shorter people may want to hold the ball a bit higher to add some power to their swing.

Now that you and your bowling ball are in perfect position, it is time to work on swing.

The swing involves 4 additional bowling techniques: timing, release, rotation and finish.

Good timing is vital if you want to hit that 200-plus bowling average. When the timing is off, everything else is thrown off as well. Perfect timing leads right into when to release the bowling ball to get the perfect shot. For maximum control and accuracy, the ball should be released when your arm is at the very bottom of your swing. A good point of reference is to release your thumb from the ball when it is directly next to your ankle.

Rotation of the bowling ball comes into play at the exact moment the ball is released from your grip. Rotating your fingers just 2 or 3 inches as you let the ball go will create a nice hook as the ball glides into the pins.

As you finish your swing, your arm should be pointing directly up at the ceiling. If you finish in this position, you will have put plenty of power into your swing to give it a high number of revolutions going down the bowling lane.

No review of bowling techniques would be complete without talking about bowling balls. Nearly all good bowlers have at least 2 bowling balls: a strike ball and a spare ball. This is because different bowling balls work better for different types of shots, so you use the strike ball on your first throw and your spare ball to grab the spare on any 2nd throws.

You will want to use your strike ball for the first shot, when you are trying for a strike. To do this, start right at the center dot, which is the 20th board of the bowling lane. Once you are in position, focus your aim on the 2nd arrow from the right. Don’t forget to rotate the ball upon release to give it a nice hook into the pins.