The Pushaway
The approach begins with the pushaway (the pushing of the ball outward from the body). The pushaway itself is the trigger that starts you off with perfect timing. As you aim the ball out toward the pins, your feet should move forward naturally and easily with no conscious effort on your part.
Take your stance on the right side of the approach. Move up to the foul line in a straight line, not in a zigzag or a curving path. Begin with a short, almost a half-step on your right foot, and at the same time push the ball forward and outward in a smooth, easy motion. This co-ordinates the movement of your hands and feet and sends you forward in a smooth glide. At this point, make certain that you are not starting too fast. The short first step usually helps to keep your speed natural, and makes your approach short enough that you do not cross the foul line.
As you complete your first step (in a four-step delivery), the ball should begin to drop into its backswing. Hold your left hand outstretched for balance. Hold the ball easily, but firmly, without pressing. When you take the second step on your left foot, the ball, swinging in its backward arc, just passes the right knee or thereabouts. Your body should be wholly relaxed, with the ball swinging from the end of your arm like a pendulum. Be sure that your feet are pointed forward and that your eyes are directed in the line in which you plan to have the ball travel.
Your right arm should swing, as mentioned above, like a pendulum of a clock. It should be close to the body, with your right shoulder serving as a pivot base. Contrary to the belief of many bowlers, it is not wrong for the right shoulder to be dropped a little, since the weight of the ball is entirely on the right arm. The mistake lies in allowing the right shoulder to be pulled back, which shifts the body into a sidewise position.
The third step, taken on the right foot, is a bit longer than the second and is known as the "backswing step," since on this step the backswing reaches its peak. Too high a backswing is one of the cardinal errors of bowling. The best way to avoid the mistake is to take the swing no higher than your shoulder. In doing so you develop plenty of momentum for the downswing and can deliver an effective ball with good natural speed.
Don't get over-eager when you reach the backswing. Remember that your original intention was to build up a smoothly flowing motion. Keep your footwork and the swing of the ball smooth. Your knees should be bent a bit, and your body bent forward from the waist to compensate for the weight of the ball.
Many star bowlers do not even take the ball as high as the shoulder, yet they build up all the momentum necessary for the downswing. In addition, they assure themselves of correspondingly greater accuracy than the fellow who tends to overswing. Don't force the backswing-ever!
The fourth and finishing step is actually a step and a slide on the left foot. The length of the slide varies according to an individual a footwork, number of steps, and the speed with which he comes up to the line. The average slide is about one foot in distance. At the end of the slide, your left foot should be approximately two to six inches from the foul line. It is on this finishing step that all efforts to achieve proper timing succeed or fail.
Related Topics : The Pushaway
