Creating a Consistent Bowling Swing | USBC Bowling Academy

Team USA Head Coach Rod Ross and Assistant Head Coach Kim Terrell-Kearney teach you how to create a more consistent approach to the line. By using two strips of tape to lay out a guideline to your approach, this drill will help you draw the ball back in a straight line rather than pulling it around your leg, which will aid in consistency.

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26 Comments on “Creating a Consistent Bowling Swing | USBC Bowling Academy”

    1. BizzaroHunter well I had this problem also, but if you work on consistently doing the same thing, to me it doesn’t matter, as long as you are releasing the ball close to your ankle. I found that its okay to drift 5 boards if you do it consistently every time… I just know when lining up that I am 5 boards over from my starting position, meaning that I know my lay down point is 5 boards over from where I start. So technically you will end up farther left with crossover but if your consistent then I don’t think it really matters.

    2. +Ana Walton  Crack your ankle once, and see what happens! I have done that a couple of times. No longer bowl decently because of it!

    3. +MrZocor it is proper technique to keep the ball close to your body and swing down by your ankle. While yes there are professionals that don’t do this, the majority do because it keeps the ball on a better line through the swing, promoting accuracy. Mistakes like hitting your ankle do happen, it’s happened to me on more than one occasion, but what’s likely happening with you is that you now have a mental defense in your mind that tells you to keep the ball away from your ankle, whether it be though pain or other methods. My best suggestion would be to get through it, kind of like how you have to work through methods if you’re like me and consistently pull the ball.

    1. ForceF3d One problem with walking without crossover is as he said in the video, your leg gets in the way of your swing which you have to account for when you make your swing. Sometimes your leg may be in different positions when swinging which would cause you to lose consistency. Using crossover allows you to remove your leg as a factor in your swing so you can use muscle memory to swing more consistently. If you bowl a lot and don’t use crossover, I’m sure sometimes (maybe rarely) you hit the ball into your leg or knee on accident. I know it’s a problem I had before I switched to using this method. I agree though, this is just one part of maintaining a consistent swing.

  1. After watching this, I realized that I wasn’t actually doing this. Inconsistency is one of my problems and this actually really helped a lot.

    1. +Jasper Tan The third of a four step (fourth of a five step) approach should slightly crossover to once again clear a path for the ball to swing next to the ankle at the release. This other video clip from the USBC Bowling Academy is a detailed explanation of the footwork of one of the best bowlers in the game Carolyn Dorin-Ballard. You’ll see that in her fourth step there is a crossover for balance and alignment.Link = Bowling Footwork / USBC Bowling Academy (http://www.usbcbowlingacademy.com/video/bowling-footwork-005851/)

    2. It appears that this creates a slight but consistent drifting left (for RH) with each step. Is this what you are wanting to see?

  2. i need help, the ball is going towards right mostly and in rare cases to the left on the lane eventhough my head, knee , and foot are on the same straight line! would someone help me with this problem? is this problem related to my wrist position ? i am a beginner and all i want to do right now is to release a direct straight shot not to the right or to the left

  3. After watching this this afternoon, I went and bowled my league. I average a 175 and tonight I shot my second ever 600 series. Shot a 207, 236 and a 189. I was hitting my mark more consistently and it surely reflected in my scores. Thank you for such a simple, yet mich needed tip.

    1. Lanes broke down drastically in the 3rd game and I didn’t move early enough in the game to account for it. I ended up having to move left 6 boards to get back into the pocket

    1. Hello, I am 60 and have been a regional PBA member since 1991 and yes many will also cross the fourth step and then the slide will occur in front of the fourth, with the back leg moving out of the way. This will allow good balance and room for the ball to clear on the way down. You can look at these videos from the National Bowling Academy, or inside bowling videos, Mike Shady does those. All good stuff. As a matter of fact , “achieving a balanced position” is available from the National Bowling Academy.

  4. I don’t have a crossover step and I average almost 200 in League I have to 300 games multiple 700 dozens and dozens of 600 have no problem hitting my mark so it’s a bunch of BS you don’t have to have a crossover step to be a good bowler it’s all personal preference and adjust at the foul line it’s whatever works for you is my belief

  5. Very helpful! I view many bowling vids, and they are frustrating because I don’t care what happens after the ball leaves the hand. I need to see specific, small, slow-motion, VISUAL explanations of each movement before release.

  6. I’ve never tried this. I have a huge problem with consistency when I bowl. Can’t wait to try this next time I go!

  7. My coach has been trying to get me to walk straight and stay on my path because I struggle with that a lot. Thank you for this it was so helpful!!!! I have a match tomorrow and I will try to remember this

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