Most 5 steppers don't move the ball on the first two steps. That makes them 3 step bowlers (imo) and the first two steps are actually part of their pre-shot routine. Some people call the first two steps of a five-step delivery "momentum steps" but they get to the slide step with the same speed as they would with only 3 steps (so they aren't actually used as momentum builders), they affect timing only essentially. And those first 2 steps introduce opportunities for timing problems, body avoidance issues, and swing plane mechanics that are just plain unnecessary.
I was taught the four step approach as a kid. Crossover on your step and slide on the same board as your pivot step. I later learned to use a five step to increase my ball speed.
Is self learning how to bowl been doing it for about 4 months now and I would like to say this is probably the most helpful step approach video I have seen so thank you
Hmm, I am not sure this is the right way to teach bowlers how to keep the swing in the slot. Walking in a loop fashion is absolutely correct but it is a CONSEQUENCE of having a proper mental image of how a bowler is swinging the ball. If you side walk just for the sake of side walk, then things can get even worse as in your case where you drag your entire body to the left, lose balance and then fall back to the right. If you watch closely, on your third step your head is over the left gutter and after releasing the ball your head is almost over the right gutter. I honestly don't think that much of a drift can do any good for any bowler's consistence. If you watch the most extreme examples on the PBA tour like Belmonte or Smallwood, they indeed walk way left but once thay accomplish their drift to the left (3rd step), they walk straight. (on a side note, If it wasn't for the ball returns I doubt there would be any bowler who would walk in that fashion). So, check Belmonte's and Smallwood's head movement and you will see that from the third step onwards, their head doesn't move left to right. So that being said, and I have no intention of entering any kind of argument or anything. For me it is way much easier. A bowler needs two reference points: one on the downsing and one at the release and on both check points the ball should feel under the chin. If you have that mental image, your footwork will adapt naturally. There will be no need of instructing your feet where to step. That is just how our body works. A bowler needs to work on his/her awareness of the armswing. Just concentrate of knowing where the ball is at every moment during the entire approach. You can ask any bowler to do that exercise for an extended period of time and the result will be always be the same. Smoother footwork and steps adapting accordingly. It is amazing how simple it is. Regards
I walk straight and move my hips to the left and slide to the right LOL. im just getting back into it after a 10+ year hiatus. The ball has been hitting brooklyn and washing out and hitting the 3-6 pin. I recently filmed myself and my feet are all over the place and i see where i slide and i instantly know where the ball is going. I will have to try this my next practice session. Thank you
So JR this is Matt K from the previous videos. I am here as a peace maker not an antagonist. Just to let you know I bowled tonight at Suncoast in Vegas. My home lanes are in a city in S Cal. I am up here for a tourney. Anyway I bowled a 787 with 25 strikes. Lanes conditions were tougher here but the gutters imo are much shallower than what I bowl at in CA so imo the lanes were pretty easy. I lined up the way I always do. Right foot on the board I want to start at however I had to stand quite a bit left, maybe 3 boards left of center, and throw it out towards the 4 board. Hope you can understand what I meant before as far as how I throw the ball and where I line up. Good luck.
4 step here I get the concept, makes total sense. My issue is during the first step when I place my right foot in front of my left I tend to drift to far left. Sliding towards your target seems to be what I am missing
If I'm thinking correctly, you can try one of these two things. Move further back on the approach, make each step a little longer and faster. You could also move further back and add a 5th step.
Alright serious comment now, and I asked this on another video, what is your opinion on the 6 step approach, JR? I'm seriously considering it. My timing just feels off on 5 step and I feel like I'm sprinting to the foul line when I do a 4 step approach. My timing is also comically early when I do the 4 step approach, like double dribble every shot haha. With 5 steps the ball just does not want to leave my hand. Also my steps are shorter than Fred Flintstone no matter how many I take lol. Wonder if a 6 step approach is for me cuz of all this. I might do some virtual training with you before Summer league starts cuz I have NOT been bowling well. Average is the lowest it's been for a decade (199) and in years past, I've been a 220+ average bowler (although I keep it around the 205 range for...reasons lol). Only shot ONE 700 this season, and it was a 701. Something isn't right with my approach and I gotta fix it.
@@Tenpindoctors Right on, saw your response on the last video too. There's a couple weeks before Summer league starts, I might be able to get a virtual training session in before then. Nothing special, just need a better set of eyes (from someone who has ACTUALLY WON PBA events haha) to see what I'm doing wrong.
Have you recorded yourself bowling? I set up my phone to video myself and I saw things that were wrong, and some things I was doing better than my brain was telling me. Sometimes, what you "feel" versus what you are actually doing can be quite revealing when viewing it on video. I found that my armswing was still very good, but I was too much on the side of the ball at release, and my follow through was too much up instead of through the ball.
Not clapping back just making sure people aren’t learning bad technique from people who claim to know the modern game but continue to teach 1980s techniques
@@SirJoelsuf1 I get it, i get it, poor choice of phrasing, but I think people following what happened the last few days understand what i meant. At least he can put it to bed now though.
When i first learnt to bowl. The set up had the ball to the side of the body. We walked up straight without crossover steps. That was over 30 years ago. Now i am learning to do crossover step. Hardest bit for me is final sliding step so i have foot finish closer to ball path
Ball is a pendulum, shoulder is the pivot. Legs get out of the way.
4 step?
5 step?
These days it's all about 3 steps in front of the ball return and lofting the cap lol
Haha! Sad but not entirely untrue.
Thank you! Just realized I walk goofy, right handed but I lead with my right foot on a 5 step
Most 5 steppers don't move the ball on the first two steps. That makes them 3 step bowlers (imo) and the first two steps are actually part of their pre-shot routine. Some people call the first two steps of a five-step delivery "momentum steps" but they get to the slide step with the same speed as they would with only 3 steps (so they aren't actually used as momentum builders), they affect timing only essentially. And those first 2 steps introduce opportunities for timing problems, body avoidance issues, and swing plane mechanics that are just plain unnecessary.
I was taught the four step approach as a kid. Crossover on your step and slide on the same board as your pivot step. I later learned to use a five step to increase my ball speed.
Bro I suck hard at this game. Apparently I'm an uncoordinated goof
Is self learning how to bowl been doing it for about 4 months now and I would like to say this is probably the most helpful step approach video I have seen so thank you
Hmm, I am not sure this is the right way to teach bowlers how to keep the swing in the slot. Walking in a loop fashion is absolutely correct but it is a CONSEQUENCE of having a proper mental image of how a bowler is swinging the ball. If you side walk just for the sake of side walk, then things can get even worse as in your case where you drag your entire body to the left, lose balance and then fall back to the right. If you watch closely, on your third step your head is over the left gutter and after releasing the ball your head is almost over the right gutter. I honestly don't think that much of a drift can do any good for any bowler's consistence. If you watch the most extreme examples on the PBA tour like Belmonte or Smallwood, they indeed walk way left but once thay accomplish their drift to the left (3rd step), they walk straight. (on a side note, If it wasn't for the ball returns I doubt there would be any bowler who would walk in that fashion). So, check Belmonte's and Smallwood's head movement and you will see that from the third step onwards, their head doesn't move left to right. So that being said, and I have no intention of entering any kind of argument or anything. For me it is way much easier. A bowler needs two reference points: one on the downsing and one at the release and on both check points the ball should feel under the chin. If you have that mental image, your footwork will adapt naturally. There will be no need of instructing your feet where to step. That is just how our body works.
A bowler needs to work on his/her awareness of the armswing. Just concentrate of knowing where the ball is at every moment during the entire approach. You can ask any bowler to do that exercise for an extended period of time and the result will be always be the same. Smoother footwork and steps adapting accordingly. It is amazing how simple it is.
Regards
I walk straight and move my hips to the left and slide to the right LOL. im just getting back into it after a 10+ year hiatus. The ball has been hitting brooklyn and washing out and hitting the 3-6 pin. I recently filmed myself and my feet are all over the place and i see where i slide and i instantly know where the ball is going. I will have to try this my next practice session. Thank you
Very helpful
So JR this is Matt K from the previous videos. I am here as a peace maker not an antagonist. Just to let you know I bowled tonight at Suncoast in Vegas. My home lanes are in a city in S Cal. I am up here for a tourney. Anyway I bowled a 787 with 25 strikes. Lanes conditions were tougher here but the gutters imo are much shallower than what I bowl at in CA so imo the lanes were pretty easy. I lined up the way I always do. Right foot on the board I want to start at however I had to stand quite a bit left, maybe 3 boards left of center, and throw it out towards the 4 board. Hope you can understand what I meant before as far as how I throw the ball and where I line up. Good luck.
Great video! I’m a beginner and I couldn’t understand why my throws kept going to the left, this is likely the culprit!
Question.. can any bowling ball be drilled with the 55x5”x75 you’ve been using on your last couple reviews?
Excellent video!
Great video. I am forwarding this to some of my bowling friends that are having trouble.
Well done!
4 step here
I get the concept, makes total sense. My issue is during the first step when I place my right foot in front of my left I tend to drift to far left. Sliding towards your target seems to be what I am missing
You explain it so well.
Can’t wait to have a game & try out.
Thanks
Great explanation can't wait to practice this
Just what I needed JR. Thank you sir!!!
Great video! I use the 4 step approach. Any tips to speed up my ball? I’m working on a quicker 4 step to increase my ball speed.
If I'm thinking correctly, you can try one of these two things. Move further back on the approach, make each step a little longer and faster. You could also move further back and add a 5th step.
This was awesome! So insightful!
Great instruction
Alright serious comment now, and I asked this on another video, what is your opinion on the 6 step approach, JR? I'm seriously considering it. My timing just feels off on 5 step and I feel like I'm sprinting to the foul line when I do a 4 step approach. My timing is also comically early when I do the 4 step approach, like double dribble every shot haha. With 5 steps the ball just does not want to leave my hand. Also my steps are shorter than Fred Flintstone no matter how many I take lol. Wonder if a 6 step approach is for me cuz of all this.
I might do some virtual training with you before Summer league starts cuz I have NOT been bowling well. Average is the lowest it's been for a decade (199) and in years past, I've been a 220+ average bowler (although I keep it around the 205 range for...reasons lol). Only shot ONE 700 this season, and it was a 701. Something isn't right with my approach and I gotta fix it.
Yeah I would have to see it before I could give you an opinion
@@Tenpindoctors Right on, saw your response on the last video too. There's a couple weeks before Summer league starts, I might be able to get a virtual training session in before then. Nothing special, just need a better set of eyes (from someone who has ACTUALLY WON PBA events haha) to see what I'm doing wrong.
@@SirJoelsuf1 wait you mean the guy that’s telling you to make your swing loop around your body might not be the best option? 😋
Have you recorded yourself bowling? I set up my phone to video myself and I saw things that were wrong, and some things I was doing better than my brain was telling me. Sometimes, what you "feel" versus what you are actually doing can be quite revealing when viewing it on video. I found that my armswing was still very good, but I was too much on the side of the ball at release, and my follow through was too much up instead of through the ball.
Outstanding tutorial!
Great video!
Thanks JR
Damn, he went Super Saiyan 5 on the clap back vid.
Not clapping back just making sure people aren’t learning bad technique from people who claim to know the modern game but continue to teach 1980s techniques
@@Tenpindoctors I got it, I got it, just sayin. Good stuff man.
Ehh, that wasn't really a clap back. Go watch some videos in the fitness and seduction industry. You'll see some REAL clap back videos there haha.
@@SirJoelsuf1 seduction industry? WTF?
@@SirJoelsuf1 I get it, i get it, poor choice of phrasing, but I think people following what happened the last few days understand what i meant. At least he can put it to bed now though.
When i first learnt to bowl. The set up had the ball to the side of the body. We walked up straight without crossover steps. That was over 30 years ago. Now i am learning to do crossover step. Hardest bit for me is final sliding step so i have foot finish closer to ball path