Bowling ball speed has a vital role in giving you better control over the game. If you feel that you are playing too slow to knock down pins, it might indicate that you need to speed up a little.
Adjusting your bowling speed will help in gaining higher and more consistent scores. But, your concern might be, how can you make it possible?
You can increase bowling ball speed by practicing more powerful throws and positioning the ball well. Oily lanes are considered ideal for faster ball delivery because of less friction. Similarly, the ball’s coverstock material also determines if your ball can travel quicker or not. Urethane balls are quick than reactive resin balls. Also, keep your arm and leg muscles relaxed for a powerful throw.
If you have tried to maximize your bowling ball speed but are still not close to your goal, you might be making a few mistakes. Let’s discover together how you can speed up your game!
Adjusting Speed Of Your Bowling Ball:
Almost every bowling player desires to elevate their performance by adjusting their speed according to the gameplay. A faster throw knocks down more pins, and you might also feel tempted to increase your bowling speed. If you are an average player, you would want to adjust your ball speed and throw it more effectively.
Increasing bowling ball speed and maintaining control can be crucial in obtaining a good bowling ball reaction. But, keep in mind that it is not necessary to change the ball speed dramatically from your optimum ball speed range. You should adjust the speed according to the strength of your arm muscles as it is easier to retain control.
Increasing Bowling Ball Speed; Tips And Tricks
If you want to enhance your skills as a bowler and become a professional, increasing the bowling ball speed is something you cannot ignore. Some factors can cause a hindrance in the way of making your bowling faster. Once you figure them out, you can increase the ball speed to the ideal place.
The following steps will help you adjust your bowling ball speed and bring consistency to the strikes.
- Check lane conditions:
The amount of oil on the lane surface can significantly affect the speed of the bowling ball. When heavy oil covers the bowling lane, the ball will be able to travel much faster than usual. Less friction allows the ball to gain more speed and impacts the pins.
If there is less oil on the lane surface, there will be more when the ball hits against the lane. As a result, the ball speed decreases and becomes less than what at the time of the initial throw. So, if you want the ball to move faster, it is ideal to opt for oily bowling lanes.
- Pick the correct coverstock material:
The coverstock material of your bowling ball can also sometimes decide the ball speed. There are three main types of material that you can choose, plastic, urethane, and reactive resin. A urethane bowling ball will travel faster on the lane surface than a resin ball.
The former offers less friction between the ball and the lane, which allows you to attain faster bowling easily. Besides, it also has a smoother texture than a resin ball and can slide down the floor swiftly, maintaining its speed.
- Throw with more force:
One of the main factors that affect the bowling ball speed is the throwing force. Many advanced bowlers try to speed up their shots by throwing harder with their arms. The ball travels much faster when you put more strength into the throw, but it does not mean that the ball will always be in your control.
If you apply maximum force on every shot, it can pull your arm muscles and result in exhaustion and fatigue. Thus, it is crucial that you stick with your ideal throwing force for the best control and throwing ability. With constant practice and strength training, you can put in more force and fasten your shots.
- Relaxing muscles:
Mostly, the speed of your bowling ball depends on the strength of your arm and leg muscles. It is necessary to keep them relaxed while throwing the ball to gain a faster speed. Besides, it will also provide you immense control over your throw if you keep your muscles relaxed.
When you don’t give attention to your arms and legs, the muscles tend to become stiff. As an outcome, you lose control of the ball, and you might throw it into the gutters, missing the pins. It will not matter how fast your bowling ball traveled in such a situation.
- Speed up your approach:
While most people speed up their shots by their arm strength, you can increase your speed by using your legs to achieve momentum. To shift focus to your legs, you might require to move your starting point back to have more room to get up to the desired speed.
Ensure to take a faster approach while you throw the ball because it will give you more pace than only swinging the ball harder in the direction of the pin. Also, this technique can cause you to lose accuracy, so you must concentrate on your form.
- Position the ball correctly:
A common mistake that many beginner bowlers make is that they don’t position the ball correctly. They attempt to increase the ball speed by giving it a backswing, thinking the ball will travel faster over the lane. In reality, the higher backswing reduces their accuracy, causing the ball to land at the wrong spot.
The ideal bowling ball position lies in your front before taking a shot. Instead of bringing the arm further back, hold the ball higher than your usual style. This way, you would increase the overall length of the arc during the backswing. Avoid going too far back with the swing, or you will get injured.
Let Me Sum Up For You
Bowling ball speed holds much importance in the game, and that is why all skill-level players want to attain faster bowling. Many factors can cause the ball to slow down and lose its initial momentum. It depends primarily on a bowler’s strength and throwing technique. Furthermore, the ball material, and the condition of the lane, can also serve as a limiting factor to your ball gaining faster speed.
