Have you ever been bowling? Whether it’s a competition or just a fun activity, bowling is a sport for everyone, young and old, beginner or expert.
Even if it’s just a friendly game, we all want to perform well and score as many points as possible. By improving your technique and avoiding certain mistakes, you too can impress the other players in your bowling match.
In this article, we present 10 mistakes that are sometimes made by bowlers, especially beginners. By taking note of these mistakes, you’ll certainly be able to improve your game and score more points!
Before diving into the mistakes to avoid, let’s start by reviewing the bowling basics.
How to bowl
Understanding the game
Bowling consists of knocking down 10 pins in a maximum of 2 throws, over 10 innings. A “strike” (all pins in 1 delivery) earns more points than a “spare” (all pins in 2 deliveries). The strategy is to aim for the center pins and control the rotation of the ball.
Key terms
Frame: One inning, consisting of a maximum of two deliveries.
Strike: When all the pins fall in a single delivery.
Spare: When all the pins fall in two throws.
Split: When single pins remain after the first throw (making the task more difficult for the second).
Bowling: 10 tips to improve your technique and score
1. Not having the right attitude
The key to a successful performance is confidence. If you have self-confidence and a positive attitude and thinking, it will show in your results. Don’t forget that a negative attitude could also damage your image in the eyes of other players.
A positive mental attitude is essential to achieving your goals. Visualizing your success can help you gain confidence and improve your performance.
Practical tip : Visualize your success before each throw. Imagine the ball falling perfectly into the pins. This mental visualization technique can help boost your self-confidence.
2. Go beyond the foul line
It may sound obvious, but under no circumstances should you go beyond the foul line when making your shot. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, because your shot will be automatically disqualified, which will affect your overall score. Secondly, because the foul line also marks the start of the oil zone. By putting your foot on this very slippery area, you could fall and injure yourself more or less seriously. Safety first!
Practical tip: Place an object (such as a water bottle) just behind the foul line and don’t step over it. This will help you create a visual boundary and avoid forward steps.
3. Don’t warm up
Bowling is a sport (yes, yes!) and, like any other sport, it’s a good idea to warm up before you start. Fingers, wrists, shoulders, neck, ankles: a proper warm-up (especially for the joints) will help you avoid injury.
Practical tip : Rotate your shoulders, wrists and ankles a few times before each game. You can also make a few light throws without a ball to prepare your body.
4. Poor posture
In bowling, posture has everything to do with the success of your throws. Adopting the right posture will not only give you better technique, it will also help you avoid injury by making the wrong movement, for example.
For proper posture, make sure your dominant foot is at the front of your cast. Lean forward sufficiently and bend your knees slightly to maintain good balance. The shoulder of your dominant arm (the one with which you make your throws) should be slightly lower and slightly behind your other shoulder. When throwing your ball, be careful not to rotate your body too much to avoid injury.
Adopt a correct posture by bending your knees slightly and keeping your back straight. This will allow you to use the right muscles (buttocks, thighs) and avoid injury.
Practical tip: Imagine you’re shooting a bow. Your body should form a straight line from your front foot to your hand releasing the ball.
5. Never practice
It’s not rocket science: to improve your bowling performance, you need to practice! By practicing regularly, you’ll be able to focus on certain aspects of your technique that can be improved, and thus perform better in your next games. Repetition is the key to improvement. Practice regularly to strengthen your technique.
Practical tip : Try to play at least once a week, even if it’s just a few games. You can also watch videos of professionals to analyze their movements.
6. Fixing the pins on delivery
More advanced players will tell you: never stare at the pins when you’re throwing. Instead, aim for a board on the ground or an arrow on the lane, so that the bowling ball goes where you want it to go and hits its target.
Practical tip : Choose a precise point on the track, such as an arrow or a joint between boards, and concentrate on it during your throw.
7. Giving yourself too much momentum
To reach the triangle of pins at the end of the lane, your ball needs to reach a certain speed. But there’s no point in carrying your backswing too far or too high, as this will result in much less accuracy. Instead, we recommend stopping the swing below waist height for a more accurate shot. Too much momentum can unbalance your body and reduce the accuracy of your throw.
Practical tip : use a pendulum as a reference. Your arm should not be higher than your waist during the backswing.
8. Making sudden movements
Sudden gestures are detrimental to your throw and can affect the accuracy and speed of your bowling ball. Instead, opt for fluid, relaxed movements. This will certainly help you improve your technique and score more points.
Practical tip: Record yourself on video to analyze your movements. This will enable you to identify abrupt movements and work on smoothing them out.
9. Not concentrating
Like any other sport, concentration is essential during a game of bowling, especially when you’re throwing. The more concentrated you are, the better your shots will hit the triangle of pins and the more accurate your actions will be. Concentration is essential to optimize your performance.
Practical tip : Breathe deeply before each throw and try to think only about your gesture. Eliminate all external distractions.
10. Taking a ball of the wrong weight
At the big pins, bowling balls weigh between 6 and 16 pounds. That’s why it’s so important to use a ball of the right weight to avoid injury.
At BoulZeye, we only have small bowling lanes. The weight of a ball varies from 3 lbs 6 oz to 3 lbs 12 oz. The circumference also varies from 4 and three-quarter to 5 inches. Small bowling balls are therefore suitable for the vast majority of people who don’t bowl professionally. In fact, it’s a good idea to start with the small balls and then, if you’re looking for an extra challenge, try the big bowling balls.
Choose a ball suited to your physical strength and comfort.
Practical tip : Don’t hesitate to ask the bowling staff for advice on choosing the right ball for your strength and body type.
Bowling practice in montreal
If you’d like to bowl more often to practice your shots and improve your technique, book your bowling lane at BoulZeye! Our team awaits you with 16 bowling lanes, including 4 private lanes for your special events.
Come and enjoy a new experience at BoulZeye and show your friends and family what you can do!
