Nope, and in many ways, I truly regret it. I'm more athletic nowadays and have been for the past decade than at any previous stage of in my life. Having had a background in it during my school years may have been beneficial to me. Even as a Marine, I only did the required physical training (PT) at unit level, but never anything extracurricular. If I had done it in school, I may have also carried it into my young adult years afterward. The one positive aspect I see to not having participated as a youngster is that I didn't get hurt or killed doing it, as happens to some young athletes. ~
I don’t regret playing sports. I regret taking pickup games too seriously. I messed up my knee during a pickup game of basketball during the summer between my sophomore and junior years.
I would like bowling if I was at least halfway good at it. I’m a competitive person so if I suck at something, I don’t enjoy it. I bowled for three years and I was terrible. My overall average was 138.
This post was edited by Rizz at October 14, 2018 6:57 AM MDT
:) When I was a teenager I was very uncoordinated, so sports were out! Then bowling came to me and I knew I could do this. There was a woman in the bowling alley that I used that took me under her wing and got me started. She was a Touring Pro and once held the WBA's Record for a three game series. Two more bowling coaches, also Touring Pros, and Dick Weber's book and I started teaching/coaching bowling myself.
Anyway, getting down to it, bowling is a fairly easy sport ... physically. I don't say that to make you feel bad, but the biggest mistake beginning bowlers make is trying too hard. Trying to do something fancy to get fancy results. Doesn't work that way. Simply put, bowling is a game of repetition ... doing it the same way every time. So it's like I said ... physically, the game is easy. All you need is a good set of legs. Mentally, however, is the hard part. Doing the same thing every time ... BORING! But that is the game plan.
Anyway ... now I'm rambling. Reading through your posts, since you've come here to AM, let me offer you my advice for your next bowling session ... in the game of bowling SPEED KILLS! (You're a big guy and most big guys think that the harder they throw the ball, the more pins it will knock down ... not true.) I hope I haven't offended you, that wasn't my intention.
This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at October 14, 2018 6:58 AM MDT
I always had a problem with maintaining repetition with form. I can honestly say I never tried to fire the ball down the lane. I had a problem with throwingnmy arm across my body.
Throwing arm across body (like the girl in the picture ... hers isn't that bad, but it's still an unnatural movement).
Okay ... The APPROACH: after you set yourself and line yourself up to your target, there are only two things that you physically do to get to the foul line .....
First: push the ball away. LET GRAVITY accomplish the swing until you get to the foul line (pretend your arm has no bone in it). The weight of the ball keeps your arm straight and on the line you started it on.. Then, as you reach the foul line, the ball should be beside your sliding foot, still online with your target (because you've let the ball do all the work), and you start your follow thru along that same line (a little muscle, still no bone). A good follow thru helps the ball stay online and hit it's target. You walk to the target, you don't aim at it with your arm.
Second: as you push away the ball, start walking to the foul line. A good set of legs helps because with each step you bend your knees a little more so that when you reach the foul line you'll be in the proper position to deliver the ball (like the girl in the picture).
On to the "picture is worth a thousand words part ...
I picked this video because it shows a pretty good example of the "ball created swing" that I already mentioned. Please notice that the ball doesn't go above the line of his shoulder ( a natural,, unaided swing). It can't unless you roll your shoulder out. I don't endorse the first one minute of the video, but the rest, except his delivery of his ball (he doesn't practice what he preaches), I'm fine with.
You're a sports fan. I'm sure you know the importance of "follow thru" when it comes to many sports.
This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at October 14, 2018 6:59 AM MDT
Randy D 