4 Steps vs 5 Steps arrival to your Bowling Shot
You will hear habitancy talk about your arrival to the lane. This is a field that habitancy are always talking about. Do you use a 4 step or a 5 step approach? How do you settle which one is for you?
4 Steps vs 5 Steps arrival to your Bowling Shot
4 Step Approach
Spice Rack
4 Steps vs 5 Steps arrival to your Bowling Shot
The 4 step arrival consists of 4 steps (duh!).
4 Steps vs 5 Steps arrival to your Bowling Shot
4 Steps vs 5 Steps arrival to your Bowling Shot
The first step is the pushout. When you take this step, you push the ball out from its starting position towards the lane. This step is crucial for the stroke of the ball. If you push out in a downward motion, you will slow the ball down (see pendulum in next paragraph), if you push out in a upward motion, you will speed the ball up. Each of these could be done on purpose depending on what you are attempting to do with the shot. This step will also set the tempo of the approach. This is a vital part of your bowling shot. The speed of your arrival will settle the speed of the ball going down the lane.
The second step is the starting of the pendulum motion. The swing has to be a natural motion. It is leading that you allow the ball to fall without forcing it into motion. On this step you will allow the ball to fall and begin a natural swing motion. The second and third steps kind of run into each other, and the pendulum can be dissimilar for everyone.
The third step is the continuation of the pendulum motion to the back and starting back towards the lane. It is leading that you do this without speeding or slowing the ball down in any way (easier said than done!). Just allow the ball to flow with gravity and continue in a natural motion toward the lane.
The fourth and final step is the slide and corollary through. You need to be especially true to not overdo this step. If you throw the ball to hard, it will probably stay to the right of the head pin and you will probably leave pins. If you throw the ball to soft, it will probably end up on the left of the head pin, or worse, through the middle of the rack (a split, ahhh!). I can't emphasize how leading it is to keep the motion flat and natural.
5 Step Approach
The 5 step arrival consists of the 4 step arrival with an further step at the beginning.
The first step in the 5 step arrival is a speed step. It is used to set the pace for the shot. Usually the ball doesn't move during this step. This allows for one less thing to worry about in the first step of your arrival (see first step of 4 step approach). A lot of bowlers use this step to setup the shot. It is a starter step that you can use to make sure that your speed is what you want it to be.
The other 4 steps of this arrival are the same (more or less) as the 4 step arrival outlined above. Some bowlers concentrate the fifth step into their arrival and make the 5 step arrival one flat motion.
Which one should I use?
The 5 step arrival is used by most higher midpoint bowlers. This is not to say that you can't be a higher midpoint bowler if you don't use it, but you will find most higher midpoint bowlers do use it. That said, the 4 step arrival is the one to start with if you are just starting to bowl. The 4 step arrival is used by just about every bowler when they begin to bowl. It is much easier to do than the 5 step, and you can always adjust to the 5 step arrival when you feel more comfortable with your arrival and are developing your own style (see my article, improve Your Score With Style for more information on establishing your own style).
Keep bowling and having fun!
4 Steps vs 5 Steps arrival to your Bowling Shot
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