8
- August 2016
Position at the Foul Line and Balance
What do you look like at the foul line? Are you standing up straight? Have you
fallen off balance and are on both feet? Where did your arm swing go to? Are you
back at your seat before the ball hit the pins and then someone said, “Did you know
you got a strike?”
Oh, I see so much of this type of bowler that I can’t believe it. It’s your evening
out, away from the kids and/or family, and you can’t wait to get back to the bench to
continue your conversation on everything but bowling.
I can understand some of this happening because most of the bowlers don’t know
what to concentrate on when they bowl and a lot of you are so embarrassed at the
last shot that you don’t wish to stay at the foul line any longer than you have to.
Well, I’m going to try to change that.
Let’s start from your stance on the approach before you walk to the line. First you
must be square with your body to your intended target (pins to hit). Test yourself at
home. Face a wall, square. Take both hands, reach out in front of you and clasp
them together. Be sure your hands together are out straight and together in front of
your nose. Now drop your non-bowling hand, leaving the other hand there. See
where it is? Now bend it (arm) and bring it up to your nose. See the elbow is out
away from your body, elbow bent in a follow through? Now you are asking what in
the world does this have to do with position and balance at the foul line.
Let’s try one more thing. Stand with both feet slightly separated, pointed straight
ahead. Bend both knees, push right foot straight back a foot or two, lean over your
left foot, reach out with your right hand as you did above.
This is the way you
should look at the foul line, balanced and solid at the line.
The pins you need to hit are
always in front of your nose
, so the follow through
must be swung in that direction. Your body must face square to the pins you need to
knock down.
Of course, for spares you need to move to the opposite side of the approach that
the spare is located. Never, never stand in front of the pins for a spare shot. Face
the pins to hit, walk slightly in that direction, walk, swing and deliver the ball.
Now you are balanced at the foul line and in command of your ball and delivery.
Helen Duval’s Bowling Tips
Do Not Let Fear Affect Your Bowling
By Stan Popovich
(reprinted from Bowling World 2009)
Sometimes, fear and anxiety can get the best of us in bowling. The key is to
know how to manage that fear and anxiety. As a result, here is a brief list of
techniques that a bowler can use to help manage their fears and anxieties.
Occasionally, we you may become stressed when we have to perform in a cer-
tain event. When this happens, visualize yourself doing the task in your mind.
For in-stance, you have to bowl in front of a large group of people in the next few
days. Before the big day comes, imagine yourself doing the event in your mind.
Imagine that you are in front of a large audience. By playing the event in your
mind, you will be better prepared to perform for real when the time comes. Self-
Visualization is a great way to reduce the fear and stress of a coming situation.
Sometimes we get stressed out when everything happens all at once. When
this happens, a person should take a deep breath and try to find something to do
for a few minutes to get their mind off of the problem. A person could read the
newspaper, listen to some music or do an activity that will give them a fresh per-
spective on things. This is a great technique to use right before your next bowl-
ing event.
Another technique that is very helpful is to have a small notebook of positive
statements that you can carry around with you. Whenever you come across an
affirmation that makes you feel good, write it down in a small notebook that you
can carry around with you during your event. Whenever you feel stressed, open
up your small notebook and read those statements. This will help to manage
your negative thinking.
Be smart in how you deal with your fears and anxieties. Do not try to tackle
every-thing all at once. When facing a current or upcoming task that overwhelms
you with a lot of anxiety, break the task into a series of smaller steps. Complet-
ing these smaller tasks one at a time will make the stress more manageable and
increases your chances of success.
Take advantage of the help that is available around you. If possible, talk to a
professional who can help you manage your fears and anxieties. They will be
able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your
current problem. By talking to a professional, a person will be helping them-
selves in the long run because they will become better able to deal with their
problems in the future. Remember that it never hurts to ask for help.
Remember, do not let fear affect your bowling
BIOGRAPHY: Stan Popovich is the author of "A Layman's Guide to Managing
Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods" - an easy to
read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in
managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://
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