L atelier du bowling

Visual targeting can help you improve your arm swing

In the February/March lesson, we talked about the importance of keeping the arm close to the body to ensure a straight arm swing, and using body position as the variable to play difference lane conditions without disrupting the arm swing itself. There is another technique that will help you develop a straight arm swing and straighter ball direction: visual targeting. In working with literally thousands of students around the world, we have learned conclusively that the way bowlers use their eyes is as important to their unique styles as any other body action. Keeping that in mind, it is extremely helpful for all bowlers to adopt visual targets on the lane that suit their styles. That is a reason why some bowlers are most comfortable using the arrows as targets while others use the dots on the lane, much closer to the foul line, and still others target at the splices or even farther down the lane. The question becomes, are you using the targeting system best suited to your game? The worst case scenario in targeting for most bowlers is looking at the pins. The pins are 60 feet away. Any target you can find on the lane closer to thefoul line will improve your accuracy and, typically, result in a straighter ball trajectory because it’s a target you can hit more consistently. By experimenting with different target distances, you will very likely find a straighter trajectory can be achieved andyour game will improve. Another key to visual targeting, as you advance in your skills, is that the target you select can help you with your ball roll. For example, if you normally target at the arrows, looking for a target farther down the lane at the splices can help you get the ball into a longer skid when conditions are dry. Looking at a target closer than the arrows will help you set the ball down sooner and get it into a earlier roll when the lanes are oily.