As I mentioned in the previous article most novices use the simple “point and throw” technique of releasing the ball and hoping that they will knock down all the pins - most often than not it doesn’t happen.
There are more advanced techniques that can increase your average score dramatically for a short time but you have to put some effort into it. The first step toward it is understanding axis rotation and axis tilt.
Identifying your own axis rotation and tilt will help you choose the perfect bowling ball for you. Once you have it you would have to adjust your shooting techniques accordingly.
Both axis and tilt rotation describe the rotation of the bowling. To make it easier to understand think of the rotation of the ball happening in two separate fields – horizontal and vertical one.
Both fields determine the angle of the ball and the angle of the ball determines how soon the bowling ball will reach the breakpoint (this is the point where the ball makes a slight turn toward the pins). The better you can control these factors the better you can control the movement of the bowling ball.
As a general rule – the less spin the vertical field (vertical tilt) has the more you will be able to hook the bowling ball close to the pins.
At this point you might be wondering how to control the vertical tilt to increase your chance of strike. It is simple – just look at your hand when you release the ball. If your thumb is near the top of the ball you are putting a high amount of axis tilt on the bowling ball. To achieve better results release the bowling ball with your thumb as close to the bottom of the ball as possible.
As I mentioned before the axis rotation refers to the amount of spin on the ball in the horizontal field. Contrary to the tilt rotation you don’t have to keep the axis rotation on the ball as low as possible.
Keep in mind though that if you have too little axis rotation the ball will not hook and curve toward the pins but will roll straight-forward.
If the axis rotation is too much the ball will have too large of a hook. Upon reaching the “break point” it will most likely turn straight for the gutter.
The best and may be the fastest way to get a better handle on your axis and tilt rotation is to have someone more experienced than you watch you while throwing the ball. They will be able to give you an idea of how to improve.
Don’t forget that the proper technique is only one part of the equation. You also need a good ball to be able to score strikes more often than your competitors. Because different bowling balls hook differently you will need to find one that compliments your playing style.
If you keep the aforementioned three factors in mind pretty soon you will able to see significant improvement in your game.
There are more advanced techniques that can increase your average score dramatically for a short time but you have to put some effort into it. The first step toward it is understanding axis rotation and axis tilt.
Identifying your own axis rotation and tilt will help you choose the perfect bowling ball for you. Once you have it you would have to adjust your shooting techniques accordingly.
Both axis and tilt rotation describe the rotation of the bowling. To make it easier to understand think of the rotation of the ball happening in two separate fields – horizontal and vertical one.
Both fields determine the angle of the ball and the angle of the ball determines how soon the bowling ball will reach the breakpoint (this is the point where the ball makes a slight turn toward the pins). The better you can control these factors the better you can control the movement of the bowling ball.
As a general rule – the less spin the vertical field (vertical tilt) has the more you will be able to hook the bowling ball close to the pins.
At this point you might be wondering how to control the vertical tilt to increase your chance of strike. It is simple – just look at your hand when you release the ball. If your thumb is near the top of the ball you are putting a high amount of axis tilt on the bowling ball. To achieve better results release the bowling ball with your thumb as close to the bottom of the ball as possible.
As I mentioned before the axis rotation refers to the amount of spin on the ball in the horizontal field. Contrary to the tilt rotation you don’t have to keep the axis rotation on the ball as low as possible.
Keep in mind though that if you have too little axis rotation the ball will not hook and curve toward the pins but will roll straight-forward.
If the axis rotation is too much the ball will have too large of a hook. Upon reaching the “break point” it will most likely turn straight for the gutter.
The best and may be the fastest way to get a better handle on your axis and tilt rotation is to have someone more experienced than you watch you while throwing the ball. They will be able to give you an idea of how to improve.
Don’t forget that the proper technique is only one part of the equation. You also need a good ball to be able to score strikes more often than your competitors. Because different bowling balls hook differently you will need to find one that compliments your playing style.
If you keep the aforementioned three factors in mind pretty soon you will able to see significant improvement in your game.
