Bowling Balance Practice Drill

By: bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 5/23/16; Updated: 3/22/2022

There is one very simple and easy bowling balance practice drill you can use during practice and that is to hold your form at the foul line until your bowling ball passes your sight target on the lane.

If you are old enough to remember the former PBA Hall of Fame Champion and Tour Color Analyst for ABC TV, Nelson Burton, Jr., you would also recall he frequently would promote one of his favorite tips:  to “hold your bowling form under pressure.”

Bo Burton was certainly emphasizing the importance of not hurrying to deliver your aggressive coverstock bowling ball and making certain that you maintain good posture and balance during the critical delivery phase of your approach.

Stability at the foul line leads to good shots.

Regardless of how skilled you are, anxiety can cause you to rush your shot in anticipation of getting that key strike you seek.

Your objective to succeed should be to not hurry your approach but rather to maintain good balance at the line.

Keeping your upper body as still as possible when you slide and holding your posture until the ball approaches your sight target on the lane is critical to effective shot-making.

Wait for your swing.

Slide smoothly and avoid pushing off of your legs too hard upward or forward toward the pins as you slide.

Hold your posture for a second or two while your bowling ball exits your hand and travels to your sight target on the lane.

Another way to think of this is to use the good form necessary to pose for a photograph with perfect form at the foul line.



Preset your spine angle and maintain an athletic posture from the beginning of your approach by reducing any any wasted motion as you enter your final slide step.

A proven practice drill is to hold your form after releasing your ball and remain motionless holding your follow through position until the ball reaches the pins.

If you are able to do this for five or ten consecutive deliveries during your practice sessions, you will most certainly will have excellent balance and be well positioned to make good shots in competition when it counts the most.