Bowling Ball Speed Vs. Your Swing Speed

By: bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 7/1/17; Updated: 10/3/2021

It is important to know the difference between your bowling ball speed vs. your swing speed.

In bowling, little things matter. Since ball speed control has become an important part in maintaining a good ball reaction, you also need to understand that your arm swing speed can vary from your actual bowling ball speed.

As example, if you make a normal approach and swing your ball at your most effective speed using a flat wrist position throughout your swing and release movements, you produce a given ball speed as the ball exits your hand.

If, however, you change your wrist position to a fully “cocked” or “cupped” position while swinging your ball at the same pace back and through, your swing arc changes, the height of your backswing changes, and your arm will move more slowly than with a flat wrist position resulting in an overall speed change.

In this example, if you cup your wrist, your arm muscles tighten and move more slowly producing slightly less ball speed than when using the flat wrist position.

If you allow your wrist to hinge back as far as it will go to the “broken” wrist position, you will maximize your ball speed based on your normal swing speed because there is little to no arm tension involved in your swing movements, your backswing will be slightly higher than with the “cupped” wrist position, and everything moves more quickly.

Due to these variables in swing speed and ball speed, it is important to develop and use a tension free swing motion with little or no muscle control as your fundamental and basic swing motion.

In doing so, you can alter your wrist position slightly and produce a slight variation in your ball reaction due to the overall ball speed adjustment.

Of course, changing your walking tempo can also change your swing speed and ball speed.

During practice sessions, it is important to work on your best walking and swing tempo movements so you become skilled and consistent at these paces of movement. A reliable approach tempo is key to controlling your ball reaction. Given the enormous selection of bowling balls available in the market today, there are literally any number of ball motion capabilities you can select. Because of this, it becomes extremely necessary to understand your bowling ball speed vs. your swing speed.

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