Bring Your Bowling Swing

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 2/4/2014; Updated: 12/9/2022

Once you arrive at the top of your bowling backswing, bring that swing. One major reason bowlers begin to lose their effectiveness and make errant deliveries far too frequently is because of decelerating the forward swing. By slowing the forward swing, poor shots can follow.

Why risk turning the ball early or pulling your shot offline because you did not accelerate your forward swing. By accelerating your forward swing, your speed control gains consistency. Losing speed can lead to rotating your bowling fingers early. Turning the bowling ball early can cause pulled shots inside your desired ball path.

Both can cause an ineffective roll to be applied to the ball. The solution is to gradually accelerate your forward swing from the top of your backswing all the way to a full and complete follow-through motion. Successful players accelerate the forward swing and release out onto the lane surface. All bowlers have a common challenge to not turn the ball early so it becomes extremely important to not decelerate the arm swing trying to be too careful where you deliver the ball.


By increasing the pace of each succeeding step so you gain momentum walking to the foul line, you aid your forward swing pace as well. If your steps accelerate, so will your forward swing. A certain degree of attack is needed when you bowl in competition so be sure to accelerate and complete your swing each delivery. Try and deliver your ball at slightly less than full power, however.

When delivering your ball less than at full power, so you do not jeopardize losing balance and accuracy. This does not mean, however, that you slow down your forward swing. Quite the opposite. Increase the pace of your forward swing but not so dramatically that you lose balance and control when delivering your bowling ball. Good adjustments in your lane alignment can be made when your swing speed remains consistent from shot to shot. By accelerating your swing, you establish the speed control necessary to reproduce good shots.

It is much easier to make good adjustments as lane conditions change when you are making good shots than when you do not. If you want to improve the quality of your shot making, never quit on your swing. When you enter into competition, bring your best swing.