How Do I Properly Cover My Bowling Shot

By: bowlingball.com, 11/21/15

If you are an advanced player who wishes to focus on your finish position at the foul line, then you might be asking how do I properly cover by bowling shot?

Covering your shot in bowling refers to your body positioning as you slide into the foul line and prepare to release your bowling ball.

With good balance and posture, a long slide step with a good amount of knee flex, and with your slide foot under the center of your body, you can repeat quality shots by being in position to release your ball consistently and accurately.

If you find yourself spinning out of your shot, falling off of balance, or dropping your bowling shoulder so low that you are releasing your ball off of your intended delivery path, then you will need to shore up your form as you slide and release your ball

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Start by checking your posture. Make sure your shoulders are not too far out ahead of your sliding knee when releasing your ball.

At the same time, make sure your shoulders are not so far behind your slie knee that your torso is in a totally upright position or bending back and away from the foul line.

Using a small amount of forward body lean where your shoulders line up over your sliding knee enables you to preserve balance as you release the ball.

If you are not sliding straight into the foul line but rather are spinning as much as 45 degrees and opening your hips much more than needed relative to your target on the lane, then you may also be losing the intended ball delivery path angle and could pull your ball off line.

Opening your hip and shoulder slightly to accommodate your inside-to-outside swing path is a good technique for those of you allowing for playing a reasonable amount of hook.

Opening your shoulders and spinning your hips and slide foot so far open, however, that you lose balance and find yourself delivering your ball across your body with your back facing the pins will surely lead to a loss in power and leverage as well as directional control.



One sure way to maintain good body balance when sliding into the line is to slide toward the center of your body somewhere under your chin.

If you do not use an excessively lowered bowling shoulder, you should easily be able to slide toward the center of your body mass so your leg supports your body weight and allows you to be in good position to release your ball accurately.

Three good tips, therefore, in properly covering your shot are to position your shoulders over your sliding knee, avoid spinning out of your shot so far that you lose balance, and slide toward the center of your body.

Maintaining a good athletic posture during your approach and being in a good body position to release your ball will lead to repeated quality shots.