Increase Your Bowling Practice Routine

By: bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 7/7/16; Updated: 3/8/2022

If you are seeking to sharpen your game before an important competition, increase your bowling practice routine.

Increasing your routine during practice sessions implies working longer on your game than when practicing casually between league sessions or tournaments.

Increasing your routine also means to focus on several keys to your physical game and focus on having your bowling ball arsenal prepared and ready for use.

It is always a good idea to avoid bowling for score. Instead of bowling for score, use the the games you pay for as a platform in tuning these keys of your game.

If you are struggling a bit with certain spares, by all means do not assume you will suddenly improve making them when the heat is on during competition unless you work on your technique and alignment system for spares during practice.

Begin your practice time warming up in the same number of shots as you typically get during competitive session warm-up periods of time.

Begin working on your physical game from the ground up. Your footwork should be monitored for sustaining the usual pace of your steps. Double check your walking path to make sure you walk your desired lines from any positioning on the approach.

Establish an athletic posture in your stance and maintain your spine angle throughout your approach and delivery.

Keep your head void of unneeded movement. Avoid pushing off of your step before your slide too aggressively as to move legs and upper body up and out of a good sliding position at the foul line.

Practice the tempo of your entire swing cycle using as little swing tension as possible to help you control your intended bowling ball speed.

Practice the swing path throughout your entire swing cycle.

Work on reducing unnecessary hand action at the point of release. Stay behind the ball as long as possible to avoid turning your hand early and getting an ineffective ball reaction.

Hold your form at the foul line until your ball passes your sight target. Balance during your slide step and release is critical to good shotmaking.

Practice a range of alignment positioning on the approach so if you encounter lane conditions in a tournament, as example, which requires a very different angle of attack from where you bowl most frequently, you will be prepared and feel comfortable playing these angles.



Bowl as long as you feel necessary where time and budget permit so you can tune the vital aspects of your game.

If you feel one or more areas of your physical game need additional attention, then bowl longer each session and include more sessions leading to your competitive events.

Don’t forget to get to the pro shop and have the surfaces of your bowling balls textured as you need them for a consistent ball reaction. Double check your inserts for wear and for proper fit.

No top tier player has ever been successful consistently without spending the time practicing and working on their games. Increase your bowling practice routine by spending a little additional time in training.