Use Your Head When Bowling

By: bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 5/15/17; Updated: 10/21/2021

If you have bowled for any extended period of time in leagues and tournaments, you surely know to use your head when bowling in competition.

The value to using your head cannot be stressed enough.

At this point you are likely thinking that this article is intended to address the value in thinking before you bowl or in using a reliable pre-shot routine so you plan your shots carefully.

You may also be thinking that using your head relates to planning any adjustment needed to gain a good ball reaction.

You may be thinking that you should consider a bowling ball change when you lose your ball reaction?

Any of these thoughts are a correct way to consider using your head on the lanes. But this is not what this article means to address.

Use your head for good body balance when bowling is the intent.

Keep your head motionless and positioned straightaway facing your target on the lane.

The human head can be anywhere from 5% to 10% percent of the total body weight of a given bowler.

The sheer weight of the head with respect to the total body mass can cause a shift in balance or your body mass center while walking, swinging, and releasing the bowling ball if you use excessive movement with your head.

A key here is to gain stability by avoiding any sudden head movement just prior to releasing your bowling ball.

Avoid raising your head, pulling up and away from the foul line, or bending and leaning too far forward at the line. Any of these sudden weight shift movements certainly can cause a loss in balance during the critical moment you are releasing your bowling ball.

There are no balance tips which work perfectly for all bowlers but keeping your head as still as possible when bowling allows you to see your aim point clearly while walking, helps regulate your bowling shoulder elevation from the floor as you slide and release your ball, and stabilizes your body mass so you can repeat quality shots.

Another key in effectively using your head when bowling is to commit to hitting your target. It is so easy to mentally get distracted with physical body movements that you forget to focus sharply on your aim point on the lane. Commit fully to using your head for bowling balance and make one good shot at a time.

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