Accelerate Your Bowling Ball Through Your Forward Swing

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 2/2/2014; Updated: 12/15/2022

One major swing thought in gaining consistent shot making is to think to accelerate your bowling ball through your forward swing.
Bowlers will typically try and force the ball to gain more speed or more power with their release but without an accelerated forward swing where you feel the ball moving increasingly more rapidly through the release area near the bottom of your forward swing, you risk overturning the ball or making an errant delivery.
Here are a few tips to help you accelerate your forward swing:
1. Avoid over-applying gripping pressure on your bowling ball - don’t squeeze your bowling ball.
2. Set your upper body in an athletic posture with your body weight positioned directly above your knee caps as you walk to the foul line.
3. Gradually increase the pace of your steps with succeeding steps becoming a bit more livelier.
4. Increase the speed of your backswing slightly without muscle tension.
5. Avoid grabbing your bowling ball at the top of your backswing and forcing the downswing.
6. Focus on keeping the palm of your bowling hand moving toward the pocket as you begin your forward swing. In doing so, your arm and hand will remain behind the ball and the added weight of your arm will help to increase your forward swing speed.

7. Accelerate your forward swing to a full follow-through position completing your swing cycle.
By slowing or de-accelerating your forward swing, you lose swing momentum. .
By slowing the forward swing, you run a risk of turning the ball early or pulling your shot offline.
Deliver your ball with slightly less than maximum power but do not sacrifice balance and accuracy.