Taking a Stance on Your Stance

Written By: bowlingball.com | Written On: Friday, December 12, 2014 | Updated On: Tuesday, August 11, 2020

Often neglected in practice, your bowling stance is one of the most important factors in your game. It truly is the starting point for any bowling shot. Just as a house built on a weak foundation will be unstable, the success and growth of your game is dependent on a solid stance.
To the new bowler, it seems obvious: start somewhere near the back of the approach, walk toward the lane, swing the bowling ball back and forth in the process, and release the ball in the direction of the pins. Sounds simple enough. But the starting point --your stance --is crucial to both the physical and the mental execution of the shot. In “Bowling Fundamentals, second edition PWBA champion Michelle Mullen identifies and explains the key areas of importance when establishing your bowling stance, including Determining Stance Distance, Determining Stance Position, and Relaxing on the Approach, your stance distance is the optimal distance away from the foul line (at the back of the approach) for you to position your feet. Choosing this distance will lead you to finish your shot close to lane, without crossing over the foul line. Many factors influence your stance distance, including how many steps you take (most bowlers employ a 4- or 5-step approach), the speed of your approach, and the amount of slide you use as you release the ball.
1 - Your stance distance is the optimal distance away from the foul line (at the back of the approach) for you to position your feet. Choosing this distance will lead you to finish your shot close to lane, without crossing over the foul line. Many factors influence your stance distance, including how many steps you take (most bowlers employ a 4- or 5-step approach), the speed of your approach, and the amount ofslide you use as you release the ball.
2 - Yourstance positionrefers to the lateral placement of your feet on the approach – or, how far left or how far right you stand. There are many factors that determine your stance position, including if you are righty or lefty, if you throw a straight ball or if you hook the ball - and how much you hook the ball, if you are shooting for a strike of for a spare shot, etc. There are also a number of ways to line up your stance position, including counting boards and dots on the approach, aligning with the toe or the instep of your bowling shoe, and aligning with targets on the lane.
3 - Relaxing on the approach seems obvious, but is really crucial to the execution of your shot. Like many sports, bowling is largely a mental game. Confidence and relaxation play an extremely important role in success. And it all starts with your stance. Having tension during your stance will only lead to tension in your approach and your delivery. As Michelle Mullen explains in Bowling Fundamentals,Gripping the ball too tightly in the stance is often a problem because it creates tension throughout the upper body. Again, many bowlers are not aware of how tense they are in the stance. With so many muscles, and various points throughout the swing, your approach can become infinitely different from shot to shot.Tension makes you erratic. Relax and let physics take over. It's more reliable than we are. If you watch a PBAorWPBA match, you'll sometimes see a bowler take a deep breath in the stance, before starting the approach. This is a relaxation technique that helps set a solid foundation for the entire shot
Take some time to consider your stance. When you have a clearer understanding and a plan, you will have confidence. And when you have confidence, you will be more comfortable and more relaxed in your stance, which is the starting point for great bowling. You will see your scores rise and you will have more fun on the lanes.