Turn Your Shoulders For Bowling Power

By: bowlingball.com
Publish Date: 10/6/15

Turn your shoulders for bowling power. This tip is for athletic players able to apply torque to their upper body by rotating their bowling shoulders open and then close them back to square at the moment of releasing the bowling ball.

If you are able, as are some power players we routinely see at the better leagues in town, to rotate your bowling shoulder up to 90 degrees open at the top of your backswing, you will apply torque to your upper body and then the unwinding of your shoulders coupled with your swing gaining momentum build-up on your forward swing will add power to your delivery.

In the old days (3-5 decades in the past), bowlers were instructed to keep their shoulders square to the foul line throughout the approach and release.

The power players today who can hook the ball considerably will rotate open their bowling shoulder from 75 degrees open to perhaps 90 degrees open on the backswing and then rotate the shoulders closed on the forward swing.

This rotation creates body torque. If the shoulders rotate 90 degrees, as an example, then the hips will rotate open about half as much.

The bowler will feel a pulling sensation on the opposite side of the torso from the non-bowling shoulder down to the hip as the swing opens on the backswing. This pulling sensation is caused by the torque created turning the shoulders more than the hips and feet.

Since the feet are essentially remaining straight toward the pins during the approach plus or minus a few degrees, the upper body torque will assist the forward swing in generating increased speed and acceleration thereby also increasing power.

Avoid raising the shoulder up and down, as in a seesaw motion, but rather simply keep your shoulder at the same level from the floor as pre-set in the stance position. Open and close your shoulders during the swing cycle without dipping the shoulders up or down. Rotating your shoulders open and closed is the goal to increase torque and apply power to your game.

If you think your swing can do with some rotation and added torque, practice rotating your shoulders open a slight bit, perhaps 30 degrees open to 50 degrees open, before making a decision to create a maximum full 90 degrees of rotation in an attempt to generate maximum torque.



We frequently see baseball hitters and golfers rotate open and close shoulders during their swing motions.

We see many top professional players bowling on TV do the same with their bowling swings.

If you decide to add torque to your swing, it is advised to do so under the guidance and watchful eye of an experienced bowling instructor.

Turn your shoulders for bowling power.