Your Bowling Balance Leg

Updated 8/10/2020

Using your bowling balance leg properly is an extremely important key in making accurate bowling ball deliveries. Maintaining good balance and remaining stable with your upper body while sliding into the foul line are set-up by using your bowling balance leg effectively.

While addressing literally hundreds of instructional topics at bowlingball.com, it is key to not overlook the importance of your balance leg. The step before your slide step is known as a “pivot step” and becomes your balance leg at the time you transfer your weight onto your sliding leg and begin the sliding process.

Once you have transferred your weight onto your sliding leg and begin the slide, your balance leg must move out of the way smoothly so your forward arm swing has a clear path without your balance leg or hip restricting your delivery on your intended target line.

Your balance leg, or trailing leg, should sweep smoothly to the opposite side of your body from your bowling arm. The bowling shoe on your balance leg should remain in contact with the approach floor while sweeping away from the arm swing path which acts as a counter balance to the weight of the bowling ball swinging on the opposite side of your body.

If you wish to keep your hips and shoulder aligned to the target during your release, then the toe of your bowling shoe on your balance leg should remain pointing to the pins. This technique will lock in your hips squarely aligned to your target and set-up an arm swing path also aligned to your target.


If your balance leg lifts well off of the floor suddenly while sweeping away to the side of your body, you run the risk of losing upper body balance because your head and shoulders might thrust in front of your sliding knee resulting in a loss of balance during the critical bowling ball delivery.

To make an accurate delivery of your bowling ball, you must be in a good delivery position with good balance. Make certain that your balance leg sweeps smoothly away from your swing path and remains in contact with the approach floor. As in any sport, good balance leads to good results.

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