People who bowl fast are very passionate about it. If you watch bowling videos, that passion is clearly displayed. There’s usually a lot of cheering for your team and excitement when a bowler gets a strike or a spare.
Many people have made a career out of bowling, and many more now can be seen at various bowling centers across the country. It’s not easy to become one of those people, but there are some basic things anyone can learn if they want to try!
There are three main reasons to know how to roll a ball quickly. The first is just because it sounds cool. “Rolling as fast as possible” does not carry with it too much prestige.
The second reason to know how to fast-bowle is for money. Most leagues require players to demonstrate their skill by rolling a few balls. More experienced players get paid better than beginner players, so becoming a master slow bowler could cost you less in the long run.
Practice constantly
One of the most important things about fast bowling is practicing your craft consistently. The more you practice, the better you will get!
That means making frequent short deliveries in batting practices or net practice, doing drills with the ball, throwing at least 200 balls per session, and simply spending time working on your form and speed.
Practice makes perfect, so make sure to invest some time every day to improve your game.
Practice with a friend
While practicing your bowling is great, practice time can be limited due to work or other commitments. Having a friend that you want to challenge yourself against can help!
Finding a friendly bowler takes some effort, but it’s totally worth it. Ask around at your local bowling alley if anyone has a game they are looking to drop. Or, if there isn’t one, organize one!
Either way will give you someone to practice with, and it will motivate both of you to keep up good ball control and speed. Both people will feel motivated when they walk away feeling accomplished from their session together.
And don’t forget about high-five waiting for you after the match either! It adds an extra element to the fun.
Practice with a bowling ball
While most people know what kind of bowling you can do, less known is your fast bowling style! Fast bowling is typically done at around 160-180 miles per hour, but really good ones go up to 200 or even faster.
To be able to throw a great fast bowl, however, you first need to learn how to properly roll a ball with a heavy ball. This is called rolling with weight!
Your wrist should be slightly bent when throwing the ball so that you don’t have to use too much strength to get it going. Your forearm and hand should naturally fall into a position where you feel comfortable while tossing the ball around.
Practice this way every day until you are able to drop a very heavy ball easily.
Improve your grip
When bowling, there’s an important position you need to know how to do well. This is called gripping the ball properly!
Gripping the ball correctly will determine if you are a successful bowler. If you have poor form here, then it may end up hurting your game more than helping it.
You want to make sure that your hand is slightly wider than the ball, but not by much. Your index finger should be just barely touching the top of the ball when you shoot it. Your middle and ring fingers should be parallel to each other with the tip of your pointer finger almost reaching out towards the outside edge of the ball.
Your palm should be facing down – this is what helps create momentum and makes the ball move faster. Make sure your wrist is relaxed as well so it doesn’t get stiff and cause problems.
If you watch pro bowlers on TV or online, you can see how their hands shift around while throwing the ball. This is because they trained them to do that!
Practice using good grips until you feel comfortable doing so.
Practice with your shoes on or off
When bowling, there is an important factor in how you approach your game that has little effect on what type of bowler you become, but can make a big difference in whether you feel relaxed about it or not!
This fact is very popularly known as your “style” of bowling. The term style comes from how professional bowlers physically position themselves while rolling their balls.
Some say this makes them more powerful when they roll the ball, while others say it helps create more rhythm and consistency. It also varies between individuals depending on their personal strengths and weaknesses.
However, none of these things matter unless you are able to relax and focus only on your own technique during the match. This is where practicing with both your shirt on or off becomes extremely valuable.
Practicing without a shirt allows you to focus completely on your form, whereas practicing with one restricts your body’s natural instinct to tighten up.
Use the right oil
Oiling your hand is one of the most important things for fast bowling. The wrong type of oil can totally change how well you bounce the ball, as well as what kind of speed you are able to get it up to!
Most people use vegetable or coconut oil to do this, but we will talk about why these are not the best choice here. We will also discuss some types of oils that are better than those.
Too much oil in the hands can actually be a disadvantage because it makes the player feel more comfortable, which may cause them to hold onto the ball longer, taking away from their natural release. This could even contribute to over-bowling, where the batter gets out too quickly due to the slow pace at which they have to bowl.
We will go into detail about the different types of oil and what effects they have on your game.
Know the rule on chewing gum
Many fast bowlers are known for their unique styles that include trick shots, special balls, and/or different types of bowling. One of the most popular tricks is called “chewing” or “slurping” the ball.
Most professional bowler have their own style they use to chew the ball and what kind of gum they like to use. Some people even develop their own technique that works best for them!
But before you start experimenting with other ways to roll your ball, make sure you know the rules about using gum.
You can’t stick any type of gum in your mouth while you’re rolling (this includes bubblegum, peppermint, and natural herbal products). The shape and size of your tongue also play a role in which gums you can apply to the ball.
Learn to read the bowler
As mentioned earlier, bowling is an athletic activity that requires you to know how to effectively bowl. If you want to become a master fast bowler, then you must learn how to identify good bowlers so that you can watch their games and imitate some of their techniques.
One thing most slow or average bowlers have in common is they understand how to read the striker. This is when the ball comes close to the body and the arm starts moving upward. When this happens it creates more momentum for the arm which helps propel the ball down the pitch faster.
For advanced players, reading the reverse roll is also important. When the ball bounces away from the body, it gives the player more time to react and re-aim before throwing the next ball. All of these things help create a better rhythm for your own game!
There are many ways to pick up information about bowling including talking to other people who love the sport, watching professional bowling matches, and studying different styles of play.
