One of the biggest keys to timing is your posture throughout the entire approach, including (and especially) the finish position. Being able to master your posture as you make your approach will help significantly when it comes to accuracy, repeating shots and maintaining consistency.
Your waist is the hinge between your upper and lower body and therefore controls the largest amount of mass of any hinge in your body. So, when you change your posture forward or backward, you're making a bigger change than you might realize. Because of this, a posture change can affect your timing throughout the entire approach.
Pre-setting your posture is a good idea as it gets you into the right position before you begin approaching the line. From there, you want your posture to stay the same all the way through the approach (unless you're a two-hander-more on that later).
Your arm swing should be straight as possible and by keeping your posture the same, you allow your arm the best chance to repeat the same direction. If you suddenly change your posture during the approach, the position of your shoulder changes, which can lead to erratic swings or forcing yourself to pull down in some cases, exerting extra force you shouldn't need.
Timing Adjustments
You can alter your posture to help improve your timing and increase shot repeatability. For example, if you have late timing (when your arm swing comes through after your feet get to the line), you can pre-set your posture a bit to help your arm swing catch up to your footwork, which can also lead to better balance.
Posture is also extremely important relative to the tempo of your footwork and arm swing. The faster your feet move, the more your posture needs to maintain balance throughout the approach. If your feet are slower, your posture still needs to be balanced over your footwork, but generally this is a little easier to do if you're moving slowly. Your posture should keep the tempo of both your feet and your swing in synchronized.
Film Yourself
As we've discussed, your posture is one of the most important components to staying the same throughout the approach. One of the best ways to see if you're balanced is to film yourself from the side. Look at your posture as you begin your approach and see if it changes at all going to the line. If you notice a big change, you may have found the culprit for any inconsistency in shot repeatability.
A Note for Two-Handers
We've talked a lot about keeping your posture the same throughout the approach, but if you're a two-handed bowler, you want a shift on your positioning. You'll need to change your posture in order to generate a backswing and momentum going into the release.
You'll pre-set your posture in the stance like a one-handed player, as you get into your downswing, your posture should bend forward. Since your opposite hand is connected to the ball throughout the approach, you must change your posture for everything to work. After you release the ball, your posture will naturally rise a bit. Again, you want to be able to repeat that posture each time you bowl.
Whether you're a one-hander or a two-hander, when you pre-set your posture and maintain consistency throughout the approach, you'll find yourself with better timing, more balance and more accuracy on the lanes.
Stephen
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