5 Bowling Practice Tips You NEED To Know! 

As someone who's worked in a pro shop for over 10 years now I think the issue with a lot of bowlers and practice is ego. So many people go to "practice" and they still try to shoot 300 when they shouldn't. They want to show off to non bowlers or even people they know that are at the bowl. I think we need to emphasize that score shouldn't matter in practice. I always push to bowl 3-4 games. First couple games do drills work on spares ect. Then the last game put those drills to work and bowl a full game to see what still needs work.

When I coach my kids I tell them, when I'm not their practice with a purpose always starting with a slow warmup. I have them start with the 7 pin and 10 pin first ball then strike ball for a whole game. In the eighties and early ninties every, one practiced. What killed it to me, everybody started to buy second and third balls so all they would do is switch instead of the effort of practice. I enjoy your videos and follow you two all the time now. I am a Bronze level coach and will be taking the Silver certification class the end of April. I am in the Philippines so bowling with available coaching is very limited. You guys I'm sure inspire others as you have me. Thanks,

Been watching your vids for a few months, where I live our alleys have been open for 4 weeks and my top scores gone from 145 to 181 just from your tips and advice using nothing but house plastic balls so thanks Brad and Kyle 👌

Ohhh bowling, I remember that game....☹️

I love how they’re channel is actually helpful with some jokes and humor also how they golf their tours... it adds diversity to the channel and I really like that

I wish there was such a thing as the internet when I was really into bowling 50 years ago. You guys would have been a God send for me and everyone of by team members. Unable to bowl now due to physical limitations but I love watching you guys and just remember my frustrations trying to get better. From 1965 to 1980 my best league average was 195. Watching you guys now I can see the little things that kept me from improving overall. Keep up the good work. I'm positive you are helping a lot of young league bowlers like I was years ago.

Just bowled my first 200 game because of you guys! Thanks for making these videos and helping me step up my game :)

Started keeping track of spare conversions during practice. Helped me keep from getting bored and its fun to track improvement.

These practice tips are valuable: 1.) I practice once a week for 2 hours on the weekend. At the bowling alley, I have learned to focus on angles and adjustments as opposed to losing focus on knowing my max score. 2.) At home, I practice my arm swing with a baseball in my hand. 3.) For the end approach, I monitor my swing and wrist rotation, mainly at home. I hope to meet you both in person someday. You both are very knowledgeable and have bowled at higher levels than myself.

Love you guys so much honestly helped my game get to a whole new level gone up by easily 20 pins

After many years, I gave the sport up in 1999. I always used the 50% rule in practice and also during practice shots before league play or tournaments. Going full blast to me was risking injury and starting at half speed to me seemed to be common sense. Spare practice was also a staple of every practice session. I was taught the No Step Drill attending the Dick Ritger Bowling Camp in the 90s. I did a variation of the 7 arrows drill at times. I did not throw a big hook ( I was called a "stroker" in those days, so I never went deeper than the 4th arrow. I was a "4 arrow" man. Great video!

You guys have no idea how valuable this information is. Followed this exact regiment, used up about 5 games total. Then game 6 I threw like it was league or a tourney. Put it all together. My form and release felt absolutely in sync. My targeting was in point, and I was able to strike from multiple angels at will. Thank you for the tips. Hopefully I can follow this once to twice a week on top of league. 2021 season gonna be a big one for me.

When Nelson burton was announcing, he suggested throwing at spares on the first shot, then at the pocket for the second shot. That way you throw two balls every frame.

bowled 30 games a week for a year, and at the start of my first league my average was 130, and next year at the start of that same league my average after 30 games a week, was 194. Practice worked for me.

You know what sucks about being an over the road trucker who f*cking LOVES bowling? Figuring out when and where I even CAN practice... this big ol’ rig is kind of *difficult* to get into many bowling centers I’ve come across (not to mention having a wacky work schedule). But, I’m stubborn, so I’ll find a way! Thanks for the practice guide fellas!

I’m not sure if it works but since I’m normally on a house pattern and it’s settled in a way that I can’t miss pocket. I change to a ball that doesn’t fit the pattern and play extreme center or near the gutter if there is enough oil. I get rewarded for getting a strike rather than striking from everywhere

You guys are on to something here! Great to see Pros explain how they go about things ! Maybe I can figure out how to not leave the Ten pin in the Tenth frame !

Great info and content always used one of my favorite drill you mention is the 7 arrow drill... wears my butt off, yet learning to strike from the different arrows... Great stuff guys... See you guys out on the PBA tour or other tournaments... 🤙🏽😊🤙🏽

My country has already opened bowling centers, these are truly good tips even to a double-hander like myself!

unsure if this has been covered in comments, but how would you do the no step drill with 2 hands? same process? thanks for all the great videos Brad + Kyle

I want to bowl you guys just for fun when are y'all going to be around Fulton mo

Brad & Kyle. Been watchin a few months and sadly in New York alleys still not open even though were in phase 4. Rip bowling basically

Thanks for your help. I just bowled my first 160 game

This tip does help out a lot, especially if you live in cali right now. Thanks you guys

It's like you were watching our high school practices! Great stuff, guys. Keep it up!

Hey guys! Big fan of yours. I was wonderin if you guys would do a shoe episode. From lower end shoes to higher end shoes with changeable soles and heels and when to change the sole. Also maybe speak on what shoes and combination of sole and heels you guys use! That would be great!

When practicing I don't want the monitors on. The purpose of practice is to focus on approach, step drills, eyes on boards, and release. Also have some fun with it too at some point!! You're bowling for Heaven's sake!🎳😁

When I was missing 10 pins I shot 3 games just at the 10 pin, if I hit it I tried to put the ball in the same exact spot again, I started to hit 10's in league play and average went up almost 10 pins.!!

Guys, thank you soo much for your tips on bowling. I have increased my scores from 135 to 181. Practice, correct practicing makes perfect. Keep em coming!

That was very good tips on how to practice never thought of it that way I've thought about and not only thought about but have actually in practice just try to shoot the ten pin because I'm right handed and I'm about 50% knocking it over but yes good content you guys are the greatest

You guys have are great help I’m a two hander how would I warm up?

Love your guys instructional videos

Hope everyone has a great and productive day! Stay safe and watch RU-vid!

Kyle. That COVID hair bro....

I’ll follow your practice routine when bowling opens in ca😳

Y'alls lighting is great!

I tried the bowling swings for first 5 frames of practice and I thought it would be weird but it really wasn't but it did make me more focused and relaxed for rest of practice

That thumbnail thooooo 🔥

Kyle getting his belmo beard going

when we would shoot spares. we would take turns one would throw a random shot and the second person would have to pick it up. its really fun if you are practicing with a friend or spouse. I also work at a bowling alley so we would take turns setting up spares with our pin crane (we made it). have the person turn around while setting up the spare just for the shock and pressure factor. I always have scoring off when we practice just so no one gets angry or disappointed in their performance.

LOL...Brad....I'm very skilled at leaving the 10 pin!

Good stuff!! I like #3&4!

How do you practice spares? Can you tell the alley to only load a certain pin

With the 7 arrow drill, are you actually lining up on each arrow (Board 5, 10, 15, etc)?Does the ball have to hit each around ? Just want a little clarification, thanks!

Im actually gonna go practice today 😎😎

Could you guys please do a video abt playing deep inside, it's something I have continuously struggled with and therefore, rarely try. Especially when standing next to the ball return.

Very good tips. Only thing is, we have to be able to practice on "pay per hour" type bowling, with unlimited frames. Otherwise, if the bowling center charges per frame, you've run through 8 or 9 games worth of bowling at $6 per game before you even really start to bowl, and that's not affordable for everyone.

This is good stuff as always. With that said, and for most people, spending all day or countless hours every day at a bowling center is financially impossible. I think my local center is near $10.00 a game. I by no means am broke or am hurting for money but I also am not looking to go broke.

Yo still no Haircut xD Nice Video guys !

Kyle we are glad you could Roll straight out of bed for this video...lol

I have bowling every Saturday

Do we need a quarantine neckbeard for practice? Asking for a friend.

You guys have the same bowling alley

I’m 47 just retired from military I practiced and practiced everyday to make the All Army Team but after that this year has been hard I’ve made a make shift bowling lane in garage enough to work on releasing now the alleys are open I can I get the stamina back quick?

This practice tips is a good for two handed bowlers?

Spare practice is the biggest thing to improve your game dramatically.

In regards to the 7 arrows drill, is this still meant to be done using only 1 ball to become more versatile with speed and hand positioning or using multiple balls to become more versatile on the lanes?

Should you practice with one or two lanes when doing these drills?

YOU ARE NOT 6 FEET APART... LOL jkjkjk THANKS FOR THE VIDEOS.

Love the Allen iverson reference in the thumbnail

Sorry it's actually my husband Samm who is the coach, I'm the support staff. 👍👍👍😊

I really like the mini-game of trying to leave every pin, never thought of that one. Really would re-enforce, oh right, come in a little late and a little light, looks good, leaves a 10. Flip hard late, leave a 4 pin....gonna have to try that one. I need these, my scoring has cratered this year, and it's not the lanes....something is broken on this bowler.

You have a high back swing Kyle.

Lately my 3rd game wares me out 16 lb balls. 4to 5 times a week.

Brad and Kyle, I like your videos and when I saw the title of this video, I was eager to discover the tips you say we need to know.. But you didn't start till about three and a half minutes in (after talking about people who practise and some who don't etc). All the while, I'm like "ok, so what are the tips?"

On the arrows drill do you move your feet five boards or stay in the same position?

Show the 4 step and 5 step walk

Great video as usual. Allen Iverson would approve anyway!

I'm in highschool and my coach is nearly 7 million years old and is stuck in the old days of bowling. He always tells at me telling me I'm bowling too much and am going to wear myself out. To the point where he's had the people who work at my home lanes shut my lanes down. Very frustrating. Also why should your own highschool bowlers have to pay to practice at their home lanes.....🙂

Since I came back to bowling in August of 2021, after not bowling a single game for nearly 4 years, I have been practicing about 3 days a week, 2 hours a day (specials at my lanes are 2hrs for 12 bucks Mon-Thurs), and I bowl about 15-20 games in those 2hrs. From August to end of December I bowled 187 games (that I had printed for me..but easily over 200) and my average on printouts went from a 116 to a 171 by the month. (Aug 116, Sept 124, Oct 139, Nov got my first ball 163, Dec 171). Starting in October is when I REALLY started bowling a lot of games... I even took a GoPro and set it up to see where I am changing after about 5 games and losing my "strike ball".. Practice has really ramped my game up and I have been complimented by quite a few random stangers who have watched me in passing. I plan to start off 2022 with a "real" ball (Black Widow Ghost Pearl) and take this plastic ball and use it for spares.

How important is it to warm up with pins compared to ghost pins?

Brad what weight ball do you throw?

Liked for the thumbnail

I bowled in league for the first time since March last night. It was exactly the same as before. Hardly any precautions taken. I will be pre bowling the rest of the season sadly.

The no step drill literally fixed my aproach and my swing and got the ball closer to my ankle

Invite kris prather as the guest please!! Make it happen guys

I got a job at a center just so I could get a discount on games/practice. So Thursdays I bowl league, friday 3 hours for $10 , saturday after shift 3 games, then sunday 2 hours for $10. For the next 4 months 1 saturday a month I will be bowling in a king of the hill tourney, my first. Told my wife since I can't work in my top 3 favorite industries anymore, I was going to give tournament bowling a dedicated go.

I am not young but trying to improve. I just can't afford to practice at a center enough. I bowl on leagues any suggestions?

Brad do you know how a youth bowler can join team storm

We use to play games of Golf. Try to get the lowest score, just picking off the 7 and 10. Gutter balls count as strikes

Thank you for speaking English! Please compare this video with one of your “higher tech” videos. In your tech videos, you lose me (so what, right?) because I don’t know the catalog names and descriptions of the ball manufacturers. That plus modern bowler Chinese typically leaves me nonplussed (look it up!). Example: After the lane “breaks down,” I “move in” and “open my angles.” Translation required. Because the oil on the lane is reduced (the oil evaporates and gets picked up by balls rolling over it), the lane’s drier surface will make the ball hook more. So I move left(not in), and that allows me to angle the ball more to the right side of the lane. To do that, I must turn my body a little to the right. OK, that’s not great language either. But the point is that it is not peppered with jargon and brand names of bowling balls that combine to obscure the message of the training. The video here contains no jargon at all. Your meaning is clear and available to everyone. Thank you.

I have a question, when bowling in a league, and or a turniment, how can a person find out the oil patterns are set for the first game

WE TALKING BOUT PRACTICE! - Allen Iverson 😂

Dose this mean when i get a deal on bowling where it only costs me $8 for 2 hours of bowling and whip out 15 game that i should not do that

the no step drill is basically the only drill i could do here being a wheelchair bowler

#5 Spare practice, oh so just bowling for me 😂😭

A couple of other things to beware of is that no matter what drill your doing you need to make sure you're release and other mechanics are correct because if they're not correct you will end up engraining bad habits-practice doesn't make perfect perfect practice makes permanent. Also it's important to set your ego aside and honestly evaluate your game-admit your weaknesses and work on them.

To make you less tense every shot, just put in mind "Go frame by frame"

what screws me up that y'all didn't talk about is practice on dry lanes and when tournament day comes the lanes are wet or different oil patterns

i’ve literally been watching your vids for literally 2 days i could never get above 100 i bowled a 103 a 120 and a 133

One of the things I hate about bowling is that you have to pay to practice. Like you can go to a football field and run routes you can do that anywhere. You can pass to someone any time. There are football fields that are very much open to public. Same with baseball, tennis, etc. But bowling really sucks in that you need to pay to practice. Obviously some pros are linked to centers and get free practice but us common folk don't have that luxury. We have leagues and occasionally can pitch the money to practice unless its at our own homes throwing a ball into the couch (which unsurprisingly aint going to translate much to the lanes). And when you're a college student who can't afford to put up 6-8 dollars a game or even 20 dollars for an hour of practice then there is no grind. If I were to practice 4 out of 7 days a week with just only 3games of practice, id be spending around 1500 dollars a year for practice in bowling. Obviously if you bowl in a league that's 1 day and cuts off a few months but still doesn't help. Just unfortunate for some of us

I enjoy shooting spares; IN PRACTICE! Not so much in competition. My practice is, pluck the 7 pin, shoot strike ball for first game. Pluck 10 pin then shoot strike ball. Pluck 4 pin, strike ball. 6 pin then strike ball etc. etc. etc.

some have natural talent some need to practice to keep muscle memory tuned

I'd love to go practice but my local ally always has excuses on why their lanes are never available Or are only available for less than an hour. It's honestly really pathetic why put in a bowling alley if nobody can use it

Are these 15 pound balls?

First!!!! FROM KANSAS CITY!! COME SEE ME BRAD

Practice!!??? We Talking about practice????

I don't like bowling because I keep hitting my knee.

3 days of practice and one of league.

time is what i have but the money is not, and everytime i wanna practice it costs me so much