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Perfect Your Follow Through: The Key to Approach Consistency
You’ve probably spent countless hours perfecting your approach, working on your release, and fine-tuning your grip – but there’s one crucial element that many bowlers completely ignore: the follow through. You might think the hard work is done once the ball leaves your hand, but that’s exactly when many bowlers sabotage their own accuracy.
A proper follow through is like the period at the end of a sentence – it completes the thought and ensures your message is delivered clearly. Without it, even perfect approach and release can result in inconsistent ball direction and missed targets.
This guide will show you why follow through is the missing piece in your consistency puzzle and teach you the specific techniques that will transform your accuracy and take your scores to the next level.
Perfect Your Follow Through: The Key to Bowling Consistency
Follow Through Purpose: Completing your arm motion after release ensures energy flows in a straight line toward your target, dramatically improving accuracy and consistency.
Why Follow Through is Crucial to Your Bowling Success
Many bowlers think their job is done the moment the ball leaves their hand, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. The follow through is where consistency is born or broken, where accuracy is refined or ruined.
What Happens During Follow Through
Energy Completion
Follow through allows all the energy from your swing to flow out in a straight line toward your target, rather than stopping abruptly.
Direction Control
Your hand finishing in the direction of your target ensures the ball travels along your intended path rather than veering off course.
Key Principle: Follow through is not an afterthought – it’s an integral part of your swing that determines where your ball actually goes versus where you aimed.
The Mechanics of Proper Follow Through
Understanding what a correct follow through looks like and feels like is essential for developing the muscle memory that creates consistent ball delivery shot after shot.
Proper Arm Movement and Position
Upward Motion: Maintain an upward swing arc that continues in the direction of your target after ball release.
Height Target: Your hand should finish at or above shoulder height to ensure complete energy transfer.
Minimum Angle: Maintain at least a 90-degree angle in your arm throughout the follow through motion.
Hand and Wrist Finishing Position
Directional Finish: Your bowling hand should point directly toward your target at the completion of follow through.
Wrist Extension: Straighten your wrist as you follow through, avoiding any breaking or bending motion.
Palm Position: Your palm should face your target at the finish, confirming proper hand alignment throughout the motion.
Mistakes That Destroy Follow Through
Early Stopping: Many bowlers stop their arm motion at knee level, preventing complete energy transfer.
Side Drift: Allowing your arm to drift left or right instead of maintaining straight-line motion toward the target.
Deceleration: Slowing down your arm swing before completing the follow through disrupts ball direction.
💡 Pro Tip: Think of your follow through like shaking hands with someone standing at your target – your hand naturally rises and extends toward them.
How Follow Through Dramatically Improves Accuracy
The connection between follow through and accuracy isn’t just theoretical – it’s a direct cause-and-effect relationship that you can see and feel in your bowling immediately.
The Accuracy Improvement Process
Energy Direction: Complete follow through ensures all swing energy flows toward your target rather than dissipating randomly.
Hand Alignment: Following through toward your target keeps your hand aligned with your intended ball path.
Consistent Release: Proper follow through creates repeatable release conditions that eliminate random variations.
Speed Control Benefits
Consistent Velocity
Complete follow through ensures consistent ball speed by maintaining smooth energy transfer throughout the entire motion.
Smooth Delivery
Proper follow through eliminates jerky or abrupt movements that can cause unpredictable ball motion down the lane.
Follow Through Completes Your Entire Swing Process
Many bowlers don’t realize that follow through isn’t separate from your swing – it’s the culmination of everything that came before it. Without proper follow through, even perfect approach and release become ineffective.
The Swing Completion Cycle
Setup and Approach: Your stance and steps build momentum and establish your swing plane.
Backswing and Forward Swing: These generate the power and establish the direction for your ball delivery.
Release: The critical moment where ball leaves hand with proper rotation and direction.
Follow Through: Completes the energy transfer and ensures all previous elements work together effectively.
What Happens Without Proper Follow Through
Misdirected Energy
Stopping your arm early causes energy to scatter, leading to inconsistent ball direction and speed.
Unwanted Rotation
Incomplete follow through can cause unintended rotation during delivery, affecting ball motion down the lane.
Missed Targets
Poor follow through is often the hidden reason why bowlers consistently miss their intended targets.
Why Bowling Follow Through Differs from Other Sports
Unlike golf, where different shots require different swing lengths, bowling demands a full follow through on every single delivery. Understanding this distinction is crucial for developing proper technique.
The Full Commitment Principle
No Half Swings: Every bowling delivery requires complete follow through – there are no “chip shots” in bowling.
Consistent Motion: Unlike golf’s variable swing lengths, bowling requires the same full follow through regardless of lane conditions.
Accuracy Demands: Bowling’s precision requirements mean that any reduction in follow through compromises accuracy.
Minimum Follow Through Standards
Height Requirement
Your hand and elbow must finish above shoulder level on every delivery to ensure complete energy transfer.
Angle Maintenance
Maintain at least a 90-degree arm angle throughout the follow through to preserve swing integrity.
Developing Perfect Follow Through: Practice Methods
Like any bowling fundamental, proper follow through requires deliberate practice and muscle memory development. These proven techniques will help you build consistent follow through habits.
Shadow Practice Drills
Mirror Work: Practice your complete swing motion in front of a mirror, focusing specifically on follow through height and direction.
No-Ball Practice: Go through your complete approach and swing motion without a ball, emphasizing proper follow through.
Slow Motion Drills: Practice your entire swing in slow motion to feel the proper follow through position and timing.
On-Lane Practice Methods
Target Focus: Pick a specific target down the lane and ensure your hand finishes pointing directly at it after every shot.
Hold the Finish: After releasing the ball, hold your follow through position for 2-3 seconds to build muscle memory.
Video Analysis: Record your swing from the side to see whether your follow through meets height and direction standards.
Fixing Common Follow Through Problems
Identifying and Correcting Follow Through Issues
Stopping Too Early
Problem: Arm stops at or below knee level after release.
Solution: Practice reaching toward a target above shoulder height to build proper muscle memory.
Drifting Sideways
Problem: Hand finishes left or right of the target instead of straight ahead.
Solution: Use a specific target and practice pointing directly at it during follow through.
Rushing the Motion
Problem: Moving too quickly through follow through without maintaining control.
Solution: Practice deliberate, controlled follow through with emphasis on smooth completion.
The Results: How Follow Through Transforms Your Game
When you commit to developing proper follow through, the improvements in your bowling are both immediate and long-lasting. Understanding these benefits will motivate you to make follow through a priority in your practice.
Immediate Improvements You’ll Notice
Better Accuracy
Your ball will hit your intended target more consistently, leading to better pin carry and spare conversion.
Consistent Speed
Your ball speed will become more predictable, making it easier to read lane conditions and make adjustments.
Long-Term Benefits
Higher Scores: Improved accuracy and consistency naturally lead to better pin carry and higher average scores.
Greater Confidence: Knowing your follow through is solid gives you confidence to commit fully to every shot.
Injury Prevention: Proper follow through reduces stress on your shoulder and elbow by allowing natural energy completion.
Final Thoughts
Follow through is often the most overlooked aspect of bowling technique, yet it’s one of the most impactful improvements you can make to your game. The beauty of follow through work is that improvements are often immediate and dramatic – you can literally see the difference in your ball’s path from the very first shot you take with proper technique.
Remember, every delivery requires the same full commitment to follow through. There are no shortcuts or half-measures that will give you the consistency and accuracy you’re seeking. Make follow through a non-negotiable part of your technique, and watch as your scores and confidence reach new heights.
The difference between good bowlers and great bowlers often comes down to the details they refuse to compromise on. Follow through is one of those details that separates champions from everyone else. Commit to excellence in your follow through, and watch your entire game transform.
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