To slide or not to slide, that is the question...

[swingset]

Actually, I think I already have the answer because weeks of trying to re-learn a good slide have left me with the realization that it's just wrecking my approach. My coach and others who have watched me bowl tell me I should slide so I've given it an honest college try.

I used to slide, and got away from it and now find that sliding upsets my balance, and makes me contend with the approach surface (both good and bad) and factor that into my game which is yet another variable, and really I think this is the most important thing...it just feels weird. Hours of practice until it's become second nature to do it, and all I found was that every 5th or 6th time I bowled, something in the slide step was off...I stuck, I slid too much, I slid then grabbed, and my consistency (which is not my strong suit) got even worse. I think I'm just not meant to slide, and I don't enjoy the game doing it so that's that.

But, it begs the question - how important is a slide in a modern bowling approach, really?

I see a lot of very good bowlers on both sides of this. Some plant, some slide. Some slide a little, some way out there, it's all over the map. Is this another case of tradition (don't drop the shoulder, verses the modern "always drop the shoulder", stay square verses open up for power) carrying over into the mechanics of the modern game where really it has no bearing? Or, do the benefits in power and reduced muscle stress of the forward leg outweigh the downsides?

[Greenday]

Sliding for me gives me a bigger window for my release. Since you want to release it around your foot/ankle while in a forward motion, the slide continues to forward motion for a longer time giving you more wiggle time for reaching that target area for release.

[billf]

I agree with Greenday on the reason for it. However, different strokes for different folks. You gave it a real try and just can't get it right so be done with it. I find that when I slide AND get real low my accuracy greatly improves. When planting I can't get nearly as low but I can get more revs.

[Greenday]

It doesn't have to be a long slide. Even a slide of just a few inches makes a huge difference. It keeps your forward momentum going, adding more power to your shot.

[J Anderson]

Personally I wish I could slide like Marshall Holman in his prime. The only time I've come close was when the local bowling center was celebrating 50 years in business and did something to the approaches. Instead of stopping 3-5 inches behind the line everything but the heel of my shoe went sliding over the line. First time I had ever fouled in over thirty years of bowling.

[swingset]

It doesn't have to be a long slide. Even a slide of just a few inches makes a huge difference. It keeps your forward momentum going, adding more power to your shot.

I do slide a tiny bit, but my slide step is heel-first and then it pushes forward an inch or so in a mini-slide. I'm not totally planted, but I sure don't scoot like some people do.

[ghetto24]

sometimes, it feels like im sliding forever. I don't think I could ever plant and throw. if my shoe sticks ANY amount it throws my entire approach/throw off.

[got_a_300]

Back in my younger days of bowling I had a long slide where
the toe of my shoe would end up about a quarter inch or less
from the foul line.

Now fast forward 19 or 20 years with bad knees and bad back
and taking 12+ years off from bowling and now days I have very
little slide if any and I stop about a foot or two from the foul line
now.

I've been working on trying to get a little more slide and trying to
get a little closer to the foul line but it is hard to do now days.

[WolfGirl1980]

Me I weigh alot in the 270 range but plan on getting that off this summer but thats another problem anyway me I don't slide reason I don't is for that very reason because of my weight and that I don't know if I could slide with the weight I got on me I don't even know if I could end in the correct stance for ballance with my right leg behind my left toe on the approach left knee bent and etc anyway besides I am 99% flat footed would that prevent me from sliding let me know what your thoughts on the subject?

-Sara

[Greenday]

Being flat footed won't change anything. I'm flat footed and with my new shoes, I slide a ton. For me, it was just making sure I didn't come down on the heel or else I'd just stick my landing.

[WolfGirl1980]

Being flat footed won't change anything. I'm flat footed and with my new shoes, I slide a ton. For me, it was just making sure I didn't come down on the heel or else I'd just stick my landing.

Thats Probably why I haven't been sliding I been coming down on my heel when I bowl tomorrow in league I will try landing on the front front end of my foot and I will buy a slide cover cause I am not sure I have the best shoes for sliding I got the brunswick charm shoes, the ones that come with the slingshot ball except I didn't get a ball with mine cause I got my shoes at a pro shop at the bowling alley I bowl at.

[TCJ]

I learned to bowl without a slide but I've been (off and on) working on trying to get some sort of one going. One thing that holds me back a little bit is that I often see other people who typically slide occasionally stick completely and almost fall over and I certainly don't want that to happen to me. Then again, there are occasions when the approaches are so slick that I will slide unintentionally, even after planting my foot. I think that since I learned to bowl without, for now my consistency will be hurt by trying it, but it's probably preferable to do so for a couple of reasons:

1. It will help ball speed. This might not be an issue in some cases, but two-handed it really helps because it prevents the high revs from causing the ball to move too many boards.

2. It probably helps ease wear and tear on the knee that a sudden stop causes.

[billf]

I learned to bowl without a slide but I've been (off and on) working on trying to get some sort of one going. One thing that holds me back a little bit is that I often see other people who typically slide occasionally stick completely and almost fall over and I certainly don't want that to happen to me. Then again, there are occasions when the approaches are so slick that I will slide unintentionally, even after planting my foot. I think that since I learned to bowl without, for now my consistency will be hurt by trying it, but it's probably preferable to do so for a couple of reasons:

1. It will help ball speed. This might not be an issue in some cases, but two-handed it really helps because it prevents the high revs from causing the ball to move too many boards.

2. It probably helps ease wear and tear on the knee that a sudden stop causes.

Both answers are correct but it also helps with allowing for more area to be in correct time. I've yet to see a good two-hander who didn't slide but none seem to have a real long slide. Even 4" would help tremendously.

[WolfGirl1980]

I tried sliding last night was no such luck my feet stayed planted but I get an A for effort right I landed on my toes instead of my heal and still didn't slide should I purchase easy slide or the thing that fits over your shoe and straps around the back of the heel? Let me here your thoughts please?:cool:

[TCJ]

Some people use a brush on their slide shoe, some people use an easy slide, some people get shoes with interchangeable slide pieces.

But before you get something new, try to find out WHY you weren't sliding. For instance, was it humid out and was everyone having trouble sticking at the line? This happened some weeks ago at my center and there wasn't a person out there who wasn't sticking, regardless of having an easy slide or not. Even the local "pros" couldn't get anything to slide with their fancy equipment. Second, landing on the toe isn't a guarantee to slide because if you PLANT on the toe (I've done that before when I was learning to slide) your foot may not be going anywhere. The foot needs to hit the ground in a forward (not downward) motion.

If you check all the above and STILL can't get a slide, then, yes, I'd say get something to help with it. But whatever you do, don't use baby powder (or any other substance) on your shoes! It can get on the lanes and cause other people to slip.

[WolfGirl1980]

Thanks for the advise I will put it in good use next time I am at the bowling alley. I should be getting lessons soon I got the money its just waiting on my mom being able to drive since I can't I have a liscence and everything but when I got it they told me I needed me more experience my cousin is a USBC cetified coach so and she a female she coaches a kid that on my team in my league so I might ask her instead of chuck I dunno but chuck is an ex pro usually drills my balls and got me the ball that got me my third 200 game and my second I have yet to bowl one in a league match but I am hoping I have high hopes.

-Sara

[Greenday]

If you check all the above and STILL can't get a slide, then, yes, I'd say get something to help with it. But whatever you do, don't use baby powder (or any other substance) on your shoes! It can get on the lanes and cause other people to slip.

I've used baby powder plenty of times and not once has it ever gotten on the approach. I just sprinkle a little on carpet, then step on it and rub it in. Surface becomes slippery without powder going all over the place.

[billf]

Who cleans the carpet afterwards?

[WolfGirl1980]

I usually put the powder on the floor where the chairs are put a little down put a little on your slide shoe then stomp your shoe a little bit to get the access powder off and then when done with it take a tissue and clean it up or take a napkin from the snack bar and use that to clean it up with. But I found my dads brush I try it if I can figure out how to use it or I will buy some easy slide.

[billf]

Use the brush going from the toe to the heel to increase slide distance.

[Gunz1911]

For my slide, I seem to have an issue where my heel will hit and then i skid to a very uncontrolled stop, Or I will try to over compinsate my heel hitting and end up planting my toes. I have a pair of Dexters and the back half is all rubber (Universal type). Is there anything I can try or use to help my skid? I feel most comfortable with my heel almost touching the approuch, however with the rubber its just breaking me. I really don't want to have to buy a new pair of shoes to get one with a skid pad on the heel, if i can help it.

[J Anderson]

For my slide, I seem to have an issue where my heel will hit and then i skid to a very uncontrolled stop, Or I will try to over compinsate my heel hitting and end up planting my toes. I have a pair of Dexters and the back half is all rubber (Universal type). Is there anything I can try or use to help my skid? I feel most comfortable with my heel almost touching the approuch, however with the rubber its just breaking me. I really don't want to have to buy a new pair of shoes to get one with a skid pad on the heel, if i can help it.

Usually, hitting heel first causes a dead stop not a skid. I use a similar pair of Dexters when I practice so I can switch hands without changing soles back and forth on my SST8s. The practice shoes are now at least six years old and the rubber has gotten so hard that the heels have more slide than the front part of the sole, which makes it feel less controlled when the hell touches down. Is this the problem you're having?

I have thought about taking a utility knife making a number of cuts across the heel to see if I can get some more friction, but I haven't tried it yet.

[Gunz1911]

I should probably say when I feel my heel touch I try to bring it up slightly, resulting in a wierd half breaking. It doesn't happen extremely often. But when it does, it seems to mess me up alot cause then I try to force my heel to not go down, thus toe planting. It is not so much a dead stop, cause I will still go forward a little bit, but it defenitly cuts my slide down. If that makes any sense at all... Or I could just be explaining it bad.

[Tampabaybob]

SLIDING....This is one of the controversial subjects in bowling. Swingset, I would say, "IF" you can stay balanced at the line by planting, then stay with it. This is one of those, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" type of thing. Not every bowler fits into the round hole, if you get my drift. You tried it, and it didn't feel right and you're uneasy doing it. So I'd say stay with what you're doing, and in a year or so, if you decide to try the slide thing again, give it a shot.

Probably the best arise I can give you is something a nine time PBA winner told me several years ago. I was having issues with the distance I drift to the foul line and asked him how to straighten it out. Explained I had tried several times but always gravitated back to my old drift pattern. He told me, and I quote "When your livelihood depends on it, you'll be able to fix it." In other words, if you're not bowling for a living.....don't worry about it !!