Expert: Russ King - 10/12/2006

Question
Hi Russ,

Curiosity question about the importance of swinging the ball side leg behind the slide leg during release. Obviously, I tend to not swing the ball side leg behind the slide leg.

Here's my issue.

I understand that to be consistent you must have a consistent arm swing plane. During the approach, you begin by letting the ball swing back. As it swings back, it must come back close to, but outside, the kick leg as it can not be moved out of the way during this phase of the approach. As the ball comes back forward, the only way it can come forward in the exact same vertical swing plane is to, again, come forward closely but still outside the kick leg.

The conventional explanation for moving the ball side leg back behind the slide leg is because you want to get the leg out of the way for the ball to come forward. Well, by definition then, you just adjusted your vertical swing plane from an outside to inside plane(i.e. across your body).

Do you have a better explanation for why the ball side leg needs to swing back behind the slide leg and what are your thoughts regarding the importance of doing this to improve your game?

As always, thanks very much for your reply. By the way, your comments regarding "do all your thinking before you pick up your ball and then just let it rip" to improve accuracy were extremely helpful and indeed worked.

Answer
There are many different armswings. Strokers usually kick straight back as the armswing is a 90 degree angle straight back then straight forewared with straight footwork.The shoulders are squared up at target at all times with hips locked.A cranker will kick behind & to the left.The armswing will be off by a few degrees of 90.The footwork will drift around the armswing.The shoulders will open up & hips will open & slide to the left with the footwork.At the top of the armswing, the arm will tuck back in behind the shoulder & the footwork will close back up as the kick foot gets out of the way & left to get extra leverage for lift.I feel my sock get brushed with the ball as it passes in tight for max leverage.Try lifting your 2 ball bag up away from your body. It's heavy. Now,try lifting it in close.
This helps in getting the ball way out to the right on the lane for a big swing shot.I have done both shots cranker & stroker.This is what I have found to be different between them.I even get 2 different slide marks on my kick foot. I get a rubbing on the big toe side when I stroke the ball.This is less force on the kick & is mostl straight back & a bit to the left.The crank shot I get a rubbing on the little (pinkie) toe side.As I drive into the last step with more force & have more energy I kick back & to the left to maximize the lift in the follow thru.By kicking left & throwing the ball counter acts the force you built up by walking up to the foul line or you wouldn't be able to stop before fouling.Since you throw the ball way out to the right (cranker) , you need a counter weight I think the foot to the left is a counterweight for that motion or you would loose ballance.This is why you don't loose contact with the approach with the foot. It's like a bipod whitch is more stable than a monopod.People that kick up in the air tend to loose ballance & step back to the right because of energy still existing from the armswing.Strokers can do this because they rely on accuracy with way less force & power (Walter Ray) & he throws straight out this keeps him in ballance on slide foot.
Let webster take care of Definitions.There are way too many variations & everybody is different to get the same thing done.I think if anybody puts a definition to anything, it restricts it.Well ,in bowling anyways!
Once again, this is what I have found to be the differences between a stroker & a cranker & what the slide leg means to both.I hope this helped.