Bowlers Journal International - November 2008 - (Page 89) Clinic Pro Tips And Ball Reviews THE TENPIN TUTOR WHEN POWER DECLINES, YOUR PUSHAWAY COULD BE ‘EARLY’ A solution that won’t impact your natural timing. BY THOMAS MADRECKI IT HAPPENS TO THE BEST OF US: For whatever reason — be it fatigue, growth, aging, an injury or even just the simple progression of time — we experience a sudden “loss of feel,” often accompanied by a subtle “loss in power.” All at once, our release feels iffy our ball loses some of its characteristic reaction and our ability to score declines. What causes this strange and mysterious ailment? Mike Nyitray says it all starts… in the beginning. “Power is causally related to the pushaway,” Nyitray says. “A pushaway is a starting mechanism; it sets up a person’s timing in a specific fashion, and that in turn is the way that it sets up certain loads during the swing, which in turn set up a specific amount of torque at a later point.” What Nyitray means is that if your pushaway is not the way it should be, the rest of your physical game will be drastically affected. If one thing goes wrong in the beginning, it is very difficult to correct later on, he says. “If a person is losing the ball during the release, or losing the ball more than normal, or if it seems that the ball just doesn’t have the same type of reaction it once did, there might be something going on during the pushaway,” he notes. “It’s possible that the pushaway has gotten early. That’s the number one factor that I have seen when a person seems to lose something in their release.” Nyitray says pushing the ball away too early will prevent the ball from getting into the proper “slot” in the backswing and/or delicately spoil timing, which will in turn cause a loss of leverage at the release point. If you are experiencing any of the aforementioned USBC Gold-certified coach Mike Nyitray is the David Dahms 2008 Coach of the Year, possessing substantial international experience and a strong commitment to bowlers of all ages and talent levels. symptoms — such as a loss in power, a loss of “crisp release” feel, etc. — Nyitray strongly recommends taking a look at your pushaway. Doing this, he says, most likely requires either a trained professional — such as a BJI “Top Coach” — or an experienced videographer. With qualified assistance, you’ll be able to understand the physical components of your game when you’re “on,” as well as when you’re “off.” “Ideally, film yourself YOUR ASSIGNMENT If you have suddenly lost the feel of your release, or have noticed a subtle decrease in power, your pushaway may have become early. After determining if this is the case, implement one of Nyitray’s two recommended remedies to revert your physical game to its better state. Be careful, though, to avoid “the human tendency to take 10 pills when two pills are starting to work,” Nyitray says. Moderation is important, so take small steps and “don’t be greedy.” As for an exit strategy, practice the new techniques until you can consistently perform them at a high level. Then, “just start moving normally.” when you are bowling well and film yourself when you are bowling poorly, so that you’ll be able to see what’s happening,” Nyitray says. If your pushaway looks early, Nyitray says there are two primary ways to correct this problem and restore your power. The fi rst and most simple change is to push the ball at the same time as you were before, but to instead “push the ball up and out.” This will add just a fraction of a second to your pushaway. “It doesn’t mess with the natural timing of what a person is doing at that moment,” he says. “It just eats up some time. Your backswing will be a touch higher, the shoulders will once again load, and it gives a little jumpstart to your power again. I’ve done this in the middle of tournaments to great effect.” So is this a real solution, or just a quick fi x? “It’s a quick fi x, no doubt,” he says. “But as long as you understand that, and you are not just grasping for straws, it’s really not (just) a quick fi x.” The other primary solution for your pushaway/power dilemma is to consciously change your timing. This is more difficult, Nyitray says, and requires that you make an effort to push the ball just a touch later during the approach. www.bowlersjournal.com November 2008 | Bowlers Journal International 89 http://www.bowlersjournal.com
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