Bowling is one of those hobbies that you either enjoy doing occasionally, or you feel the drive to get better and better, just because of how much you like it. If you just go bowling every now and then, just renting the equipment provided by the bowling alley is more than enough.
However, if you are someone who goes bowling every week, even more, twice a week, you might want to make some decisions regarding your equipment and gear.
That is why, in this article, we will provide insightful information about the things you should consider when you have decided to practice bowling with a more dedicated approach. This way, you will avoid injuries, increase the level of comfort you enjoy while playing, and also, eventually increase your skills and results.
With that said, let’s talk about the first thing you should always have in mind if you have already decided to bowl consistently which is choosing the right ball.
Choosing the Right Partner
A ball is, indeed, your partner. It is the weapon you use to fight against those pins that have to be taken down and choosing the right partner will influence how the experience goes by a big deal.
You see, if you are a bowler, you can be one of three characters: a beginner who has begun practicing and is learning the basics, or someone who has accumulated a fair amount of experience to understand the main concepts of the experience, and an experienced bowler that understand most of the things a bowler has to grasp.
Regardless of what character you are, you should always get your very own ball. The reason is simple: a ball can incredibly affect your experience based on how trained you are.
For example, beginners often pick lighter balls, just because it provides a comfortable tool to practice the basics, learn postures, practice your shots, and get comfortable with the weight of the ball while training your hand and wrist muscles for the next challengers: medium and heavyweight balls. They are also great to avoid injuries, as mentioned over here: https://www.fitternity.com/article/how-to-avoid-bowling-injuries.
Those who are in the middle of the balance, as well as those who are more experienced at bowling, usually use medium and heavyweight balls.
They are harder to deal with, can possibly injure you if you are not prepared, and are kind of uncomfortable if you don’t know how to handle them, yet… They are recognized for their rolling speed and striking force, which heavily alter your gameplay, often improving it by a lot.
So, make sure to assess what type of bowler you are, to choose the right ball for you. You might want to do some research before picking one, and I invite you to do so if you truly want to make the right decision!
A Sheat for Your Sword
Or, as some people call, a bag for your ball. Having a bowling ball bag helps a lot when it comes to transporting it and moving your equipment around. It makes the whole deal of owning your own ball and gear, a much more bearable one. (mathemania.com) There are many options out there, as claimed on this site that specializes in bowling.
Ideally, you should pick one that fits three things related to you: the amount of equipment you own, your style, and of course, your budget. Your budget will ultimately decide the bag you can go for, but if you have an idea in mind, you can always save up some money and pick one that fits you later on.
Shoes, Good Long-Term Investments
Now, let’s talk about shoes. Shoes are very rooted in the bowling culture. They are signs of a true bowler, besides the bag and the ball. But they are more important than people think.
Owning shoes not only saves money in the long-term, but also, aids you a whole lot when we talk about posture, shots, comfortability, and injury avoidance. There are also two main categories of shoes as well, and depending on how consistently do you play, you might want to go for one over the other.
Athletics shoes are better for those people who play once or twice a month since they are cheaper and can get the job done. However, if you bowl every week, you might want to go for a performance-based pair of shoes instead: they are more comfortable, and capable of providing all the benefits of athletics shoes, but of course, they are more expensive.
Deciding whether do you actually need bowling shoes or not can be difficult, but a general rule of thumb is that, if you go bowling regularly, it is always better to make the investment, just because of the amount of money you would spend on renting otherwise.
The Correct Mindset
One of the most important aspects of bowling is the mindset with which you enjoy the experience. You see, as a beginner, the best way to approach bowling is to learn instead of focusing on winning. This way, you will put your effort into what really matters as a newcomer, like avoiding injuries, learning postures, and holding techniques. If you do so, you won’t get tired of it while learning.
After that, it is more about polishing what you already know. Try to bring some friends over, teach them the ropes, and if you want, you can also join a tournament or travel to new alleys to meet people.
The correct mindset is to always enjoy what you do, and not focus on winning, but on having fun. If you do, you will never regret investing in it, and you will also enjoy meeting new people, regardless of losing or winning.
Learning from others as well will be much easier and analyzing your weaknesses will become more doable as well, which is a very important part of the process of becoming bowling professionally. Of course, patience is also key, so make sure to take your rests in case you need them and enjoy other activities when you know for sure you should be resting.