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This will begin a rather long series of tips, tricks, and knowledge to help any SSB player get better, and to better understand the way the game works.

As a first article, I will touch on one of the most important elements to understand in order to consistently score higher..... the variables!

The game itself is nothing more than a program that uses an input (The trackball), to determine what happens. If it were possible to do, an exact duplicate shot will result in the exact same outcome - be it a strike, spare, split, etc....

Let's start with the things that DON'T change your outcome!
- The appearance of your ball does NOT change the way it throws.
- The lanes do not change throughout the game. The lane 'oil' is the exact same for the first throw as it is for the last throw.
- The speed of your back-swing. (Note: allowing the ball to continue to spin freely after pulling it back will indeed change the shot, as will an incomplete pullback)

Now what DOES change your shot?
- The ball weight
- The type of curve selected for your ball
- The starting placement of your bowler
- The pullback angle of the ball
- The pullback distance of the ball
- The forward angle of the throw
- The forward speed of the throw (Measured on replays as a Percent - 100% being the fastest theoretical throw - not MPH as many people say)

So there are 7 different variables that will decide if you get a strike or not.

If you want more strikes, let's eliminate some of them! The less variables, the more control you have, and the more consistent your shot!

1) Always use the same weight ball. (a 16lb ball gets more pin action - so it is highly encouraged)
2) Always use the same type of curve. (Every 'Pro' I know uses a 'normal' curve, the same as a stock ball)
3) Use the overhead button, find some mark on your bowler, and ALWAYS line it up at the exact same spot on the lane.
4) Make sure your pullback angle is the same every time. I recommend using marks on the top board as a guide.
5) Make sure your bowler pulls the ball ALL the way back! (And doesn't start to drop) (Do not pull back too fast to eliminate extra spin of the trackball that wasn't intended)
6) Make sure your forward throw is the same angle every time. I recommend using marks on the top board as a guide.
7) Hit the ball hard enough to register a 100% every throw.

If you can master all 7 variables, you will be able to bowl a 300 every game!!!

Obviously we are human, so only some of them can you totally control. Variables 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 can all be almost totally eliminated.

This only leaves 4 and 6. Since the pullback angle is not speed dependent, it is VERY easy to be extremely consistent on 4.

So we have now brought a 7 variable game down to 1 variable. Master all the other variables, and the only thing left is to hit forward at the correct angle. Since the forward shot is also dependent on hitting 100%, it can be, and is, the most difficult variable to master.

The reward for mastering the variables: 300's galore!!!

VIDEOS!!!!!

SSB 101 - Chapter 1 - Video 1 - "Don't Spin Your Back-Swing!"
- a video demonstrating why you DON'T want to spin your back-swing!



SSB Variables 101 - Video 2 - "Mastering the Variables to Hit a 300!"
- a video demonstrating the wonderful result of Mastering the Variables - a 300!!!





Good luck to all!!!

Chapter 2 coming as soon as I have the chance!!!

5/22/2010 - Telly Rogers / KCUS I!

Happy Bowling!
Strike It Up!!!

I agree 100% with what you've got there. I think the best "tip" in the article would have to be, picking a spot on the deck to use as a guide for your forward and back swings. I've found that to be the most important thing to help consistency. Throughout the years, I have also found a couple other things that help me with a more consistent shot. They might not be "variables", but I do believe they help. I believe them to be "trade secrets", and therefore I cannot reveal them. Good luck to everybody, and remember, consistency is the key.

-MacZilla

Nice write up. However, there is one part that is not completely true. When you pull the ball back, after your bowlers arm is as far back as it can go, any other ball movement backwards does not matter. So pulling the ball back fast is not necessarily a bad thing. letting the ball spin backwards is not a bad thing. If you want to test this heres what you do. Pull the ball back straight. When your bowlers arm is all the way back, spin the ball back to the A or the C as much as you want. Spin it back to each of them. Doesnt matter. The bowler will still throw the ball with zero hook put on it.

Basically the game stops reading the pullback when your bowlers arm is all the way back. What happens after that will never matter.

maverickcole wrote:- The speed of your back-swing. (Note: allowing the ball to continue to spin freely after pulling it back will indeed change the shot)

Here it is. You should edit this.

1st off - ILikeMilk, you're dying for a response about your statement, so let me address that. Since I didn't want to get into an argument about it, I just figured I'd video tape WHY you don't pull back fast and let the ball spin. You are correct about the extra angle after the hand is pulled back all the way. BUT, if you spin it fast, even if it's spinning straight, many trackballs will start to spin sideways. If you actually spin it sideways - well it's even worse, and since all the good shots require a sideways back-swing, pulling it back fast is almost certainly going to keep the ball spinning sideways. Any serious GT player can tell you that a C-3 is a different shot than a spinning C-3. It is a very commonly used tool and 'trick' to throw your curves out further and get more spin and distance on the ball. The same applies to SSB. If you spin the ball sideways really fast, then hit forward, the trackball 'sweeps' through the extreme right as it goes to the correct angle you tried to hit the ball. This sweep is certainly picked up by the machine and changes the path of the ball on the forward swing.

SO - I made an example video for you. Feel free to give it a try. The faster you spin the ball, the worse it will affect your shot!

Happy bowling!
Strike it Up!

Very good presentation but you proved my point. You never said that hitting your forward motion when the ball was spinning effected your shot. You said spinning the ball on your pullback effects the shot. You are certainly correct about the forward motion while the ball is spinning. You also showed that spinning the pullback past a full pull does not effect your forwad motion in the slightest.


Just keeping you on your toes. And yes, you know me.

maverickcole wrote:
- The speed of your back-swing. (Note: allowing the ball to continue to spin freely after pulling it back will indeed change the shot)


Here it is. You should edit this.

Keeping you on your toes - leaving out the reason why (the forward swing), doesn't make the statement inaccurate!

The point is to give everyone the best possibility of getting good quick!! That means, don't screw with it, just don't spin it!!!

PM me and let me know who you are!

PS - I pull it back very fast and then stop the trackball! But why complicate things!!

You are right it doesnt make it innacurate, maybe just lacking a bit.

I have seen tons of players pull the ball back and let it spin. (you included) They shouldnt start thinking that doing so will screw their shot up. Thinking that will mess it up more then anything. I have never seen a good bowler hit the basll forward while its still spinning anyway. I think that was a way for you to try and justify your statements. they dont need justified at all. This entire conversation has done nothing more then give more info to the SSBers of the world.

In closing..... let that pull back spin away if thats what you do. Just dont hit it while its spinning.

Yes, the true statement has been spoken... Just don't hit it while it's spinning!!

I still want to know who you are! This is fun!

My first 300 game. Couldn't have done it without your write up Telly! Especially the 300 video got what I needed from that. You rock!!