Coaches’ Corner: Two-Handed Bowling

For many coaches, the two-handed style is an intimidating one to coach, so the purpose here is to demystify the basics of the two-handed game. Because most readers are more familiar with the one-handed game, we’ll approach this by comparing and contrasting the two styles.

While there are some obvious differences, there are also plenty of similarities between one-handed and two-handed bowling:

• The goal is to achieve a straight, repeatable swing.
• Footwork needs to provide a base of stability to generate power at the line.
• The release is meant to transfer power to the bowling ball in the form of ball speed and rev rate.

There are several advantages to the two-handed style, the most obvious of which is that it facilitates a release by not using the thumb:

• The thumbless release makes it easier to generate a high rev rate.
• The more compact style can be easier for younger bowlers to learn, particularly at younger ages.
• There is more room for style differences for body type as the bowlers age and their bodies mature.

With all of this in mind, let’s break down the two-handed game.

Starting position and stance

The fundamental differences between two-handers and one-handers in the stance are their overall body position and the way they grip the bowling ball.

Standing taller

Where one-handed bowlers will start with a bit more knee bend and some bend at the waist, two-handers are generally much taller and straighter in their start position. This is because of the difference in how dynamic the two styles are during the approach.

One-handers tend to rotate their core while maintaining a more consistent spine angle. It helps to start setting this spine angle in the start position. Two-handers are much more dynamic. They need to keep both hands on the ball ...