Thanks for submitting your comment to bowlingball.com. Since we do not know specifically which video you viewed on the other website, we will make a generalized reply in hopes of sharing useful arm swing information, OK??

The direction of push-away, which is the beginning of the back swing, can influence the direction the backswing moves in relation to the target line. If the same bowler in the video you viewed moved the ball from the top of the backswing to the same realigned position each time regardless of a "left push", a "right push", or a "straight push" , then the forward swing may not have changed direction in each example you viewed?

If a bowler (right handed as example) pushes the ball left and allows the backswing to swing to the outside edge of the bowling shoulder, then the likelihood of the forward swing will be to move from outside-in and the danger of pulling the ball inside the desired target line might occur. In an opposite example, if the bowler were to push right, the backswing would likely move to an inside the shoulder position at the top of the backswing and the forward swing might follow and inside-out direction?

The purpose of moving the ball initially to the left or to the right is to get the ball in a position at the top of the backswing to influence the direction of the forward swing. By choice, certified coaches will ask a bowler to begin the swing in a given direction so the backswing will arrive in such a position at the top of the swing that the forward swing will move to produce a desired swing path to the target down the lane.

An inside-out forward swing will help the bowler on conditions where a wider angle to the break point is required. An outside-in swing might best match a condition where following a straight path down the lane to the break point is required, like playing an angle outside the first arrow, as example. A straight push and the same type of swing path might work well where a modest angle to the break point is required?

The same examples apply in golf as well. We learn from top golf coaches that the inside-out swing path encourages a draw or hook to the golf ball. An outside-in swing path will produce a fade movement of the golf ball. The same logic holds true in bowling where the swing direction produces a given path to the target. Of course, if the release is the same, then you will get the same hooking action on the bowling ball but the ball path will vary depending on the swing path entering the release zone.

In summary, varying the swing path is a technique used by many advance bowlers to help the ball follow a path to a down lane target and avoid reacting sooner than desired in an unfavorably manner as the ball travels to the desired target.

So long as the swing is close to the sliding shoe on all three examples you saw on the video, the same release point on the floor will be achieved. If there is a tremendous amount of oil in the center of the lane (as is the case with probably 85% of house lane conditions across the U.S.), then all three swing examples will likely end up at the break point down the lane as you witnessed in the video.

On lane conditions which are difficult to achieve good scores on such as some of the PBA Experience patterns where there is a 3:1 oil ratio from center to edges on the lane, controlling the swing path so the ball does not react too soon and miss the desired break point is an advantage to skilled players.

We always recommend you consult a certified coach who can actually watch you roll deliveries down the lane and discuss your swing alignment and what will best match to the local lane conditions you typically encounter. Hope this information helps and thanks again, Ken, for visiting bowlingball.com.