Fill the Hole!
(How to keep your balance, increase power, and improve your accuracy!)
The last two things above (power and accuracy) are greatly influenced by the first (balance).
Good balance in the finish position is largely based on having the slide foot positioned in the center of your body, since it is the main source of your support. If you slide with that foot directly in front of its position on the previous step, it's likely that it will end up offset to the side of your body, causing at least some loss of balance.
Have you ever experienced any of the following?
1. You take an extra step, or fall off to the bowling ball side of your body after releasing the ball?
2. You turn sideways at the finish, rather than facing straight down the lane?
3. Your slide foot twists sideways, wobbles, or the toes wiggle back and forth when you stop?
All of these issues can cause a loss of balance, with resulting loss of power and accuracy. And all may come from the same problem: failure to FILL THE HOLE!
Failure, that is, to slide with the slide foot in the center of your body.
If your foot is offset to the side of your body, your swing will pass further laterally from your foot at the bottom of the swing, reducing your power and control. You actually have to reach or lean sideways to try to keep your shoulder over the ball, and the swing vertical.
Also, sliding with the foot centered and heel-in allows the body to remain straight to the line of the approach and the follow-through to be straight forward. Sliding with the body twisted to the ball side results in a weaker, across the body follow-through, and loss of power and accuracy.
Finally, turning your foot sideways or having it offset from the body's center makes it tougher to get a good knee bend (to get closer to the lanes and retain a strong finish position). You can improve your knee bend by sliding heel-in (toward the ball side). If you wonder about this, stand with your toes pointed in and try to bend your knees. Then try it again with your toes out (heel-in), and you'll see how much easier it is.
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