Getting back your game....

[jhays]

First off, I know the mental game is the 1 thing you must have in your arsenal when you walk into the alley. I do go through a routine on my Executive league (Wednesday) and after 5 weeks, shooting well. This routine is a simple but "somewhat tedious" as remembering it is sometimes difficult. I have a Treo 700 Phone that I use to record mental notes after each game and series, i bring the notes home, record it to my PC and use my speech program to say my notes into a MP3 file. I send the MP3 file to my phone and listen to it on my way to the alley the next league night. I have a bluetooth so I simply listen to get my mind (not brain) working on what I learned the previous night.


- I feel in a funk mentally, continue to say "get back to the basics" I slow everything down - that's why people say I look like I sneak up on the pins. It works for me - but not as consistent as I like - I usually hit within 2 to 3 marks of my target but my hand position/release is not the same each shot. I know this and struggle to find the answer - it's physical problem but mentally influenced.

I know we all go through nights - weeks and sometimes months of being off - but I am trying to evaluate each night - I have to learn something after every night or I feel I wasted my time. Yes - I do have nights where everything works, and on those nights my learning curve is emotional control - get on strings where the league shot and the line you play has leaway of 3 boards in/out, and others I can't hit any of the 6 boards consistently. I never complain about the lane - it's ALL ME when I don't carry or throw a ball right, I do walk back and start thinking before I make the spare and move on to the next frame. "I know that was a bad shot, I can do it better" or something along the lines - and sometimes miss a 4 or even 7 pin spare (Right handers should never miss those).

I am a believer that on nights when "nothing works" something has too, the lanes have playable lines for everyone with any skills - it's the mental toughness to get to the line and consistently hold it. It's got to be there everynight - I'm not saying to shoot 700 or better everynight, but being able to maintain your average by 10 pins.

Sry if I feel I'm venting but I know my physical game is there, just getting the mental side in sync - pushing team chemisty, annoying bowlers 4 lanes down, etc out of my head. The more I type about this, the more I realize I do love to bowl and want to be the best I can - play within my own game - and be smart about every shot.

"My Only Option is Success....within myself"

[static93x]

Great advice. I haven't bowled in 4 to 5 seasons. I was a junior bowler for 7 years, now I'm on my first adult mixed league and I'm 24. I bought a BWP to bring something new to the game and try to learn.

I talk to my pro shop guy about once a week or every other week to keep in the game. I have to try to get back into and we've talked about me moving closer than my normal start position. It really helps me to slow down and concentrate on my steps, my backswing, aim, and release. I run through everything in slow motion in my head when I do this. He's also helping me get my "head in the game" instead of being distracted on league night and also I am a synical person and especially to myself when I bowl poorly. I need to work on correcting that by thinking about picking up the spare or telling myself what adjustment to make next time instead of just thinking about a bad shot.

I started the season with a 172 average and although it's been dropping each week (now down to a 158 after week 3), I know what I'm fixing and I know that I am becoming more consistent rather than sporatic.

I know I can bowl, I had a high game of 256 on league in juniors and 278 off the record back then. When I bought my BWP I bowled 5 games to get used to it...They ranged from 140 to 190 for the first four and the fifth was a 259.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I really think the info about how you prepare is great. I am going to try to do that...the notes on your phone from the previous week.

[jhays]

Great advice. I haven't bowled in 4 to 5 seasons. I was a junior bowler for 7 years, now I'm on my first adult mixed league and I'm 24. I bought a BWP to bring something new to the game and try to learn.

I talk to my pro shop guy about once a week or every other week to keep in the game. I have to try to get back into and we've talked about me moving closer than my normal start position. It really helps me to slow down and concentrate on my steps, my backswing, aim, and release. I run through everything in slow motion in my head when I do this. He's also helping me get my "head in the game" instead of being distracted on league night and also I am a synical person and especially to myself when I bowl poorly. I need to work on correcting that by thinking about picking up the spare or telling myself what adjustment to make next time instead of just thinking about a bad shot.

I started the season with a 172 average and although it's been dropping each week (now down to a 158 after week 3), I know what I'm fixing and I know that I am becoming more consistent rather than sporatic.

I know I can bowl, I had a high game of 256 on league in juniors and 278 off the record back then. When I bought my BWP I bowled 5 games to get used to it...They ranged from 140 to 190 for the first four and the fifth was a 259.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I really think the info about how you prepare is great. I am going to try to do that...the notes on your phone from the previous week.

Good Luck with that - my last week mental game was there - always concentrating but lacked team communication - but they understood what I was doing and they let me do it. There's got to be a middle of team communication and mental within your game areas but I bet it's not 1 or 2 boards - lol

[clady1227]

I was the same as you as far as my mental game. My physical game was good but my mental game was horrible. I have a great coach and one thing he made me realize is that thinking too much can be worse than not thinking. He asked me if my body is what bowls, why should my mind try to figure out what's wrong. I am an overthinker in everything but I find that the times where I don't dwell on what I'm doing wrong in bowling are the times where I relax and do much better. I'm not saying never try to figure it out. There are times when I know I'm coming over the ball or not bending my knee enough and I correct those things. There are also times when I feel [physically] wrong but can't pinpoint exactly what it is. Those are the times I relax and don't try to figure it out. To help with the not thinking thing, I bowl with an IPOD in leagues and tournaments. Music helps me relax and helps me not overthink. I use the "in ear" headphones and just use the one for the left so I can hear others talk to me. In tournaments where I can't use my IPOD, I keep songs in my mind. For you, it doesn't have to be music. Some people think about vacationing in Hawaii. Whatever gives you pleasant thoughts and helps you not over focus on your bowling will help. As far as you releasing the ball differently every time, I TOTALLY know what you're going through with that. Before my coach started working with me, we were talking and I told him that I feel like I release the ball 10 different ways each game. He checked my ball and found that my span was all wrong so I went to my current ball driller (he's great too) and it feels much better. Also, I used to spread all my fingers. My coach had me hold my pinky against my ring finger but spread and put a little pressure on my forefinger. That made such a big difference. I have been so consistent with my release. With just these few changes, my mental game has definitely improved. I hope yours will too.