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Author Topic: Do you "will" yourself to bowl well?  (Read 1901 times)

Ragnar

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Do you "will" yourself to bowl well?
« on: April 25, 2007, 06:45:22 AM »
We've all had those nights.  You shoe up, throw some warm-up balls, even get a few frames in and realize that tonight just isn't your night.  But (and not really to FIGJAM) there are nights when, even though I'm not perfect (or even very good), or may not have the right ball in the bag, I can will myself to shoot decent, or even pretty good scores.  Are others out there able to do that?  Or, maybe a better phrasing, are you aware of doing it?  

I think what actually happens is that I fall back on experience and concentration to just make something out of not much.  Sort of like "grinding it out" but on a more personal level.  Conversely, ther are nights when, no matter what, I just can't do it.  Nights when the problem isn't the lanes or the ball, but me.  If I could bottle that "will to succeed" I'd make a fortune.
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"I do desire that we may be better strangers."  Willie the Shake, As You Like it(III,ii)
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deester69

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Re: Do you "will" yourself to bowl well?
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2007, 02:52:26 PM »
Usually, on nights like this, I just get in the mindset of "grind it out".  I just tell myself to relax and pick up my spares.  It's amazing how just that will allow me to reach average for the night.  So, I guess, I do just kind of "will to succeed"...
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A K A

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Re: Do you "will" yourself to bowl well?
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2007, 03:00:59 PM »
On nights when the shot sucks for me, I do what I can, the other team has to bowl on it!  Now there are nights that I just don't feel like bowling, so I don't bowl on those nights
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Edited on 4/25/2007 3:25 PM
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Pinbuster

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Re: Do you "will" yourself to bowl well?
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2007, 03:05:18 PM »
I think it has something to do with never giving up.

I have always felt my average was higher than my ability. But I never slack off and generally manage to shoot a decent series.

I’ll go into a bag of tricks I’ve discovered. Hand positions, speed, balls, lines, timing adjustments, etc, etc. Till generally I can find something that works good enough to get me out of the night.  

Some will simply say it is just not my night and essentially quit, I won't.
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dogman666

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Re: Do you "will" yourself to bowl well?
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2007, 03:12:39 PM »
I find it's how the body feels decides my outcome.  Some nights while warming up the wrist/shoulder feels awful and usually the scores point in that direction.  Other nights I actually look like I can scorce and usually I do.  Getting old sucks.
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dizzyfugu

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Re: Do you "will" yourself to bowl well?
« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2007, 03:16:46 AM »
Uh, I had a horrible house league season. Wednesday evening, late, after work - just not my time and place to bowl (so I quit it after season's end).
Anyway, there are times when I "feel" that it will be a hard session, getting tense and upset when I leave simple single pins. But I know that it is mostly just in my mind. It gest hard when you know what you can expect from yourself, and you just cannot get access to this potential.

When things become confusing I tell myself to concentrate on the things I do next, and to stay aware of an upright body posture. Under normal circumstances, this gets me back into business. Additionally, pulling out a different ball for a completely different line has also helped me getting out of a downward spiral. Bur rather through psychological than real technical changes.
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sheppy335

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Re: Do you "will" yourself to bowl well?
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2007, 08:48:10 AM »
I alwyas tell myself to stay the course dont get upset. I grind it out and make spares and try to sneek a few double along the way.
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Sheppy

Fluff E Bunnie

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Re: Do you "will" yourself to bowl well?
« Reply #7 on: April 26, 2007, 10:42:48 AM »
quote:
Its when you do not expect to have to shoot at spares that frustration sets in and concentration wanes, result, many missed spares.
    If one stays relaxed and expect spares and then carefully convert them its amazing what a decent score one can post on a off nite.


This sums up what I have been going through in the last few weeks.  Whenever I get too ahead of myself I will have an atomic meltdown remind me of the importance of practicing spares.

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9andaWiggle

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Re: Do you "will" yourself to bowl well?
« Reply #8 on: April 26, 2007, 10:52:49 AM »
With the weather turning nice, I'm having to "will" myself just to show up, let alone bowl well.

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BowlingWolf

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Re: Do you "will" yourself to bowl well?
« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2007, 11:12:45 AM »
quote:
I think it has something to do with never giving up.

I have always felt my average was higher than my ability. But I never slack off and generally manage to shoot a decent series.

I’ll go into a bag of tricks I’ve discovered. Hand positions, speed, balls, lines, timing adjustments, etc, etc. Till generally I can find something that works good enough to get me out of the night.  

Some will simply say it is just not my night and essentially quit, I won't.


As the old saying goes, "when the going gets tough, the tough get going".

Struggling is part of everyone's game, just as is excelling at times.  

So, during those times when the body and or mind just don't seem to work properly, one should always make sure of the following:

1-Am I playing the right line?
  Figure it out somewhat, and once you make a decision off the approach, stick
  with your intended ball path once you get on the approach.

2-Am I using the right ball?
  Choose a ball, then give it a chance.  Changing balls every other frame is not
  a good idea; this must be done intelligently, that is when you have something
  figured out with a particular ball, and the shot suddenly changes (as in
  breaking down quickly), then it's time for a different reacting ball.

3-Am I comfortable at the stance position?
  Relax the body.  I like to imagine I feel like jelly, so that I can have that
  whip-like release (no muscling).

4-Do I have good tempo to the line?
  Don't rush to the line to get rid of the ball.

5-Am I staying down at the line and watching my ball all the way before raising?
  Slide and stick the approach, wait for the ball, follow-thru your target, stay
  down until the ball is well past your mark; this will ensure accuracy.

6-What is my ball doing when entering the pin deck?
  This is a very important barometer.  It tells us if the ball is right for the
  condition, or if it's too strong (snappy, crosses over, etc.), or is too weak
  (is having trouble finishing, doesn't pick up enough roll in the backend,
  is leaving washouts, wide splits, etc.)

For me, most and foremost, whatever decision I make off the approach, it is vitally important that execute it with absolute conviction once on the approach.

Item number 6 helps in determining item number 2.

Having said all this, sometimes fate just can't be tempted, and we are stuck with our failures despite our best efforts to overcome them.
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Regards,
BowlingWolf
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Ragnar

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Re: Do you "will" yourself to bowl well?
« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2007, 11:24:21 AM »
Bones, I'm not really sure myself what I mean by this.  I know that there are nights when I can do it and others when I can't.  I do know that there are times when bearing down doesn't get it done.  It may be that some nights I can just subconsciously make myself relax and just throw the ball, even though I'm not at my best.  Like I said, if I could bottle it, I'd get rich.
--------------------
"I do desire that we may be better strangers."  Willie the Shake, As You Like it(III,ii)
"I'm capable of being just as sorry as you are, Dimitri."
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Wyrd bið ful aræd!
(Thought to be a member of something called the PMS club by some.)
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