Author Topic: Curing Inconsistency? (Read 1317 times)

802dave · « **on:** April 06, 2006, 02:07:28 PM »

I've been working on my physical game; I'm getting very close to where I want to be there. The one thing I'm not doing well there is posting the shot and that may be my primary consistency problem.

I've got my fast feet under control and I've got my revs and speed matching up much better.

My mental game is coming along; I'm not letting taps or distractions bother me; I easily refocus on the task at hand.

I shoot 700 one week, 600 the next, and have had some 550's thrown in there increasingly too much... I'm playing on a ths - I know the oil pattern so I know I'm the problem.

I think if the next time I'm competing, which will be this Saturday, I need to have as my primary performance goal - post the dang shot; pose at the line at my target - look pretty... ;-)...

My timing is pretty good especially when I really focus intently at my target and allow my subconscious to bowl.

It's been stressful at work and home lately; that's been taking energy away from bowling!

Appreciate any sageful tips you can impart!!!
Dave

PS: Just received Eric Lasser's new mental psychology bowling book today in the mail; co-authored by Fred Borden and Jeri Edwards; hopefully it'll be a great addition to the Focused on Bowling book by Dr. Dean Hinitz!

802dave · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2006, 05:08:39 AM »

I've been known to fry my brain before; I was just stressed out last night. I didn't put a lot of effort into bowling last night - shot a 616 series and finished well in the 3rd game - posted the last couple of frames and it felt good. I know that posting is the missing key.

Dave

802dave · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2006, 06:53:46 AM »

quote:
802dave: Yeah, it's the mental game.
It may help to stop thinking about "mechanics", but
to focus on how you "feel" on every shot.

It surely has helped me. It's like making love.
You know what you should do, but "feeling" it
overrides all other considerations. Good luck!

I agree, it's the mental game; I don't have a lot of mental energy for bowling these days (13 year old daughter and wife going at it...). School year's almost over.

I was away from bowling for a total of 20 years; I've been back for 18 months this time. I remember focusing on feel in the late 70's; I was raw, but had great feel - that'll overcome poor execution - having feel allows you to make minute adjustments at the release - not something you do consciously.

A teammate of mine says he bowled with the great Earl Anthony back in the 60's; he's your age. Earl was my favorite back then; such an effortless delivery.

Dave

802dave · « **Reply #3 on:** April 07, 2006, 12:11:46 PM »

I'm in pretty good shape; not many 47 year olds in as good as shape as I am; but I've been laying off the weights and calisthenics here lately and probably is a reason why my stress is building; exercise is great stress management.

Thanks for the thought!
Dave

802dave · « **Reply #4 on:** April 09, 2006, 05:04:51 PM »

Sawbones has a great thread about keeping the trailing leg on the floor through the release; that is essential for curing inconsistency!

Everything we do in our deliveries should be done with the end in mind; the release position is the position that determines accuracy & consistency; if we're not in balance there, we have no chance for consistency.

Good shoes and strong legs are the foundation for great bowling. The sliding leg should hold all your weight at the release; the trailing leg should stay on the floor for consistent balance.

Dave

nd300 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 09, 2006, 05:14:16 PM »

As the old saying goes----less is more---let your experience take over ---jist think about having fun.
--------------------
Chris
Lane#1--nothing else hits like 'em.

MSC2471 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 09, 2006, 06:09:54 PM »

I agree, it's the mental game; I don't have a lot of mental energy for bowling these days (13 year old daughter and wife going at it...). School year's almost over.

I was away from bowling for a total of 20 years; I've been back for 18 months this time. I remember focusing on feel in the late 70's; I was raw, but had great feel - that'll overcome poor execution - having feel allows you to make minute adjustments at the release - not something you do consciously.

A teammate of mine says he bowled with the great Earl Anthony back in the 60's; he's your age. Earl was my favorite back then; such an effortless delivery.

Dave[/quote]

802Dave: Sounds like you are going through similar issues that I have- except add another daughter to the mix (mine are 12 and

plus the fact that I'm Mr. Mom and I work overnights, so I get a few hours less sleep a night during the week than I would like. What I've learned is to work on my mental game at least once a day (especially at work). Visualization, breathing exercises, positive affirmations, etc. work wonders when you are bowling. Get yourself into a pre-shot routine that you feel confident in. Sometimes, as others have said in this post, is less is more. If you know what you are doing, things will come to you. Try your best to refocus your bowling energy from your energy that you feel is depleting due to family or work.

Hope this helps even a little bit.

Matt

802dave · « **Reply #7 on:** April 09, 2006, 09:59:47 PM »

quote:

802Dave: Sounds like you are going through similar issues that I have- except add another daughter to the mix (mine are 12 and plus the fact that I'm Mr. Mom and I work overnights, so I get a few hours less sleep a night during the week than I would like. What I've learned is to work on my mental game at least once a day (especially at work). Visualization, breathing exercises, positive affirmations, etc. work wonders when you are bowling. Get yourself into a pre-shot routine that you feel confident in. Sometimes, as others have said in this post, is less is more. If you know what you are doing, things will come to you. Try your best to refocus your bowling energy from your energy that you feel is depleting due to family or work.

Hope this helps even a little bit.

Matt

Matt,

It helps a bunch! I do have another daughter as well; she's away at an out-of-state college $$$! She just got another speeding ticket; she won't be taking her car back with her in the fall... more stress!

Great suggestion - working on the mental game at least once a day; can help in more areas than just bowling; but bowling great as a result can boost one's life too!

Positive affirmations would be a big help I would think; my self-talk hasn't been great lately...

Bowled in the city tournament yesterday - team event. I bowled well - executed well; didn't score great the 3rd game, but I executed well (had a 4-9 after a 5-bagger and a strong pocket 8-10...). One of my teammates shot a 300 in the 2nd game; that was fun! We all kind of fell off the 3rd game; we did our best to hold each other up though.

Enough of the tangent...

I appreciate the good thoughts here; I've started reading Eric Lasser's new book and am listening to an old audio tape I found in the bottom of a drawer - "winning bowling"... Anything to boost the Mental Game!!!

Dave

Author Topic: Curing Inconsistency? (Read 1317 times)

802dave

Curing Inconsistency?

802dave

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802dave

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802dave

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nd300

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MSC2471

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802dave

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