I wish everyone a very Safe, and Happy Halloween!!

    Notice I saved this one for a scary day! Lol

​    We all have our little quirks, beliefs, and superstitions. If you're a person that does believe in Superstitions, then maybe you shouldn't read this blog post, or maybe you should to see that some of these are SILLY and you shouldn't let them affect your ability to bowling well!

1. Repeating things-- Some bowlers think that if they bowled well, they should wear those same clothes each week or that they need to sit in the same seat week after week and if they don't, somehow they are going to bowl poorly.

2. Cleaning the ball--Some bowlers think they actually need to wipe the ball after every shot and if they don't it will make them bowl bad. I do agree that it's a good idea to clean the debris off the ball after a few frames, and I guess their mind set is "if it's working, then don't change it", but it's not really necessary to do this after every shot.

3. Practicing too much-- I know people that don't practice if they just had a good night in their league. They only go practicing if they have a bad night. Also during the league ten minute practice session, I see people sit down right away if they throw a strike or two instead of practicing for the 10 and 7 pins, or a pin they may have been having issues with in the previous week. They tell me "I don't want to use up all my strikes, I'd rather save them for the real game when it counts" (more on this one in a later Blog Post).

4. The 300 Jinx--If someone is getting several strikes in a row, people shouldn't say anything to them about possibly getting a 300 game, or should be asking them if they have ever had a 300 game before. This one may be real because I have seen it happen to several people over the years. The bowler is already getting pretty pumped up and excited when he/she has at least 7 or 8 consecutive strikes, and if people start coming over to watch, then the pressure becomes a reality and if someone does say something, it will be in the bowlers mind. If people can just stay quiet, the person may be able to pull it off!! but then again, if you are totally focused and just do your best to execute another good shot, I do believe you will get that 300 game! The best thing to do is to block out the people around you, pretend you are at the lanes practicing by yourself if you can picture it in your mind.

​5. Not Bowling next to a Split--People should NOT be afraid to do this and when they do, they hold people up. Just remember that whatever you focus on is what you'll get, so if you focus on the split next to you, then of course you will most likely end up with a split. If you just focus on doing your things correctly and getting a good first ball, then you'll get a strike or at least a 9 with an easy spare to convert, the choice is yours.

6. Three Sixes in a Row--666 means "The Beast" or Devil in the Bible. Many people think it's bad luck to get a 666 Series for three games, but it's a 222 average and great bowling in my book!

7. Mascots-- Many people bring all sorts of little stuffed animals, a rabbits foot, or other silly paraphernalia as good luck charms. They think that by having it with them, touching it, or even talking to it will bring them good luck and help them to bowl better. Last week we bowled against a team and the lady had and petted the little stuffed kitty she had before she bowled. She got a 7 on the first shot and chopped the spare. When she came back, she actually yelled at it. I was cracking up! So if they really worked, that would have never happened. It's what we put in our own minds that actually controls us, not the good luck charm itself.
   
    I find most of these things to be actually quite comical! I'll be discussing more on these superstitions and the mental aspects associated with them in a letter blog post.

    Just remember that regular practicing, having good equipment and good timing, executing a good release with a good lift and loft, and getting the ball over the correct mark, will be what gets you to that next level. Bad luck only happens to bowlers when they let fearful and negative thoughts enter into their minds instead of staying positive and just focusing on what they need to get done on the lanes!!


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Join me here next week when I'll be discussing Common Problems that can Hurt Your Bowling.

​Good Luck and High Scoring!!  Don't forget those exercises too! 

    So, how are you doing?  I am very interested in your progress. Have you been doing your bowling exercises I listed in my Blog Post from 5/17/21? If you're not weight lifting, that may be why you can't properly  loft the ball out onto the lane. Please start up a routine at least three times a week as soon as you are able.  Have you also incorporated some power walking, regular walking, aerobics, or bike riding to help improve your stamina so you can bowl well all three games and not get tired? You should try to do these types of exercise at least 4-5 times a week. Remember, all athletes that want to improve will have a good weekly exercise routine!  

    How has your walking and your pendulum swing been? Have they been in sync and do you feel a good rhythm while walking along the approach? Timing is crucial in bowling! It's important to walk using your normal walking stride and not   go too fast because you really don't need lots of power in bowling to have a high average. Actually too much power and speed won't allow the ball to hook, and it could cut through the pins and leave you with a split! Try not to be too anxious if an important shot is coming up. Take a few deep cleansing breaths and do you best to stay focused and keep your speed normal.

​    Have you been checking where you start on the approach and looking down after releasing the ball to make sure you are ending up on or close to the same board so you walk fairly straight? If you are wandering too much, your angle delivery onto the lane will be different each time, equalling inconsistency!

    Are you remembering to have as deep a knee bend as possible rather than bending from the waist? It's important to keep your torso vertical so your head is more upright, which allows you to see and reach out for the intended target more easily.

    Are you working on keeping your emotions in check, meaning if you didn't get a strike on a great pocket hit or you missed a spare, are you getting really angry? Being too hard on yourself will most likely cause you to lose focus on the next shot because you are dwelling on past frames. The idea is to try and figure out what went wrong as soon as you can before the next frame so you'll be able to execute a strike on the next ball. Remember to be KIND to yourself. You will improve more quickly if you do this rather than beating yourself up. Even the pros miss sometimes!

    Have you gotten that new ball you've been wanting or have you changed from the Conventional Grip to a Finger Tip Grip yet? This will help you get more revs on the ball and definitely more action at the pins? 

    Do you have a good routine in your bowling game? Are you Doing a little stretching before the bowling session begins, Checking the finger grips before bowling to see if you need to add or remove tape from the holes for a slightly snug fit, Cleaning your ball after a few shots with your towel, Inserting the fingers into the ball first, then the thumb last, etc. All these things help to achieve consistency which is the name of the game in bowling and any sport for that matter.

    Have you kept a positive attitude? I know sometimes this can be difficult, but you need to try. In life we get what we focus on most. If you keep saying "I'll never be good", or "I'll never be able to remember all the things I need to, to become a good bowler", then you'll probably never get better. It was really difficult in the beginning for me, but I kept practicing and kept a good outlook. Just try and NOT be afraid to make some mistakes. There's a lot of things to remember so you MUST be patient with yourself. I was, and now I finally average over 200 and so can you!
    
    Visualization is also a key to improvement. Just before it's your turn to bowl you can think ahead on what you want to accomplish, then just visualize it while on the approach whether it's picturing picking up a difficult split, a crucial spare to win the game, or striking out in the tenth frame for a high game in the league. You can even try to feel what that good release will be in your mind. Then just DO IT!! By visualizing consistently, you will definitely see positive results over time and there will be less time for those negative thoughts to creep into your head.


​Join me back here agin next week when I'll be discussing some of the Silly Superstitions people have in bowling.


​Good Luck and High Scoring!

    As previously mentioned, there are basically two types of scoring each league or tournament may have. One is  called "SCRATCH" which means no extra points or pins are given out to individuals, whatever they bowl is their score and usually the more experienced bowlers bowl in Scratch Leagues.

​    The other type of scoring is called "HANDICAP". Some leagues work on an 80% or 90% handicap using 200 as a base or 230 as a base. For example, if a league uses a 200 base and your average is 150, then you subtract 150 from 200 which is 50. If your league uses an 80% handicap, 80% of 50 is 40 so your handicap will be 40 pins per game. Sometimes a league may use a 90% handicap.The handicap keeps things more fair and on a more equal starting point since some bowlers can score higher than others and all bowlers are on a different skill level. Your individual and team handicaps will change each week depending on how well or poorly you did the week before. League sheets are handed out to each team every week by the secretary, and all the stats will be on there--team standings, individuals averages, which man and woman has the high average in the league, and sometimes each individuals scores from the previous week.

    Calculating your average is pretty straight forward. Just add up the three games you bowl and divide by three. For example, if you bowled a 165, 213, and 182 your first evening in as league, the total is 560 which would be your SERIES. Then you divide by three to get your AVERAGE which would be 186 for that first week of bowling. Let's say that the next week in your league you bowl 179, 202, and 194. Adding that up equals 575 for your series and dividing by three equals 191 for your average. To figure out your average for the first two weeks you bowled, just add the two SERIES together, 560 plus 575 which equals 1135, then divide by the six games you bowled for the two weeks-1135 divided by 6 equals 189.16 which is your average after two weeks of bowling. Keep doing this each week and you will have your series and average after 32 weeks (or 36 depending how long your league is).
    Formula-Divide total of games by the total number of games bowled.

    It's extremely important that you keep your own records of statistics so you can keep track of your progress and also, in case by the end of the league, if you and another person are competing for high average or series, you will know if the secretary of your league has the same stats that you do. Keep these records in your bowling notebook that you keep in your bag so you can check them from time to time. If you are ever in a slump, it helps to go back to see when you were doing well and that may help you to realize that you will be bowling well again soon!

    Good bowlers can average between 180-200. Anyone averaging a 200+ is an extremely skilled bowler. You can achieve these scores with lots of practice and real dedication. Be patient with yourself and only practice a few things at a time and before you know it, it will all come together and people in your league will be coming to you with all the questions!!

    The highest averaged bowler was Jeff Carter who had a 261.74 between 2000-2001! he was a professional bowler who joined the PBA in 1999. 

Join me next week for an important checkpoint.

Good Luck and High Scoring!!

    How many times have you had what looked like a great pocket hit, only to have a rotten 10 pin staring back at you? I think I could have paid off my car if I could have had a dollar for every time I left a 10 pin!! Anyway, it's extremely frustrating to say the least! I used to get angry and end up missing the spare, but too many missed 10 pins can cost you from achieving a really good score!  

    I've learned a thing or two from bowling 45+ years and now I almost never miss the 10 pin when I do leave it, and you can too. The first thing is to try and to avoid having this spare to convert in the first place. Always try to get all 10 pins down on the first ball so you won't leave that 10 pin. Here are a few suggestions I have for you:

** Try moving back from where you would normally stand on the approach by about 3-4". That will give the ball more lane to travel on and give the ball more hooking time, making it come up slightly higher on the head pin to give you a more solid hit into the 1-3 pocket (1-2 for lefty's).

** Try moving  1 board to the right of where you normally stand for the strike ball (left for lefty's). This is just a starting point. Depending on the size hook, you may need to move 2 or 3, so just experiment.

** Standing on your normal board, try holding the ball down a little lower than you normally do. When you do this, the pendulum swing will be a bit lower on the back swing and will slow the ball down and give it more time to come up a slightly higher in the pocket.

** If you're good at it, slow down your speed slightly if you can (walk a bit slower along the approach). This one was somewhat  difficult for me because it messed up my timing with the arm and footwork. So I would mostly just move left, right, back, or forwards on the approach instead. Practice going slower and speeding up in your practice sessions so you can use this method when needed.

    If you can't get the strike and you do leave the 10 pin, here are a few suggestions to help you convert it because it can be tricky for the right handed bowler, just as the 7 pin is tricky for the left handed bowler because the ball can drop off into the channel of you're not careful:

** For the right handed bowler, stand on the far left side of the approach, around the 35th board as a starting point and use the 3rd or 4th arrow as your target. Lefty's can stand on the left side of the approach also. For the 7 pin conversion for left handed bowlers, do the opposite of what the right handed bowlers need to do for the 10 pin. 

** Turn the sliding foot slightly toward the 10 pin

**Walk at your NORMAL SPEED and in a  STRAIGHT path along that 35th board as best as you can, because the tendency will be for your body to walk toward the 10 pin and you may end up in the center of the lane instead.

    If the ball goes off into the channel, try moving to the right a board or two (for the right handed bowler) and try again. Just keep practicing so you'll get a feel of it and you'll just get better and better at converting the 10 pin!

**You can buy a cheap plastic ball which is what I did. I even took off my wrist support, broke my wrist slightly, and stood on the left side of the approach and threw over the center arrow. The ball didn't hook at all and I was able to make so many more 10 pins adding quite a bit to my score.

** You can also learn to throw a "Back Up Ball" and be able to make it that way. If you can do this, you will have more ammo on crazy lean conditions too. To do this, as you arm is coming down at the bottom of the pendulum swing, turn your hand in a clockwise direction instead of counter clockwise. Make sure to practice this one a lot before doing it in your league play.


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Join me here again next week when I'll be discussing "How do Bowling Averages and Handicaps Work"?

​Good Luck and High Scoring!!

    Because Bowling is an activity that requires repetitive movements, a bowler can acquire several types of injuries just like in any other sort. Two of the most common are BURSITIS and TENDONITIS. The muscles and tendons that are attached to the bones become inflamed from doing certain movements again and again which can cause severe pain in the shoulder, hip, and knee. It can also affect the elbow more commonly known as "Tennis Elbow".

    I have experienced Tennis Elbow several times during my 45+ years of bowling and it's no fun. I had to buy a brace at the local pharmacy that slipped on my bowling arm just below the elbow which kept the muscle from extending too much so the healing process could start. I still keep it in my bowling bag  to this day in case I feel any pain coming on in that area and then I can just slip it on to avoid it getting any worse.  If you experience any pain while you are bowling, they do have ice in the bowling center as well as first aid kits. Follow up with more ice when you get home because early and proper treatment will help to heal the sore area more quickly allowing you to get back in the game.

    If your pain ever becomes severe, see your doctor and try to rest the arm whenever possible. Use the opposite arm to do easy things until the pain lessens. You may have to skip a week or two in the league. Don't push yourself or you may likely make things worse and have to be absent more than just one or two weeks!

    The best advice in helping to prevent some of these injuries is to do some mild stretching before bowling as previously mentioned in earlier blog posts. Having a regular exercise regimen will also help keep your joints strong and flexible.

    For new bowlers, throwing the ball improperly, bowling too many games at once, or having bad form on the lanes, can result in other injuries like HITTING YOUR LEG, or KNEE. Hopefully it doesn't occur too often. If it does, have a friend come to watch you bowl during a practice session or ask a family member to film you so you can see what may be happening. You may even want to take a few lessons with a coach as soon as you are able or you'll definitely end up with soreness or a serious injury. If hitting your ANKLE is a problem, you may be sliding the foot too much to the side. Try sliding more straight towards the foul line so when you release the ball, the ankle isn't too close to the ball as you are releasing it. Get some ice and put it on the ankle as soon as you are able. If it's not an ice bag, but an actual bag of ice, be careful not to let any water drip out so you and other bowlers won't step on the wetness by accident causing you to stick on the lane. 

​    When you are getting ready to bowl, pay attention to what you are doing. I've seen bowlers trying to finish up a conversation on the way to get their ball off the rack. Another ball comes up from the ball return quickly and they had their fingers banged between the balls, OUCH!!!

    Occasionally a ball will get stuck in the ball return. So if your ball doesn't come back to the rack, don't panic. Just let someone at the desk know and they will send the mechanic down to retrieve it for you. DO NOT try to do it yourself because it could result in a serious injury. 


    BLISTERS, CUTS, and SCRAPES are also injuries we can't avoid during our bowling. They can occur from releasing the ball incorrectly, or just from an improperly fitted ball. If the holes are too tight, just find another ball. If it's your own ball, you may need to take it to the pro shop for a minor adjustment. Don't wait, address the issue as soon as you are able.
    If you have a cut on your finger, you can use the Nu-Skin product I mentioned in my Blog post from 4/26/21 on Equipment. Don't use a Band Aid because your finger will not fit properly into the ball hole. If you don't have this product yet, please make a trip to the pro shop or buy it online as soon as possible. You can ask a team-mate to borrow some in a pinch because most bowlers keep this item handy in their bowling bag.

    More serious injuries can be KNEE and WRIST SPRAINS, and SHOULDER or BACK pain mostly being caused by an improper release of the ball or using too heavy a ball. Remember the ball should be about 10% of your weight unless you're an experienced bowler who can handle 15 or 16 lbs. If you experience any swelling or tenderness in an area, or any bruising then you may have a sprain. Use ice packs on and off throughout the day and maybe lay off bowling for a week or two so you can get the proper rest without having a longer setback. If that's not helping, then go see your doctor. It may be more serious and require anti-inflammatories to help with pain and swelling, or some type of physical therapy depending on the extent of the injury. The pro shop sells hand and wrist supports to protect your wrists. To help avoid shoulder issues, don't have too high of a back swing and don't throw the ball super hard. You don't really need to, to achieve great scores. If you have back pain, try bending more at the knee on the release with the body more upright rather than bending from the waist.

    Remember that injuries can occur when playing any sport. That's why I recommend including exercising, stretching, and bowling practices in your weekly routine to help you achieve proper form. Hopefully by doing these things you will be in the lucky percent of people who can remain injury free for the most part.


​Join me again next week when I'll be discussing "How to make a Ten Pin".


​Good Luck and High Scoring!!