Let's face it, we all have bad days now and then and moments we'd like to forget. Sometimes it's not easy to just let things go that are bothering or annoying us. We all face problems big and small, and even if we're not thinking about them at the moment, they'll just pop into our brain, start taking over, and affect our MOOD which in turn, will probably affect our whole bowling manner. Unfortunately we are not machines where we can just turn ourselves on and off, so some of us end up carrying these issues with us to the bowling center. If we are in a lousy mood, we need to be AWARE of it before it does affect our game and we end up with lousy scores! When we are worried, we CANNOT FOCUS easily, and if we can't focus, then the following can and most likely will happen as a result: 1. Speed Change-- Worrying makes you feel anxious. This can cause you to walk a faster on the approach and when you bowl too fast compared to normal, it doesn't give the ball a chance to hook as much and your ball may fall short of the pocket. The opposite can also happen. Moods can drain the energy from our body making us feel tired and lethargic which may lead to a slower walking speed causing the ball hook to hook more, making it come up too high on the head pin, and possibly resulting in a nasty split. 2. Not Reaching Out-- If you feel tired, drained from your worries, and not very energetic, most likely you'll just be tossing the ball out onto the lane and dropping it short of where you would normally loft the ball out to. Dropping the ball short means the ball will have more lane to travel on and coming up too high on the head pin and leaving you with a bad pin count or again, a possible split to face. 3. Tense Muscles-- When you're in a bad mood or stressed out from a tough day at the office, muscles can be tense and tight you will not be able to make an effective or rhythmical swing. If you aren't relaxed it will definately affect your score for the worst I'm afraid. If you feel you are tense or something is bothering you, try giving yourself a little pep talk on your way to the lanes. Put on some upbeat music in the car to lighten your mood. Try to put things out of your mind knowing your'e only there for a few hours. Focus on your pre-shot routine, take several deep breaths on the approach before you start your walk (to help ease muscle tension) and make sure you reach out to that certain spot on the lane each time. Do your best to keep your timing and momentum good as well. I know sometimes when I'm in a bad mood, I end up being more annoyed at the bad frame I just had instead of focusing on what to do for the next frame coming up. Try your best to stay positive and don't dwell on past frames. Be deliberate and attack the pins with confidence so your speed will be good. You can play this little mind game that I sometimes like to play. I pretend the problem or person I'm annoyed with is right there in the pocket area and just keep aiming at it. Many times I ended up with several strikes in a row! This doesn't always work, but it's still good to keep in mind. What always works, is being AWARE of your mood or worries before you get to the lanes. Do some mild muscle stretching before you start to bowl and remember that you can only control your game if your'e focusing on the task at hand. Try not to let things distract you because you are only at the lanes for a few hours and you always want to do your best!! Join me back here next week when I'll be discussing "How do I figure out my bowling stats"? Good Luck and High Scoring!
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AuthorHello!! My name is Joanie. Although I'm not a professional bowler, I have loved the sport for more than 45 years, averaged over 200 for several seasons, and learned quite a bit with research and experience. Archives
February 2023
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