Technique Take the previous situation. You’ve
thrown six strikes. Rather than worrying about whether you’ll get the seventh (or the tenth or the 12th), tell yourself that you’re lined up, you’ve got the right ball, and you’re making good shots. And don’t think in terms of seven or 12 strikes. Think one shot at a time. It may be an old cliché, but it really works in individual sports like bowling. Okay. A 300 in league is nice, but what about higher stakes, such as needing a strike or two to make a PBA cut? Or to actually win? The same approach applies (though in a little different form), and it’s one of sports psychologist Eugenia Kolasinski’s five pillars of a strong mental game: “Focus on the present. You cannot be thinking about... the future.” As superstar Chris Barnes says, “I can control what happens this side of the foul line. I can’t control what happens after I release the ball.” To Duke, it all starts with knowledge.
There is the obvious, such as how your bowling balls react, what kind of surface you are on and the lane pattern, and how other bowlers are likely to break it down.
And then there is you. How everything
feels when you’re relaxed, from the stance to the grip to the backswing to the release—and how you feel emotionally when things get tense. If you are the kind of person who goes to pieces when faced with pressure (the military calls it “Condition Black”), this article is not for you—you probably need a good psychologist. But for those
who merely tighten up in the clutch and have trouble executing, here are eight concrete steps to a better mental game:
1
USE PRACTICE TO KNOW YOUR GAME Coaches advise spending
time perfecting different releases and playing different parts of the
lane. Do that a lot, so that you feel emotionally comfortable when competition demands it. (Duke strongly recommends working on what you are not good at.) Make a mental checklist of your stance, your pushaway, your body’s trajectory toward the line, the position of the arm in the swing, the speed of your feet. These are all timing
ROUTINE IS NOT ROUTINE: One of the strongest attributes of Bill O’Neill’s mental game is the discipline with which he sticks to his pre-shot routine in any situation.
TIPS AND TRICKS TO MAKE YOU A BETTER BOWLER
cues, and you should memorize what they all feel like. Get a coach to watch you (even if it’s just a knowledgeable friend), one who applauds good execution. “Having a second set of eyes helps build confidence,” says five-time PBA Tour winner, Bill O’Neill.
2 3
TREAT LEAGUES AND TOURNAMENTS LIKE PRACTICE.
This means use every bit of competition to learn, learn, learn. Not only lane play, but how you respond when facing must-strike (or spare) situations. “Gauge your own level of being spiked,” Kolasinski says. You’ll be doing “a lot of self-examination, even experimentation,” during competition.
CONCENTRATE ON MECHANICS UNDER PRESSURE
Rescuers who go into burning buildings or crashed airplanes often say they do not even think about the danger, only the steps needed to save lives. Ever see that video of Danica Patrick as she slammed into the inside wall at Daytona at 160 MPH? She calmly lifted her hands off the wheel and braced her body, preparing for impact. When you need a key strike, shift your mind away from the do-or-die situation and onto what goes into making a good shot. Concentrate on the target line. Champions often talk about a loose swing. Concentrate on that when the going gets tough.
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