How can I concentrate during League?

[itstyler]

I have a problem during league to which either I try to hard or I don't concentrate during League. During the week (practice), I bowl outstanding, when I am calm and comfortable. But once I get in League, it is like a different animal. What are some tips or ways you guys keep that calm mind during league? Because surely I cannot do it and it frustrates me when I average 200+ in practice or bowling against my friends but during league I average 185 or below.

Thanks!

[noeymc]

i think your just trying to hard or putting to much pressure on your self try focusing on just one thing about your bowling like keeping your arm straight thats what i do it tends to work up till the point i start getting strikes lol

[75lockwood]

RELAX!!!!!

You are putting way to much pressure on yourself, when you bowl in league, you should be there to have fun first and score well second.

that being said, there may be more at work here than just the mental game, typically bowling ally's oil the lanes before league, that combined with the fact that there are multiple bowlers playing the same side of the lane can cause you to need to adjust a lot more than you would in practice.

To help develop your mental game for a league setting, give yourself a routine, do the exact same thing every time you stand up to take your turn, if your going through a checklist in your head it helps to remove the distractions from your focus.

[Mike White]

I had to take it a step further, I made notes on paper. Each frame had the diagram of pins left on the 1st/2nd ball, and room for notes on where I stood, aimed, finished (foot on approach) and board the ball crossed at the arrows, how well the ball felt coming off my hand. I also made a note if I needed to make an adjustment the next time I hit that lane again.

After having used the paper method for a short time, it trained my brain to go thru the same process without so much paperwork.

[10-in-the-pit]

and don't forget, bowling in a league could be a slower pace than when you practice. you need a good routine to get the ball and get ready for your shot. don't rush your shot.

[AZBowla]

It's probably the oil. That always threw me when bowling leagues. I'm looking forward to trying again now that I have a ball that is designed for medium oil conditions, although right now I'm having a hard enough time finding the pocket during open bowling. Definitely still some adjustments needed for this new ball I've got.

[striker12]

the thing i do to keep me focused on bowling and not to rush i get a drink and just sip out of it and not worry about any shots i jsut did unless it was a strike and i try to remember that line and try it on the other lane and see if i can get same or just as good reaction but when your not bowling get a grip sack and squeeze it when your not bowling that's another thing i do.

[Zothen]

As soon as I set my feet,I take a deep breath in/out as I bring my arm & ball to their position,then I focus on my mark and I bowl. Should all take about 15-20 sec any longer and your thinking. I also try to think of leagues as practice! I know people who use ipod/mp3 players while bowling.

Zothen

[panbanger]

I had a concentration problem the first few weeks of my league too. It's my first league in a couple decades though. As I've gotten to know the people on my team I think maybe I dont feel like I have to "prove" anything to them. I mean the first night of league I was placed on their team cuz they were one person short. I told them I averaged about 170-180 then promptly shot a 130 something in my first game lol

It was back and forth between trying too hard or losing concentration on easy spares. Just takes time for it to go away I think. Gotta completely forget about the last frame, the next frame, stuff like that. Used to always think to myself if I strike out the rest of the game my final score will be 245, etc. Gotta cut that stuff out.

[Keithalw]

One thing you need to do is dont worry bout the previous frame. I know how you are and how you worry bout that. Everyone else has said pretty much everything else I would have said... Calm down take a breath focus on your shot etc etc etc...and tomorrow I am sure we will work on it

[75lockwood]

One thing you need to do is dont worry bout the previous frame.

You have no idea how true this is!

i often see bowlers miss an easy spare and get all uptight and mad, and when they get up the next frame they loose all focus and the ball ends up in the gutter.

Just relax and have fun!!!!

[Tampabaybob]

There have been studies done that indicate, slowing down your breathing, i.e.; taking a deep breath before stepping up on the approach will "definitely" increase your concentration and accuracy. I always take one before and another before I take my first step and release the breath as I start to walk to the line. Try it, maybe it'll help you relax a bit. Clearing your mind, and stopping the thinking process for some people is not always the easiest thing to conquer.
When you step up on the approach, it's just you, the ball, and the target. That's all.

Bob

[Big Nick]

There have been studies done that indicate, slowing down your breathing, i.e.; taking a deep breath before stepping up on the approach will "definitely" increase your concentration and accuracy. I always take one before and another before I take my first step and release the breath as I start to walk to the line. Try it, maybe it'll help you relax a bit. Clearing your mind, and stopping the thinking process for some people is not always the easiest thing to conquer.
When you step up on the approach, it's just you, the ball, and the target. That's all.

I try to do something very similar to this. A good pre-shot routine helps me to turn my conscious brain off and let my subconscious and muscle memory take over.... When i'm doing it right, it feels like I'm just along for the ride and I score very well.

[scottymoney]

I find my league scores to be better than practice bowling. I guess I just enjoy the competition and pressure. I have found that having a "score" to beat type of mindset I can concentrate better. When I practice by myself I find the scores to be lower as I bowl too fast and I don't have the mindset of having to try. Practice for me now has to consist of a friend going to bowl with me just to slow down my pace and have someone to sort of bowl against.

Some things to try would be may be setting goals for yourself outside of the league stuff. Play your own game. I always set the goal to bowl over my average.

[75lockwood]

I find my league scores to be better than practice bowling. I guess I just enjoy the competition and pressure. I have found that having a "score" to beat type of mindset I can concentrate better. When I practice by myself I find the scores to be lower as I bowl too fast and I don't have the mindset of having to try. Practice for me now has to consist of a friend going to bowl with me just to slow down my pace and have someone to sort of bowl against.

Some things to try would be may be setting goals for yourself outside of the league stuff. Play your own game. I always set the goal to bowl over my average.

I Bowl better in a league setting as well, partly becuase i enjoy the competitive Attitude and partly because when i practice i work on specific aspects of my game, practice should not be the time to worry about scores (i see a difference between bowling outside of league and practicing), my practice sessions tend to go somthing like: practice 10 pins every first shot and strike balls every second shot, and when i have somthing specific to work on i'll allocate half the time to that and only that, if i'm working on hitting my target, i don't care if the target i chose will result in a strike, i focus on that target. if i'm working on footwork, the ball could end up in the gutter every time for all i care.


This leads me to an interesting story..... i was doing just this and threw a 57 game (yes i know) but this kid thought he was cool so he came over and started bad mouthing me in just as i was starting my 8th frame, so i calmly got up threw 4 strikes in a row without a word and walked away.... :cool:

and yes... i do get off topic easily

[AZBowla]

For me, my practice IS open bowling because I leave myself plenty of standing wood to shoot at as it is. Once I get more consistent with my strike ball I'll then try and vary my routine so I'm shooting at spares first, like that damn 7, lol. For now though, my goal is just to fill the frames with X's. That's a lofty enough goal for me, lol.

[75lockwood]

For me, my practice IS open bowling because I leave myself plenty of standing wood to shoot at as it is. Once I get more consistent with my strike ball I'll then try and vary my routine so I'm shooting at spares first, like that damn 7, lol. For now though, my goal is just to fill the frames with X's. That's a lofty enough goal for me, lol.


but but but but but spare are more important than strikes!!!! if you make every spare every game you guarantee yourself a 200+ average!!!!!

[J Anderson]

but but but but but spare are more important than strikes!!!! if you make every spare every game you guarantee yourself a 200+ average!!!!!

I respectfully disagree. 200+ requires at least one double. Alternating strikes and spares maxes out at 200 even. Considering that most of us leave an occasional split or washout, you probably need a triple or two doubles each game to average over 200.

I do agree that most of us waste time and energy worrying about strikes that we didn't get, and that would be better spent focusing on making spares.

[75lockwood]

I respectfully disagree. 200+ requires at least one double. Alternating strikes and spares maxes out at 200 even. Considering that most of us leave an occasional split or washout, you probably need a triple or two doubles each game to average over 200.

I do agree that most of us waste time and energy worrying about strikes that we didn't get, and that would be better spent focusing on making spares.

Ok fine, let me rephrase, if your good enough to make every spare that comes along, one would hope you make atleast a few strikes here and there....

Strikes are for people with Talent to Spare!

^punny

[billf]

After reading all these posts I almost forgot what the original question was. I still use paper like Mike White suggested. I also tend to go against the rest. I don't get mad or upset very often but it does happen. I do analyze every shot, every frame. The notes help me. This comes into play when say after an 8 bagger you get to the approach and can't remember what line you were playing (REALLY HAPPENED TO ME). It has also helped me notice that certain lines on certain lanes in my home center just don't carry as well. Like lane 1 has a loose board or something so I can't play 25-15. Lane 8 I can't play the 5 board without a ton of splits. I also know that on lane 2 I can get the 7-10 by going over the 21st board from 5 at 21 mph or higher. That doesn't work on lanes 3,4,5,9,10,11 or 12. I don't know why but I know.
I also bowl about 50 pins lower in practice, when they turn the scoring monitor on. I hate that because you have to know when the 10th frame is in case it resets or your ball crashes the gate lol. The better employees turn the lane on for me but not the scoring.
A big part of league or tournament bowling is truly believing you belong there. Trying to hard and fear of success are two common problems people have. Relax and have fun. Fun is the priority. Once you relax and have fun the scores will come.
Pre-shot routine with a deep breath before you start your approach are two very valuable tips. Add wipe your ball as part of your pre-shot routine. Pick one thing to remind yourself of. I was using "quality shot" but this last week went to "keep elbow straight". One thing to focus in helps to focus. More ends up being a distraction. Sometime I will also sing a song. It calms me, gets a tempo and has the added benefit of annoying my opponent.
This is my first year in my scratch league. I went through some of what you have starting this league. My average before was good enough yet I still felt I had to prove myself. Not to them but to me. One of my teammates asked me who I thought I had to prove something to. I've beaten them all in tournaments except 3 or 4 guys so he couldn't figure out why I was trying so damn hard. They all know me and knew something was wrong when I reacted to a stone 8 pin.

[75lockwood]

After reading all these posts I almost forgot what the original question was. I still use paper like Mike White suggested. I also tend to go against the rest. I don't get mad or upset very often but it does happen. I do analyze every shot, every frame. The notes help me. This comes into play when say after an 8 bagger you get to the approach and can't remember what line you were playing (REALLY HAPPENED TO ME). It has also helped me notice that certain lines on certain lanes in my home center just don't carry as well. Like lane 1 has a loose board or something so I can't play 25-15. Lane 8 I can't play the 5 board without a ton of splits. I also know that on lane 2 I can get the 7-10 by going over the 21st board from 5 at 21 mph or higher. That doesn't work on lanes 3,4,5,9,10,11 or 12. I don't know why but I know.
I also bowl about 50 pins lower in practice, when they turn the scoring monitor on. I hate that because you have to know when the 10th frame is in case it resets or your ball crashes the gate lol. The better employees turn the lane on for me but not the scoring.
A big part of league or tournament bowling is truly believing you belong there. Trying to hard and fear of success are two common problems people have. Relax and have fun. Fun is the priority. Once you relax and have fun the scores will come.
Pre-shot routine with a deep breath before you start your approach are two very valuable tips. Add wipe your ball as part of your pre-shot routine. Pick one thing to remind yourself of. I was using "quality shot" but this last week went to "keep elbow straight". One thing to focus in helps to focus. More ends up being a distraction. Sometime I will also sing a song. It calms me, gets a tempo and has the added benefit of annoying my opponent.
This is my first year in my scratch league. I went through some of what you have starting this league. My average before was good enough yet I still felt I had to prove myself. Not to them but to me. One of my teammates asked me who I thought I had to prove something to. I've beaten them all in tournaments except 3 or 4 guys so he couldn't figure out why I was trying so damn hard. They all know me and knew something was wrong when I reacted to a stone 8 pin.

Wow bill and i thought i over analyzed everything....

The Singing / music idea is really good, i completely forgot about it, its how i calmed myself before my first tournament, while waiting for practice to begin i zoned out listening to music, it worked rather well (i bowled above average that whole tournament!)

There is nothing wrong with trying hard, if your not there to try your absolute best, you shouldn't be there (curse you sandbaggers)

[martinezsam2495]

Bill wow...
I should start doing that. That's amazing, I didn't thing you would analyze the whole process.

[Tampabaybob]

Many of the pros I used to bowl against would keep a notebook during qualifying rounds. Because every lane is different, as Bill notes, they would write down a note about every shot, where the targeted, what reaction the ball had, etc. I thought it was a huge waste of time at first, but then noticed those were the guys ending up in the finals. Not everyone has a memory of every shot taken on every lane, so if it can give you an extra edge over your competition, then try it.

Bob

[The German Shepherd]

One thing I think you need to remember is to keep the exact same pre-shot routine as you do when you practice. When you are practicing, try to simulate league conditions - like sitting a few minutes between frames. Also remember, that you are supposed to be having FUN so RELAX and make sure you pick your spares.

Jay

[75lockwood]

One thing I think you need to remember is to keep the exact same pre-shot routine as you do when you practice. When you are practicing, try to simulate league conditions - like sitting a few minutes between frames. Also remember, that you are supposed to be having FUN so RELAX and make sure you pick your spares.

Jay

This is a big issue with bowling by the hour, whenever i bowl with friends they always want to just pay for an hour, but-then they rush me and i don't get a chance to focus, o well, its fun :D

[Keithalw]

Calmness Tyler im telling you... I see you bowl I see everything and its partly you kind of rush and at the same time you just go and throw a ball... clear your head and like others have said create a preshot routine

[itstyler]

Thank you everyone. You guys are a big help and I have read everything and I will take those ideas into league (especially the lane conditions and music ideas) so I dont have to over think! Thanks guys

[billf]

make sure you pick your spares.

Jay

If only I could. I realize it's a typo but I just couldn't resist. Sorry Jay.