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Thread: The biggest problem for many bowlers could be over thinking .....my theory.

  1. #1

    Default The biggest problem for many bowlers could be over thinking .....my theory.

    After going through my own struggles, watching many of the average bowlers, watching some of the consistent good bowlers and listening to expert coaching I have concluded that over thinking is one of the main culprits in preventing many bowlers from reaching their potential.

    I've certainly found this to be true with my game, when I am trying to think about fourteen different things or over analyzing the different balls, lane conditions, other bowlers effect on lane conditions, my approach, release, speed, step length, slide, knee bend, hand position, adjustments with my feet, mark, speed, and everything else it just seems to play havoc with the overall game.

    This seems to be true with many of the other bowlers I have observed, enough that it seems to be one of the biggest overall stumbling blocks. The next level of bowlers have eliminated a bunch of these items by learning to duplicate their approach and throwing motion to the point where it is virtually automatic and they don't have to keep trying to fix it.

    In talking with some different coaches and looking at other sports it appears that simply establishing a pattern where the preparation, setup and motions are the same over and over you will often find a couple of key items that if you pay attention to them it will keep you consistent in your game.

    It also struck me that for many players the primary characteristic is posture, the beginning stance, the little settling motions, the beginning motion and the follow through, when they get this routine established they eliminate 10 or 12 of the 14 items many of are thinking about and leave the real variables they need to be taken into account, the actual condition of the lanes, and the adjustments needed to allow the ball to enter the pocket and drive through the pins.

    With several of the better players I've talked with they have the setup, approach, release down and often they know their own weaknesses, they have one or two items that they focus on then that keep them in rhythm and they don't have to think about every little motion. This allows them to concentrate on the adjustments to the conditions and eliminates a lot of the over-thinking that plagues many of us.

    To those of you that are coaches and experts ( I am not ) does this make sense to you ?

  2. #2

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    No. The biggest problem for most league bowlers is not thinking enough... standing on the big dot and hitting the second arrow with the most aggressive ball they have, and then wondering why they can't carry.

  3. #3
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    I think both are you are really talking different things. Tony is talking about over analyzing and causing a player to play tight and tentative while Rob is talking about players having the knowledge to know how to make adjustments.

    I understand where Tony is coming from, I have the same issue. When I over analyze and focus on trying to get my mechanics perfect I tend to suck. When I relax and let my natural ability take over, it's loosens up my arm swing and I bowl better. I took a class with Ron Hatfield and his advice was you focus and work on things in practice and when league or competition starts you quiet your mind and just make shots.

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by RobLV1 View Post
    No. The biggest problem for most league bowlers is not thinking enough... standing on the big dot and hitting the second arrow with the most aggressive ball they have, and then wondering why they can't carry.
    Did you read the body of the post or just the title ?

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tony View Post
    Did you read the body of the post or just the title ?
    I read both, and chose to respond primarily to the title for the simple reason that this is a very complicated subject that can affect bowlers in totally different ways. What I see as being most prevalent is a lack of understanding among bowlers as to how they are playing the lanes affects their ball reaction. They stand where they always stand, target where they always target, use the most aggressive ball they have in their bag, and then look down at their hand like there was something wrong with their release when they fail to carry. I wrote an article for BTM a year or so ago entitled "In Search of the Elusive, Perfect Nothing," that talks about how top bowlers view their perfect shots: virtually every one of them says that a perfect shot feels like nothing, while bad shots result from trying to do something specifically physical with the shot.

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by RobLV1 View Post
    I read both, and chose to respond primarily to the title for the simple reason that this is a very complicated subject that can affect bowlers in totally different ways. What I see as being most prevalent is a lack of understanding among bowlers as to how they are playing the lanes affects their ball reaction. They stand where they always stand, target where they always target, use the most aggressive ball they have in their bag, and then look down at their hand like there was something wrong with their release when they fail to carry. I wrote an article for BTM a year or so ago entitled "In Search of the Elusive, Perfect Nothing," that talks about how top bowlers view their perfect shots: virtually every one of them says that a perfect shot feels like nothing, while bad shots result from trying to do something specifically physical with the shot.
    Fair enough, certainly there are those players you described and some I've seen some that assume what they've done is perfect and it's the lanes fault they didn't get a strike....every time they miss. Far more of the players I bowl with are trying to fight through their own faults that cause errant shots and because of the imperfection of their physical game it makes adjusting to the lanes a secondary operation, most of the time they are adjusting because of themselves instead of the lanes. I can certainly agree with the idea perfect shots feel like nothing. My contention is that the better players I know have a much more solid method of repeating their shots than the average bowler. One guy in my league the other night threw 23 in a row, his form looked identical on all the shots, he truly was adjusting to the lanes rather than adjusting to his own errors.

  7. #7

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    the 9 to 5 bowlers will never go anywhere, they'll will forever remain their stagnant self.

    "Be like water my friends, it's shapeless and formless. put water in cup, it becomes the cup, put water in the glass, it becomes the glass. Water can flow or crash." - Bruce Lee.

    In this example, Water is like your knowledge and skill, make it clear and trust it. The cup and glass is what your ball, ball reaction, and/or lanes tell you. (bruce lee's meaning of being like water has another purpose, I just thought to tweak it for this post and have fun with it)

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by JasonNJ View Post
    I think both are you are really talking different things. Tony is talking about over analyzing and causing a player to play tight and tentative while Rob is talking about players having the knowledge to know how to make adjustments.

    I understand where Tony is coming from, I have the same issue. When I over analyze and focus on trying to get my mechanics perfect I tend to suck. When I relax and let my natural ability take over, it's loosens up my arm swing and I bowl better. I took a class with Ron Hatfield and his advice was you focus and work on things in practice and when league or competition starts you quiet your mind and just make shots.
    What is this natural ability you are referring to. I can't find it

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    I myself as a comeback bowler find that old habits are hard to break. You learn something new and on your approach you just do what you always did in the past. You need to concentrate on 1-2 things at a time...IMO
    “There’s nothing like throwing a 16lb 8.5 inch sphere at 10 3.5lb wooden objects spaced 12 inches apart and having them all hit each other” proud member of Bowlingboards.com bowling forums and ball contest winner

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    Quote Originally Posted by NewToBowling View Post
    What is this natural ability you are referring to. I can't find it
    There are many nights I wonder myself. =P

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