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Thread: Only bowling one night a week...

  1. #1

    Default Only bowling one night a week...

    Hey all,
    I have recently gone from bowling 4-5 nights a week to only bowling once per week this year due to career/family responsibilities. Have any of you made this drastic of a switch recently? If so, what was the biggest focus for you to keep your average up? My average has dropped from 212-215 to 204 or so and would like to take it back up a pin or two. Are there specific things to work on in practice? Specific equipment changes that you recommend? I am a high rev, high speed bowler and while I would like to be able to change this approach my mind/muscle memory don't work that way
    Thanks in advance!

  2. #2
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    a score of 200 up is not bad.
    also bowling once a week is also not bad.
    Same as i do

  3. #3
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    I have always thought that become a good bowler you need to bowl at least 3 times per week, about 9 to 12 games. To maintain that level of proficiency I think you need to hit the lanes at least twice a week. Given that for the moment these are impossible I recommend the following:
    1. Stay fit; use the stairs, park at the far end of the parking lot, stretch, do isometrics,etc.
    2. Make the most of your league practice time, be ready to start as soon as the lanes are turned on,shoot at a corner pin on the first ball and then practice your strike line, practice changing lines, angles, speed, etc.
    3. Visualize making good shots when you're off the lanes. I know it sounds kind of weird and 'new age' but it supposedly works for shooting free throws in basketball.
    4. You may be able to practice elements of your game at home.
    John

  4. #4

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    I did this a few years back and I struggled for a bit. I have a friend who is kind of a coach to me and he gave me the following advice;

    Bowling less in a week causes you to basically "re-establish" your mechanics and the simple things you took for granted when bowling more. For example he mentioned set up and finish position of your shoulders, foot speed and position of your thumb at the top of your backswing. He also mentioned that there will be more drastic of a change on your target or "mark" on the lane instead of the gradual change as the week progresses while you were bowling more often. He told me to take advantage of any free time I had to hit the lanes and roll, even it is just one game. He also mentioned visulizing as J Anderson did while off the lanes. And although you might feel goofy doing it, he said when you are walking to randomly pretend you are on the approach and go through your time proven motions so you don't lose too much of the memory that you have ingrained for so long.

    I don't know if it will help, but I know it helped me. Of course that was before the old slide leg started going bad at the knee and now my approach and everything has changed to minimize pain, and for some crazy reason I went back to three leagues a week with a double shift on Mondays...oh well I guess I will bowl until I just can't do it anymore.

  5. #5
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    This all sounds kind of strange. I see people taking about all this "don't forget the memory of approaching" and stuff, but I ask myself, is it really necessary? I do often think about bowling and what it looks like when I am at the line throwing the ball, but I don't ever really visualize like that, and my average is going up. I personally think that if you just focus when you are bowling and thinking about what you are actually doing then you will improve. I think when you think about bowling throughout the week, just think about how you bowled during your last time bowling and if it worked or not, and you will probably keep your average up.

    But, if visualizing helps you more, then do that. I just think my way is a little bit more simple.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by BJones View Post
    This all sounds kind of strange. I see people taking about all this "don't forget the memory of approaching" and stuff, but I ask myself, is it really necessary? I do often think about bowling and what it looks like when I am at the line throwing the ball, but I don't ever really visualize like that, and my average is going up. I personally think that if you just focus when you are bowling and thinking about what you are actually doing then you will improve. I think when you think about bowling throughout the week, just think about how you bowled during your last time bowling and if it worked or not, and you will probably keep your average up.

    But, if visualizing helps you more, then do that. I just think my way is a little bit more simple.

    Here's a quote from Susie Minshew who is one of the top bowling coaches in the country. I go back to it when I start having doubts.

    "Please keep this in mind your entire bowling life. Every shot you have ever thrown is in your head. Every shot you have ever seen anyone else throw is in your head. Every shot you have ever seen on television is in your head. Those thousands and thousands of shots are quite an inventory. They are a wealth of information for you. With all of that experience in your head, how can you ever doubt a move that you decide to make?"
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    I've gone through a similar thing, I used to bowl three leagues and practiced an additional 2-3 days a week, so I'd be bowling 5-6 days a week. I recently dropped to one league and cut out practicing for the most part, now I find it harder to repeat shots like I had so easily in the past. I had been averaging 230+ for the good part of 5-6 months in 2 different leagues, and after about a week after I dropped to one league, I think I shot a 560, 670, and 620. The 560 being the lowest set I've shot in probably at least a year..

    I'm going back to practicing more often now to try to get back into rhythm.. so we'll see how that goes.
    Yee

  8. #8
    Bowler DaveAyotte's Avatar
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    when I was young, my coach taught me a pretty neat trick that definitely helped me along the way. Not everyone is going to have the means to do it, but if you can, try it.

    Take an old full length mirror that you don't use anymore. My dad made a brace for mine when I was younger, and as I did this in the basement. Then you pad the front of it with boxes, pillows (I used an old air mattress). Mind you I had a semi-finished basement - and therefor had carpet. I practiced my release in front of the mirror for a few minutes every day I could. This allows you to see your mistakes, and try to establish the proper corrections. FFWD to today, and my wife was a little horrified about me "bowling" in our house at first - but she's become accustomed to it.

  9. #9
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    well one thing you can do is when u go to bowl have someone record you bowling and watch it afterward soo then when u come to next week record again and try to fix up what u did wrong last week it helps me and keep recording untill u have a recording thats perfect on everything slid,release,swing and other things do that and everytime befor bowling watch this video and memories what u did but always have someone record u too see if u did do 1 little mistake its helped me i have jumped my avgs from 160-230 but then i brought it ack down from doing the same thign much jsut moving left abit so i dont get as many stirkes brought it down to a 210 and have stayed this for awhile but this year i got a new ball and my wrist has been killing me abit soo im not doing so well got 160 avg and still droping i have to go to the doctors to get my wrist checked

  10. #10

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    Great tips, I have found myself only bowling once a week and only practicing the ten minutes before league starts. My average has really suffered from it. Now I am having trouble with my thumb exiting at release. I don't know if I'm squeezing or something else. I don't remember having this problem so often.

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