slump
Shawn
different from the last. I keep missing the ten pin spare. it is like
I completly forgot how to bowl. my average last month was about 190,
this month it is about 170. today's scores were 169, 206, 134. I am
all over the place. I am seriously considering taking the summer off
and getting away from the game for a while.
PromptJock
Been there, done that, and am CURRENTLY doing that after my 746 series
a month ago. The only thing I can attribute it to is MENTAL
"ANXIETY". The more I try to "calm down", focus, relax, etc., the
more I seem to "do the opposite" when I bowl. Thankfully, my leagues
are almost over and I can "take a break" as well.
Perhaps it might be a good idea for you get away from the game for
awhile, but remember to get back into practice at least a month before
the Regular Season starts again. If you can, enlist the aid of a
coach and, if you don't already have it, get Dean Hinitz' book
"Focused For Bowling". Trust me, it's a good book to have for those
who are suffering from, what I call, "Cranio-Rectitus" (you can figure
out what that means. ;) ).
Good luck in your "recovery" this summer.... :)
moncho
Getting away for a while may definitely help.
Most likely you timing is off. Think a little bit
about your footwork.
When my releases feel different after each throw, I try
to get back to pushing the ball away at the same time
during my initial step. It could be earlier or later
depending upon what is happening at the foul line.
moncho
Shawn
you were right, it was my foot work. it turns out I was pushing away
with the ball before taking my first step instead of at the same time.
I averaged 210 over 6 games today and my release felt much more
consistant. thank's for the advise.
wes
Shawn,
Quit bowling for scores and start bowling for how well you execute
(and for fun). Instead of worrying about 220 or 170, rate yourself on
how many times you got to the pocket, did not rush, saw your target,...
The scores will take care of themselves.
Make a mental list of the errors you make the most and when not doing
well, check the list.
wes
moncho
Your welcome.
I noticed that when I push away to early, like you did, that
I will "pull" the ball because I am way to early at the
foul line.
When things are going bad, this is ALWAYS my first place
I go.
My little list of things to check when things are going bad.
#1 is when I am pushing the ball away. Get my timing back.
#2 is the length steps I take (Is my first step longer than before).
#3 is the starting hand and arm position. Is my forefinger correctly
spaced, pinky tucked in, wrist in proper position, ball to high or
to low while in my stance.
#4 is moving my feet up or back or left or right. (I like to leave
these for last because if the top three are not right it does
not matter where the heck I stand on the lane).
moncho
wes
Shawn,
John Jowdy says something like: your push away should be
beyond your first step.
What works for me is that at the end of the push away I want
the ball to make me slightly off balance in a forward direction;
just enough to give me momentum into the second(of 4) step. The
more ball speed I want, the more off balance/momentum I want.
Which brings up another practice trick. Bowl with your eyes
closed, or blind folded, until you can hit the pocket a few
times.
wes
marvs...@sisna.com
taking away variables can help. increase the speed decrease the hook,
hit the head pin and pick up your spare. widen or shorten the span of
your index and pinky fingers. the thing that helped me at one point
was to shorten my approach to a 4 step from of a 5. the bottom line
is, it's got to be a comftorable change for you. summer is a great
time to experiment with approaches, average doesn't matter and there's
usually a lot of beginners. sometimes it's a nice boost to the ego to
hear 'nice game' from a 175.
meld...@webtv.net
when i rolled a 600 series and the next week i couldn't do anything
right,stick with it, don't give up and just relax,everything is going to
be fine TRUST ME
Amateur Bowler
Shawn
>
> - Show quoted text -
bowled over 200 five of six games for a average of 204. one bad game,
but it appears I am back on track.
nrj...@gmail.com
I had the same thing happen to me the last month to six weeks of my
season. For me, it was suddenly missing 10 pins, I went from picking
up most every one to hitting them about 50% at best.
About the only thing it did for me was allow me to exercise the more
colorful portions of my vocabulary.
My last couple weeks, suddenly my ability to cover the 10 pin came
back.
Funny game, sometimes.
-ed
Shawn
I bowl two days a week at one alley and two days a week at another. I
pick up the ten pin just fine at one place but I can't at the other
one. I know at the bowling alley I have trouble with it has very
heavy oil on the outside portion of the lane that sucks balls into the
gutter so I over compinsate and miss left. I just can't find a angle
to the ten pin that works.
nrj...@gmail.com
> I bowl two days a week at one alley and two days a week at another. I
> pick up the ten pin just fine at one place but I can't at the other
> one. I know at the bowling alley I have trouble with it has very
> heavy oil on the outside portion of the lane that sucks balls into the
> gutter so I over compinsate and miss left. I just can't find a angle
> to the ten pin that works.
This past year, I switched to using 22 board as my target, to try keep
the ball in the oil as long as possible, even for later in the set.
The starting spot might change slightly depending on conditions, but
that's an easy fix.
22 seemed to work better for me than 4th arrow, possibly because
you're getting to the track area a bit farther down the lane. Even
using a spare ball, it seemed to matter.
craigc...@yahoo.com
We have to be our own coaches in a sense. But this has a negative
side.
I have read about how professional atheltes and oylmpic atheltes
think. Practice is the time to make sure your shoulder is straight,
your timing is right, your not bending your elbow, etc. When its time
to perform for real, your mind is blank and you don't think of those
things. You let the muscle memory take over.
When a baseball batter gets in a slump, he starts worrying about
whether his shoulder is straight and as a result does not pick up on
whether its a curve ball or fast ball soon enough. So the slump gets
worse.
Bowlers are always trying to monitor themselves and make adjustments.
I think when we are not doing well we do the baseball batter thing and
don't let our minds go blank when its time to perform, so the slump
gets worse.
So try thinking about your bowling during practice, but not during
league play. Obviously if lanes conditions change you have to think
about that. But not while your bowling.