"The Match Before the Match"
Mental preparation may be the most important topic you need to develop once you have gained the knowledge and understand the needed skill to make all the adjustments. Then you are reading the lanes in a quick and proper manner to match your game. You must believe you can play any and all lane conditions before the match even starts. This is the first "match before the match." This is really a match of you against the lane. Are you ready to play very oily to very dry lanes or any lane in between? If not develop a plan to get yourself ready. You can bowl well on any condition especially if you learn to use all the adjustments. So the first match before the match is you and the lanes. Be ready and your confidence will soar.
The second "match before the match" is being prepared to handle the pressure of competition. This pressure happens in two different manners. It happens when you bowl well you get excited and when you bowl poorly you get down on yourself. In either instance you need to be ready to respond effectively. If you bowl great you need to practice progressive relaxation and self talk and be able to manage your emotions. If you bowl poorly the same keys are important. The important key here is to manage your emotions. Bowling is a game of emotional management. In bowling your emotions control your motion. If your emotions add tension in your body, this naturally will change your walk, swing, and release.
You need to practice both great bowling and not so great bowling in your mind. Use self-talk when you are bowling great or poorly. Tell yourself, "Take your time, relax, take one shot at a time. Stay in the moment; bowl each shot and only that shot period."
This all happens in your mind so make it happen before competition through mentally practicing. Have a match with good results and poor results. Teach yourself what it feels like to handle the pressure. Do this in practice or at home sitting in your easy chair. Use self-talk to say the right things to yourself. Stay calm; it is no big deal. Keep it simple and do not allow yourself to get caught up in the outcome. Be focused on the next shot. Go through your routine on each and every shot for the rest of your life and you will play at the high level.
This all starts with the mindset that this is your plan. Commit to do just that. Use self-talk to get yourself ready before the match starts. Do not wait until you are in the actual match to respond. That is too late.
Practice this mental preparation and you will have more fun and success in your matches.
The third "match before the match" is preparing to bowl your opponent. If this is someone you know and like or if it is someone you dislike you need to deal with this topic and get out of your mind before the match starts. This situation happens occasionally on the men's tour. One person has the other person's "number". Why does that happen? One of the players has not dealt with the emotional side and come to grips with it and one has handled it and it is not an issue. This happens before the match even starts. Remember the match before the match is not who you are bowling. Block that out completely. It is not whether this is the first game or 6th game. It is not if this is for a title or the first qualifying game of a tournament.
What you really need to prepare for is simple. First, prepare for all the varied lane conditions. Have a plan to deal with any condition you may see. Remember it is you playing the lane, not you playing your opponent. Second, you need to be ready to deal with the pressure of competition. This is a major topic, but if you are confident in playing any and all lane conditions this gets easier. Use positive self-talk and relaxation skills and you will soon be handling the pressure situations. Just remember the "match before the match" is how you deal with yourself, the lane, the pressure. Merely say to yourself, "I can play any lane no matter what the condition," and tell yourself, "I love the pressure of competition."
Remember, be careful what you are thinking, it might come true! (This information is an excerpt from the book, "Advanced Adjustments" by Fred Borden and Jeri Edwards.)
Mental preparation may be the most important topic you need to develop once you have gained the knowledge and understand the needed skill to make all the adjustments. Then you are reading the lanes in a quick and proper manner to match your game. You must believe you can play any and all lane conditions before the match even starts. This is the first "match before the match." This is really a match of you against the lane. Are you ready to play very oily to very dry lanes or any lane in between? If not develop a plan to get yourself ready. You can bowl well on any condition especially if you learn to use all the adjustments. So the first match before the match is you and the lanes. Be ready and your confidence will soar.
The second "match before the match" is being prepared to handle the pressure of competition. This pressure happens in two different manners. It happens when you bowl well you get excited and when you bowl poorly you get down on yourself. In either instance you need to be ready to respond effectively. If you bowl great you need to practice progressive relaxation and self talk and be able to manage your emotions. If you bowl poorly the same keys are important. The important key here is to manage your emotions. Bowling is a game of emotional management. In bowling your emotions control your motion. If your emotions add tension in your body, this naturally will change your walk, swing, and release.
You need to practice both great bowling and not so great bowling in your mind. Use self-talk when you are bowling great or poorly. Tell yourself, "Take your time, relax, take one shot at a time. Stay in the moment; bowl each shot and only that shot period."
This all happens in your mind so make it happen before competition through mentally practicing. Have a match with good results and poor results. Teach yourself what it feels like to handle the pressure. Do this in practice or at home sitting in your easy chair. Use self-talk to say the right things to yourself. Stay calm; it is no big deal. Keep it simple and do not allow yourself to get caught up in the outcome. Be focused on the next shot. Go through your routine on each and every shot for the rest of your life and you will play at the high level.
This all starts with the mindset that this is your plan. Commit to do just that. Use self-talk to get yourself ready before the match starts. Do not wait until you are in the actual match to respond. That is too late.
Practice this mental preparation and you will have more fun and success in your matches.
The third "match before the match" is preparing to bowl your opponent. If this is someone you know and like or if it is someone you dislike you need to deal with this topic and get out of your mind before the match starts. This situation happens occasionally on the men's tour. One person has the other person's "number". Why does that happen? One of the players has not dealt with the emotional side and come to grips with it and one has handled it and it is not an issue. This happens before the match even starts. Remember the match before the match is not who you are bowling. Block that out completely. It is not whether this is the first game or 6th game. It is not if this is for a title or the first qualifying game of a tournament.
What you really need to prepare for is simple. First, prepare for all the varied lane conditions. Have a plan to deal with any condition you may see. Remember it is you playing the lane, not you playing your opponent. Second, you need to be ready to deal with the pressure of competition. This is a major topic, but if you are confident in playing any and all lane conditions this gets easier. Use positive self-talk and relaxation skills and you will soon be handling the pressure situations. Just remember the "match before the match" is how you deal with yourself, the lane, the pressure. Merely say to yourself, "I can play any lane no matter what the condition," and tell yourself, "I love the pressure of competition."
Remember, be careful what you are thinking, it might come true! (This information is an excerpt from the book, "Advanced Adjustments" by Fred Borden and Jeri Edwards.)
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