Tags in Muscle Memory

Recently while sitting outside of the club's Green Fence watching a Major Qualification Lawn Bowls game; an interested passerby began asking questions about the sport. The reason I was sitting there outside the club was a lawn bowls rules which does not allow spectators behind the players "line of play" unless more than 3 meters which meant on the other side of the club's fence. 

Stats of blog for 1st week of September 2024

The fence is at 1 meter from the ditch and behind the player's bench and I was studing players strategy and post delivery focus and evaluation.

After several minutes, the passerby asked an advance sport question. " The game appears to involve a lot of muscle memory and mental  development ?" I discovered that he was a serious Basketball athletic and he explained a bit of the "Memory Recall" exercises his coach had educated him. Many basketball coaches advise their athletics to mentally practice their basket shooting skills in idle time even if during a bus trips or simply sitting and relaxing.

"Muscle Memory" simply defined is the mind being conditioned during a lot of practice to know the muscle movements needed to perform the correct basket shooting technique. Or in Lawn Bowls the correct delivery techniques. Others will say that a child learns to throw a ball and catch that ball by simple instinctive actions. Yes, Instinctive subconscious actions are involved in most sports.

  This blog is more for those Club Coaches doing the three or four week Club's "Introduction to Lawn Bowls" course to new members. This advance information is usually given only by Level 3 or Level 4 coaches dealing with helping competition athletics or international players; but as a learning bowler, it is important to know. 

In the photo (left) we see a screen capture from a Youtube Petanque video of Mark Wildeboer as he does a Petanque "Takeout" shot. In his previsualization of his shot we see  his toe tapping (a "Tell" of his pre-visualizations ) before his actual action of the doing the takeout shot. Athletics working with a Level 3 or Level 4 coach have moved from "Muscle Memory" to doing their performance in a "Void of thought" which allow the subconscious mind to perform the actual action. Often called  "Being In the Zen Zone", this is the exact action when we quickly break the car because of a child running out into the street. Watch the video and see the "Tell"

 Unless you are certified Club Coach or with five or six years experience; these ideas and this information may seem strange. There are various levels of mental development in sports and that is why National Coaching organizations have sport neuropsychologists hired full time. These ideas are part of mental development and control. Angisity and Competition Stress at the international level can become  a major problem in every sport and how we understand our mental aspects of our sport we are missing a major aspect of it.  As  now, in the summer of 2024, we finish the Paris 2024 Olymapic Games we now hear more televised interviews of  how these  olymapic professionals have helped our athletics.

Muscle Memory is something you know and understand or some people hear mention and don't know if they believe it all. It is like we hear how some people have an insistance on  "Angels" and as they speak they explain how they believe  that angels guide them in life"; Muscle Memory and "Being in the zone" or "Zen" are such things. For now, as you develop in   your sport treat it like "angels". We can suggest " just take it or leave it", but still to know there is such knowledge  is not harmful. Don't worry within  years of play and practice in your game,  your level of development will slowly reveal several new and strange things.

However, where this may matter to a new members to Lawn Bowls and the Clubs, is that because we were involved in a previous sports, we bring "Muscle Memory" we had  developed competitively in that sport. For example, Curling, uses the same muscles to deliver the stone up the ice and often a coach finds that these new members have heard their coaches or other players talk about  during their development and performance. They have maybe not used the term "Muscle Memory" but talked about how your body know how to do those deliveries.  

This year, I will turn 80 and I changed clubs to get more competitive game play and practice with players of a higher performance level.  Because I have been doing less coaching this increased competition will allow me some time before age forces me  to leave this sport I so "love". This year, I was surprise to discover that this new club has an extremely large number of "Curling" members who now have turned to Lawn Bowls as their go-to summer sport.

There are two aspects of "Muscle Memory" for a new or novice lawn Bowler. First, until one has a few years experience in a new sport, it is best to understand that we have in our performance a memory of muscle movements. It is therefore that we build these new performance memory by watching always your bowls as they roll to their finish. Yes, you will be disappointed with a delivery; but don't step of the mat until your bowl has come to a stop. And if you are lucky to have a coach or skip which know of their ability to do "Memory Imprinting" as you learn; you will not only learn the correct delivery actions; but also develop important memories.

"Memory Imprinting" is an action or event which makes that memory stand out from the hundred of other delivery memories of the past years. A skip of experience standing in the head can see that the "Deliveery Line" of the player on the mat is good and that the weight is going to result in the bowl coming to a stop near the jack.  If the skip does a hand-clap while the bowl rolls from the mat to the jack, this sound and you, the player watching your bowl; will imprint that memory of your delivery as an important memory. A good coach knows that such a stored memory and the retrevial of it by the competitive player from another sport; will only increase the speed with which that player adapts and learn their lawn Bowl delivery. 

In December of 2016 blog on "Muscle Memory to the Zone" there are a couple of exercises to help explain how the in Bowls the subconscious mind interacts with our delivery performance through "Muscle Memory". The blog is long but explains the need for the athletic to be in what some calles "The Zone" or a subconscious "Void" during their performance. That blog talks about Tiger Wood who on a "Youtube video" says that  often during his performance; he has no memory of his swing and hitting his ball. He is in a void of thought. Also with the Youtube video of  2016 World Bowls Women's Pair (Christchurch New Zealand); which is still available now in 2023 thanks to the VIMEO streaming. This blog show the two different styles of "In the Zone" performance of these two great Lawn Bowl athletic as they perform. In the above example we are using the "Tags" to inform the subconscious mind that this is not a similar " Muscle Memory" action to another sport's delivery action. In the mention blog the two leads are evaluating the jack distance as part of their pre-delivery routine and "Memory Retrevial" of having seen a bowl rolled that same distance. Each flip of the bowl is a refusal of the memory and a retrevial of a long (or shorter) jack distance.

 Although the "Muscle memory" may include similar actions in the two sports; there is no stopping the "Muscle Memory" from completing all the actions in the old sport when a Bowl's Delivery is done. This is what makes learning a good lawn bowl delivery difficult for the athletic as each time they leave the mat they must return and redo all your previous perfect "Pre-Delivery" action or routine. (I had a tennis player who had the same problem with the squash swing)

 The "Tag" when given to the student, should be a simple action like a toe tap; and should also be accompanied with the words "This is Lawn Bowls" when the tag is first time shown and explained. Do not ask the student to think the words, or do not repeat it to the student more than one time, as the "Tag" loses it invisible nature which is simply the words. The Tag, which a non-productive action and accompany with words should  not a corrective action like "Don't turn your wrist" because the student thinking to correct something is not in the "void". Once the "Tag" has been incorporated in the student "Delivery Routine" and some students will  hears the words. during those first years of the bowl delivery.  As "Muscle Memory (being "in the zone") develops and the conscious mind will no longer  attempts to do the delivery. (The "Tag" is just a note to the subconscious and in time the student will not even hear those words during their action of delivery.

The "Tag" is not a corrective action but just something added to the delivery which the student must remember to perform because if the student was to  begin thinking of a corrective action they will lose their focus and "Delivery Void" will be missed as part of the action.

A "Tag" which is visiable to an experience coach is called a "Tells" because this extra actions during delivery is just used for a "Timing" or like the above example, to pass a remainder to the subconscious. When we are viewing a video like in the above mention blog of the 2016 Pairs in Christchurch; we see  the two leads at they have a "Tell" action which is performed during their delivery. Something  the subconscious needs to be remained before the delivery, especially during the early return to bowls season. In that mention blog we see the Petanque player with the "Toe-tap Tell" which probably developed as he evaluates the distance to the object target. In the actions of the two two lawn Bowl leads delivery, they are probably do a "distance memory retrival".  A "distance memory retrival" is seeing a previous delivery memory and because it is not the correct distance we drop it and go get another memory of a longer jack. If we look closely, we will see the many "Tell" whiich were not intended to be visual, but  because of a mental interaction of the player's communication to the subconscious mind has become a part of their the actual deliveery performance.

 If one looks at a teaching video on curling you will see that part of the delivery is a small wrist movement as the stone is made to slowly turn as it goes up the ice. One would think this is such a small action and can be overlook. But remember "Muscle Memory" is executed when you are in a "Subconscious Void" and during that action of delivery; when started as a memory of the delivery, it does everything until the action has been complete. So if "Muscle Memory is from start to finish; it is hard for the subconscious to remove a part of the action of a "Muscle Memory". Yes even that little wrist turn of the stone from 11 o'clock to 12 o'clock during the curling delivery will  causes the student (from a Curling sport) to have a bad lawn bowls  delivery. Even if the student was using a "Stick Delivery" in curling it is still a turning.

Solution is to give the subconscious mind a thought during the delivery routine (a Tag) to change the start of the delivery and then allow the delivery action (of lawn bowls) to continue to the different and until it is a complete action. What sort of thought ?. Centainly not a verbal instruction as these comands are from the conscious mind and the "Muscle Memory" is from the instinctive or Subconscious mind. A "tag" is an action added to your delivery preparation which does nothing to influence the bowl but it communicate with the Subconscious mind.

In this case because in both Bowls and Curling the athletic starts their delivery from a standing position the tapping of the foot does not influence the bowl's delivery. When the "Tag" is given by the coach it has to be accompany with a verbal which the studentwill hears when he does the "Tag".  Why ? Cause the student hearing the words, when he does the "Tag", is a thought which his subconscious mind also hears. It should be only once spoken and  the coach should not explain the choice of words such as "This is Lawn Bowls".

The student could be told to think the phrase but it is hard to think an action and not try to do it because thinking is a conscious mental action. Also, the coach needs to know the student is doing the "Tag" as part of the Delivery routine and it being a physical action it can be seen by the coach. A physical action as seen during a "Muscle Memory"  is called a "Tell" (like in poker where you can read your opponent by their facial movement when they got their card) and if done right in coaching it does not affect the Bowl's delivery. 

Talking to the Subconscious Mind 1/3

 Lawn Bowls, with the long distance of the "Jack", offers to the  Lawn Bowl athletic's and their interest in the instinctive aspects of their developed performance: the opportunity to wisely use "Memory data" collected and stored by our subconscious mind.  With shorter distance to the target (Petanque, Bocce) the subconscious mind can judge the distance without the need to calculate it by 'Memory Projection" A Memory Projection is to use memory of previous delivery to visualize and watch (imaginary) deliveries of the Lawn Bowling Bowl to the jack.  If in this projection or imaginary view of the bowl rolling to the jack; it does not arrive as our mind returns to a conscious thought; then the distance is wrong and the athletic can collect another memory of a longer jack. (Yes it works) However,  when we have a total "Focus" (our mind totally spent on what we are doing) we discover that the subconscious mind is collecting and storing memories.

 When the Post-performance analysis of  your delivery suggests that you make a correction, those thoughts become "Memory data". With practice, the athletic  can then retrieve this data later, as the subconscious then adds your corrections to your performance or delivery. Many times without us being aware that our instinctive "Muscle Memory" have changed or added something. Because "Muscle Memory" is the total source of the instinctive actions and performance; we discover that often a thought (during focus and analysis) results in  small changes to our performance..  Our objective of communicating with the subconscious is to limit or increase these changes as we are performing our delivery. Our mind or conscious thinking will leave these  controlling instructions to be incorporated int the muscle's performance. A very common example is "Balance" as the body will adjust to regain balance if it feels a lost of stability. The subconscious will relay uniquely on the instinctive action of the ears feeling the change in balance and make adjustment.

 We identify these ("Memory data") as subconscious collection of thoughts or images and they can be used by an athletic in their performance. In Lawn Bowls because the jack can be up to 30 meters from the delivery mat ( a long jack near the limit of the playing surface) this focus on the "Memory of the Delivery roll to the jack" is of major importance. The subconscious mind will calculate the jack distance by watching the memory of previous rolls and add that data to the delivery of the athletic. Photo Alam Baittie, Summerset National's Single Final.

The subconscious mind is a lot like a young  child who wants to please their parents. With good intentions the child does what it know is needs to be done and often is looking toward the results it believes it will produce. Likewise, the instinctive mind (subconscious) is collection the delay of the jack roll until it stops; aid is adding  a type of distance calculation during that "Jack roll". A good club coach tell their students that if your bowl delivery is done within 30 seconds of the jack roll, you will often find that you bowl will usually stop near the jack. This is because the subconscious watched (and felt the distance) of the jack rolling up the green; and incorporated that knowledge into the delivery of the bowl.

 Also all thought you do in your "Posdt-delivery analysis" of a recently delivery become "Memory data" which can be used immediatley. If you tell yourself that you lost your balance and the lawn bowl just delivered was forced off the delivery line; the subconscious mind will use this thought and make a correction, (Actually if you listen you will hear your thought of how to correct that problem) This attempt to make the correction must be allowed to progress.  Why say "attempt" ? Because without being told what caused you to lose your balance the subconscious mind does not know the corrective action. Your thoughts must be more than just disappointment with your delivery. It requires a "Focus" on your actions and analysis.  To just watch the bowl roll and then be disappointed with the result is occuping your mind with a feeling instead of being focus on what needs fixing.

Here is where the story become like the seperation of reality and a ghost story.  The first thought we have is always toward reality. We want to make instructions to our muscles as we analysis our need to correct our balance (in this above example) and using the "conscious mind" we turn toward giving instructions; which we believe will affect our performance.  But we can only do so much when we try to be in  "total control".

After several years of deliveries we now are doing our delivery instinctive (as per Muscle Memory) and  an conscious action  wanted to be added to our delivery, take forever (yes several months of practice) to be included in our instinctive delivery. As we develop our communications with the subconscious mind, with practice ot suggestions given in the final moment before the "Musche Memory" delivery  is tranfer from Conscious thinking; we find we have entered an absence of thought or "Void"

 With the conscious mind, we think and tell the muscles what to do. And because we are always questioning ourselves or our performance; we find ourself making suggestion or critizism of the just completed performance. Thinking about our performance with something like "Maybe I should do this" or "No that did not work" is not instructions to the subconscious. These thoughts become the reason why "Muscle Memory" work. This Post-performance analysis are the thoughts  linked the next delivery and instructions to the subconscious.

The Ghost side of this story is like you telling your secretary how to do a certain job and after verifying she (he) understands; you walk away to leave them to do it and wait for the result.  The instinctive performance of the "Subconscious mind" is similar.  "I saw what you tried to do and even heard your thoughts as you analysis the result" your subconscious would reply ot you if you could hear your brain working. But instead of being confidence that "Muscle Memory" can do it;  we are busy thinking of how to telling the muscles what to do (conscious instructions).  We must work and practice to link these thoughts of analysis to the subconscious (or instinctive) performance of  our "Muscle Memory". When we do, after practice of doing this subconscious communication correctly and make the right connection, we will be surprised to see the real changes. 

Why ?  Because like the secretary who will make mistakes at first,  or like your physical practice which lead to your now doing a good performance, these thoughts will need several repeated communications with the subconscious to have any efforts or to get done correctly. But unless you let the "Spirit" of that "Ghost" of a "Muscle Memory" performance take its own courses you will always be doing a conscious instructions to the muscles. Unlike a dictator type of boss who without confidence in the  secretary (subconscious mind), we must develop confidence in that we have instructed  the subconscious of what muscles changes to be done. 

If we are always making the same mistakes, than we are not letting the subconscious mind make the change and we're attempting to correct these mistakes in performance by a conscious instruction to the muscle. This is why it will seen like forever to fix a bad habit in the performance. Because now "Muscle Memory" is doing the performance and unless we work to communicate with it, we only think an instruction for that one performance.

I speak of "Ghost of Performance" because if you have arrived at the state of doing your delivery instinctive by the subconscious mind; then you know of that "void of thought" that occurs when the subconscious mind is actively doing the muscle movements.  Afterward,  when you feel the "return to reality" and watch the delivery; you are satified or disappointed with  the results.  If you have confidence in your secretary, (your "Muscle Memory") you are expecting the best and likewise feel a confidence. We, as humans, are control freaks and especially in sports where performance is everything; During physical practice we try to do it right but  in a business why paid for furniture and office space for a secretary if you don't accept the work that is produced.  Likewise, the subconscious mind was following all of your efforts to correct that problem (off balance in this example) and now you must leave being in control and let the "Muscle Memory" do the action and check the result. If not the expected results, then practice communicating diffenrently. Remember... If you are doing the action (consciously) you are not letting the subconscious (instinctive action) do what it know to do.

Now the big problem is communication.  With the secretary it is verbal and even technicial (if you teach her to use a marco for the general layout of the job) and likewise it is the same with the "Subconscious" or instinctive aspect of your performance.  Learning to communicate with the subconscious mind is as hard as good communication in an office environment.  If you have emotions when you are tell the secretary of the mistakes; then the result will not be as good as good quite communication. Likewise, with the subconscious mind this smooth unemotional mental communication is important.  Be angry about the result and upset with your performance and the subconscious is totally confused as to what is expected of it  to do.  Smooth and precise facts and you can change the "Muscle Memory or the instinctive action of your performance. But like you practice your delivery for months you must also practice your "Muscle Memory" communication. In other blogs we will find discussion of "Tags" and "Tells" which are small thoughts or images which allow us to progress in detail with this communication and improve it's result by a better communication..

In the above text I used two images.  Office secretary and ghost of performance because we all listen (or read) with opinions. In the example of a office secretary we see a job to be done and results which are deserving of a pay, while with the example of "Ghost" we may not even believe they exist. So until you believe and understand your "Muscle Memory" and how to have a influence over it; you will continue in your normal life or performance.  Where we are now going in your sport performance is the same.  Your belief in yourself and your ability to perform and then that something of a ghost or part of our mind which we often don't see.  If you saw a ghost a few times you would believe they exist.  I am sure you have felt that "void of thought"  several times  over a gane during your delivery after which you returned to reality. Believing and feeling that "Void" is knowing the Ghost and influence of your instinctive delivery.

Look at  the stock photo of office work from the photo site of  www.gettyimages.ca (open it in size). Now for a few seconds look at the different photos and read the emotions or interaction of the two people. (These are the same emotions you will have with your subconscious) The women alone is probably the boss walking away and allow the secretary to do the work. (something you must practice to do with the "Muscle Memory") or the other photo is the boss doing an analysis the work as presented. Yes your analysis of the Muscle Memory will change how the muscles perform the next delivery.

If you are to communicate with your subconscious mind and make changes to your "Muscle Memories" you must use this same strategy. As you improve your communication with the subconscious  in a multi action pre-preparation routine before allowing the "Muscle Memory" action; you are improving that communication and Building a confidence which improves your performance. Take time to look at the blog of "Subconscious mind in Petanque" and the videos because your voyage from this point on in sharing your success with a ghost of a thought (you may not believe in which needs to be told how to perform for you.

If you have not thought about changing something and at the present time you are only reading; all is good but like driving a car we learn the basic and then we are certified as knowing the rules and our Routine. So also as we change and improve our Delivery routine we move more to that perfect performance. Lawn Bowls like golf is a unique opportunity because by looking to countries like Australia, South Africa and Great Britain we have a lot of great athletics to learn and improve from their examples.

 If you learn to communicate with the subconscious mind and correctly communicate what you wanted it to do;  you will be surprised what you can do with your bowl. Strange but true how it works, but the hardest thing is like changing a job which also changes your daily routine of sleep and work. If you start to communicate with the subconscious or instinctive aspect of your performance and expect changes to "Muscle Memory" you will find it hard to go back to the old way. Photo (Right) Dylan Rocher Youtube of Shooting competition

First we must understand that the subconscious mind is always aware of what is happening and if asked it will use what it has seen previously in your game. In the above suggested blog I mention how the subconscious mind in a dream took data of the local coffee shop and put into my dream the shaking of the sugar sack as I was dreaming of making a coffee in my new automatic kitchen.  It had seen the action every times that I went to the local coffee shop.

There are many things we do in our delivery of the bowl (or shooting a Petanque take-out) and we are not really taking note but the subconscious mind is seeing it and collecting that data.  As an example, you have just rolled the jack up the rink and  as it was spotted, you turned and picked up your bowl so as to be ready to bowl. What was the last  important action  that the subconscious mind watched? No not the jack roll, which was missed as you turned to go get your bowl. Now you are going to roll to the jack but what distance is it? Yes, you can look at all the different calculations for the distance. How far out is the mat.  How far beyond the "Hog line"? How far from the back boards?, But you had a visual measurement in time and distance before you turned and did a "Get you bowl" action.

Well it took time for the jack to roll and that time depending on the distance and if you were watching the subconscious has these data memories for future use and can be recalled. Your "Muscle Memory" can used this roll-delay and "measured time" as distance because you were watching the jack roll it's distance. Yes you also did some thoughts to give a distance in  your (vocal) thoughts ("28 meters or Half way from hogline to back ditch") and if you are visual you glanced at the back board as a sort of confirmation of distance the jack is in front.

So the subconscious either has the right distance from experience and other information (the jack roll now) or what ever method, (unless  you will guess) and the "Muscle memory performance will do a good delivery but not a good distance. By watching, and seeing the distance you can now allow the subconscious learn that distance and feel the delay of rolling jack can be used to improve your bowl's delivery to the jack.  Yes, there are things which seem of little important but is the  jack roll more important then the skip standing there  waiting to center the jack.

Today, as I work to cleanup this blog the AI introduction of Microsoft has suggested the following to me. (probably gathered some informations from other sites on the same topic)

"Muscle memory is a fascinating aspect of our brain's ability to learn and perform tasks without conscious thought. It's like having a built-in autopilot for repetitive actions, such as typing, playing an instrument, or even riding a bike. However, subconscious interruptions can sometimes disrupt this smooth flow.

These interruptions can be caused by various factors, such as stress, fatigue, or distractions. When your brain is preoccupied with other thoughts or emotions, it can interfere with the automatic processes that muscle memory relies on. This can lead to mistakes or a temporary loss of proficiency in the task you're performing.

To minimize these interruptions, it's essential to practice mindfulness and focus on the present moment. Techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and regular breaks can help reduce stress and improve concentration. Additionally, ensuring you get enough rest and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can also contribute to better muscle memory performance."

 A blind bowler with his coach or instructor is told the distance when it is being centered by the  game assistance who reads it from the "Distance Markers" on the side of the green. However, he does not do the calculation of how much the mat has been brought forward of the "Mat Line"; this is told once to the blind bowler who then make his own calculations. Photo right is Randy Fred Gold Medallist in the 2012 Canadian Blind Bowls in Kitchener Ontario. Tom Williams the coach or blind bowler assistance (back to us) is evaluating the delivery.

Also I have seen an assistance with a new student  said "1, 2,3,and ended with "NOW" as the jack stopped. This is sort of like the thinking action of the conscious mind building "Memory Data" which the subconscious mind will collect. Also, later when the assistance was sure his blind bowler was calculating the "Jack Roll Time" he would just say "NOW" when the jack had stopped. In the same manner your conscious thoughts build instructions to the subconscious and eventually the subconscious does it automaticly. (like the Blind bowler has shown the assistance that they are now measuring the distance)

 So if you were busy walking  and picking up the bowl while the jack was rolling; you must realize that in doing so you can not teach this to the  "Muscle Memory because you did not think (a thought) to collect this information. It is  important to realize your thoughts (conscious evaluation) should be careful selected because they are included in the subconscious developing of "Muscle Memory".

These actions which should be part of your "Post Delivery Routine" (after your bowl has left your hand); and if done properly they will force the subconscious to notice and collect that data. But a problem with communicating with the subconscious is that there are both visual and  auditive individuals. Where the Visual individual sees the Jack roll; the coaches must suggest something different to Auditive individuals. He may suggest that by remembering a song during the jack roll; the subconscious is a timing the roll and measuring the jack distance as it rolls and stops. Yes, a song has a memory data duration and after the subconscious has been taught to use the time for it calculation it no longer is heard by the bowler.

Myself I am visual and because I have watch my bowl roll to the jack and "Memory Data" was collected; now I can see in my "mind's eye" my bowl as rolls to the jack. This "Memory Retieval" as I prepare for my delivery (Pre-Delivery routine). is what we will se happen in the videos of these two great athletics.

If in seeing my "Memory data" of the distance; my mental image has not arrived at the jack but stopped short then I will change and get  the right "memory"; until I feel " Now do the delivery" because the subconscious has that distance. With practice and looking for that "Approval Feeling" of thecorrect data having been view ( or though); you just know that it is ok to do the "Muscle Memory" performance. 

Now how do you force the subconscious start watching the jack roll  and calculate the distance. A "Tag" is an action which is different and the subconscious notice it and the reason for it. You start tomorrow to watch the jack roll and if auditive you hear the jack roll time like a song which you think sung or hum; your song become a tape measure of the distance. A trick or "Tag" but the same as feeling the length of time you cook that egg to get it as you like it.  Eventually you won't need the "Tag" as the subconscious will  continue to collect the data and use it in your First bowl delivery "Muscle Memory" performance.

Some athletics actually do a retrieval of this memory to improve their calculation of the jack distance while others only do such a calculation in siturations. If you close your eyes and recall this memory you can actually feel how you have remember the length of time. For those new students, who don't collect this data, will find their coaches saying "Have your bowl in your hands because if within 30 seconds of rolling the jack you complete your delivery; your "Muscle Memory" will use the feeling of the jack roll for your delivery weight and distance to create a "jack touching" delivery. 

 

Here in the suggest video we have ans example of world class athletics communicating with their subconscious during "Pre-Delivery" and using "Memory Retrevial" to allow the instinctive part of her performance  to do a perfect "Muscle Memory" actions.  I am using the 2016 World bowls Finals of Womens pairs which was in Christchurch NZ and maybe I am wrong on my read of the "Tell" (a sign of subconscious communication) during the Delivery Routine; but these are great athletics (in photo right) and are fine examples of "Talking to the  Subconscious Mind".

 In the video, you will hear the announcer's  comment on the very long "Delivery Routine" of Angela Boyd. (If you watch a few end of play). But Angela in her routine, although long, has various parts of her communication with the subconscious; and is well beyond where some of us never to go or develop. Her rocking and swing of  delivery arm is similar to the  Youtube Petanque video of Mark Wildeboer as he does a Petanque shooting "Takeout" shot. His "Tell" is him conscious mind judging his distance by a previsualization of the acturate distance to the target ball. (His toe tapping, is a "tell" of a mental evaluation and judgement of the distance to the target)  

The use of the word "Talk" in the title is intentional as we too often think of "talk" as words spoken and surprisingly we even think and heard words.  A child in its first years hears sounds and sees images and process everything very fast until they began to talk. Then as the child learns words, the images and memories are lost and replaced by thinking in words.

 With the subconscious mind, the words are an enemy to "Muscle Memory" because it is thought (conscious instructions); and if we are thinking it, we are actually giving instructions to the muscles on what we want to do. So alway remember that thinking an action does allow for instinctive (subconscious) communication but actually converts the mind back to receiving a conscious actions and instructions to the muscles.

When we "talk" to the subconscious mind we use images and like a computer going into a file and getting that picture or other information, the subconscious mind can recall and use these images to do for us what we may want done with the next delivery. Yes, we do remember in images or thoughts which are memories of previous actions but by thinking about our next action (conscious) we have stopped  the subconscious mind. The two minds are each developing and processing a memory images  or thought differently  We want to learn that what we previous saw happen now allows for us to use the collected memories to judge the distance to the jack.

Above we have the New Zealand Angela Boyd in the 2016 World Bowls Women's Pairs final doing her first delivery of the match. This match of  December 11^th Women`s Pairs Finals of World Bowls (Streaming); can still be watched. We see Angela go to the mat and after what the video announcer describes as "Half a dozen motion of the arm then look down at her feet, look back up and now delivery". A "Delivery routine" which includes subconscious evaluation of the jack distance before the release.  Although the Wales Pairs Lead, Laura Daniels has a faster "Delivery Routine"; you can see her "Tag" and "Tell" with her finger tapping the bowl a couple of times.

So the next time you are on the green and as lead or in "Single" game and throw the jack up the rink to be centered try this exercise which can be added to your Delivery Routine. As you are standing on the mat with your bowl ready to deliver; recall that memory of the jack as it rolled up the green. This is a mental "Tag" for the subconscious mind telling it to remember the roll for to know the distance.

While writing this blog I was surprise to discovered that my 100,000th reader had passed.   Blog stats here to the right and to those who have been following my blogs for the past 10 years or more please know of my appreciation of your readership. As I cleanup several of the older blogs, if you leave a comment of  your interest I can expand those blogs or even if more selective; I will try to address it in  an e-mail.

In the above video (if you watched it) we see both leads with "Tells". as their "Tags" inform the subconscious of the expection action. (judge the distance) However, with a mental tag is used like the exercise with the "Jack roll" tag; it may not be possible for an observator watching to see any body movement which would be a  "Tell". However, when we included a "tag" the subconscious mind see the body movement as an action becomes a part of the "Delivery Routine". With the "Tag" as part of the bowler delivery routine it is talking to the subsconscious.

First, you must see the roll all the way until it stops. which is a memory collected when you watched it. You did watch it closely, I hope else it is not a Memory which can be used constructively. Now if you  do it again a second time it is a mental part of your delivery. Your subconscious mind can judge the distance to the jack by being instructed to use this "Memory Data". If you were to bounce your bowl in your hand as your remember that jack roll so the subconscious would know the distance; your actions would be a "Tell" to an participant that you are doing a mental communication.

 With this "Tag" or mental action added to your delivery you will be surprise to find that you have bowled right to the jack. (if your line was right) and after the "Tag" you have allowed the subconscious to do the delivery and you feel your "Void" of thought. If you were thinking, do this, or don't do that, when you were doing your delivery, then the subconscious was not give the chance to perform "Muscle Memory" and "Memory retrieval" and bowl to the exact distance of the jack.

Good Reading of Old Bowls Books

The local Library was my favorate afternoon visiting place with all the great books and magazines.  Today, with the World Web (Internet) there are so many great "Old" Lawn Bowls books available for reading. Now a digital library online called the

 Internet Archive started 28 years ago (in 1996) recording the World web history. As a non-profit, they build a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form. Like a paper library, it provide free access to researchers, historians, scholars, people with print disabilities, and the general public. Our mission is to provide Universal Access to All Knowledge. they write in their website "About us".

As our web archive grew, so did our commitment to providing digital versions of other published works. Today our archive contains:

• 835 billion web pages
• 44 million books and texts
• 15 million audio recordings (including 255,000 live concerts)
• 10.6 million videos (including 2.6 million Television News programs)
• 4.8 million images
• 1 million software programs

Photo (left) is Spalding's Athletic Catalog president James Thaw at his New Jersey Bowling Green Club. ( pre-1900). The "Game of Bowling on the Green or Lawn Bowls" by Greig, James Weir was published by the Spalding's Athletic Library in 1904 as the official Lawn Bowls Publication.

Thes publications of  24 -30 pages before (1907) when the rules of the game were published (25 pages) sold for only 10 cents and was the contribution of the Scottish Bowls Association and approved by the then world Bowls organization of The International Bowling Association (formed in 1899). 

In reading there a lot of interesting facts like where and when the game of bowls was first created. Note at the bottom of Chapter 1 (left) reads 

"Herodotus says (I quote from Beloe's translation) that the Lydians during a great scarity of corn which lasted eighteen years, invented bowls and dice, with many other games, devoting themselves on alternate days to diversions and their necessary repasts. Perhaps, however, they took some "light refreshment" on bowling days, for we can hardly believe games of any kind would for say long period assuage hungry feelings.

Mention of the Lydians of the 6th century world indicates that the game of Bowls is extremely old activity and there is some suggestions that early bowls activity may have been with a stick. 

In reference to today sport of bowls the 1910 rules as published, suggested that if a player contested the bias of a player's bowl it would be check immediately (before the 6th end) and if thought by it action of bias to be illegal the bowl would be send of to the international testing site and the player charged the shipping fee of 2 shillings sixpence. ( 2 shillings sixpence or about 68 US cents in 1910 (when the book was written) value and the equivalent  to $15.96 today. But to know the purchase value; we look at this 50 page book (above) which sold for $0.10 so 6.8 times ($.68) more value or The today's value of $15.96x 6.8 or cost of $108.73. Certainly enough cost to discourage a reason to not use legal bowls). All clubs were expected to have one tested and marked bowl to compare the questionable bowl and the rules said "Competitors in public competition are recommended test and stamped before hand" (page 2 of rules p33 of 1908 book)  If the bowls were questioned and found "maybe" illegal, they were removed and the player was given bowls by the official to finish the game or forfit the game.

Slow Greens and Bias changes

 Was asked an interesting question from an seasoned player.. "When the green is not recently cut does the grass growth effect your bowl's Bias ?" A answer for the beginner is "NO" unless you are referring to the "green Speed" but how much you see, read and expect from your bowl can be of enough important to have a  "Yes" reply  for the trophy player to see deeply into such a deep question.

Just a minute.. Lets get a little laugh in here.  Lawn Bowls for Dogs is a blog of 2015 from Russia.  Rolling the bowl with their nose..  and good for their health.. really true facts. Yes, the 2015 blog is "Lawn bowls for Dogs"

So the Russian site says "Dog Lawn Bowl - It is known that dogs often too quickly absorb the food, just lashing out at it, and swallowing it all at one sitting. Because of this, the animal can  create health problems.  To help the four-legged friend to eat normally, experts have proposed a new device that approaches the normal course of  feeding.  It is a bowl that has a special design. . It is a unique model of what looks like lawn where the grass grows high. . The total surface 43 "stalk" of a height from 5 to 10 cm, which are arranged at small distances from each other.  In between these interstices (between the "grass") one serves and pour the food which will not be available as freely as in a conventional bowl. . The creators estimate that the time it will take for a dog to get the food out of a bowl, will be almost 20 minutes". (after translation and grammer correction)

Now you looked up that blog and laughed.. so now that question.

The small details of this question are not really important. Unless you’re drawing to within a few inches of the jack and your opponent is just as good as you. So what is important if the question of "whether uncut grass affects your bias" is  insignificant.

September 2024 Stats

Answer - The question you are asking would suggest you want to know why your bowl seems to be affected? Maybe, your question is the wrong approach and after the answer here, you will go on to another approach to this bias problem.  It is good to know why something happens but sometimes it’s best just to make a corrective action and go with what is happening. A lover of Bowls or any other sport would not ignoring their problem and after looking hard accept that it seems to be earlier to correct ( adjust) your line and to not be looking for an answer. 

 Maybe, like in my early years when I always had sore ankles after partice games it was wise to ask an Level 3 coach because it could be your delivery action. My problem was as I moved forward with the step I was turning my ankle sideways and twisting my ankle several times during a game.  Took me all one year to correct that problem. Muscle memory" had to be changed and believe me at that time I did not even know what "muscle Memory" was let alone how to reprogram it. The bigger question is "Why are you asking about this ?"

Let’s assume that the question comes from green # 4 and everytime when you have bowl up that green,you found your bowl has straightened out for several feet and so you may think there is a ridge there. Expecting the solution is like all ridges affecting a bowl when playing a  bowling surface, your bowl has gone over the top  of the ridge and stayed out. You have learned over years, that one of the solutions it to moved the mat up a few meters to miss that ridge from your line of delivery but  to your surprise the same occurs the next time.  Certainly there is not a ridge in that direction of the Green which runs a full length of the green; so there’s another reason. Maybe, a quick solution is to say "the setting up the greens means this green (color red) has something strange". So next week, you will check out the green when the white green markers are used. After waiting a week weather does not allow you to play. You are asking why your bowls are going straight and if it was because the green was not

 recently cut. You are asking the questions and looking for the answer.. Good, as it means you expect more of yourself than just accept you are a bad bowler with problems. And you are asking all kinds of strange questions like is this "bowls" or "Bulbs" in the photo.. A beautiful field (had to add color to too serious a blog)

At this club, there are a lot of winter curlers and maybe someone suggested that like curling where the curling friction on the side of a turning stone can cause it to resist and swing toward the center; this is happening to the bowl. Natural to see the curling swing to center line much like a bias on a bowl. So you think, "If the green had not been cut for a couple of days and the sun had always set  to the west and we know plants (grass also) bend toward the sun; maybe the grass leaves, although very small. have all now  a bend and leaning towards the west. Of course, just north south delivery could have a bent grass effect on the east side of your delivery as the standing grass on the other side is resistance to the bowl. In other words, your ball would want to take a swing to the "East" but is rolling into standing grass and being forced to fight the resistance of the uncut grass.  Strange, but how we see things we don't know is never too strange.Yes, about now someone has said "You are thinking too much" which to me sounds like "Just bowl and accept what happens". "No need for improvements" "Just have fun"

 So the question is not important, except that when your bowl has gone straight your normal solution is to move the mat up and avoid the problem. But not knowing why and trying this solution of advancing the mat  has wasted an end of play. Hopely the moving the mat up was a decision which did not result in a lost of points or several points. 

Like curling where a little turn of the stone has sufficient action (effect) to cause a movement of the stone towards the centre line; you are right to believe that such resistance on the bowl will act like a ridge and prevent the bias of the bowl to be normal. To be interested in what is affecting your bowl is a serious question and leads always to an improvement in performance. when you find the answer.

The important aspect is that.. You are become more serious about your bowls and you are looking at the different things that can affect your bowls. This is good because if the wind was forcing your bowl off line or increased  their bias;you would not ignore the wind and not change your line of delivery. To see the effect of wind on your bowls the blog "Bowls in New Zealand strong wind" still has the 2021 video on youtube.

 Likewise, in looking for the answer you are aware that in early spring  the cuts of greens are usually with more grass height left on the bowling green (to allow the roots to get a good start) and then in the late fall where the end of the bowl season we find that the greenskeeper  seems to cut shorter (below 1.4 mm) because the well developed root system can handle such a cut. And in any case  the bowls season is almost over it would be nice to have a fast green.  The yellow color greens we sometimes see are usually a bit too low a cut as such a cuts apporach close to a millimetre height of grass.

Fact - One of the variables that affect your draw weight is the condition of your playing surface. We often refer to the green as being fast or slow, and we understand that a slow green requires more weight during your delivery to get to the Jack. Also very fast greens allow for a better "Finish" on your Bowl's Bias. However, if you are really serious the answer is "Yes"  the grass length will affect your bias if bowling North/South in late afternoon. But not enough for you to see but maybe enough to get that really special "finish"when finally it stops at to the jack.

Fact - The answer is not the raison for intelligent quere but the quest and the question is showing the value of a thoughtful search for truth is good. 

Comments on "Being a Good Lead" Blog

 Being now between computer repairs (using a Window 7 while desktop awaiting Computer Shop visit) I have these two comments from a reader last week and decided to make a blog just to explain as my Microsoft (blogger) interface does not support my Windows.

The first comment reads "I felt guilty as a Coach because the point which was taught certainly was not well communicated. Even if the lead had forgotten, the skip should have told his lead of the need to stop the continual strong lead's control of the game by his bowl placement and how it affected the head was build. Could you please explain this in a little more detail please, I'm unsure what you're saying?"

First, In 2nd year coaching after the new member has had a year of club games the coach should re-visit the value of the "Lead's Bowl" placement. When I suggested that too often what "was taught certainly was not well communicated" I am referring to the coach's teaching about a good lead bowl placement; is all new because the first year was building technique.   After 6 months of no "club Bowls" the coach when, teaching the value of Bowls placement in the head; forgots that this is a new topic or point of view from the previous year's  lecture on the need to understand and control the opponent lead's bowl placement. We must remember that most of the techniques of the first year coaching  is how to do a proper and smooth delivery. Now after a year's Lawn Bowls (4 or 5 months) the 2nd year member has forgotten their performance and bowls placement because they were more concern on a good delivery than the bowls final placement in the head.

A well plan Coaching lecture is broken into two parts. a lecture by the coach and a on-the-green action as new members attempt to apply what was discussed. In explaining the role of the Lead the coach's lecture should often reference what "A good Skip" expect as a new head is started with the first 4 bowls (two of the club member and 2 of the opponent's lead). Too often the only communication that the 2nd year student receives is  the skip is critizism of a bad shot. A coach should understand and explain how the student felt the previous year when without regard for experience they had been placed in the "Lead" position during club games. 

A serious Lead wants to be have his performance evaluated as to what the coach  had explained as a good placement of their bowls and believe that the skip whom they played with also had the same expectation. The coach should always involve the Skip's communication when explaining what is expected of a new member in the Lead position. 

What is wrong is that the on-the-green coaching in Bowls is of major importance and can not be excluded from the coach's lecture and how-to-do control the opponent's building of the head. Instead of  instructions on techniques maybe a game video with comments by the coach would be a better first bowls placement in the coaching session.

An example - The coach explaining that the skip from years of experience probably knows the opponent's bowl if in a certain location in the head and how it will affect the opportunity to develop the head for his team.  If the evaluation of the opponent lead has discovered the lead is lefthanded then the first bowl in the left frontal slot (7 or 8 o'clock position) forces the opponent lead to switch to back hand. Forehand is easlier for new members but the lead must see their bowl placement as making the less experience (lead) do difficult shots and not get control of the head. (Control can be on the jack or in the frontal position) 

Yes, the skip asked for a certain delivery (forehand or backhand) but also the coach should explain how the skip choice has affected the game. Has it forced the opponent to use a difficult to read part of the green?. Has the bowl placement forced the opponents players to follow the lead's delivery side of the rink ? And the coach should explain how the opponent's lead bowls also affect the student's team play as the end progress.

Secondly "Even if the lead had forgotten, the skip should have told his lead of the need to stop the continual strong lead's control of the game by his bowl placement and how it affected the head was build." is best to be explained clearly. An experience "Lead" knows that their bowls in the head, if well placed; have a major control over the remaining part of play of that end of play. Rather than doing well a little of a big task, it is better if the skip instructs the Lead to do the same simple thing every end of play until he instructs a different task of Bowl placement.

Sometime the information given to a Lead is not as complete as a long time player or a skip who after many years has developed a strategy of play. As an example. There is a though of Bowls called "Game Section of Play" which divides a 12 or 14 end of play into 4 section of Strategy. Section 1 (the first 4 ends is information gathering as we learn the green speed and strangeness and study the opponents strength and weakness) This section is not a point gathering task but when a big end of points occurs the 1st Section is finished even if only the 1st or 2nd end of play.

The fight for points or to keep points begans with the 2nd Section of play as the data of Section 1 is used to find and use weakness of opponent and strenghts of team mates. (Four ends of risk taking or careful action as a reasonable point spead is developed or protected) This section may be consider the "Risk-Taking" section because before midway through the game any mistakes can be recovered in the last ends of play.

The other 2 sections of play are "Tight restrain Section" to keep the points gained or "Team Union Section" to gain lost points before too late to be able to recover the game. The Forth section or "Wrap-it-up" Section is the last 2 ends (if 14 ends of play) are to be very careful as both team now know the draw weight, the line of delivery, and can make any number of unique actions. Like a jack-roll to collect 4 or 5 points,

If the lead had been told to put a bowl on the jack and then control the easy draw side of the head and he can do it without too much effort then at one point the skip must explain that they "need to stop the continual strong lead's control of the game by his bowl placement " 

When the lead believes their task is to control the head building and Section 1 has ended quickly because "a big end of points occurs. The skip must know that as he changes his strategy and approach to game play so also does the lead. 

Some basic of Lead's bowl Placement.  With three bowls of play by the lead there should be "First Priority"  a very tight point bowl. If this bowl is better by the opponent than the other basics of the "Lead's Placement" will wait as the lead then regains the lost point. If the 2nd comes to the mat and must perform the "Lead's Placement" "First Priority .requirement than that will be the 2nd role. If it is 4 bowls pairs (not triples) the fourth bowl is usually considered a "Free Bowl" which the skip will use by requesting to balance the head or even collect another few points.

It is here that communication is important from the skip to his team as he must change game plan or strategy due to a surprise. All team members including the Lead must follow this instruction from the Skipl 

As the Skip attempts to regain the lost point and depending upon the signal from the skip the Lead regaining the shot will either be a "Draw" or "Bit-over".  If the shot is regained and the Lead can move on toward his other placement requirement than Section 1 of 4 end continue until the end of End 4.  The signal for a "Draw" has always been "Show Bias choice and "Swing arm pointing to the jack" mean "Use this bias and "Draw" to the jack". 

"Bit-Over" draw usually means a foot or 18 inches over weight and often indicates the wish of the skip to have the oppoent bowls moved back several inches while your bowl stays there where it made contact with the opponent's bowl.

The photo (right) from BowlsQLD.org Sept 15,2024 in their Test competition against Victoria; show the skip signal for a Bit-over draw. The draw bias is forehand (righthand used for signal) and weight of delivery is to draw to the skip's foot position. (open hand means it is acceptable to roll the jack. As if the open hand will catch the jack) So the skip show the Bias, the weight to be played and the Strategy of accepting a "Jack roll"  (because the blue/orange bowl behind the jack is the team's bowl. 

In this game (Video on Queenland site, The Victoria's lead miss read the signal and his bowl finished off-line.I said "Miss read" because the weight to draw to the skip's feet is about 2 complete rolls more of the bowl. However, the lead thought of the shot as a take-out shot and changed line for a heavier shot which does not curve as much before getting to the jack/bowl position. I would have added one more signal to the skip's instruction. (keep your line) which is signal by open hand slicing downward slowly or walking over to show the line (fast slice movement of open hand would indicate a takeout shot)

The latter part of the comment is of major importance as " how it affected the head was build", A skip would accept a lead with good understanding how his bowls affect the building of the head later when the 2nd and skip comes to the mat. Under ideal conditions the skip will get the point and control the strength of the opponent's draw. If the skip is not giving the choice of the bias of the draw he wants he is still searching for the best point. When satified the skip will probably close the draw approach of the most accurate side of the green unless a player with a strong draw is to be blocked and then that player's draw preference will be the blocked side.

As the game develops the lead should be watching how the opponent players and skip are building the head and how it affect his own teammates especially his skip and his time on the mat. All team members should have the same insight in how the strategy progress. I believe that the reader is suggesting from his experience the need for the lead to apply this play differently over the 4 section of the game. 

The skip may be happy with the control that the lead head building has established and maintain the bowl placement instruction the same throughout the 4 sections of the game. Of course, the 2nd and the skip will use this "Lead's Head" with the new strategy in the other sections of Game play. 

The 2nd comment reads "Good post. As a dedicated lead at the age of 72, I find it a very exposed position to play. Have a great game and your team wins, struggle and so does the whole team? Due to lack of bowlers in most club, too many less experience members gravitate to playing skip, long before they have learned to draw a good bowl.  I found most skips only contribute with weighted shots ps will  get an additional shots when you're holding... In practice games I do skip sometimes, but playing lead in comps gets me picked most times. Love the blog, keep going."  

This is the type of Comment which keep us coaches and lovers of our sport busy online and blogging.  Thank you .