Jet Lag and a Athletic's Performance

 Reading a SPORTS (Science Periodical on Research and Technology in Sport)  pamplete title "Timing Travel and Athletic Performance (Oct 1984) written by Charles M Winget PhD who explains how performance is affected by Jet-Lag when involved in International Competitions.

 Mr. Winget, who died in July 2013, was involved with NASA's biomedical research in Space travel.(Biomedical Research Div of NASA ) and their research on speed with Astronauts health.

At the end of  Mr. Winget article which  was published by the Coaching Association of Canada  in October 1984; we find the following advice.

"As general advice "For the athlete who has not pre-adapted to destination time clues, if possible , avoid important athletic competitions in the morning hours during the initial days after long eastbound flights and last afternoon hours after a west bound flight."

Your internal clock, called a circadian clock, cycles about every 24 hours and "Circadian rhythm disorders", also known as sleep-wake cycle disorders, are problems that occur when your body's internal clock, which tells you when it's time to sleep or  to wake, is out of sync with your environment. (US NHLBI) 

There are several aspect of this science involved in a Coach's intervention in the performance of their athletics. From schedule practice after a competition with the intention to allow for a stressful competition to be surpressed and the athletic rest; to the development of Practice and Preparation to allow the athletic to reach his Performance Peak at the actual time of competition. Or as per the Jet-lag research the influence on a athletic at Peak Performance due to lack of successful recovery.

The Canadian Coaching Association article  by Charles M Winget stated the following 

"Jet lag, the disruption of circadian (daily) rhythms, is a recognized air travel syndrome that athletes, tourists and business executives alike must confront when flying across more than a few time zones.

 The most familiar daily rhythm is sleep and wakefulness. But the body has many biological clocks, some daily, some on other schedules.  Most biological functions are rhythmic in character, increasing and decreasing at constant rates. Under normal conditions, all of these rhythms operate in specific phase relationships to one another. The smooth functioning of the body , as a system depending on the maintenance of these timing relationships. So the physiological rhythms noticeably lower at night are heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. Kidney functions is also low at night but high during the day.  Metabolism is highest at noon. Adrenal rhythms are highest during the early sleeping hours and during peaks in the last evenings."

"Disturbing physiological rhythm relationships, jet lag can have far-reaching effects on performance. These effects can range from fatigue and irritability to serious sleep disorders, headache, and acute intestinal upset.  The particular symptoms experienced and their severity vary from individual to individual. If you add these internal troubles to the external stress of facing a tough opponent and the stage is set for ineffective performance"

"Thus the competitive athlete who understands circadian 

(from the Latin circa and dien - about a day) rhythms will be able to perform more effectively. The coach will also be in a better position to improve team performance because relatively small, individual decrements in performance can add up to larger team performance decrements."

Further, after a short history on jet lag the articles states

"The very speed of travel is, however, accompanied by exposure to certain transent distrubances in physiological functions. These changes occur whenever we quickly move from the time zone in which we normally live to a new time zone where local time is several hours different. Thus , we experience disorientation in time when we fly west or east but no disorientation in flying north or south."

"The symptoms of Jet lag, usually felt soon after disembarking from a long Jet flight are disorientation, confusion, distortion of the senses of time and distance, fatigue, upset stomach, constipation or diarrhea, decrements of physical and mental efficiency, and disturbances in sleep habits. The nature of this malady is actually a state of disarray in the body's physiological cycles or biological clocks. Body cycles either out of synchrony with each other or with environmental cycles are in a condition scientist call dysrhythmia. The symptoms of dysrhythmia, following transmeridian flights, are commonly referred to as jet lag. The body cannot reset its biological clock with the same ease that we adjust our watches to a new time zone. In fact, it has been suggested the peak decline in psychomotor performance to to jet lag alone corresponds in young humans to the decline in performance which results from the 0.1 percent blood level." 

Virtually unknown 30 years ago dysrhythmia today is perhaps the most frequently experienced peril of the jet travelling athlete." The article gave an example of "a Boston based runner who planned to go to a race in Hawaii", but was called to Paris on Business.  "After 10 days in Europe, he returnedafter eating breakfast in Paris, With another breakfast in New York (Paris time 5pm), then Lunch in San Francisco with friends; he then, the next day, flew to Hawaii. Only to find that he was tired, irritable, mentally disoriented and suffering acute indigestion"

"Biological or circadian rhythms are not to be confused with the discredited, so called biorhythms of 23-days physical cycle, a 28 day emotional cycle and a 33 day intellectual cycle"

Dr. Daniel C Holley, professor of physiology at San Jose State University reviewed with his colleagues the literature dealing with internal and external factors which induce modification of performance rhythms. Among the factors investigated were motivation and sleep deprivation. Motivation or extra effort is able to improve physical performance for a limited time. Extended sleep (e.g. 12 hours) following a long jet flight can make up for sleep lost. However, a night's rest is not enough to bring the physiologic clock into phase with local time. This adjustment is gradual and usually takes one day for each time zone crossed."

After discussion the sleeping problems like "Micro-sleep episodes" which can cause car accidents because of short micro second falling asleep; Dr. Winget explains how the electroencephalogram brain waves frequency change (alpha waves) and their micro voltage (delta waves). Dr Winget went on to explain how during sleep, the body shuts down all muscles while activating organs like kidneys.  This was summized as

 " It is important for the athlete to keep in mind the significance of the circadian variation in circulatory system dynamics, which influences delivery of oxygen, glucose and hormones to the various organs , including the brain."

"There are circadian rhythms in a variety of neuromuscular functions which affect athletic performance. These include reaction time, grip strength and Achilles tendon reflex, elbow flexion strength, nerve condition velocity and resting forearm blood flow. 

The Achilles tendon reflex is highly correlated with a person's metabolic state and thus is an indication of the general state of activity." The function state of skeletal muscle is an important measure of the overall strength and efficiency of a trained athlete during the course of a day. Maximal voluntary contractions have been observed to change with a circadian pattern. Unfortunately, the physiological measurement of maximal strength is almost complicated by psychological factors such as motivation and emotional state."

In Conclusion - " An athlete's hours of peak performance on tasks requiring muscle coordination, will coincide with the time of highest body temperature in the late afternoon and early evening" (time zone corrected). The worst performance period for both males and females will occur at the time of lowest body temperature in the early morning."

"Concerning the Body's cycle and performance, the presence of circadian rhythm in performance has been well documented. In general, the range of circadian oscillation is greatest in physiological tasks than for psychological tasks. However, the circadian rhythm is a major source of variability in performance (e.g. 10-30 percent of the 24-hour mean) and the range of oscillation (amplitude) increases with increasing task complexity."

"Research has been conducted to determine the specific effects of Jet lag and circadian rhythmicity on athletic performance and significant results have been found . The findings of Keneko suggest athletic events depends upon short duration physical power (e.g. weightlifting and some gymnastics events) are significant affected by the timing (i.e. the circadian rhythm) of blood flow to the muscle. Any disruption of this timing by Jet lag or desynchronosis would subsequently affect an athlete's performance.

Some strange facts are also explained in the article like "Significant performance declines are found only in the eastbound Direction" or "The athlete should reset his or her physiological clock to be in correct environmental timing with the place of destination".  

The International "Competition" Athletic's Coach there is much research published such as "The role of circadian rhythm on sports performance, hormonal regulation, immune system function, and injury prevention in athletes" (Heliyon, 9 2023 e19636) of which the Objectives is defined as: "This study was a narrative review of the importance of circadian rhythm (CR), describes the underlying mechanisms of CR in sports performance".

For the Profession athletics Medical Staff the reader might find interest from. Chronobiology  International which writes on recent research  in it Online Journal. which suggests:

 " Strength coaches and medical staff of professional teams should strongly consider actigraphy as a practical and powerful tool to monitor RARs,( rest-activity circadian rhythms), sleep behavior, and the activity levels of their athletes; highlighting potential circadian disruptions through actigraphy could be helpful to prevent musculoskeletal (involving both musculature and skeleton) injuries".

ToolBox ABC's (AAA BBB CCC)

Being re done.. will be posted new in a week or so.  ty

Lawn Bowls and Chatbot AI ??

As a blogger, I am trying to give the reader/visitor another insight into "Learning Lawn Bowls" which I have received from over 20 years of experience on the greens. A couple of mornings ago, as I open my Desktop computer with Windows 10, I got an invitiation by Microsoft (Bing AI) to ask a question so I ask "What is the purpose of the Trial End of Plays in Lawn Bowls ?"; not expecting much from the Bing AI, I am thinking how stupid I am in asking this question. 

 How "Surprise" I was when the reply I got from Bing Chat with GPT-4 was.

123. (the 1 2  here refers to the Source that AI got the reply to the Question) Listed here

To North Americian Lawn Bowlers this present ChatBot has shown a common error.  For those who have been following the Court cases of Previous Americian President Donald Trump, and other similar news,  sometimes the only excitement on the US news: we had a Judge throw out a contested arguement because the Law Firm used an ChatBot to compose the Arguement. 

This appears to have also happen here as Bowls.co.uk does a very good "Beginner's Guide Manual on Lawn Bowls which can be PDF downloaded but a search for "Trial Ends" give a reply of no "Search Results".  Don't believe everything you read and of course yesterday I published a blogs where  I mention Trial ends many times and the Chatbot did not use in it answer.  (Even I can be wrong !! original search was "trial end" and the Bowls.co.uk search was "Trial Ends")

A twitter comment was

 "

Bonymaen bowls club

@Bonymaenbowls

·

6h

How long before "they'll" be playing the trial ends for us?!"

Good Question.. But guess my blogs indicate that we have to do the work ourself.. Actually Today, US President Biden just passed an AI Control Bill following what the UK has been doing for the past month.

But I am sure that if we have an AI on a iphone camera which follows the Bowl as it rolls up the green on a Trial End can easly create a map of the Green's Dips and Highs. Even speed variations.

At the 2023 Canadian National, this year in British Columbia, the greens had non-grass spots which meant a slower grass roll and a fast (sort of artifical surface) non-grass spot. Strange to watch and hard for the skips to judge. (when a full length Jack resulted in 4 of 8 bowls (pairs) in the ditch)

ToolBox Accessories "Walking the Mat"

 

The basic of Lawn Bowls is simple as doing two things at the same time. Chewing Gum and walking for example can easily be done together. But in Lawn Bowls you must do a Perfect Delivery which has many parts that can go wrong and judging your Delivery Weight to get your bowl to the Jack.

You may say, "What about finding your Delivery Line ?". While reading an article on "Trial Ends" and their purpose there was an interesting fact. "The jack distrance in Trial Ends is nothing more than a distraction".  True. If the "Trial Ends" are to inform you on the conditions and speed of the greens then to roll to a jack or to an empty green gives the same information.

Over a century ago, when the  Lawn Bowls season ended in late fall and Canadians Lawn bowlers thought about waiting 5 or 6 months for the following year's greens to open; they started sliding medal cans of Cement up and down the lake covered ice and called it "Curling". Today, almost as much our national sport as Hockey. 

The delivery techniques for Curling were the same although as Lawn Bowls although it has changed in the past few years. The Target or "the House" in Curling was several Rings at  the 23 meters distance from the "Legal Release Line".  I am certain that these first time Curlers and their new Winter Sport;  did not think about making the "House" like in Lawn Bowls with different distance ; as they knew one of the hardest parts of Lawn Bowls is to be able to judge the actual distance (to the Jack) and get enough force onto the delivery to roll the object to the target.

So back to the original question. "What about Finding your Delivery Line?"  You will amaze yourself by watching a Blind Bowler draw his bowl within a foot of the Jack and you tell your self "Amazing and  he does not see the Jack or Distance".  But if you think a minute, you will realize that seeing the jack, the green, the back board and the players are all a big distraction.  Like the "Jack Placement" in Trial ends. If your Line of Delivery is correct with you feet on two marks on the mat; then your movement of a Good Delivery will send the bowl alway to the center line.  Yes, before, or after the Jack depending upon the Delivery Weight but to tell a student "Find your Line" is a distraction.  You miss the jack and you change your line.again. Really a sort of endless loop of doing nothing but change. Do you need it ?? Maybe your line was right and your delivery was not perfect and the bowl stopped where it did because of some error.

So, I tell students in my "Advance Bowls Training"  Get your feet properly position for your line and "Forget about Line".  Now work on doing a Perfect Delivery. Correct the raison your bowl is not on center line.  Almost as bad as bowlers who seems to change their bowl every week or two. A different size, a different Manufacture, a different weight, a different grip and how many more differences. Sometimes you need to change for a better grip or weight. And a lot of bowlers have several Bowl sets.

The same thing with Delivery Weight. We learn about our "Natural Distance as that distance a bowl rolls when we just relax and do the same action over and over. Same force, same swing, same balance and many more things to be repeated. Eventually you will have your bowl always on center Line. Yes now like in the game of "Curling" you are ready to roll your bowl to the jack if it is your same distance .

Now, to come back to "Trial Ends" and the Jack Placement as a "Distraction". First there is a very good article by Jack Toucher on Trial Ends   When the lead throw the jack in the "Trial Ends"  What are they trying to do ?. If the lead is to throw the jack at the beginning of each end of play your team makes points then it is good to know the speed of the green for the jack. So Lead must be able to throw the jack their natural distance and now see how much the green speed has made that distance wrong. Likewise, Lead need to be able to draw to the jack so now is a good practice. Also, the rules are open on the jack distance in the Trial ends and the skip can pick it up and move the jack to any distance they want. So the Lead tired to position the Jack at their Natural Distance or the Distance asked by the Skip. Good reason for Trial Ends.. What about the other team members ? Most important on Trial Ends. Everyone should watch every bowl rolled and read the information it gives.

If the team has a "Common Natural Distance" the Skip can place the Jack at that distance rather than leave it where it stopped. (Ofcourse, also tell the opponent the "Team's Common Distance" but how important is hiding that information.) Is it more important than all players know how the greens are in relation to their "Natural Distance" ? Any skip worth their Salt will know with in a few ends of Play each opponent's best Distance and avoid a jack at that Distance unless it is an advantage to their team.

This Blog is titled "ToolBox Accessoriess" not "Game Strategy" but these few comments on "Trial End are often overLooked so good to mention it now. "Walking the Mat" is a Accessories of a Player's ToolBox. When you know how to do something and feel confortable to use it when needed then you have added a "Tool" to your ToolBox.  Maybe you will go all one season not using that "Tool" but then again you might just have to use it on your very first end of Play as you see here in this Match for a National Gold Medal.

As I put away my Lawn Bowls gear and Bowls for the 2023 Canadian Lawn bowls Season, I began watching the Tournment Play on Youtube of the Australian National. Sometimes I can go a complete game and never see an athletic go into his ToolBox. But watching this 2023  Australian Nationals Men's Single Final in Joodalup West Australia; I was surprise to see Trystan Smallacombe go to "Walking the Mat" accessory on his 3rd bowl of the 1st end of Play. 

My first thought is maybe he is not consistance on his feet placement on the mat, or he has a different foot placement for a ForeHand and a BackHand. We athletics with a  "Lawn Bowls ToolBox" know that it is not used  like a carpenter's toolbox where every two minutes there is the need to get a different tool for something that needs doing.  Sometimes, you just refuse to try a "tool" because there is another way to get the same job done.  And ofcourse, Bowls is a "Draw" game not a box of accessories.

Sometimes something happens during a game and you plan to study that event and understand why it happen but must wait for a practice or discuss it with a knowledgeable coach. This happen to me last week. Ram was asking me about something I was showing our Club President and as we were in a Fun game I explained briefly. "It is easlier  "Walking the Mat"  than doing that which requires a lot of practice". (An off-bias-Draw) with the comment "Sometimes it is good to move left or right on the mat to avoid a bowl.  As I attempted to show it in a casual manner I was surprise that I had resulted in getting double the effect expected on the bowl. I immediatley thought to myself. "Did I do a Off-Bias Draw ?" and then maybe, "Did my Subconscious know I wanted to move right and I did not need to "Walk the Mat". "Maybe I needed to relax the subconscious communication.  Certainly I thought "Later, I have to study this which happen."

The subconscious mind is a very powerful instrument and like a carpenter keeps his tools sharp the bowler got to keep his Subconscious sharp too.  Sometimes the subconscious  will do somethings just because we thought about it and went into a "Normal Delivery Void". It hear me thinking I want the thing done. As an Example My goal was to have a displacement of a few inches right. And I did talk about "Walking to Mat" with Ram. I realized that  as I was doing my delivery  I was thinking of the

 "Result" I wanted. So now after 20 years of Bowls I am in a habit of "Think it, Do it" and it over the years  my Subconscious listens and even mades the correction from a physical action to a mental action or deplacement. " Walking the Mat" is a "Physical displacement" Based on if your feet are right for your Delivery Line your bowls goes where you send it. I made the mistake of allowing my delivery mood to go into the "My Delivery Void",  where my subconscious does it work of mental Muscle Memory while I do my delivery of the bowl. 

I promised to make the blogs shorter this year (2023-24) So to the Youtube video with photo (right) showing Trystan Smallacombe 3nd Bowl Delivery and as you can stop the video you see his hand is pointed inward. In the 2nd photo as he finishes his delivery his hand has returned to the cradle or Grip position. To do this required a small few degree of counter-clock twist.

This bowl finished about 4 to 6 inches to the left of Jack because as Trystan did his hand rotation he also moved it a small bit to his left. A common fault on Backhand Deliveries. We notice his "Mat Foot" is near the right side of the mat and his delivery "Laydown" is directly on the center line (arrow). First, I will always delete any critizism of athletics used in my blogs as a teaching tool if they so advise me of it being offensive.  We all can learn and this collection of blogs has now 81,000 viewer\visits todate.

In the following Photo we see Trystan do another BackHand because the opponent's  last bowl has closed the foreHand approach; although a bit short of being shot.Both players are right-handed and  Cory (Packer (WA) did a beautiful draw toward the jack but short  by an inch or two.

 The tool "Walking the Mat" is a tool often used  to get around the frontal Bowl. The 3rd bowl of Trystan, now blocking the backhand approach, would have been on the jack had not his delivery had a very  small hand movement to the left.

An interesting fact here. In the next end, the 2nd end; Cory asks the marker prior to his 4th bowl; "How many 2nd Do I have?" and then does a great shot which removes Trystan's bowl Leaving Cory with 3 shots. Trystan still has last bowl but seeing  he had back bowls he was wide on his runner to put the jack to the ditch. Also great information from the game commentators. Very knowledgable

Here, Trystan, on the mat with his 4th bowl of this the 1st end, could have asked the marker "how far his bowl is from the jack". Instead of doing a "Walk the Mat" to get around his bowl; he could have accepted to raise it that needed foot to the jack. The decision should have been based upon the "Percentage of Success and Failure". If he missed on the right he could have seen a draw shot or  hit the shot bowl of Cory; and if he missed  it on left. it still allows for a " Fine finish shot" depending upon the speed of the green or even "Falling into Jack Shot" bowl.

A previous Blog explained the "Delivery Line" and the "Bowl Roll Line" as seen when the bowl first leaves the bowler's hand. If we look at the green as the bowl is laid down and gather our feelings of our delivery we can sometimes know these errors as the bowl is just rolled and we still have the feelings. Often we compare the Bowl Roll Line on the green to the new Delivery. However, as this was Trystan's first BackHand there was no reference for the Post Mat Analysis to indicate what delivery error occured.

In the time I posted this Blog and updated spelling corrections it has had 14 visitors and total visitors to all 136 blogs is 225 and still only 6 in the morning here. Must be windy in Australia and New Zealand as seems to be now a run on Blogs about bowling in the wind.. Enjoy.. If Life permits I will get more blogs in this year. (81,000 visiter/view; Blogger has changed the stats and I now not aware of from where. Appreciate the comments and will try to answer questions or direct to another blog for answers.

I thank Trystan and Cory for this great performance and although I have yet to get beyond the 2nd end of play I see very interesting Blog material here.  In the next blog or next few I hope to show the "Tell" of Cory as he does a Mental Communication of Jack Distance to the Subconscious and how he adjusts with his large forward step on delivery to a short distance (24 meter) mat.  Thank You Guys.

Lawn Bowls for Dogs.. Really only a 2015 blog

 From Blogger's  Stats on visitors to "Lawn Bowls- Using the Head" Blog on Sept 11, 2015

Bowls Stats Sept 11, 2015

Here I see many  "UNIQUE" hits from Ukraine this past summer, so I decided to do some research as to the extend of Lawn Bowls in the Ukraine.  First to use a dictionary English to Ukraine for "Lawn Bowls" which I discovered is " Миски з газон" in Ukraine. Good start because if Lawn Bowls is in  the dictionary and part of the language, then the people must be playing the sport. As I have only 55 blogs and the readers are reading everything (and in English) I figured it worth the search.  I did not know if I pasted a non-English word into Google what I would get as result.. Very Interesting.

Lawn Bowls Ukraine

  First the Google results are 412,000 which is quite a lot And because u are going to another country have a good
 Virus Control installed.. (actually Norton displayed virus detection information in Russian when it found a dangerous site) The Google Search results have on the first line a  "Translate this page"(By the way, if you decide to try this search go to the actual website and if interesting then go back and do a  Google Translation of pages Instead of translate each page )

    Well Share with me this is going to be fun.  (and requires a lot of patience) After 5 hours of Google search of common sites like World Bowls and Language searches I found little so will update this blog when I have better info.

First found in the translation was for Lawn Bowls for Dogs". Yes " the latest development of US veteranians " Guess it is more like a "in the grass eating" tool for the health of the dogs. (see note at bottom of Blog)
  Next translation...Deposit Photo a download site for photos then a Android Cellphone App for Virtual Lawn Bowls. The most common Lawn Bowl found was what we would call a In house Flower Pot except with a more Greek Style base.
  Began feeling that it was best is to go back to Google.com with a new search. after using the translation by "Imtranslate.net" .  Now with " Lawn Bowls Clubs" or "Газон миски клуб"  in Russian (or Ukriane)  I  still got 339,000 results. Probably due to Travel Agency offering clubs with Lawn Bowls facilities some where else in the world. (Also again Photos )

Because the above Blog statistics for the 11 september shows a 74 viewer of the blog, " How to Measure which bowl is shot" I realize that this sort of Blog viewing usually occurs when a club member see something good on-line and posts it on the club board.  For this reason I will wait for more information before completing this blog. 

However, on the same subject, that blog of measuring; when I was watching the Canadian Lawn Bowls Gold Metal game this past month I notice a player try touse that method of Checking which bowl was shot. From his body movements I realize  that he did not understood  how to do it.  My mistake,  probably badly explained... Soon, I  will do a better blog but the mistake is that the individual thought just putting his foot there he could see what bowl was shot.  Not So... Your ability depends on finding the mid-point accurately and seeing accurately 90 degrees out from your foot.  Good to see it used ,,, sad to see I didn't explain it well...

Thank you for your interest.. will continue to search the web for great bowls information.


Added Note (copied from the Russian  site and translated)

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.  Inbetween these interstices between the "grass" one serves and pour the food which will not have access as free 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.  (Ofcourse, I had to correct the grammer of this text after translation.)

Global Awareness or Zen Mind Teaser

  ‘What is the sound of one hand clapping?’ A "Zen Koan" or Puzzle can be either thoughless foolishness as the Youtube video of "Zen Koan: The Sound of One Hand Clapping" or as profoundly thought searching as the Zen teaching of the video "101 Zen Stories #21" which will help all coaches. The link to this video is at the end of the page as it is long, interesting and still on Youtube.

A similar question  of sport development for me as a coach as I suggest the "Zone" of Subconscious involvement in the delivery of a Lawn Bowl was... "Is everything  telepathically linked?" I  even had a reader on his comments on subconscious awareness;  that he had developp his delivery to now he just thinks his bowl to the position he wishes.  I guess this is approaching the idea as I no longer look up the green toward the jack or head while doing my delivery.

There is a idea of "Global Awareness which suggest that as more and more people do a difficult task it will become easlier for the new person as they attempt the task because the combined mental global thoughts and ability of thousand or millions of others doing it; will make it easlier.  In today cellphone society it seems to have meaning as I can remember in the early days of mobile devices how hard it was to figure out how to do something.

Likewise; if more lawn bowlers began doing Subconscious " In the zone" deliveries, will it become easier for those new individuals whom are attempting to understand and develop it ? For those whom think of coaching this blog and the video of 101 Zen Stories is a lesson on patience and student interaction.  To the Lawn Bowler wanting to learn a better delivery the blogs of this group is more about how you can improve yourself.  You will see in many sports the Zen "in the Zone" subconscious action being part of the athletic's advance development.  If you are not yet there, be patience little by little.

 "Masters of Zen Buddhism often give their more advanced students a Koan to contemplate. A Koan is essentially an unsolvable riddle. Its purpose is to get the student to transcend mere logical, every-day reasoning. As this video shows, the process can be fraught with mind-searching difficulty that takes the student close to the very limits of sanity."


 This kōan, unlike others in Zen, did not originate from stories of Chinese Ch'an masters, but was composed by the Japanese master uiHakn Zenji (1685-1768) and presented.. in a work entitled Yabukōji composed in 1752.

A previous student of Zen in his new interest of Huna also  replies on how he now uses this "one hand clapping" Koan  as a method of thinking  toward an idea's use in teaching Huna.  

 For instance, in third-level healing work (Huna) where we assume that everything is a dream and everything is dreaming, we say that if you change one dream you automatically change all related dreams.. In second-level healing work

where we assume that everything is telepathically linked, we say that if you begin to silently bless and forgive people with whom you are having difficulties, they will know it and they will begin to change their behavior  toward you without a word being spoken.

A tree falls in the forest, and there is not one to hear it; does it make a sound ? Did it fall ? One hand clapping is such a alumina. Does clapping need two hands or is it an idea of praise. To appreciate something some say you must first miss having it.

Good and Bad, Hot and Cold, Up and Down.. all need their partner to exist and be full. Yen and Yang.. the forces of the Universe. Hate and Love. Not knowing one, makes one wonder if we appreciate the other any less? or any more?
 The photo of the1997 novel by Australian Author Richard Flanagan is such an idea taken from Wipidepia

 So likewise, about Bowls,  Not having the idea that the subconscious mind can perform the ideal delivery, we do not seek the fulfillment of the possibility of self-development.

Look up at the sky which circles over us and realize how small we are.It is only because of how big it is. Lie down on the ground, look at the tall grass around you, as a mouse would see the world; and you will look into native American myth and teachings.... You feel like a giant because you have changed your prospective.
So, to you I give the thought or mind teaser.  As your bowls ability improve and you place new tools into your toolbox of abilities to perform your perfect draw or takeout shot. Remember all knowledge that is given freely, after verification as turth or possible;  is your to share freely. Together our sport builds and grows.

Clapping with one hand is such a change in thought. See the world different and you will see yourself, feel yourself different. Maybe even see your bowl performance differently.

As a coach watching a student development over the season or over several years, this video of Youtube allows for some thought on your patience and expectation of students. See  101 Zen Stories] #21 - The Sound of One Hand". and enjoy..

Difference in "Delivery Line" and "Line of Delivery"

In Lawn Bowls we hear instructors or skips saying "Take your line" of Delivery and do a "Good delivery". Because the various bowls manufacturers over the years having created different "Bias" with their bowl"s types; the student or athletic learn what they like as a "Bowls Bias" performance.  We all learn in our Lawn Bowls introduction to perform a good Delivery; but no two players on the Lawn Bowl Green  have the same bowl's Delivery line unless using  similar Manufacter's Bowls. Each new member will therefore takes some sort of reference point for his delivery on their "Line" or direction and attempt to do their best delivery.

I have always seen the  two terms of Line of delivery and Delivery Line as two different idea of my bowls performance..

  Delivery Line is the direction of delivery which is used as I choose a "point of aim", or direction to send the Lawn Bowl so it will finally arrive at the Jack. This line  allowing for the unique characteristic of the Bowl's Bias and by always using the same bowls we will discover a method of aim which results in the bowl stopping on the "Center Line" . Where beginners use a "Point of Reference" for their Delivery Line, Advance level Bowlers have more a  Mental Image of how their Bowl's Bias  runs and their placement of their feet on the mat giving them a certain result..

 Bowl's Line of Delivery is more what we see as the visual track of the Bowl as it rolls from the Bowler's hand up the green toward the Jack. On a wet or "Dew covered Green" this line becomes visable and resembles the Manufacture Bowl's Bias Chart for that bowl. It is wise practice to go to the club for a practice in the Early Morning dew where on the unused greens you can see and study your bowl roll to the jack.  (an Analysis and development of a  Post-Mat Routine).

The confusing learning problem of new Lawn Bowlers, is where the instructor in showing the new member  how to roll a bowl; they explain it by saying "Find your "Line of Delivery" before your Delivery performance; The Instructor often in good intentions suggest that the student use the out-of-bound marker or some other location on the "Back Ditch" as the direction that they aim their bowl. I have seen instructors use a chalk mark on the green or on the protective screens (which have been used a lot these Post-CoVid years here in Canada) as their direction of Delivery.

 Problem that occurs is eventually that serious student sees the "track of his bowl which he just delivered" or the "Bowl Delivery Line"  in front of him and decides to use this line. If the student has began to learn to roll a bowl over a location on the green a few feets from the mat then this "Line of Delivery"  is being used to create a "Delivery Line" of  "Aim of Delivery". One line is the direction to send your bowl and the other is the result of your grip, your movement and finally your step and delivery. Certainly two different Lines .

 This is not bad if it is a point of reference but what happens is that this "Bowl Track" or "Bowl Delivery Line" sometimes become the "Delivery Line.  I explain to the student that this "Bowl Track" on the green is very valueable in his analysis of his performance because after the bowler has done  one good delivery to the "Jack"; the bowler can compare the line of  his just delivered bowl to the good "Bowl Delivery Line" which goes right to the Jack; and analysis his delivery with  the  "Good Delivery" which he see as the "Bowl Delivery Line". 

First, what is the best or proper method of  having a "Delivery Line".  After a year or two of bowl rolls, the serious athletic will eventually develop a mental image of their bowl's bias (a mark easily seen on the green) and use this mental image to see  their "Line of Delivery". This Bowl roll mark or track on the green is sometime called "the Bowl Roll Line" or "Bowl Delivery Line" and is best not mention as it is  more confusing for the newbie. If they asked "Why not use that mark as Line ?" I suggest that they be told that later they will learn that in a delivery there is "Pre-Mat routine" the "Delivery Routine" and a "Post-Mat Routine" and this line is used  in the "Post-Mat Routine" to analysis and improve their delivery.

 Also what is confusing to the newbie, is the habit of the instructors or the skip during a game; while standing in the head and  trying to give the "Bowler on the Mat" his line with his foot or waving a towel. Remember there are Lawn Bowl Rules which  exist which suggest that the "Bowler on the Mat" should not be distracted by conversation or other things. Wanting to allow them to do their best "Delivery".  Especially the distraction of  a skip yelling from the head or waving a towel.

  In the end, each individual bowler develops a natural ability to roll their bowl on "their delivery line" and go to the mat and with the position of feet on the mat being in the direction of their "Delivery Line" they perform a good Delivery which with success  does an accurate draw to the jack or expected bowl location in the "Head".

Myself a "Left-handed Bowler", I have long ago abandon the suggestion of the skip in the head giving "Line"and use his suggestion as  his expectation of where he (she) would like to have my bowl finish. Last tournment I did, I had a skip always giving his "Forehand" line and I have played a 3 game tournment of 14 ends to later discover that the skip did not know the difference betweeen a "Left Handed Bowler's Line" and his own line.  Today, my style (which was developed many, many years ago) is to stand with my foot pointing at the jack and then placing the other foot in a balance position (and at an angle to the center line) on the mat. An observator will notice that my "right foot" points to the jack on a "Left-handed Forehand" Delivery and my "left foot" points toward the jack on a "Left-handed Backhand". Ofcourse, my right foot is always the "Step forward" as my "Left side Delivery" movement does my "Pendium swing Delivery". I seldom look up at the head during delivery as this method creates the stance on the mat and the "Delivery Line" and my concern is to do a Perfect Roll.

On a early morning lawn bowl green with the collection of dew we can see clearly the line made by or bowl as it rolls up the green. This visuable mark or path of the bowl in the morning dew is the bowl's "Delivery Line". Most instructors will not mention this line to the new "Lawn Bowls" student because their bowl will only "always" have this same "Delivery Line" after years of actual Deliveries which have been the same. For the Newbie,  each student's delivery will have something different or wrong and therefore give their bowl's roll a different  Line or Weight. With practice the Bowl delivery is the same.

 And, of course it would be very easy for the student to attempt to roll his bowl over the "Lawn Bowl's Delivery Line", which will only be always the save after many years of practice and perfect Delivery. Also useless, is to use this line when there is no longer an early morning dew or there are 30 or 40 different similar lines going from the mat up the green toward the jack. Remember, no two bowls have the same bias or no two bowlers have the same delivery movement; certainly don't follow another bowler's Bias to the jack.. it wouldn't happen even if you both have the same manufacter bowls types.

An instructor of advance Lawn Bowlers will instruct his student on using  this "Delivery Line" during the "Post Mat" Routine. (A mat routine consists of three parts, Pre-Mat, Delivery, and Post-Mat) As the bowl rolls from our delivery onto the green we can see this first contact with the green and compare it with our previous delivery prior to that delivery. In the Post-Mat Routine you are beginning to collect information about your delivery, the roll of your bowl, the effect of various elements on your bowl and it final resting place near the jack or in the head.

Too many "Lawn Bowler" students only see the final position of the bowl in the head as their result of their delivey and began to analyis the WHY of their bowl and the errors of their "Delivery". This is too late as it is an analysis without data. Your only data, at this late point, is the location of the bowl to the jack and does not contain any other information from your delivery. By using this "Bowl Delivery Line you can collect data between the release of the bowl from your hand until it has stopped in the head.

As the bowl leaves your hand and touches the green (or protective screen used with newbies) you have a lot of feelings from your delivery. Your balance ? Do you feel well balanced or fighting to control your forward movement of the delivery?  Your delivery feeling are still there this early after delivery. Did the bowl roll of your hand smoothly?. Your weight. Did you feel your weight or gather your "Delivery Weight" feeling. (Discussed in another Blog). All of these feelings are available as your bowl rolls from your hand. And  your visual image of that bowl's relationship to your privious "Bowl Delivery Line".

As you see the relationship of the new "Delivery Line" and you collect your feelings of your delivery; you can actually decide what to expect of the bowl when it stops in the head. Of course, you are still watching the bowl as it rolls to the head and analysis it's movement caused by the green or your delivery. (If your grip was not correct, you may see a wobble or cante on your bowl) As you bowl stops in the head and you step back from the mat; all your data should be fresh in you mind. Think about how you felt as you saw the bowl drop from your hand, this memory is clear. The ability to remember and store data will be a major part of your development as a great Bowler. Today, I can still see various bowls delivered many years ago and even from last night's game. This data is your Post-Mat data use it to improve your next delivery as you stand waiting for the opponent to roll their bowl and your turn.

Sometimes, this data will be used during discussions with your team coach  or during a learning session you will recall your feelings at the mat or your view of your bowl's roll. Using a "Post-Mat" Routine in preparation for your next delivery, your concern should only be what improvements you feel you  need or your satification (on doing something right) because when you come back to the mat and get your instructions from your skip for your next delivery; you have already prepared for your delivery. (before going to the mat) (I instruct my students to first "take possision of the Mat" and then step off the mat as they receive instructions from the skip and decide what delivery will be used and what corrections)

 As a coach of competition bowlers I have often told student trying to find the new "Line" of a moved jack; to mentally see th delivery line of their bowl and imagine the of bowl-roll- line to this new position of the jack. See the mental image of your bowl's bias in all its part, even the "finish" right to the new Jack. Then by looking backward to the mat you will see your "Delivery Line".

Beginners often use a point of reference beyond the head or a mark on the green directly in front of them to learn their line-of-delivery but eventually they will see their mental Bowl's Bias. Good Bowls.

Below, is this weeks Viewer Stats. Probably increased because Australia one of the most active Lawn Bowls Countries are again entering Spring and the new 2023-2024 Season.