What is Your Mat Routines

 Theme - Level 3  (Active Competitive Bowler) Muscle Memory performance 

For the New Lawn bowler the 5 videos of the "Delivery Doctor" on YouTube.com  is a good start to breaking your Mat time into different actions. Dan's "Pre Stance" is an introduction to actions before going to the mat which I call  "Pre-Mat Routine". Likewise, in his last video "Follow through" we see a start of our performance analysis which I call a "Post-Mat" Routine.. 

Everyone has a "Pre-Mat" Routine and a "Post-Mat" Routine but as years of competitions change and improve our routines; we discover that less thinking on the mat and more before and after our performance leads to a proper "Muscle Memory." Performance

If our Mat time is  too short or too long we find that often we are busy in managing our mental interference of our delivery as "Muscle Memory" is or should be engaged. Where  the sport of Curling has a Delivery Cycle of  less than a minute before the next opponent take their turn at delivery; we in Lawn Bowls  probably find the two or three minutes as a problem is keeping our  focus. "Focus" is concentration and control of a mental discipline.

 With Lawn Bowls games of twelve ends of play it is a lot of time to remaining in "Focus", probably the hard part of Delivery Cycle (Pre,Delivery, Post) is finding time for a mental relaxation.  In curling the less than 5 second delivery (due to ice speed) and 25 second player's Delivery Cycle it is easy  for "Focus" or concentration; as with Bowls and the 15 seconds green speed after a delivery with a one minute or more of Mat Preparation and Delivery (Pre-Mat); and then after stepping away from the mat another minute or two of Game/Play evaluation (Post-Mat) our Focus is lost quickly. 

Total Focus is keeping it together and for a two hour game (and then  3 game in a competition); a player needs a Concentration break or "non-Focus" time. This relax non-focus time is possible between these two routines of Post-Mat and Pre-Mat. Organizing your thinking will prevent a player from losing commitment as they leave or returning to the Mat for their next delivery. Building these two routines (pre-Pre and Post-Mat) may take many years.

 In archery, my first sport of "Muscle Memory", the shooting time at the shooting line was well controlled and afterward we had a concentration break as we walked to the target to gather our arrows and mark our score. A  total Archery "focus cycle" with serious concentration is about two minutes (before start and after finish of shooting line) and easy to maintain as no one uses that time for 3 arrows. Also the game or 'Shooting umpires" watches the "shooting line silence" as well defined and controlled.

  Lawn Bowls. an outdoor sport with spectators has way more distractions and with the lacking  of that game control, as referees do their best with player's demands for more discipline or following of the rules to allow us to "Focus"

To the beginner or novice, the "Pre-Mat" routine might simply be to Pick up your bowl, wipe it clean and wait for the opponent to give up the mat. Then, when on the mat you do all the many delivery checks and taught actions of a " Good Delivery" until you finish with the bowl rolling up the green. In the same manner, the beginning bowler finds the "Post-Mat" routine as simple as watching the bowl roll up the green and their reaction to the communication of he skip before turning and leaving the mat. 

 After a few years of Bowls, the "Pre-mat" is a bit more  a check list of do's and don'ts the novice was taught to them on how to bowl and some  decisions of strategy.  (check the bowl bias,the method of holding the bowl and find your delivery line). Likewise, the  Post-Mat now looks more at what is called "Feed Back" and involved in the analysis of  certain things which happen in the delivery and even suggested actions which you think will fix it in your next delivery. Probably more a period to avoid negative attitude, such as to blame your self and  then lose your focus. Without a "focus" your game changes to what is more of a practice session. Go to the mat and deliver and watch.

What I will attempt to do in this Blog is to move more information into each of these two routines and remove the needless thinking that is done while on the mat and doing your delivery. Hopefully your delivery will be simply to develop a perfection of Line and weight and a committed focus. This short action only "Mat delivery Routine" will be committed to your "Muscle Memory" doing your delivery. As you move into a "Void of thought"  to activate your "Muscle Memory" to do the delivery.

The photo (right) of Matt Clark is  taken from his Youtube Teaching Videos where Matt as a Australian Bowls Certificated coach and does a Coaches Corner and Videos to help viewers to bowl a better game. The photo is used to show his Pre- Delivery stance, which we will develop with a short "mat delivery routine". At this wait time, while he explains something in his video, we cal also wait for our delivery. A organized "Delivery Cycle"  of nothing but the Delivery after having your line and letting the subconscious do a 'Muscle Memory delivery. A big step forward from that   "How to Bowl" mat routine check list which was your teaching when you learned to do your delivery. 

We see in the photo his hand on the Bowl arm which is probably the same movement control as some bowlers are seen having a hand on their knee ( for them it was for balance). His foot on  the center of the mat as we always want to stand the same on the mat. Each player is a bit different on their stance and for their own reason; and also his small step forward while waiting in preparation. You will in time have this sort of Pre-Delivery stance as you  become involved in your delivery and learn how to instruct your subconscious of changes and expectations.

If this was in a game play or competition, Matt would have the same stance as he is ready to roll his bowl. He has finished his Pre-Mat Routine which was his communication with the skip and his decisions. In this stance, as Matt while making his video now  has time to discuss his instruction for the videos  ( "Matts Jack and Balls") because he is in a non-focus period.  In a competition,  he begans his "Delivery Cycle" from this point or stance and will  allow his developed "Muscle Memory" because his only thought or commitment to the delivery. While maintaining a total concentration or focus. With such focus we will have confidence in all our action done by  "Muscle Memory"  which are being performed by the  Subconscious.

At this point in this blog, I should mention that  when I say "I do this" or "I do that" it is probably more what I  would be attempting to do or have  done in earlier days of play. Now at 80, and with fewer competitions; I find that to keep my focus and Routines together usually last only for the  first half of a game. By the end of a serious game, I realize that I am cutting corners and may even be going to the mat without a Pre-Mat action plan.  Yes, we have confidence in our "Muscle Memory" doing what we want and just have our goal of shot's result in mind. Without our "Pre-Mat" and having a plan of performance and analysis with things like a percentage of success; we revert back to our learning to bowl days where a "what if" attitude  allowed us to accept our poor performance.

Probably why many of us senior players are no longer competitive bowlers and  a three game competition we find so very demanding. I remember a couple of years ago doing a hard three game competition; that afterward I sat at the club"s green-side for over an hour as blood pressure returned to what is normal for me.  Eventually we begin to  avoid tournments of several days, although our love of the game draws us to them.  The biggest joy now become the seeing the potential  of these newer and younger players. We know that they are the future of the game and they will find the podium.

This biological machine which is our brain is always working or thinking and sometimes our thinking prevents us from performing an expected good delivery. Because when the conscious mind is giving instructions to our muscle, which is a distraction type  of thinking to  our "Muscle Memory" performance.  When moving into our delivery and the subconscious actions of "Muscle Memory" is to be activated; we must see thinking as the conscious mind telling the muscles what and how to do the action.

Yes, we often hear about "Muscle Memory" in sports and more in some sports than others. Opening a teaching video on Curling which is probably bowls on ice, and you will hear that  "Muscle Memory" is simple an instinctive performance which must be developed. Was surprise to have a competitive Curling friend say "Muscle Memory requires 775 hours of performance". Yes a lot of  practice and analysis by the subconscious mind is needed to teach our muscle movements. In our delivery, when we are on the mat, we must now let the subconscious mind perform these movements without interruptions. If the Conscious mind is involved with instructing the muscles actions, then  our "Muscle Memory" is not.

When we stand on the mat to do our delivery, all our thinking and analysis should have been finished and we are now in a relax and free to let our delivery be performed. If we have walked to the head and are making decisions on our next shot, this thinking is all done during the walk back. Any analysis or suggestion of changes to our delivery are done before we arrived at the mat. In the "now-to- perform" delivery you just visualize (if your visual) or think a word for the change to be done (if your vocal) and you continue toward  performing that perfect Delivery.  

Yes, it will happen. Want a foot more weight, don't think "A foot more distance with a wrist flick" just see where you want your bowl or think "There" or "More".  Throughout these blogs you will often see reference to Conscious Thinking being the mind using or instructing the muscles and "Muscle Memory" being a Subconscious actions  performing instinctive muscle movements. That is where an athletic's performance is beyond his practice as he is now letting the Subconscious do what it remembers.

However, "Muscle Memory" which requires us to shut down the Conscious mind is not easily. We can not say "turn off that biological computer". In our daily life with our home computer shutdown, everything goes blank. Well, now we also are now finding ourselves in a "void of Thought" as the delivery is performed and our brain (conscious) is shot down. We know this because when we exit that void as we see the bowl rolling up the green without rmemory of what just happen. We have performed an instinctive delivery. 

 I don't know if all athletics feel that  emptiness  of thought as they finish  their performance, but those who do often refer to this Zen-like absence of thought as being in the Zone. The great golfer,Tiger Wood in a Youtube video by Players2Kings.com (Link # 2 below) says that when he's hitting his golf ball; he does not remember anything between his back stroke and seeing his ball in flight toward the green.  He is referring to his "Void of Thought".in which "Muscle Memory" is performed his golf shot. . And Tiger in that same video says his mind is so active most of the time that he can visualize a thousand  possibilities. But he knows that he must close down the thinking  (conscious) mind to be great at what he does..

  For all the thinking in Lawn bowls we often hear or read about "Pre-Mat" routine or the Feedback or Performance Analysis; which are "Post-Mat" Actions. During our delivery as we stand on the mat, our only thought should be to relax and allow that "Void of Thought" happen.  "Muscle Memory" (and the subconscious) will  do that perfect performance when you start your delivery. 

Recently, a student asked me "How do I put that little extra distance on my bowl?". I knew she was looking for tips like a flick of the wrist, or a longer step; but my reply was only "Just think about it".  I have to realize that her club coach may have suggested one of the many tools in the "toolbox" of adjustments.  Yes, you will practice various modifications of your delivery as you learn your delivery, and see the results or for different raison; but these practices become part of your memory which the subconscious will use later in your performance and delivery.

 When you think that there is something  you need to do and make a decision to do it,  then you have already told your subconscious mind. However, if it is a new thing, then like all practice you must practice to let the subconscious mind to be instructed to use this new  muscle movements. Most of the times all you need to do for a good delivery is clear your mind of all thoughts and do your delivery. But on a new "Muscle Memory" action which is not yet a part of our instinctive performance;  you have to instruct the subconscious. And just see it or think it  will be enough thinking to get it done. Yes, believe me, it will happen if you have practice to "Short-communicate" your expection action  to be part of "Muscle Memory".

Several years past it was a practice of teaching a new bowler to Lawn Bowl with lessons that followed a sequence of severa; events or actions like how you grip the bowl, how you place yourself on the mat, verify your Bias and many others. From the club coaching the new bowler over the first few years often developed a delivery routine which they did every time they went to the mat. 

 Likewise, today many bowlers have their proper routine on the mat for seeing their line of delivery, doing their delivery weight and even how to evaluation  their performance. As we practiced our delivery and improved to the point of having a good delivery, we are always modifying and changing this delivery routine.

 We  were attempting to improve our accuracy and our performance; but  now we come to another step of self-improvement. To remove thought from our delivery routine as we development our Pre-Mat and Post-Mat routines as the place of this more detail thinking. The "Post-Mat" see and analysis what happen during our last delivery. These thoughts should no longer be on the mat but now their corrections actions are now our "Pre-Mat" decisions. All thinking and decisions  before we take possession of the mat for our "Muscle Memory" delivery.

The blog stats at right show that the season of Bowls are nearing an end and one day stat's surprise of over 500 views or visitors often happens. Why ?. Well with several major competitions happening at season's end, these online competitions are watched by players who then come to my blog searching new ideas to improve their Bowls Delivery and overall performance..

OK, now down to the meat of this blog. One could say there are five activities involved in the Lawn Bowl's performance (to and from) the mat.

1 - Delivering our bowl from the mat. 

2 - Watching the delivery ("Post-Mat") 

3 - "Pass Mat to Opponent" as we walk back

4 - Prepare for next delivery ("Pre-Mat"). 

5 - "Possestion of Mat" as we step to the mat 

 (If you need to relax or talk to your coach it is usually here between 3 and 4 unless you are busy watching opponent's delivery).

 So lets start from 1 -  Mat/Delivery Cycle is that we are on the mat and allowing our "Muscle Memory to do an Instinctive Delivery.  Since our understanding of our Delivery is the objective of these two routines we will start at the finish of our delivery, after which nothing we do will change that delivery and it is here our cycle of heavy thinking begins. 

As the bowl is released to the green, we began  the Post-Mat Routine which is our study of our delivery and  our analysis of our delivery. For the most accurate  information it should be within these few seconds of the bowl rolling of your hand as this is the most valueable information of your Post-Mat routine. 

 As you see the bowl begin to roll up the green you can fell all the errors of your delivery, whether it was movements,  a distractions,  our  balance or something else; now is the time to listen to your body, as at this moment, these seconds after the delivery everything is fresh in our mind and clear. 

Beside feeling your body, you are still in your delivery (post-delivery movements) and maybe things your extended arm, not pointing in the direction of your  delivery line , or your thoughts, that distraction, shows an error.  By looking now you not only see it but also remember it. Later when doing an analysis of your delivery in the Post-Mat these memories will help better understand your thinking.

Yes you are probably still looking up the green but now you must look down to the "Bowl Contact Point", or that location on the green where your bowl has made first contact. This change in thought stops you watching the bowl roll and begins collection information. On the green there may be a line of the previous roll. made by your previous bowls which allows to compare this roll to the previous. Has your bowl the same line  as you watch it roll up the grass and now you compare it to the previous roll and  delivery. 

At this point you mind is actively recording (memories) many things you see and feel. Without this change in thought you would be involved in a 12 second view of  your delivery instead of starting youra "Post-Mat" routine. You may even visualize the bowl as to where it should finished because of reference to the bowl lines on the green.

 These feelings will be part of the correction actions you will decide to do to improve your delivery when after the bowl stopping in the head you use the information in your "Pre-Mat" routine just prior to you returning to the mat for your next delivery.

From this watching the Bowl  roll up the green, you can compare it with previous similar data and creat  your "perfect delivery line". If it is good, you will actually visualize it having stopped in the head before it does and feel a judgement of success or  failure.

 But the image of  your bowl rolling up the green and your thought of where you feel the bowl will finish in the head is important to visualize and feel. 

 Instead of waiting the 13 seconds (slow Canadian Green's time) for your bowl to arrive and stop in the head,  your  use of this "Bowl Contact Point"  will allows you to better analysis that delivery 

The photo (right) is from a Youtube Lawn Bowls Drill by Matt Clark   which capture Matt putting  his bowl onto the green also shows that he is looking up the green which most of us do as we deliver our bowl. (Video Link #3)

However, at this point we can look down at where the bowl is laid to the green and begin our Post-Mat Routine and analysis as later you can think back to how you felt. Feelings are important for reading your focus or concentration and remembering your thoughts before knowing where the bowl arrived in the head. 

As you watch every second of your bowl,s roll, you will more easlier notice any changes in it roll caused by the surface or envirorment. You by now know  your bowl's Bias Curve and any changes now are clear to later analysis also the action of the skip (or 2 nd)  the bowl stopped in the Head. All this important data for the "Muscle Memory" because when you repeat that same delivery and match the memory to what you see; you will have a positive reaction to your performance..

  As you don't need the skip to suggest a line of delivery, this become a habit for the skip and even  doing a competition and a very good bowlers on the mat; the skip will continue to suggest the line of delivery. Now as your bowl rolls up the green you can see if your line and the skip's suggestion is the same.

 As you bowl approaches the head and passes the jack the skip will probably indicate it as "Jack High". and/or then indicate the final distance from the jack.

This information from the skip allows you to see  the weight of your delivery and where many players have already turned away, this is an error. Although the skip is expected to finish his communication when your bowl has stopped; often there is the use of understandable  hand signals that continue between you both. 

 When your bowl has stopped you should immediately turn and leave the mat even if the skip is still sending communication signals or talking as you give the control of the greens, mat and game to your opponent.

 Now begans the analysis and thinking that is so important in your "Post-Mat" routine. You may decide as you walk away from the mat to wait a bit before analysis and evaluation of your delivery, but everything is a fresh memory and as your focus is in master mode you are more likely to decide good results. If you wait until you start your Pre-mat before this analysis you may forgot to do it as you will next watch the opponent's delivery and roll. 

When in your Post-Mat thinking you analysis that last delivery do it is sequence starting with the information collected from the "Bowl Contact Point" feelings.It is easy to jump to the last image of your viewing of the delivery which is the skip in the head. The least important unless you are remembering the bowl in the head as to your arriving bowl. 

Do each section of information gathering , one by one and even review your bowl's rolling up the green. See and feel you thoughts at that time. If it was a perfect delivery and arrived where you wantedit, then let that excitement and joy of success also be a part of your "Post-Mat" analysis as it with strength your focus.

 Feedback and the positive vibs from those feelings of  a successful delivery are  "Focus" food, in that our emotions become part of every delivery if positive. If negative feelings are allow to become your analysis it will not lead to a better performance.

Most likely your bowl is not where you wanted it and now in the Post-Mat you are attempting to understand why. Feedback from your delivery will become decisions in your Pre-Mat Routine; but walk lightly on this analysis. Not all bad deliveries are your fault or an error in delivery. Don't be quick to change your delivery before looking for other reassons for that bowl happening when it did.  Maybe the green speed had changed due to a change in the enviroment. If you saw your bowl roll as a bad delivery try to understand why. There is time to learn at your next practice but know what you are doing wrong so as to practice it correctly.

For example, That small bounce of your bowl took some of the weight of delivery away fromyour bowl and where it would have arrived if it was a lower rolling type delivery. Or that wobble on the bowl is an error in your grip or a wrist twist error when you go to the mat think of that image so the "Muscle Memory' can modify your delivery. All these things are your thoughts now, but if you try  to correct them now and it is not necessary then when "Muscle Memory" is doing your delivery your conscious mind is in control and telling the muscles what to do. Do you want "Muscle memory" delivery or a Practice and testing delivery?.

While doing these analysis and thinking, don't be in too much of a hurry to move into the "Pre-Mat" routine by seeing the error and now thinking what you are going to do to fix it, When you have identified the cause you can allow your self to move on and to see everything else that bowl roll tells you. There will be time in a few minutes to decide what to do to fix that mistake. Yes Post-Mat and Pre-Mat thoughts overlap but Feedback is thing about what you saw. And it is not the action of picking up your bowl and showing yourself how you probably gripped the bowl wrong. Finish your analysis and be Positive about what you saw and what you want to do to correct it.

I use my "Picking up the Bowl" for the next delivery, as my change from "Post-Mat" to "Pre-Mat" and often I take a deep breath and relax a few minutes. Then I go over the "Post-Mat" information and apply it to my views of why and how to correct something I have seem. If you have  a long delay as you wait for the opponent to finish their delivery; and you don't want to start your "Pre-Mat", then you work on your "Focus" with relaxation or positive thinking. 

Yes, there are those bad delivery but you must go to the mat with a fresh Positive thought of doing a good delivery and  somethimes to not do your "Pre-Mat" correction will have a better results then be too quick to do a Pre-Mat" more than the physical actions and checks. To redo the same  performance and delivery may be the best analysis as some time we don't have all the information and the 2nd time give a clear view of what happen..

After a small break in thinking for water or a friendly word you should be now with bowl in hand and beginning you "Pre-Mat" routine. The "Pre-Mat" routine was started by individual who did not want to be on the mat doing all the things they were taught for a perfect delivery. So now before going to the mat you check your bias, and apply all the thoughts of corrections from your feedback and Post-Mat analysis. If you made a mistake then correct it. But if you think "this would be better" then a change may not be the best decision. Remember it and wait until you return to this direction of play in 2 ends and maybe the placement of the mat will be the solution to the problem. (like a bad ridge which stole your bias)

"Taking possession of the mat is your connection with your skip as he is also taking possession of the head. Step onto the mat and wait for your skip because when you are on the mat, it defines that your team now has possession of the green and the rules of Lawn Bowls about possession of the Green, Mat, and Head apply.

 If your skip is not in the head then take time to do other things like checking the mat is on center line or the protective screen (if being used) is not badly placed. Most important is from this point until your bowl has been delivered and stop rolling at the jack; your expecting of your opponent a sportman like respect of the rules.. 

At this point your skip may be communicating to you what they want for your delivery.It should be short and best if not verbal. You and him have 2 minutes for this communication and your Bowl to be delivered and stop. Actually it is a lot of time but also some skips  spend  too much with  instructions and can waste the time. If necessary you can go to the head if the condition of play allow it, but often a walk to the head breaks your focus and Mat routine cycle.

As your skip finishes his instruction you should feel free to suggest your opinion as it is a team discussion but in the end it is the skip's decision. Now you step from the mat two steps back and begin to finish your Pre-Mat Routine.  You may have earlier decided to check certain problems with your delivery, like a bad grip of your bowl, and now is when you are going to check that you make those changes. In your Pre-Mat routine you are going to do everything from verify bias or proper grip and even proper attitude as you prepare to return to the mat. If the skip's instruction was to change delivery from "Forehand" to "Backhand"; if you think about a frequently made errors with that change of delivery;  your subconscious will remember to watch not to make that mistake this time. 

Why step back from the mat ?. When you are on the mat and your delivery in progress you skip and opponents in the head should not be moving or causing any visual or verbal distractions.  When you return to the mat you should expect such conditions and if something happens as a distraction then step of the mat and after a few seconds taken to re-compose you return to the mat .  Your skip will see there is a distraction and it is his task to see that the distraction is addressed if it is an infraction of the rules.

Your stepping back from the mat allow you to identify you are preparing for your delivery (Pre-Mat actions and thoughts). As a bowler  on the mat in a serious game, you expect the rules about procession of the rink (mat) to be applied and respected.  Off the mat you are doing all the actions of preparing for your delivery and remembering the previous delivery and it's mistakes. If the opponent needs to reposition them self to be invisible (behind the skip) now is their time. Especially if flies are the problem and they are waving their harms chasing a fly.

Eventually all these actions in your "Pre-Mat will become part of your "Muscle Memory"; but you decision on "Post-Mat" analysis should be remembered and what  you decided to do be the intention of this delivery.When you step to the mat for your delivery, the subconscious mind (Muscle Memory) requires total control and a  brief instructions or images of how to fix that bad delivery is all it needs. 

If your "Pre-Mat" Routine is consistanly performed you won't have to think an instruction while on the mat because the "Pre-Mat" and Delivery are seen by the subconscious as one action with a 2 step of  action with seperate objectives. It does not need anything more than a visual thought for the subconscious to know your change in delivery.

When you return to the mat you are just going to find your body placement for the right Line of delivery and do a couple of pendulum swing movement and do your delivery. If your thought of  corrections are during this time of Delivery then your mind will allow your conscious mind to instruct your muscles and "Muscle Memory" or that instinctive delivery will not happen. 

Myself, my Delivery routine is a bit more complex because of communication I have developed  with my Subconscious which are remainders. For example, on certain jack distances, especially long ones near the back Ditch;  I am often instructing the subconscious of errors made because of our mind in reading distance to the jack. (A club house at green side behind the jack will make the jack be evaluated closer or people at the clubhouse create a distraction which may require more "Focus" during my delivery.)

 I often suggest to bowlers who have finished their "Pre-Mat" with thoughts of decisions or correction to just use a short sentence thought to the subconscious while on the mat.  But not too long a though becomes such thoughts become  "Conscious" instruction to the muscles on how to do the correction. When the subconscious returns control to the Conscious, you are no longer in the Zone.

 At this time on the mat you should allow yourself  to relax and go into a place of calm. The absence of thought or empty "Void of thought" is because the Conscious mind has passesd control to the subconscious to allow an instinctive  delivery performance.

In understand how the subconscious mind take control of our muscles we must realize that we don't tell the lungs to breath or the muscles of the legs to balance our body. The subconscious does many thing during our sport performance and at a later point we have to learn to turn off the Subconscious which is doing something instinctive. 

As Example, if during the "Post-Mat" Bowl Contact Point analysis (as explained above) you felt a lost of balance; you canbe sure the subconscious was doing "Muscle Memory" actions to prevent you from falling. But this feeling of lack of Balance also affected your delivery and the subconsicous actually was causing interference with our performance. 

Another example is hearing a sound and turning to see what was said. As we turn our mind to think of that sound, our body has also started to turn. Result.  A bad delivery or off-line delivery. In this instant the solutiion is to develop a better concentration or "Focus" and be able to remove hearing the sound at that point. If not you should develop the ability to back off the mat and restart your Delivery.

 When we come to the mat to do our delivery, we just let our body do it instinctively. (by itself  without instructions or corrections) because that is the job at the subconscious. Most important,  if you want "Muscle Memory" to do your delivery instinctively,  then during your personal development of Pre-Mat and Post-Mat routines you work to not allow the subconscious to transfer control to the conscious mind by thinking too much. Only a word or image is subconscious communication.

Video References

Link #1 - "Matts Jack and Balls"

www, youtube.com/watch?v=5BjLdDL75Yw

Link #2 -  Tiger Woods Mental Focus - Words of wisdom & Advice

   www. youtube.com/watch?v=T1mSMDoVqcg

Link #3 - Lawn Bowls Drills - Develop Your Consistency Tips - YouTube

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BjLdDL75Yw

My Tina Meter and Changing Green speeds

 THEME - Level 2  Perfection of Delivery (2 - 3 season bowlers)

We all have our Pre-game Preparation and sometimes, with a very important competition, our preparation starts several weeks before the actual competition. Normally for local competitions the preparation  is nothing more than an hour before the game is to begin.  The photo below of the West Toronto Lawn Bowling Club in Canada, has been "Photoshopped"; by placing a hand held device viewing the green, and suggesting such  a meter exist to read the green speed. (Of course, which does exist or not yet that I know of it.)

 The common method to know about a change in green speeds during a day long competition is the bowl placement by others players and yourself.  If your lead has a normal  "Point radius" of 10 inches and all of a sudden their bowl is 2 or 3 feet behind;  you should consider that the greens have changed speed. (A "Point Radius" is the size of the bowls surrounding the jack and reflect the tightness of a player's bowls.

 But how can you  know what is the cause of those bowls suddenly being farther from the jack than normal?. The most common mistake is to blame yourself as a faulty delivery but very often what happens in morning games is that the Green's dew seems to slow the bowl. We have one speed as we start to play, and as the morning advances and  the sun burns off  that morning dew we discover that the green's speed has increases. There are may raison why the green speed will change and we should be open to understanding them.

The most common cause of speed change is  temperature change or envirormental changes; and to the serious lawn bowler any green's speed changes should be  a major part of shot preparation before going to the mat for a perfect delivery. 

Here in Canada, at most local competitions, we  very often see a pre-game bowl roll within minutes of the game start time. Participants of the tournment in preparation for their game will be on the green and  rolling their bowls in the opposite direction of expected play. With the intention to learn about this new club's "green speed", these bowl rolls are also a warmup exercise; but  very often the player is usually  comparing this  club's green speed to this club which is being visited, to their home green. 

As I am sure, that if a meter existed to know the green speed, you would see players (like in the photo above) out there before the game checking the green speed. Of interest is how green speed is measured as you will hear on Youtube's videos of Australia games that the greens are running near 18 seconds. To actually measure the Green speed, three or four bowls are bowled up the green to a distance of 27 meters and  "stopwatched timed.  From the start of bowl roll to finish time of the 4 bowls is then averaged for the green's speed. 

This year I have used this, my "Tina Green's Speed meter several times and not only have I been amazed at what has caused the green speed to change but also I can credit a couple of my game wins to it usage. So what is this meter? And when to use it becomes the question. As experience lawn bowlers, we all have learn quickly that as bowls collect behind the jack it may means a change may have occured in the green's speed. Now, when I see this, I check the greens speed before my next delivery.  How ??

 While I am in my "Pre-mat Routine"  I simply watch another bowler's bowl rolling up a neighbouring green until it stops. By counting a "Kid's Hide and Seek Count" (and not a "One Mississippi" count);  I then compare this club's green's speed to what I know as my home club's green speed. Because, I practice and my feeling for the jack distance and my "Muscle Memory" performance of my delivery gives me a regular size grouping at different jack distances; I just need a relative difference of  the "Bowl roll speed" to  understand these short or long bowls. (At home, my "Kid's count  is an 18 (fast) counts and I know my distances which are better than other distances and where my delivery weight will be a tight grouping. (So by the relative change in count as to my practice count I become confidence to adjust my "Game Radius" position of my next bowl)

Too often we blame ourself for a bad delivery and began making various changes in our performance or delivery weight when it is not necessary.  First, a good competitive lawn bowler studies the "Game radius" of the bowls around the jack. (Game radius are all the bowls of all players, while "Point Radius" is an individual pointing performance at a certain distance.  The "Natural Distance" is a players distance where their "Point Radius" is the tightest. At that distance  the players'Muscle Memory" of delivery are having their bowls  placed tight around the jack. 

 A  "Game Radius" of 12 inches will allow a player to then play closer than that 12 inches, either in front and/or  behind the jack and still get shot.  Of course there is always that occasional tight shot bowl (or toucher) and the occasional longer bowl;  but having a noticablely out of the head bowl delivery may mean we should question a change of the green speeds;  I like to think it is green speed after a few bowls which I know should not occur at that distance. 

By watching a bowl roll on a neighbour green and doing your "Tina Meter" count you might discover that there is  anincrease in the green's speed. (or decrease) It is all relative as you evaluation of the distance can be wrong but if compared to your regular practice there is a difference in you count you can just decide to play a bowl into the frontal or back part of the "Point radius". If there was (is) a green's speed difference your effort will result in you bowl being on the jack.

  Also, all good players know that as we change directions of  play. up the green and back; there is a small change in green speed due to the changing direction of the sun.  As per the photo (right), if bowling into the sun the small blade of grass of a well cut green will bend toward the sun. Bowling on this "laid over" grass or in that direction of play may mean 18 inches faster green's speed on a long jack.Yes, even on a fast green. Likewise the reverse direction of play will have an increased friction on the bowl roll as the bent grass must be pushed back to a standing position. My self with my 6 Henslite bowls this  is an 18 inch different in my count. Maybe, this is not much change; but 18 or even 9 inches is still a lot of change in our delivery when playing a very precise opponent.

 Unless we are playing  a North-South Direction of play, and then we will find less amount of change; there will still be some change in speed as we are changing our directions of play.  In my Pre-Mat Routine I will often check the bowls placements around the jack and if  it is a large "Point radius" of the total collection of bowls; I will consider to check for any  green speed changes. As I know my opponents were bowling tigher earlier in the game it might just be a mental lost of "Distance evaluation". However, even with a tight collection of bowls, I still do a green's speed check every 3rd or 4th direction of play change, in preparation for that surprise.

The "Tina Meter" is my latest mental tool to be placed into my Lawn Bowls toolbox and it allows me to follow the changing speed of the green and this gift came from a neighbouring club member who is a winter curler. I was told some Curling Coaches teach their students to count during delivery to know the "Ice Speed".

 A couple of weeks ago I was discourage as I watched a Provincial Qualification Pairs Competition at our club which involved the best of our Montreal lawn Bowlers. After 6 ends of play it was obvious that no-one had yet adapted to the green speed. Why ? Because in that hour the greens had changed speed three different times in those 6 ends of play; and all the players were either very heavy or too light in their delivery.  Because my club is under the Airport Flight Path of the major runway, I often joking say that the Bowls and their collection  looked like the bowls had just fallen out of some overhead passing airplane. Last year, I had to work all year on my focus as everytime a large passenger play passed over my looking up at that play had cause me to lose "Focus" (concentration) as I played.

Here's what I think had happen on that day of the competition. All afternoon it had been a hot day of about 30 degrees and there was no activity on the club greens until 6 o'clock when green's committee members began preparing for the 7 p.m. competition. About 10 minutes before game time a few players had began rolling bowls north-south to learn the green speed as the rinks for the competition which were setup, was  to be played east-west direction..

The previous week, while coaching a regular competition club player; I had given  my "Single 201" hour long course. The short course covered several things needed to  learn about your opponent before the start of your "Single" competition. (This course is some times given to 3rd or 4th year bowlers who are preparing for a  mayor "Single" Competition).

 In explaining how green's speed changes and as I was giving my course in mid-afternoon; I had  the student roll her four natural distance bowls toward "east" and then rolled another four  natural distance toward "west". It was now near noon and she discovered her natural distance, at this time, was at 26 meters (EAST) and 25 meter (WEST) although her  "Natural distance" on the club greens was usually 25.5 meters.  And she was a good enough bowler that such "Natural Distance Rolls"  often resulted with the bowls touching or within inches.

 Explaining,  with a bend finger hand how the green's grass bents toward the sun in the east during most of the morning, and now mid afternoon we could expect to find the grass to be bend eastward as our bowls rolled over it.  Even though the sun was now overhead and the grass was rather short I explained that  her 25.5 meter natural distance was now 18 inches (1/2 meter) more because of  the less resistance on the bent-over eastward (or even a dying heat bent grass). Likewise, going "WEST", her bowl had to rolled against bend-over grass which had to be stood up straight and was offering more resistance thus losing  18 inches. Even well cut greens have this change in play direction but most players don't often blow their "Natural Distance",

This environmental effect on the green speed and for the different direction of play; which occurs every day and  even differently for different weather conditions; are as important an aspect of "Delivery Weight" as your body movement. Every game you play has a different  environmental conditions, whether it is the sun, mild or heavy rain, or just a temperature changes during the game. And all serious lawn bowler know this as part of their game and include it as part of their Pre-Mat preparation decision.

 Another unique situation occurred last weekend as the Provincial Pairs were being played during a heavy downpour. During the 2nd game of three games, the rain came down like a bathroom shower, but had stop as quickly as it had started and the sun came out as bright as earlierwhen it had been a normal hot summer day.  After a 30  minutes break between games, the greens had quickly absorbed the rain and the 3rd game was started. Naturally, the  bowls of all bowler were well pass the jack. This "Heavy delivery" of most bowls played was forcing players to think that the green's speed had increased  because of the absence of rain. Yes drainage was fast and it seemed as if the grass had taken a good drink and recovered from the earlier hot sun. But the problem was not "Green's Speed" but "Mental Laziness". As the players returned for their third game and had previously bowled in the rain; they arrived on the green with the same speed they had used earlier when rolling their bowls in the rain for their distances of play. Yes "Mental Laziness",

  In the previous game, as I watched in a fairly heavy downpour, I saw that when the players changed direction of play and the rain might have stopped during the two or three minutes it took to prepare the mat and center the jack; few players had a Pre-mat routine which expected them to analysis the new conditions of play. Most players  who came to play their first bowl were all two and three meters behind the jack. The leads were all still rolling their bowls for the weight they had needed in the previous end of play and of 14 lead bowlers ( yes a competition with 7 games of pairs) only 2 leads had a near jack bowl. 

 The pre-mat routine, if it existed for the leads,  would have asked "Has anything changed since last bowling this direction?" and  the answer would be "No more rain" and expect the player to adjust delivery weight in accordance for the new condition. 

As mention earlier in another blog, I watched the week earlier another competition where the Greens had change speed three times in the first  hour of play; and how none of our top notch players adjusted quickly. One might ask "How can that be ?" Certainly, this seem  a bit too much to believe. However in  now  explaining this unique change is green's speed, it is hoped that it will help the reader to understand how each club and their unique environmental conditions actually affect the conditions of play. And, unless you watch for these changes, they will effect our game.  Winning or losing is not wasting a bowl each end of play to learn about these change; (12 ends of play games means 12 wasted bowls per player as a bowl becomes a teaching of a change). Of course with a Pre-Mat Routine to remain us of  these changes; and where otherwise this information is collected only from those wasted first bowls; we can apply wise thinking in the Pre-Mat thinking and use the decisions to improve our delivery.

So how did the greens change speed 3 times?  First, the day of the competition the greens were fast because of the heat of the day. As players went to start their competition on an eastly direction of play, they found a bit faster green's speed. They, all  had several inches or more delivery weight needed to be added to their early bowl rolls.

  Because the game had started at 7 pm and the sun was now near setting the temperature was quickly decreasing because of the water surrounding Montreal. Being early summer (end of June) and the large St-Laurnace River, which is within only a half a kilometer south of the clubhouse; the greens were receiving a cool breeze to a now day long hot green.

 Of course the early June  cold air from the water put a light condensation on the bowls as they rolled in the 3rd end of play  for the competition and some players finding condensation on their bowls should have adjusted. This increased the speed of the green even more as dew or a minor wetness will increases green speed by a type of micro planeing until the water droplets are broken and falls into the green.

 Some players had adjusted but most players didn't adjust quickly and their bowls passed the jack by feet.  Now, as bowls rolled up the green on their line to the jack and players walked up  the green; these water droplets became broken and settled into the green creating a return to normal after two or three ends of  "Dew speed".  So now   the greens had returned to their speed of  when the players had had started their competition.  Even the club members playing in the competition did not adjust to these changes in Green speed.  Oh yes, I hear the voices of reader"s comment saying to me. "so little a thing". But watch the "Bowls Radius" or "Head size" and answer the question "Does it matter that much?" When near the end of a competition all the bowls seem to be on "Center Line" but from 3 meters in front to 3 meter behind; it shows how a little thing can be a bit more than we think.

You may say, "A lot to think about" but a serious bowler know this and expects these speed difference due to the environment. Hot days or Rain or Morning Dew are all apart of the game and we know to expect it. My pre-mat teaching for the first bowls to deliver as a lead would be (east +18, west - 18) as most coaches tell their lead that that first bowl should be heavy. If you touch the jack it is now off center and if not a good back bowl has been played. I always think of how the green speed effect of my delivery weight. 

All players should practice at different times of the day because competitions can be morning, afternoon or evening games. Especially in early morning games where in Canada, the cold night leave a dew on the green and we learn that the green slowly gains speed as the day advances. So now I have my "Tina Meter" and I can watch any opponent bowls, or my team mates and make adjustment for the changes in green speed. 

Two weeks ago, doing a interclub Singles game, I was standing beside the mat watching a bowl roll up the green two rinks over and my opponent said " What is the problem". Of course, I would not tell him I was checking my Green's meter. But saw from that rolling bowl that the greens were 2 second (count) faster so put on  18 inches as I plan to draw behind the "Bowls Radius" and drew to within inches of the jack. 

Yes it is a relative reference to my home green, but it suggest to me the needed corrections to my weight. Of course, in watching the bowl of another player; each bowl rolls a different distance but the speed of a short bowl or a long bowl I discovered that  the bow"sl  is about the same count.. 

Went out to  a competition at Westmount this week and the greens had several two wheel cart marks up and down the green. We immediately discovered that they had recently fertilized the green as our bowl now slowed down as they became covered with fertilizer.  With the "Tina Meter" I was able to evaluate how much to adjust my delivery weight. Where previously I might have wasted a bowl or two to discover the needed change in weight. After Pre-mat, I stepped to the mat and started heavy by two meters. 

How did I apply it when the fertilizer had been placed on the green ? Well, I discovered that my count was 15 (not 18) so I figured that the fertilizer slowed my bowl 3 "Kiddy counts" or 4 to 5 feet ( 1.5 metersl and I now know that  a "kiddy count" difference in speed of the green is about 18 inches or 1/2 meter. So I just add or remove that much weight as if I was to play for a distance 18 inches behind the jack or 18 inches in front.

 I also question what would happen if I did not clean my bowls. I thought that they would eventually arrive at a consistancy of weight lost due to the fertilizer.  My thought was that the bowl can only pick up so much fertilizer and then their roll would be always the same. No, this was not true as more and more fertilizer was possible to be added to the bowls. But only needed one bowl to discover this.

Likewise, I questioned if a wet cleaning of the bowl was better than a dry cloth cleaning. (dry is better by 2 feet). Actually in this game, we will seldom be given the fertilizer problem; but it shows how to apply your new information. Also of interest was that the opponent skip had assigned to his lead, the job to wipe and wash his bowls while she waited for the 2nd player to bowl. Guess he figured his bowls were quite  a bit important and the rules say that a skip can allocate any task.

Enjoy.  Remember, if it works and seems stupid; don't tell the world just be smart and use it wisely.

Paula Factor - Over thinking your game

"Paula factor" is what I learned tonight as I call the lesson and I will remember to use it in my pre-mat routine before my delivery. I had the game in my grasp and was sure of the win. But at the game beginning, when I was thinking as a skip and not as a player who may have to make a hard shot; I did not study my greens or try to make shots which I might have to make later.  An important early game point is of staying focus, but sometime you just are so sure of yourself that you forget your focus and the game play. As the first ends of play progress you may forgot that you are a player out to do their best; and let slip away long learned lessons which have always been applied. I could say this is the first competition of the year 2015, but I know this is not an acceptable excuse for not drawing at least 1 of 3 bowls to within 2 feet of the jack.

  There is a point of staying focus but there is sometime the fact that you just are so sure of your self that you forget your focus and game play as a player and let slip that long learned lesson developed and being applied. (I could say this is the first competition of the year but not an acceptable raison for not drawing 1 of 3 bowls to within 2 feet)

The blog stats (above and at right) show "Using the Head" stats of blog readers with the total readers now at 116,276 as of yesterday on the 260 blogs over the last 10 years or more. The winter blogs was about the ability to influence the subconscious and the ride home from tonight's game with Anne my previous club president brings up some interesting facts about this topic and how to trick the subconscious into performance..  but that note for later at the end of this blog.

Paula had been a member of a inter-provincal team preparing and asked me to coach them in preparation. Coaching for a major competition is not a few minutes on the green and a few words.. It is a study of the team and the team chemistry and teaching them to work together.

But tonight as we stated our "Super League" game I was happy in the first three ends to see the score was only 1 point ends; and was 2-1 after the third end. As skips usually talk in the head while waiting for bowlers to bowl; I said to Paula "It is a nice score,  as the first four ends are to collect information and if they are only single points end, it is a good start" Because that information was part of the teaching I gave last year to her team's leads in preparing for the Governor Generals (a intereprovincal competition) she replied "I know" and a remainder to me that I had previously talked about that.

A good reply as it said nothing but said everything. How ?? Ok this was a money game and focus is important to win and have the high score with points and ends counting to win the pot. So her "I know" suggested to me that at her level she did not want chit-chat.  I remembered that I had told her  last year and  her reply also told me that I often am too talkative during the game. It also said to me "Not one of your lessons again" as this year I try to fix this fault of a long time coach. (Now unless I am asked for information I don't give it).

As the game progress, I continued to study the opponents as to their forces and weakness to build my "Game Strategy" but her short comment had changed my thinking to the point that I had forgot a very important part of those first 4 ends of play. The time when I am on the mat as a  bowler and not a skip.  "Collect the information" applies to skip preparing his game but also every player must collect for their performance.. In my case I forgot to be  a player and check those things I needed to know in order to play a great bowl when the time came to be needed. 

To explain the "4 end Rule" of information and game strategy. In a 12 or 14 end game of play the game can be broken into 4 types of play. Collect the needed information (First 4 ends), Process it for Points gathering (next 4 ends), Keep your lead or Catch-up, (Change your strategy and get back into game - 4 ends) and Close with a win. (if more than 12 ends of play)

The green was slow and I expected it to speed up as the sun settled but with two ladies as the balance of my  triples; I worked to build a point spread and try to use their abilities and jack length as points. At the 4th end (end of info gathering); I grabbed a 3 pointer and than another 2 and another 1 in the next 2 ends. I had only given up 1 end of 1 point. So with the score now 9-3 at the 6th I was ready to allow single point ends or lose only a single points.as my Game strategy. (going into "Keep you lead or Catch up" section of play)

The Paula Factor applies now in my pre-delivery thoughts, because as a player I must learn from my bowls and in those first 4 ends do hard shots to learn my bowl's reactions on the upper side of a ridge which is a difficult greens for me a left-hander bowler. As we move into the 2nd section of 4 ends; I was expecting that the Lead and 2nd would follow my game strategy as we collected points each end of play.

Of note here is that sometimes a player feels they are asked the impossible shot by the skip (or so they believe) and a good skip will understand you  know your own ability. A lead or 2nd should always be encourage to suggest that the skip's call is not their choice. If the skip insists then do your best, but often a skip will respect your opinion. Often the skip has his reasons for the requested line of delivery and will be willing to explain later in the clubhouse after-game chat.

But what happen, I was so occupied with using and gathering the information to make my game strategy that I forgot to do those shots which gave me a read or knowledge of the green which I might have to play. Worst than that, being left-handed, my bowls are 2 feet or more to the left than those of the  right-handed bowlers. I must always collected the needed information as a player even if I am occupied as skip collecting information on the opponent's weakness and strengths. In this case, I did not do my own preparation and study and when at the end game I needed the information for my green  and for my best performance; I was not up to my delivery ability.

On the 7th end after taking a few points each end of play, they change the strategy of Mat-line with Short Jacks. Skip Paula now requested a 3/4 length jack  and the short bowls of my ladies now was  not reaching the head, Coming to the mat, I had the opponent's bowls all around the jack ( with 5 or 6 points). I had just  done a draw to within 1 foot of the jack in the previous end for a 2nd point and after losing the jack to a game of a long jack my draw and ability to read that "ridge" green was missing in my knowledge.. Now with  a score of 6-9, I came to the mat with a "saving our bacon" strategy.  I had 3 bowls to cut the 6 points down to 1 or 2 at most, but I had never rolled over this area of green and a ridge (fall) stole my bowl as it ran straight across the green into the frontal bowls. New score 12-9. My  point lead had been destroyed and I was now in "Catch up" mode withonly  a few end to play remaining. 

Of course we lost with them playing full length jacks and my front end not getting near the jack. I tried to steal the mat as this club and others in Quebec have a bad habit of not installing "Mat-Line" markers and players usually put a short mat. My first measure show a legal mat by 2 inches.  And of course the opponent's lead and 2nd now are checking their mat lenght. ( tried as a short jack would have allow for a tied score as we approach the last 2 ends of play.

The "Paula Factor", as I now call it for my memory is "Collect your information as skip but don't forgot your information and study as a player". In some game like Bowls 4s the skip gives the information collection and play decision to the front end as a responsibility until he or she take back control of the game. As this was a "Pick up team" (random draw) of members from 4 clubs I did not know my players. But to forgot to read and analysis my green and performance is a major mistake. Important enough to be named and remembered in my Pre-mat routine and Post-Mat evaluation. A lesson I will not forgot soon. Thank you Paula.

This stats photo is again reported (two days later) here, to show how quickly my blog readers seek out new blogs which were commented to my Twitter followers (Now X). Also, some blogs I believe are teaching aids suggested by coaches (Pre-mat video 785 reads) Most blog visitors then seek out other topics of their interest. ( Here only 26 readers stayed to seek out topics for a total 204 reads)

Now about "Muscle Memory" and how to influence the subconscious or instinctive mind without doing conscious instructions to the muscles on how to do a shot. During the winter past my blog has been about communication with the subconscious mind which does our "Muscle Memory" and one of my students at this high level has been Anne who not only does National and interprovincial competition but also goes south to the USA for international competitions.

Last year, Anne began communicating with the subconscious mind and as she said tonight; "When one hears you say the mind collect information and you can modifies your "muscle Memory"; People would think you are crazy"  But this summer in her new sport where quality coaches at $50 an hour or Corrective Coaches at $40 an hour are common place she has been seeing more of this Subconscious correction and modification. "She was even aware of such strong concentration of having experience "out of body" performance.

A "out of Body"performance occurs when you allow your subconscious mind or instinctive abilities to do the shot and you only think of what you want done. But even further concentration results that you visually see the shot and imagine seeing yourself doing the shot like a spectator watching from a distance.  A strange experience which come at this high level of performance known by athletics but seldom spoken of because it seems no one will understand.

I explained to Anne that the next step would be Pre-Zone actions (touching a racket during the swing) which will replace that verbal (long worded) thought with a meaningless action to advise the subconscious to modify "Muscle Memory". To those readers who have followed "Subconscious communication" this is like a "Tag" which was  a corrective action.

The mind is a strong part of a "Closed Sport" where you and your performance is what make the podium and not the rest of the team.