Subconscious actions in Sports

When the "Conscious mind" makes an action or 

 a decision to act; it is our  "Thinking" and our instructions which activates that action; and when the "Subconscious Mind" activates an action it is usually  done "Instinctively" because of experience or training which had previously occurred. Yes we think the action with the "Conscious" but we do not follow the action step by step when we instruct the "Subconscious Mind". The image (right) is from Thinkability and express that people think in words and also some people think in images. Also as there are two types of thought so also there is two types of Actions performed by an athletic.

Look at how in doing the action we are telling our body to Perform. How and with what precision it performs is the work of our Subconscious.  We can tell the body to "Jump" from a wall to the ground below, it is the Subconscious mind that will control how we feel secure in that decision and how we land so not to injury ourselves. Yes, we thought about it but memories of previous jumps help us be secure and the subconscious know how to be safe.

We all know of some action  are done "Instinctive" and we never think that a "Subconscious mind" was involved. These actions are  best defined as actions which occur when we do not have time to think about it, They just happen. Completely different then the "Conscious" and thoughts of an actions which is to be performed after a bit of "Thinking" and planning.

We have seen that when driving a car and a child runs out in front of the car, we don't have the time to tell the mind or our muscles what to do. We "think" the action and before we know it, that action was finished. As if in seeing the "Danger", and thinking "Stop"; the subconscious mind has reacted to our thought  and we "put on the brakes". We, all are  seeing "Instinctive danger" actions performed every day.  This example is interesting  because as we value the life of the child,  we find that the subconscious mind did not give us the possible control and choice of stopping slowly. But what if it had been a dog or a squirrel that cut across our street ?  Maybe because we know that the quick stop would have injured us or the  baby in the carseat; the Subconscious made the action needed, but it also remained open to a level of control which would allow for a slower stop even if just to not spilled our coffee. We all remember how hard we put the brakes on when first learning to drive.

The two important aspects of this scenario is that first, the subconscious mind is  performing an reaction done instantaneously without our awareness, but with some small control as it is happening and secondly; that the subconscious mind can be interrupted if it  is necessary to be controlled. Such interruption of the subconscious  is allowed to permit the conscious mind to take a level of control. We find we cannot go too long without the conscious having control.  Bowls delivery has about a split second "Zone".

 In our sport actions, we want the subconscious to follow training and performance developed. We do not want the "Conscious mind" doing actions which we cannot control. We want our developed performance to be totally done in complete absence of the "Thinking". We call this being in the "Zone" as it is a void of thought where our "Conscious mind" hides during the action. 

The above photo is from BrainScan article of  "10 Focus exercises to build your attention"  which explains "because attention and focus are both like a muscle. Unless you build it, you’ll be distracted by every (thing)" and "Getting your brain fit (for studying) is like training for a marathon. You run a bit every day, and the first week or so isn’t that great, but then you get fitter, it becomes fun, and you build the muscles you need". In sports focus is a major part of performance.

In the previous blog I talked about "open" and"close" sports. (Open to actions occuring around us like soccer). When your sport is just you and your performance it is a "Closed Sport" (like Bowls or Archery). This would not seem to have much to do with the subconscious mind but each sport has its own limitation on what the subconscious mind can do. 

We as athletic, too often think that with good  concentration and  a lot of practice we will eventually makes  "a perfect" performance.  In a Closed sport; concentration is more than just an absence of interference.  In an Open sport where avoiding an opponent. on the ice or field; we have less concentration and learn to develop more a reflective reactions. There, our actions are reactions to other actions. Like the child running in front of the car (an action) forced an "Instinctive Reaction" the same as a Boxer would avoid a thrown punch or a hockey player avoid a check or Soccer player avoid the lost of the ball.

At this year world soccer championships, last month, I saw a soccer athlete doing  a "Flip upside down  kick". The soccer ball which was about 3 feet over his head, was send into the net. He’s not only contact with the ball but also send it in the direction of the soccer net.

Shutterstock photo

 Even though we define "Soccer" as an "open sport" and that the athletic`s mind was always watching the opponent and the goaler; his performance or action was also  in accordance with actions that involves his team members. If the goaler had been in a blocking position, the soccer player would  probably have created an alternative offensive play like a pass rather than a Shot on goal.

To have perform this "upside down kick" of a soccer ball towards the net (or a team mate) would’ve required  many hours of continual practise by the athlete. A lot of practice for this rare occurrence. But this practice sessions was to teach the subconscious mind  the actions and it's ability to strike a moving object in this strange position. 

 When I was doing Archery Trick shots and shooting a bouncing tennis ball; I learned to organize the subconscious mind to watch for that moment when the tennis ball had almost stopped moving. (at the top of it's bounce) But I had to practice to look for that moment and then afterward I had to work to coordinate the timing of shooting at the target and analysis the delay between the release of the arrow  and the arrival at the tennis ball. So I was educating the subconscious for shooting where the ball would be when the arrow arrived.  This trick shot was developed in the Victoriaville Archery Shooting Alley when nearby  Tennis were  being played. The two areas were seperated by a protective screen;  and often a tenis ball came into our archery area. 

In sports like archery, because it is just the archer and their equipment; the level of concentration and the time in the "Zone" is very short. The archer simply allows the subconscious mind to perform the actions of  releasing the arrow when his confidence in Aim and Breathing is right. In other sports like Lawn Bowls this Subconscious mind "Zone" can be even greater. 

In a YouTube video of Tiger Wood he says that between the start of his swing and seeing the golf ball in-flight towards the target he has not had any idea what was happening.

 The video calls this "Peak Performance Zone" at which time the athlete is absence from reality or conscious awareness. To quote the trainer's words about Tiger's performance; we must be "Mentally Tough". Most of us are not in the zone but for may be a couple microseconds; but it is enough to allow the subconscious mind to do all its necessary actions for that perfect delivery or shot.

 In all sports we must develop "Defensive Actions" in preparation for that interruption and allow the Subconscious to execute them as necessary.  For example, if concentration is important during your performance, you must develop the ability to abandon your performance when interrupted.

For example,  I  remember once while "in the zone" and in the process of doing a Petanque takeout shot; when I heard a large loud bang and instantly the subconscious mind cancel the shot, as I threw my ball away from the intended target. I had previously defined during my  shot preparation that there was a danger and after starting my shot and being "in the Zone" the noise caused the subconscious mind to react to the (thought of) danger and being unable to stop the performance; the ball was thrown away from the target and it's would-be danger.

Muscle Memory & Adding Mental Images

 Very often in Coaching we must realize that because students do not know what they don't know and  they must be introduced to a way of thinking if they are to advance to thinking beyond the "Throw and Catch" approach to sports. The image (right) is from Thinkability and express that people think in words and also some people think in images.  "Muscle Memory" is such an area of  coaching and a non-spoken topics because it is too difficult to explain.  Not so much because it is complex, but because of the need and understanding of the "Subconscious" mind and it's interaction with muscles. The mind always will be instructing  our bodies and especially our muscles during a "Muscle Memory" action. Also it is important to feel our body signals during these times.

We often believe we are in control of our muscles and what they do. But if a child runs in front of your car; you think.."STOP" and not the word but the image of the car stopping and "Muscle Memory" puts the brake on and even applies the force to prevent the accident.

. No we did not think.. it happen because our body reacted in a preventative moment.  What if I told you that this interrelationship between the mind and your actions can be applied in your sport;  would you work to create the necessary controls.

There are Muscle actions of our body which are "Memories" which we accept as daily life.. Lungs breathing or heart beating. Both are muscles which seem to operate without any personal involvement.  But let yourself become stressed or over think a problem and you will discover how your heart will replies.  Sometime, these extension of your control of your body and "Muscle Memories" can be very dangerous if you are not young and in top physical conditioning. Other times it is the next step to your personal development. Especially if you need to develop a  movement like "Bowls Delivery".

What makes "Muscle Memory" difficult to understand is that as you  study or develop knowledge of the Subconscious Mind's control or instructions to the muscles; you begin realizing that the idea  "If I think it, I can do it", can really be a reality.  Some muscle action during a performance like Delivery are natural action movements.  Like rolling a bowl must be done with force as we do a arm swing or body movement to get the energy into the bowl. So to roll the bowl up the green is easily, but how much energy to use is another story of Muscle development.

However, our mind's mental instruction to the muscles are more difficult, and often misunderstood.  When we look up the green and imagine the line that our bowl is going to take as the bias acts on your delivery; our mind is now moving into the "Memory Recall" and "Memory Evaluation" aspect of our delivery. These images, become the data for instructions which the subconscious mind uses as it begins computing on how to do this. We may find that our previous Deliveries and what we saw (Yes saw, if  we were thinking of what happen) have become the information for the Subconscious to use in doing that performance again with the corrections  we want. A change of Line or a little more weight.

 Why?  The alien who created this computer we call a mind, (or God) in his wisdom; made a great bio-machine which makes us wonder just how much we can do if we really work to develop and use our mind. In our sport there are two major tools. "In the Zone" absence of thinking and "Communication".

Like in today's computer, if we write a document and do not save it after our  long and endless efforts, it can not be retrieved later and is lost. We can watch the bowl roll up the green a thousand times but if we don't mentally record it's roll with thoughts and  some sort of analysis; it becomes an event which is probably lost to  what can be called everyday "event trivia". Forgotten as we just did it and turned away.

Given is  an example of a hitch-hiker, passing the time between rides as he decides at working to remember the license numbers of the last three passing cars. Because when we see something, the retina retained that image for some time after the object has passed, we can search our memory, for what is retained on the eyes' retina. This is a mental exercise of developing memory retrieval of vision. 

He believes, that he can start with three numbers and eventually four.. etc. He is seeing a new number with every passing car and he must use the last  two numbers with this new passing car license and recall them to make his three. This was me 50 years ago, when I was at University and hitchhiking home. This exercise was the start of developing the ability to retain the visual image of my sport after it had been done. Today, the retrieval is more advance as "Pre-Visualization" become a method of using the memory of previous deliveries to know the distance to the Jack. Imagine seeing your bowl go to the jack is "Memory Retrieval" which when correct gives you  the jack distance for Delivery weight. 

 Like watching your Bowl roll to the "Head", the minute I stops seeing, your retrieval and Memory has ended. Like that hitch-hiker seeking the retain image of the license number, a cycle of ("see it") “record it" and  "retrieval of the next” my "Memory search" cycle of three numbers has ended. Likewise, in our Delivery our “mental Work” is a cycle which always repeating itself. From Pre-mat to Feedback.

  ( Fact.. Today, In Canada, Hitch-Hiking is illegal with a fine and court cost up to $2000 and many internet “Ride Sharing” services are offered instead. But this was my training for Memory Retrieval"

 Our Bowl Delivery, done several times during a game is such a cycle. First our "Pre-mat Routine" then "To the Mat Preparation", "Delivery", "Post Delivery Routine", "Bowl Roll Analysis" (above mention), ending in the Bowl's "Final Placement". As we step away from Mat and used our visual observation, we can still see the memory of that bowl roll to " Analysis" the Shot and finally make decisions. as a last part of the cycle,  "Decisions on Correction".  A total mental  cycle which requires a lot of time and wasted or lost as we are busy watching the opponent's bowl. (Yes "Opponent's Bowl Analysis is also a confirmation of our own (previous rolls) performance and may be part of  our "Feedback" or "Bowl Analysis". We are to decide if  the same line but should  be use. In your Pre- Delivery decisions of your next bowl roll the opponent's bowl data should not be used. You must always remember that each bowl rolls differently and the opponent's delivery is different and creates bad data. However, a fall in the green will always be in the same area of the green and your identification of that area can be confirmed by your opponent's bowl.

  Why this example?  Because, a lot of our Bowls delivery are like that passing car and we get lost in thought by watching the bowl rolling. Our watching our bowl roll without thinking or analysis is as if  the hitch-hiker stopped "seeing"  the license plate. ( doing his retrieval from the retina of the information) I believe we become tired of thinking or forcing to think and we let the action happens and  allow ourself to forget it. "It is over, Turn and leave the mat".  Is your delivery like that ?  It happens and then it is over as we step from the mat and wait for our next bowl to be delivered. Then you must build your "Delivery Cycle" with a "Mental Sight" that as you walk from the mat you are still seeing the bowl roll and busy collecting data and making decisions as part of your "Post-Delivery Feedback".

If there was a sudden change in your bowl's roll caused by the playing surface, or increase roll due to a surface incline; it happen and is gone. But you can still remember it and analysis it.  I have even seen a bowler turn as he was walking from the mat and look back up the green to identify the area of the green.

 This example is given to understand not just "Feedback" but the analysis and storage of information and even the retrieval of previous "Feedbacks" and how we relate it to our previous deliveries. If the analysis was done during the delivery of those previous rolls. 

 First, during a game, we can remember the last few deliveries and our visits to the mat at this position where the mat is placed. We finish our team control of the mat and leave to go up the green.  But two ends ago we also did a delivery from this end of the green and maybe this  same mat position (or similar), Like the license plates of passing cars for the hitch-hiker; if we have not collected and memory stored the data (Analysis and Feedback) we can not use it later. As you walk up the green maybe do a review of the major facts of those three bowls (or 4 if pairs game) to know that storage has been done.

 If we just see the bowl roll without remembering those previous deliveries at the same mat position or jack distance;  we do not have data to  create an  expectation of  our next delivery. When it is our turn to deliver the next bowl, then our analysis is finished and decisions made for the Pre-mat Routine. If being positive in this data collection we are not interested  on errors but more on corrective action to be made.

After three or four rolls over that section of the green, we know something is causing your bowl to not follow it's proper Bias as expected.. Too often we just think "Oh I did a bad Delivery".  To know the error, and to correct the error means decisions for your next visit to the mat at that end of the green. The common error of Lawn Bowlers is to simply blame it on having done a "bad delivery". 

 To develop "Muscle Memory" it is necessary to communicate with the Subconscious mind to tell it why you believe the error happen, and let the Subconscious know what is needed to adjust the next delivery. Be Amazed, Talk to your subconscious and see the subconscious mind at work the next time you do you Pre-Mat Routine.

In a previous articles I have write about what athletics call "Being in the Zone". Even Tiger Wood in it explaining with on a Youtube video and  said "Between my start of swing and seeing the ball in flight, I have not memory of what happen" He was in his Zone. This cycle of Feedback is a "Zone cycle" which  may be made up of several parts to complete the physical delivery which required practice and practice until every time you deliver the bowl the same way; and you were reading and analysing that bowl's roll.

 Under a normal "Newie Delivery", you know you have done a good physical delivery when you bowl has stopped near the Jack. You can even feel and hear the excitement of the Subconscious mind; because it was not as you expected. But "Muscle Memory" is more than the Muscles having been developed and the subconscious instructions to doing a good delivery.

 Yes the Subconscious even records that feeling of excitement but immediately the subconscious is beginnign to tell the muscles to do that again. It is making that memory as "Ideal Bowl Memory" and  will be remembering it and the "Muscle Memories" so that you can do the same again.

 Can you tell someone how to do something, like telling your secretary how to do her letter, but if you have not previously done it correctly and also closely watched and analysis how it was done; you can not explain it in words.  Can you mind instruct the muscle of what to do if you have not watched the bowl roll and analysis it every roll ( all rolls, the strange or normal rolls). 

 The mind can repeat what happen if it  has the information of what happen and that information is your "Feedback" data it put into storage; and your analysis  how ever detail it was. This teaching of the subconscious is with images because when you are in the "Zone" and the mind is in total control all the time you have is that image.

Last Summer while playing with members from another club I experience an opinion of Muscle Memory which really surprised me.   I was playing with a Bowler who was being instructed on perfecting her delivery performance by a club coach and this bowler said to me, "Stay on the mat and watch your bowl so you can develop your muscle memory". Interesting because what she was making reference to was "FeedBack" which is not automatic recorded to used in the Pre-Mat Routine or "Delivery Preparation". It does get recorded a bit if after 3 hours you have done the same thing. But we all make small changes thinking we did something wrong and only FeedBack Analysis leads to Muscle Memory.

Take for example. You see a region of your "Bias" Line of the Bowl which remains straight because of the green having a small ridge. You go to the mat and you side step (walking the mat) to the left side of the mat with the idea you delivery line will stay left, just inside of that ridge if you repeat your line and weight. (Not going over the top it will not go straight as trying to come back up over the ridge but instead come down a bit faster). This was a modification of  your delivery for a result.. How do you communicate it to the subconscious ? You visualize the bowl roll not going over the top and coming down faster. Yes just think it or see it as happening before you do your delivery.  Muscle memory will come later when the subconscious  has learned how to make the correct adjustment for that thought.

What adjustment?  well you have step left on the mat but your thought of your coming delivery is a "Result thought". Up to now when you do a delivery (without corrective action) your thought has been where you are wanting the bowl to arrive.. If you change your line, change your weight, change a part of your delivery but still have your "Result Thought" the bowl should go there because your Muscle Memory and Subconscious instruction to the muscles will attempt to give you that result. (if the change is not that big a change).

So now you are still thinking where you want the bowl to arrive, (Result Thought) but because you have change your position you want the subconscious mind to also change  instrucrtions to give you that same "Result". If you just changed your position on the mat by a foot and made no instruction to the subconscious mind then the same delivery would result in  this 2nd bowl  being a foot left of the previous bowl. 

So now when you are  preparing to go into the Zone of your delivery your thought was a visual thought of the bowl not running over the top of the ridge and finishing in the head where you wanted it. And now your "Delivery" is done with an absence of all thought. (in the Zone) Your two visualized thoughts indicated your wanted Bowl roll and now you are letting the subconscious mind perform the "Modified" Delivery. 

 However, as with the physical practice of Delivery to get your regular "Good" Delivery with "Muscle Memory"; you must do this mental practice several time also or the communication of your wishes to your Muscle Memory will not become a habit.  Each time we will see that the subconscious mind will do a response to your visual image and eventually your "Muscle Memory" will have been educated by your visual thought of avoiding that ridge and you will be surprised how your bowl seem to run straight.

 Of course, you bowl might be right of where you wanted it because "FeedBack" analysis will tell you that the bowl run back down the ridge gave it more distance or a change of bias.. But after a few times your subconscious mind know this. Yes you can trick your subconscious mind into the result you want. If you know your bowl is going to be right because of the run down the ridge than choose your wanted "Result" to the left of the jack. I don't suggest you over-think your subconscious control of your Muscle memory because like a friend whom you lie to.. your subconscious mind will not have confidence in your visual image. But for that one time when it is important I often do it and forgot about it (don't see it as FeedBack)

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.. Mind Set as Team Harmony

 (Being Builded ) In the previous Blog I wrote "The most important thing of learning Bowls is not the basic but how to develop your Mind Set." and explained the continual thinking when playing Singles or Pairs where you are doing 3 or 4 bowl Delivery immediately after each time that the opponent has just finish one of theirs. The ABC of Mind-Set is Attitude, Betterment and Concentration. These 3 mental exercises should be the foundation of Mind-set as your Attitude is always positive and any Basic skill can  always  have a better success percentage. Concentration is a matter of keeping the objective of your game front and center of your thoughts. and  seeking the very best performance.

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If you have a tight Mind-Set when on the mat or preparing for your delivery, one would think there is not that much more to concentrate on or improve. But to be always Positive toward success or failure is hard to keep over the 2 hours of game time. A schedule of Mental relaxation is also necessary else we burn out.  Myself in a competition find that 3rd game about 30 to 40 percent of the mental activity of the first game.  Too much can lead to errors.

Where in Single and Pairs, we seem to be in a continual cycle of mental preparativeness, we often find therefore that  in Triples and Fours play we are spending time waiting for 2 or 3  other players to do a delivery. Yes, you can't be in full power mode all those long minutes waiting,  because unlike in Singles where you just get finished analysis and thinking of the past delivery and are immediately planning your next visit to the mat. We really don't have time to analysis the opponent's last bowl or the raison for your skips requested Delivery. Well this is where "Team Work" becomes a part of the  larger game. Each member of the team should be helping you better read or understand the game.

Often we hear comments like "The forehand is wider" or Green seems to have increased in speed" which are intended to remaind us of change we may not have noticed. But as Mind-set of a team advances we hear more comments on game analysis like "skip is attempting to have the opponent go to the Backhand" or "That was a good bowl, we needed a Back Bowl".  All comments in maintaining a Team Harmony.  Positive remark may be that turn-key a member need to forgot that bad bowl and go on to make a beautiful "near Perfect" shot.

In Game Strategy we say the 12 or 14 ends of play are divided into three parts. First 4 ends to analysis the greens, the opponent and your team harmony. The middle 4 ends are to use that information to gain as many points and as large a lead as possible and the Last 4 ends are to go defensive (if leading) and offensive (if trailing in points).  But the big mistake made by a lot of teams of Triples or Fours is thinking it is the Skip who does the think and Game Strategy.

The skip is busy studing a lot of what happens in those three sections of Game Strategy but without his team doing a "Detail Study" in this first section of play;  and collecting the data needed, the decisions he makes will be from the information he is getting only his observations.  Communication of  all the team players should mean that they are allocate different roles of  opponent study or actions, depending upon each position of play before the teamhas  even hits the green for play.

How often when you get finished at the other End of the Rink and back, having returned to the beginning  (1st) end of play to start the 3rd end, have you forgotten your previous play in that direction?. And it has been just one end of play past. Actually, from those beginning days of learning the basic of how to bowl, players are expecting that the Skip will remaind them of their line or their   previously delivered bowls..  You should have two basic Mind Sets.. "Your Delivery" and the Skips allocation of need information or Study; and be total thought to the collection of that Information.

In the first 4 ends of Play , The "Study Period" time of the Team Play the Lead and other front end players should each have a task of learning and communicating that information to the Vice. Why do you think a lot of winning teams has the Skip and Vice in the head for the last half of the game.  The vice is the "Recorder"  and "Data collector" for the Skip. A common question from the Skip to Vice is "what happen there?" and being in the head with the skip during the 2nd and 3rd part of game Division (ends 5 to12) it is important that the Vice can explain it. This will help the skip make  a wise decisions or foresee any necessary Strategy changes.

The Mind Set is maybe defined as.. "your concentration of play or performance during your game".

 During  the beginning  of delivery of your bowls; your time should be 100 percent on preparing to go to the mat (Pre-Mat),  doing a Perfect Delivery. and then some serious Analysis your performance (Post-Mat). A  complete agenda of thinking to be done before the opponent has finished doing their Delivery.

Your information collected and the  Analysis of their performance is a 2nd part of your Mind-set. But this data is "Collected and Dropped" as you must again go to the mat and do your Delivery Routine. (Pre-Mat, Delivery and Post-Mat). But never lost because when the time come to share that data it is fresh in your mind.

Previously, in an earlier Blog I wrote. " Example of (your) Delivery .. Finished your delivery. off mat... Post Mat analysis.., Study opponent's Delivery.., Pre-mat Analysis.. of your ressults.., Pre-mat Routine as preparing for next bowl to be delivered (as Opponent leaves mat.) Your Skip Communication. Pre-Mat Routine finish (as per Skip request)... To mat.., Line Position.., Delivery Routine.., Post Delivery Routine.., Bowl roll Analysis.., Resul..t and off the mat.. only to again repeat the complete cycle. (Cycle a C of CCC of the Tool Box ABC)"  and this is a lot of thinking which will take years to do more than once or twice a game. Certainly not just the few seconds between stepping to the mat and rolling the bowl from your hand to the green.  as per those first years of learn to Bowl.

But, now is Triples and Fours you are standing back watching others do their delivery. And doing a lot of thinking as requested by the Skip.  Here I will attempt to remember what was my Fours Instructioon to me as a players in a winning Inter-Provincal Major competition as given by a skip who was on a UK international team. The truth is a lot of Game Play and you meet a lot of people with good advice.

The Lead -  Your job is to build the game head. Like in Chess the first moves define how the rest of the game will go. A difficult task in each of the three Division of Game Play; which with always require concentration and the same self-centered goal. Communication between the skip and Lead should be not just while the lead is on the mat but when practice and discussion of preparing for the game. In fours, the Lead and Second is like a team of 4 bowls in a Pairs competition. The second will have to pickup where the lead misses the Game building  which the Skip was requesting. And the skip will also have to forgot his disappointment with his lead and move on to letting the second do this important building. In triples the 3 bowls of the Lead must do the building "Game Head". as the Second (Vice) will also be helping the Skip with shots which are probably more often by a skip. Game is still a Draw game.

What is the lead doing in  his own Mind-set  during these first 4 ends of play when the other team members are taking their turn on the mat. First, because the lead must be able to draw to where the Skip wants the bowl; their major study is of the Green. ( Speed, Unique performance or difficulties), and even how the speed changes as the game progress. (Speed changes with bowls rolled, Sun warmth or lack  of it, and even the sun direction). The Lead is also playing a "Opponent Single Game" as they study their opponent. Often this view of the opponent will mean personal decision to achieve the request shot  that the Skip has requested.

 Example: Skip asks for a ForeHand to the Jack ( A "draw") but the opponent's bowl seems in your line. Did you watch how the bowl rolled to it present location ?. Do you have confidence in your skip's decision that it is not in your line of delivery. Maybe it is only a "Mental Blocking Bowl" and not a "Real Block". Maybe you did not notice the opponent lead was left handed or has a delivery with an error and that  your "Bowl Roll" or "Bowl Bias" is not the same. All these things are what the Lead is studing about the opponent Lead because they are just one bowl away from the same head configuration.

All these study of performance of the opponent Lead and the Green is a full Mind-set for the Lead and a part of the Vice's responsible is to see how his Lead and the Opponent lead compares with the Jack Length of that end. No better critic of a Lead than another team player.  Never critize the lead. Yes there will be bad bowls, but study why or know what to do yourself to not have that same problem. Usually it is not the lead's performance but something else.

The Second - If the game is Fours then the Second is a partner with the Lead in getting a good head for the start of that end. Yes when the lead is on the mat the Second is busy (Mind-set occupied) collecting data from the lead's bowls, the green and the opponent's bowls. The second should in fours keep this data for the skip (by way of the vice) or for after game study or training to help the team and lead better perform

If in Triples the Second is of two roles. A Pick-up Player to finish what the Lead should have done and a Vice which has many task from Jack lenght study or legal to the change in strategy of the team or the Opponent. Many seconds are previous Skips because the Vice is always there to help the skip. Often the bowls of the Vice would be that over draw or take-out which normally they would do as a Skip. When in Pairs the Lead has 4 bowls and can use one to verify line or green speed; in Triples Second now needs to have all the information as with 3 bowls there is not "Trial Bowl".

Where the Lead was busy building the head and studing the opponent Lead, the Second is more interested in repairing hole in the Strategy. Balance the Head is a Bowl for Bowl so the worst is a 1 point lost for that end. Remember if there is no Back ball to balance the opponent's several bowls then maybe the Skip has to use one of his (valueable) bowls or gamble that nothing happens. A vice on the mat may also be more incline to question the Skip but I would suggest that this be a non-verbal question. Too much verbal ask of game strategy will destroy the Vice-Skip communication.. the "I ask you explain why not Chat" from the mat to the head is never good.

All this has been just about the task of the team mate during the first 4 ends of play. But without the information and data of what is happening it is a roll of the dice to wait and see what happens. We are either prepared and doing a game Strategy which is a foundation toward an end of Winning or we are being pushed into the opponent's Game Strategy.  Yes various bad luck roll of the bowls will cause a point change hand but only a point and only with the occational end of play.. All good and we go back to the Team Harmony.

ToolBox ABC's (AAA BBB CCC)

A couple of days ago, this blog was "Toolbox, Accessories, "Walking the Mat" and I wrote I was surprise to see Tryslan in the 1st end of play use his "Walk the mat".

However, I was impressed with his development because a lot of clubs don't have 2nd Year Coaching which usually covers the 'Toolbox ABC". These teachings are not tricks or different delivery or placements but an expansion of the Bowls Basic. For example; one of the C's of CCC is concentration which is important but can't be taught to new bowlers in the first year.  New bowlers get the Basics and bowl for a year or two before advancing to a few ToolBox possibilities. As on Twitter I post invitation to my Blogs and because I follow so many great Players often the twitter insert of my next blog follows another Bowl twitter posting. ( I am now following nearly 1,000 world wide bowlers)

A few minutes after posting I went back to my list of Twitter post and discovered that my

 post was deleted by twitter. Since I posted (photo left) in this blog and Twitter sees it as a

 reposting of a twitter post it deleted my post. Ofcourse, I had 9 visitor\views of this blog

 and thinking it was probably from UK, ( near time zone to Canada). However, I now think

 that my post was deleted because of the above photo. (9 visitor are twitter staff doing a

 control of content. (no Problem but mention it here as information of Censorship) HaHa...

 I will again post after deleting the photo for the near 200 lawn bowls followers.

When teaching a new bowler entering the club we put an important of always placing your feet the same on the mat and always rolling the bowl on to the green at the "Center Line" and all the basic to get that new member out on the green and participating in Club Games.

Over the years we learn to use the Toolbox's ABC more and more and now today, in reality, I have four different methods of  " Walking the Mat" beside this one which Tryslan has showed. His action is a  basic of Lawn bowls. The others methods of Walking the mat I call ToolBox Xcessories.  For example, I was expected to skip a Club Competition for the Seasonal Play (Cash) and I was just out of the hospital after a Gall Bladder operation. I could not do the "Bend to the Green" delivery and had been for a couple of years been developing a "Double Mat" delivery. (my knees are finished).  Double mat because instead of standing upright on the mat on center Line; I have one foot on the mat and I am standing spread leg with the Bowl Arm leg about 2 feet or more to the left of the mat. (as if that foot is also on a mat). This allows quite a different angle of delivery.  (The two other ToolBox Xcessories method maybe I will have time this year to cover them.)  

You may ask "Just out of the Hospital, why not just not play and let someone take your place" ? We all have our perks and my replacement would have been the next on the list of Qualification; a individual who is a good bowler but whom I find "Cash Cheap" and I would not encourage such a replaciement. Also the organization of this Cash Competition did not pay a 3rd Place Amount to a non-playing 2nd Place person who won the game against the 3rd place.  ( The replacement would win the total 2nd place money not the difference of 3rd to 2nd place or 3rd to 1st if they won first) . Anyway, the double mat  Delivery takes a lot to learn and although I had perfected it as well as my "Center of the Mat" Delivery: I found a lack of control and concentration as the two and half hour game approached its end. (beaten by a few points)

When a new club member becomes a Coached Lawn Bowl student there is a lot to learns. The Basics such as " How to delivery the bowl", and ofcourse the teacher should show the  many basics  even if they don't use them. 

There are three basic grips which should be explained to a student (Claw Grip. Cradle and Dimple )  Had to ask the Internet ChatBot the 3rd Grip as I am off the old school when bowls had dimples on them and we used the dimples for grip alignment.

Likewise as there are various Delivery Stances which should all  be explained. Actually the old "Coaching Guide" from our Federal Association (Bowls Canada) at one time required that we put a lot of history of Bowls and International information in our coaching sessions. In recent years, probably because of CoVid, our Club Coaching for new members has been trimmed to a 4 week (2 - 2hrs a week) Course.  (Previously, a new members received 10 weeks and playing after 4 sessions - 2 wks)

Here in Canada the senior School students in high school  take either "Shop" or "Home Ecominic" and  if you do "Shop work" you must learn about how to use the tools  You learn a lot of extra information like, how to grip the tool, how to best use the tool, and even how to sharpen the tool.  This experience followed me into my Sports (bowls is the 3rd I have perfected and do competition at top level) and so with the ToolBox of Bowls" I took it to learn how to chose the accessories or tool.

The most important thing of learning Bowls is not the basic but how to develop your Mind Set. If you were using a Power tool you are at all times concentrating on security, proper usage to get the wanted result and never let your mind wander. This is a Mind Set of proper usage.  However, in Bowls we teach new bowlers the basic and as they began to bowl they have only a 15 second Mind-set when they are on the mat doing their delivery. 

 In reality an athletic should be total "Mind Set" all the time except when walking up the green which become a break from the continual Concentration.  Example of Delivery .. Finished . off mat... Post Mat analysis, Study opponent Delivery, Pre-mat Analysis, Pre-mat Routine (as Opponent leaves mat.) Skip Communication. Pre-Mat Routine finish. To mat, Line Position, Delivery Routine, Post Delivery Routine, Bowl roll Analysis, Result and off the mat.. only to again repeat the complete cycle. (Cycle a "C" of "CCC" of the Tool Box ABCs)

How many times have you done this complete 4 or 5 minute Cycle in total thought and Analysis?  Yes, maybe once during a 4 bowls end of Play... Even two time this cycle is tiresome.  I actually had a Skip whom I mention something as we passed in Mid-Green and he later told me "Don't talk to me when passing on the green, you break my thought"

I question if he had an "Analysis Cycle" (as mention above) because he would know the value of something to think  about as one walks up the green from the mat .  Also some Skips start their "Mat Cycle" as they are walking to the mat from the Head, but the problem is that then you have two Mat Cycles.. one for the first Bowl and another for the other Bowls. Ofcourse, maybe he was tell me he had his next shot already decided and my suggestion only confused him.  Communication is another "C" of the Toolbox ABC (AAA BBB CCC) both of the Skip with his team and the players with the Skip or Vice.

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)