Seems like only Yesterday that you left the clubhouse from the end-of-season party. You remember how very good your style and draw was last year. With the winter months away from the greens, we certainly know that we cannot now just step onto the green and be great again. We'll have to get back into shape and there is a lot of factors which we should consider.
Physically, if you have not bowled all winter, your body, whether young or on in years, is not what it was as you walked off the green. How you prepare yourself for the new season is as important as good equipment. So often I see club members going out on the day of club opening and roll bowls like throwing darts. Wonder how close I will be ? Practise makes perfect... No Good Practise and Preparation will mean a quick return to being Perfect. For this season's bowls, it will be important that we quickly get back to that great ability and perfection of last year.
We always have new expectation as we welcome in the new season. First, do we have a new set of bowls which we expect will make a great difference. We want to quickly get started in studying how they performed as to the old set. Or did you decide at the end of the season last year that this year you will work more on your overdraw or tight draw to the jack. All these changes make us a better bowler this year.. If we can get back to that previous year's form.
Remember last year, you just stepped to the mat, delivered the bowl, and had a nice draw to the location you wanted. Here in Canada, some members and their wife have spend the winter playing out of country. So they still have the natural feel of the bowl and that great delivery. Although, maybe in Florida or elsewhere, they were playing on a different surface or quality of greens.
Maybe we did another sport as in Canada we find members go to alley bowling or curling. Myself , each winter, played another sport similar to Bowls. The French Bowls game of Petanque. Of course each sport uses a different flow of muscles or demands of perfection.
First, we must put our mind and body back in the same form it was in at the end of season. When we learn to bowl we followed a method of instruction which the coach supplied. As a new bowler, one week we were learning to prepare our bowl and approach the mat.This in time developed into a Pre-mat routine. Then the next week, we were concern for the delivery and another week for getting the line.
So as you go back to the green for the new year.. what is your routine ?? Step up to the mat and began to roll to the jack ?? Of course, everything will come back.. Do you really believe that ??
My beginning of season starts off the green.
At 72, I find my endurance and breathing lacking so I have been doing more walking as I know that a 12 end game has a lot of walking. And although I will be quickly getting into the coming games of the season; I am preparing for the season with activities such as developing my Pre-mat routine with a off-the-green practise. Yes, not on the green just on the mat rolling somewhere where I can go through all the steps of preparation for delivery.
I have found an artificial surface used for Track and Field at the University and I work on that to develop my routine. When I first start, my balance and a good roll is important. Forehand and Backhand. And of course, start slowly, not a lot of rolls. Also as I prepare, I keep a record and note the faults. Falling into my bowl line. A outward reach delivery as to a lay-it-down. With the fast surface I do not need much effort for the delivery and I can easily see my faults.
So first, I was getting back into the delivery routine. Picking up the bowl in the non-bowling hand. Doing the bowl-bias, hold, balance in palm preparation. Stepping to the mat, placing feet and line. The slow delivery bend and arm swing. No, not releasing yet. Just the exercise of forward, down, delivery swing and back. Why?? Because, you are teaching your mind of the movements you do.
Balance is important in your delivery. If you don t have a place to roll bowls without a lot of effort you will not detect if in your delivery you are losing your balance. Falling into your support (bend) knee; or falling into your delivery line. Because you are so involved in getting to the jack, getting that extra weight. In reality you want to just be busy to practise your routine , from picking up the bowl to final delivery
Second, there is the need for exercises to get the body back working with muscles which have not been used for awhile. Yes we know the muscles and the movements expected of them; but also we teach the brain to send a signal or thought and evaluate it as a great performance.
After the warm-up exercises of stretching and bending we want to do some heavy delivery. I have discovered that this can be done in any field which has a small upward slope. You are not doing a drive weight delivery. But you know your natural force for the length of your greens and the speed of the club greens. You want to make those delivery movement with that force.
By using a protection cover and a mat you can do your regular delivery force up the slope of the hill. The bowl will not go far and the mat and protective cover will allow for the smooth laydown delivery. Yes, you can do it on the green but then walk to the oppose end and get your bowls. This slope delivery results in your bowls going only a short distance and you can do another round of deliveries.
When you were last year rolling your bowls your mind knew what you wanted to do and because it had been several months that you bowled, you body knew the delivery routine. Now it is like driving the bicycle again after a long winter. You will adapt quickly but most important will your mind take shortcuts from start to finish. It will be easy to roll good smooth bowls because you know what you do when you do your delivery; but this practice is to develop, remember, and perform the same as last year.
Now if you have bought new bowls or you are changing something this year; these changes must be worked into your previous routine and developed once you have reached your previous form. One year, I had a sore ankle after the first week of bowls. My level 3 coach said that I was not stepping into my line of delivery and therefore losing my balance and catching my weight shift with my extended front foot. Turning my ankle a little each time. This change in style took all summer to correct. If you have anything that needs changing, let those weak or sore muscles get back to proper health and then go about to change your routine.
So for two weeks, I go to that artificial Track area... do a one half hour of preparation to bowl and practice my complete routine. Then, after that two weeks, I will roll the bowl out on the club greens. Because of the artificial turf (like material) it does not require effort. So I can work on balance, mind set, on knowing my roll and line and follow through and feedback. No I don 't have a jack or even an area long enough for proper bowls practise; but my mind and body is getting back to the sharpness I feel is important for a good year.
Physically, if you have not bowled all winter, your body, whether young or on in years, is not what it was as you walked off the green. How you prepare yourself for the new season is as important as good equipment. So often I see club members going out on the day of club opening and roll bowls like throwing darts. Wonder how close I will be ? Practise makes perfect... No Good Practise and Preparation will mean a quick return to being Perfect. For this season's bowls, it will be important that we quickly get back to that great ability and perfection of last year.
We always have new expectation as we welcome in the new season. First, do we have a new set of bowls which we expect will make a great difference. We want to quickly get started in studying how they performed as to the old set. Or did you decide at the end of the season last year that this year you will work more on your overdraw or tight draw to the jack. All these changes make us a better bowler this year.. If we can get back to that previous year's form.
Remember last year, you just stepped to the mat, delivered the bowl, and had a nice draw to the location you wanted. Here in Canada, some members and their wife have spend the winter playing out of country. So they still have the natural feel of the bowl and that great delivery. Although, maybe in Florida or elsewhere, they were playing on a different surface or quality of greens.
Maybe we did another sport as in Canada we find members go to alley bowling or curling. Myself , each winter, played another sport similar to Bowls. The French Bowls game of Petanque. Of course each sport uses a different flow of muscles or demands of perfection.
First, we must put our mind and body back in the same form it was in at the end of season. When we learn to bowl we followed a method of instruction which the coach supplied. As a new bowler, one week we were learning to prepare our bowl and approach the mat.This in time developed into a Pre-mat routine. Then the next week, we were concern for the delivery and another week for getting the line.
So as you go back to the green for the new year.. what is your routine ?? Step up to the mat and began to roll to the jack ?? Of course, everything will come back.. Do you really believe that ??
 |
| A University Track of Artificial Surface |
My beginning of season starts off the green.
At 72, I find my endurance and breathing lacking so I have been doing more walking as I know that a 12 end game has a lot of walking. And although I will be quickly getting into the coming games of the season; I am preparing for the season with activities such as developing my Pre-mat routine with a off-the-green practise. Yes, not on the green just on the mat rolling somewhere where I can go through all the steps of preparation for delivery.
I have found an artificial surface used for Track and Field at the University and I work on that to develop my routine. When I first start, my balance and a good roll is important. Forehand and Backhand. And of course, start slowly, not a lot of rolls. Also as I prepare, I keep a record and note the faults. Falling into my bowl line. A outward reach delivery as to a lay-it-down. With the fast surface I do not need much effort for the delivery and I can easily see my faults.
So first, I was getting back into the delivery routine. Picking up the bowl in the non-bowling hand. Doing the bowl-bias, hold, balance in palm preparation. Stepping to the mat, placing feet and line. The slow delivery bend and arm swing. No, not releasing yet. Just the exercise of forward, down, delivery swing and back. Why?? Because, you are teaching your mind of the movements you do.
Balance is important in your delivery. If you don t have a place to roll bowls without a lot of effort you will not detect if in your delivery you are losing your balance. Falling into your support (bend) knee; or falling into your delivery line. Because you are so involved in getting to the jack, getting that extra weight. In reality you want to just be busy to practise your routine , from picking up the bowl to final delivery
Second, there is the need for exercises to get the body back working with muscles which have not been used for awhile. Yes we know the muscles and the movements expected of them; but also we teach the brain to send a signal or thought and evaluate it as a great performance.
After the warm-up exercises of stretching and bending we want to do some heavy delivery. I have discovered that this can be done in any field which has a small upward slope. You are not doing a drive weight delivery. But you know your natural force for the length of your greens and the speed of the club greens. You want to make those delivery movement with that force.
 |
| Small upward hill for Delivery |
By using a protection cover and a mat you can do your regular delivery force up the slope of the hill. The bowl will not go far and the mat and protective cover will allow for the smooth laydown delivery. Yes, you can do it on the green but then walk to the oppose end and get your bowls. This slope delivery results in your bowls going only a short distance and you can do another round of deliveries.
When you were last year rolling your bowls your mind knew what you wanted to do and because it had been several months that you bowled, you body knew the delivery routine. Now it is like driving the bicycle again after a long winter. You will adapt quickly but most important will your mind take shortcuts from start to finish. It will be easy to roll good smooth bowls because you know what you do when you do your delivery; but this practice is to develop, remember, and perform the same as last year.
Now if you have bought new bowls or you are changing something this year; these changes must be worked into your previous routine and developed once you have reached your previous form. One year, I had a sore ankle after the first week of bowls. My level 3 coach said that I was not stepping into my line of delivery and therefore losing my balance and catching my weight shift with my extended front foot. Turning my ankle a little each time. This change in style took all summer to correct. If you have anything that needs changing, let those weak or sore muscles get back to proper health and then go about to change your routine.
So for two weeks, I go to that artificial Track area... do a one half hour of preparation to bowl and practice my complete routine. Then, after that two weeks, I will roll the bowl out on the club greens. Because of the artificial turf (like material) it does not require effort. So I can work on balance, mind set, on knowing my roll and line and follow through and feedback. No I don 't have a jack or even an area long enough for proper bowls practise; but my mind and body is getting back to the sharpness I feel is important for a good year.
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