If, to yourself, your judgement of the Jack Distance and your delivery of your bowl to touch and stop at the jack. is like the Baseball player, It is a feeling and
"I just do it" is your reply to "How do you know the distance ?"; then you understand the mental balance between Physical Performance and Subconscious Performance and probably find yourself in the Zone. The zone is a period of a absence of mind which during the delivery allows the subconscious to perform the action which for years, you have repeated the same action. (Muscle memory)
A state of mind where you are "Void" of thoughts, and this void allow the body to perform, without though, the actions and even decisions of how much weight is needed to draw to the Jack.
Much has changed in this mental aspect of sport performance and the book "The Inner Athlete" written in 1976 on this subject by Robert M. Nideffer (Phd) with the topic of "Mind Plus Muscle for Winning". The ideas are the same but over time changes. Saw a book last week of "Zen and your Sport".
Always we hear that Physical performance is 10% while performance toward winning is close to 90% mental and long time developed mental abilities..
Pre-visualization was then "Mental Rehearsal" and the basketball player would see in his mind doing his basket shot and after the "Mental Rehearsal"; he came to the line to without effort made the shot. So, why not ? It had already been done 20 times in his mind. I use the term Pre-visualization because this thinking and seeing your bowl rolling up the green; is done before you actually do the delivery of your shot.
Also Mental Rehearsal was a term use for a method of an athlete studing his game after it had been completed. Some player can recalls each point won or lost and analysis what could have been done differently in the game strategy; while others can not remember. (another topic)
Earlier, I suggested training the mind to measure the distance by counting the jack throw until it stopped. This is an exercise of Visualization and teaching the mind the feeling of the jack distance from seeing it roll. The mind see the action but does not collect information unless it is instructed. Afterward it will have the feeling and alway compare the information to previous collected information.
Also before delivery of your bowl try a is mentally seeing your bowl roll up the green to the jack. It is quick and a couple times before you delivered your bowl will not seem to affect you delivery. Like the Blind Bowler who can not watch his bowl roll to the jack. In his mind and knowing the time it takes for the bolw to roll to that jack distance; he visualize seeing the bowl roll to the head. (especially if he was previously a visual lawn bowler and had this visual experience before he lost his sight).
Earlier I suggested that the bowler after rolling the jack and his bowl within 30 seconds. Here we are replacing the mental Pre-visualization with an actual roll of the jack. Try this exercise. Go out to the green and roll the jack, while counting its distance during the roll and announce from the roll; the jack's final distance in number of meters. After several times rolling and counting the jack; ask a fellow bowler to assist you and like the blind bowler, after releasing the jack close your eyes as counting the jack roll. You helper will tell you "now" when the jack has stopped and before opening your eyes you tell them the jack distance in number of meters. This exercise is training the mind and memory.
How precise are you ?. Over a short time you only need to count a few numbers and the mind will compare the jack speed and you can actually tell where the jack will stopped. In the beginning of developing this mental skill or ability it will requires you count always count but eventually you can close your eyes and feel the distance of the jack.
One of the good things of streaming is the close-up view of bowlers. In the photo on the left Rebecca Van Asch for a moment is in the zone during a jack delivery. Becky has the habit of always keeping her eye on the bowl or jack but in the photo she is in her "Zone". Watch her bowl delivery and you will frequently see this microsecond moment and empty expression.
At this point in the jack roll, the instruction of how far the jack is to be send has already been decided and given to the subconscious mind. Now, being in the Zone it is just to let the mind to do what it know how to do. Using muscle memory and a the mental pre-delivery instruction, the subconscious mind now combines everything to perform and give the expected result. But also immediately after the release of the jack or bowl the player can feel the "Subconscious feeling" of satification on what has been done and even before we see the result.
This feeling of distance, can be said to be just that awareness of jack distance from seeing over the years several thousand incidents of the bowl rolling to the jack and feeling the duration of time that the rolls needs for that distance of the jack.
To be in the zone and your mind in a void of emptiness is hard to do. But in the delivery of Chloe Stewart we see a trick which allow the player to find or be in the Zone.
In the photo on the left, we see in her delivery that she starts with her hand on her leg above the knee and as she lower her body to delivery the bowl she slides her hand down her leg to the knee. This action is a "Zone getter" in that to empty the mind we need to be occupied our thoughts with something else. In the early stays of development of her style someone suggested that if she thinks of feeling her hand on her leg and knee the subconscious mind will take total control. Probably now she only thinks of the felling of her hand when she find herself losing her Zone delivery period. Just muscle memory and subconscious mind doing what it knows how to do. Letting it happen by being involved in another thought.
This visualization also help in times of mental instability. Being upset for something is not an international athletics regular problem but some people get upset regularly during a game. Mathew, a young club member, mention in a earlier 2015 blog used visualization to relax himself and return to concentration on his game by visualizing the image of the tree at the end of the home club green and the sunset behind it which was a regular early evening beauty that most of us club member knew. Use your mind more and more to help you perform that perfect Delivery to the jack or a spot you want to leave the bowl.
The next step is being able to feel your delivery as being well done. When doing a relax delivery and reaching your "In the Zone period" you also have a positive feeling of success which only gets better and better. While practicing without a jack, try to have that feeling which occurs when you have done a good delivery ?
In the Lachlan Tighe Coaching Video series (2018) found on Youtube Coach Tighe defines the exercise by saying "By the time the bowl has gone 7 meters, they (the bowler) must Nominate where the bowl will finish", He then explains the reason for this exercise is to help the participants "to be in touch with their body". As I explain in this blog, to have a feeling of your delivery and maybe your mistakes and success.
In this same principle of practice, bowl your bowl up the green but without a jack, Repeat it several times to get a nice grouping of your four bowls but the exercise is to search for that feeling which indicates you did a good delivery. Like with the above exercise of Lachlan Tighe video; announce your bowl placement immediately based upon your feeling of how good your bowl was. Remember, unless you seek to feel that feeling it is not easily to find or feel. This is the purpose of this exercise, Feel the feeling of a good delivery or what was done wrong. (feel the lost of balance or the little grip slip.
I have seen and explained in an earlier blog how the subconscious mind was able to detect a shot error of 2 mm off target at a distance of 8 meters. In "Muscle Memory Managing" May 2019 I was recalling a coaching I was doing in 2010 0r 2011 with an International Petanque player who was practicing. He thought he has seen the jack (in petanque it is about 1 inch large) being hit and fly off to the left and we went there to find the hit jack. However I had the jack in my hand because I had removed it from its hiding place behind the bowl. The exercise was for Alex to pass the ball in front and hit the jack but while Alex was returning to the shooting circle, I had removed it. But he did not know this and continued his exercise. His subconscious mind knowing his shot was good but that he had missed by a small 2 mm off center in his shot; actually created an image in Alex's visual feedback of the jack flying to the left as would have normally happen with that missing the center of the jack.
Some questions to think about and the feeling of Jack distance.
Does the players in the head influence how we see or feel the Jack distance?. (I sometimes stay on the bank with a long jack because the player thinks the jack is closer and less chance to be too heavy and in the ditch). A tall person in the head make the jack seem closer as distance is calculate by size of objects.
Looking up the green towards the Jack we have an open field behind the fence at that end of the green. How does this change your evaluation of the jack distance ? With the big clubhouse behind the jack we find we are often to heavy think the jack is closer..
 |
| Instinctive Baseball Throw |
A state of mind where you are "Void" of thoughts, and this void allow the body to perform, without though, the actions and even decisions of how much weight is needed to draw to the Jack.
Much has changed in this mental aspect of sport performance and the book "The Inner Athlete" written in 1976 on this subject by Robert M. Nideffer (Phd) with the topic of "Mind Plus Muscle for Winning". The ideas are the same but over time changes. Saw a book last week of "Zen and your Sport".
 |
| The Inter Athlete (1967) |
Pre-visualization was then "Mental Rehearsal" and the basketball player would see in his mind doing his basket shot and after the "Mental Rehearsal"; he came to the line to without effort made the shot. So, why not ? It had already been done 20 times in his mind. I use the term Pre-visualization because this thinking and seeing your bowl rolling up the green; is done before you actually do the delivery of your shot.
Also Mental Rehearsal was a term use for a method of an athlete studing his game after it had been completed. Some player can recalls each point won or lost and analysis what could have been done differently in the game strategy; while others can not remember. (another topic)
Earlier, I suggested training the mind to measure the distance by counting the jack throw until it stopped. This is an exercise of Visualization and teaching the mind the feeling of the jack distance from seeing it roll. The mind see the action but does not collect information unless it is instructed. Afterward it will have the feeling and alway compare the information to previous collected information.
Also before delivery of your bowl try a is mentally seeing your bowl roll up the green to the jack. It is quick and a couple times before you delivered your bowl will not seem to affect you delivery. Like the Blind Bowler who can not watch his bowl roll to the jack. In his mind and knowing the time it takes for the bolw to roll to that jack distance; he visualize seeing the bowl roll to the head. (especially if he was previously a visual lawn bowler and had this visual experience before he lost his sight).
Earlier I suggested that the bowler after rolling the jack and his bowl within 30 seconds. Here we are replacing the mental Pre-visualization with an actual roll of the jack. Try this exercise. Go out to the green and roll the jack, while counting its distance during the roll and announce from the roll; the jack's final distance in number of meters. After several times rolling and counting the jack; ask a fellow bowler to assist you and like the blind bowler, after releasing the jack close your eyes as counting the jack roll. You helper will tell you "now" when the jack has stopped and before opening your eyes you tell them the jack distance in number of meters. This exercise is training the mind and memory.
How precise are you ?. Over a short time you only need to count a few numbers and the mind will compare the jack speed and you can actually tell where the jack will stopped. In the beginning of developing this mental skill or ability it will requires you count always count but eventually you can close your eyes and feel the distance of the jack.
 |
| Rebecca Van Asch in the zone |
One of the good things of streaming is the close-up view of bowlers. In the photo on the left Rebecca Van Asch for a moment is in the zone during a jack delivery. Becky has the habit of always keeping her eye on the bowl or jack but in the photo she is in her "Zone". Watch her bowl delivery and you will frequently see this microsecond moment and empty expression.
At this point in the jack roll, the instruction of how far the jack is to be send has already been decided and given to the subconscious mind. Now, being in the Zone it is just to let the mind to do what it know how to do. Using muscle memory and a the mental pre-delivery instruction, the subconscious mind now combines everything to perform and give the expected result. But also immediately after the release of the jack or bowl the player can feel the "Subconscious feeling" of satification on what has been done and even before we see the result.
This feeling of distance, can be said to be just that awareness of jack distance from seeing over the years several thousand incidents of the bowl rolling to the jack and feeling the duration of time that the rolls needs for that distance of the jack.
To be in the zone and your mind in a void of emptiness is hard to do. But in the delivery of Chloe Stewart we see a trick which allow the player to find or be in the Zone.
 |
| A Zone getting Trick Chloe Stewart of Australia |
This visualization also help in times of mental instability. Being upset for something is not an international athletics regular problem but some people get upset regularly during a game. Mathew, a young club member, mention in a earlier 2015 blog used visualization to relax himself and return to concentration on his game by visualizing the image of the tree at the end of the home club green and the sunset behind it which was a regular early evening beauty that most of us club member knew. Use your mind more and more to help you perform that perfect Delivery to the jack or a spot you want to leave the bowl.
The next step is being able to feel your delivery as being well done. When doing a relax delivery and reaching your "In the Zone period" you also have a positive feeling of success which only gets better and better. While practicing without a jack, try to have that feeling which occurs when you have done a good delivery ?
 |
| Tighe Bowls Video Nominate your bowl ressults. |
In the Lachlan Tighe Coaching Video series (2018) found on Youtube Coach Tighe defines the exercise by saying "By the time the bowl has gone 7 meters, they (the bowler) must Nominate where the bowl will finish", He then explains the reason for this exercise is to help the participants "to be in touch with their body". As I explain in this blog, to have a feeling of your delivery and maybe your mistakes and success.
In this same principle of practice, bowl your bowl up the green but without a jack, Repeat it several times to get a nice grouping of your four bowls but the exercise is to search for that feeling which indicates you did a good delivery. Like with the above exercise of Lachlan Tighe video; announce your bowl placement immediately based upon your feeling of how good your bowl was. Remember, unless you seek to feel that feeling it is not easily to find or feel. This is the purpose of this exercise, Feel the feeling of a good delivery or what was done wrong. (feel the lost of balance or the little grip slip.
I have seen and explained in an earlier blog how the subconscious mind was able to detect a shot error of 2 mm off target at a distance of 8 meters. In "Muscle Memory Managing" May 2019 I was recalling a coaching I was doing in 2010 0r 2011 with an International Petanque player who was practicing. He thought he has seen the jack (in petanque it is about 1 inch large) being hit and fly off to the left and we went there to find the hit jack. However I had the jack in my hand because I had removed it from its hiding place behind the bowl. The exercise was for Alex to pass the ball in front and hit the jack but while Alex was returning to the shooting circle, I had removed it. But he did not know this and continued his exercise. His subconscious mind knowing his shot was good but that he had missed by a small 2 mm off center in his shot; actually created an image in Alex's visual feedback of the jack flying to the left as would have normally happen with that missing the center of the jack.
Some questions to think about and the feeling of Jack distance.
Does the players in the head influence how we see or feel the Jack distance?. (I sometimes stay on the bank with a long jack because the player thinks the jack is closer and less chance to be too heavy and in the ditch). A tall person in the head make the jack seem closer as distance is calculate by size of objects.
Looking up the green towards the Jack we have an open field behind the fence at that end of the green. How does this change your evaluation of the jack distance ? With the big clubhouse behind the jack we find we are often to heavy think the jack is closer..
These deceptions on how we feel about the Jack distance should be part of our first three or four ends as we are always remind ourselves that the objects we see behind the Jack changes our judgement the distance to the Jack. Eventually in time the subconscious will include this variable in its calculation of where the jack is located.. but the subconscious need to be told or trained to look for these things.
As a conditions of play changes, speak to the subconscious mind telling it "the rain will slow the jack" or "the lifting of the dew has increased speed as the green warms up". Remind the subconscious during the delivery those adjustments that must be made for the changing conditions. Having done this we do a delivery from within the void or Zone.
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