A blog which looks at The 5 parts of a Lawn Bowls Delivery Routine where part three, a "Delivery Performance", is expected to be uniquely the physical performance when you step onto the Mat to perform. If the instinctive performance, "Muscle Memory" is your bowl's development level, the other four performance routines; are an interesting link to the actual result and performance of the athlete's bowl roll.
The "Next Level" which the title mentions is a website for Lawn Bowls (Photo / Link below) which the "AI" search found for me. In several of my recent blogs, I suggest the value of AI (Artificial Intelligence) as your computer search for finding that good information on Lawn Bowls Coaching and Self-improvement.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines "Intelligence" as " the ability to learn, understand, and make judgments or have opinions that are based on reason "; and if the Artificial side of the new "AI" surge of popularity is a successful Search of the World Wide Web (www) thenyour chosen is a "AI" Program.
There are a lot of these programs and if you ask the same question a few times, even of the same program, you will be surprise at the number of the difference response that are given. Therefore the "Intelligence" aspect of "AI" must be "YOU" and your "Judgement". We are remained daily, that because it is found on the "Net", does not necessary make it a proven "Truth". Your intelligence, and you having the " opinions that are based on reason " to " understand, and make (the necessary) judgments" as to what information is best to allow to affects your bowls' development.
For esample, I asked Chat GPT a "AI" about "Muscle Memory Void" and the information given was:
"The void of thought you’re describing during muscle‑memory performance is a real, well‑studied cognitive state. The concise answer:
It’s the temporary shutdown of conscious, verbal thinking so your brain can let automated motor programs run without interference. Athletes, musicians, gamers, and even typists experience it."
As a coach I know that no two students which see my instructions in the same manner toward my vision of their development. Below, I will indicate a incident where my choice of words open a door for my fellow bowler. To me, this is the strength of a coach. to introduce a line of thought where the reader or student does not know as a direction toward the search for their increased knowledge. In the same way "AI" is helping me with my choice of a computer website with a better information or expansion of an idea. AI is showing me, as website links, where it found all the information it displays on the requested topic.
The website of "Next Level Lawn Bowls" (Photo above) has a lot of good information for the learning Lawn Bowler reader. Blogs and "Coach's Corners" can then be the next step of information for the more experience athlete. My vocabulary is selective for my students. I teach the unique principle of "Your presence on the Mat is only for the Delivery performance"; and push the thinking that all other "before and after" thoughts of your delivery are left to a "Pre-Mat Routine and or a Post-Mat Routine.
This week was I watched our best provincial player compete for the honor to represent us regular bowlers at this Summer's Atlantic Bowls; a gathering of the best lawn bowlers from Canada's four Atlantic provinces. . In September, for 4 or 5 days of competition they all will gather here in Montreal. After the game, while chatting with one of our besr athele I said.
"Interesting fact. On your first bowl of the game, a Pre-Mat Delivery for a "Jack Touching Shot" and for the next five or six end of play you did a "Quick to the Mat" Delivery." The next night, in the 2nd of these qualification games, as I sat outside the "Fenced Green" watching the game, he left the mat after his first bowl of the third end and crossed the Green's Ditch and benches to say to me through the fence.
"Thank you, for the remainder of my "Pre-Shot Routine" last night". I was so surprise I could only reply "You're Welcome" as he turned and returned to the green and his thoughts on his game. Just my presence behind the screen watching remainded him of our conversation the night before and he remembered the need for his "Pre-ßhot Routine".
I had said "Pre-Mat Delivery" because of teaching new club members for many years; but he heard "Pre-Shot Routine" which he had learned and was using in his game performance. He so comfortable in his performance that he was simply doing "Practice Bowls" rolls and had excluded points of "Performance Controls" which we teach as routines to a perfect delivery.
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| Pre-Mat Routine (1/5) |
Yes, it happens that we just bowl. But a Routine which you build and is part of your " Successful Delivery" is important because it means there is a place for every thought or action that is not your final performance when you step to the "Mat" for your "Delivery".
In the "Next Level" text of instructions, I have shown their suggested actions of performance. However, when passing toward the "Delivery Routine" I have modified the website sequence of events expected of the athlete because "all thoughts and action" before "Muscle Memory" performance must be in the Post-Mat Routine or the Pre-Delivery Routine. The Delivery Routine is only for the instinctive few seconds of actual performance.
Often after a bowl roll we are thinking of what we expected from our performance and what really happen. All these thoughts between that last bowl and your next bowl to be rolled are the "Post-Delivery Routine or the "Post-Mat Routine". Since these thoughts can be positive or negative to the final result of the next bowl roll or for the next several ends of play; there is a lot of psychological repairs being done in these two routines beside decision on the physical performance to come.
Negative "Self-talk", following a bad bowl roll, destroys your confidence and creates feelings of doubt and blame and of course should be avoided before starting your "Pre-Delivery Routine", ( or Pre-Shot Routine). This part of the "Before Mat Performance" clears your mind in preparation for that instinctive performance often called "Muscle Memory". This " Instinctive Bowl roll" was build after many hours of practice. In the sport of Curling (on Youtube videos) the coaches use "Muscle Memory" in their introductory vocabulary and say it will take about 100 hours of good hard practice before you have a proper Muscle Memory Performance.
When you think of performing an action, your conscious mind sees it as an instruction to the muscles required to perform that action. Especially if you are learning a sport. When you walk or jump from foot to foot you don't fall because your subconscious mind is performing without any conscious mind instructions. This is Muscle Memory and an athlete develops the same natural instinctive delivery. But if your mind is occupied with thoughts the instinctive action is destroyed because the conscious mind thinks it has to do something. (example, Cry when you are sad or hurt).
The Pre-Delivery Routines are very hard to prefect because there are so many aspects of emotions; that large clubs of countries like Australia and England have a Sport Psychologist on staff. To learn how to "Reset" after errors or confront doubt or guilt during a game may take years to master and control.
In our sport, which is a "Closed Sport" of you and your performance, everything is you when on the mat. I had a fellow club member who was at a out-of-province competition jump over the fence, run around the park and jump back in before going to the mat for his next bowl. Yes, a bit "Extreme" but that was his way. Extreme emotions and Bowl's Performance don't Mix if you want to reach that elite level of performance.
Rules of Lawn Bowls are for a 'Closed Sport" where the athletes are expected to be strong in psychologic control and a 'Focus" on the performance at 100 percent. If "Muscle Memory" is developed then it's successful performance depends upon a distraction free mind set,
The Delivery. Either developing and done by the Conscious mind controlling the muscles or being "Instinctive" and when the Subconscious mind executes the "Muscle Memory" and return control to the "Conscious Mind" you will feel a moment of empty thought. This void is important because later in development it is the "light of Mindless Performance" exchange which gathers and executes a great delivery.
An interesting fact. It is not a instinctive control of muscles but the collection of information and experiences such as in needed by the muscles to do the wanted performance. Last month, during a game I locked and tore my delivery muscles and being in a competition I changed my delivery to something I had never done. (a 180 side-step arm swing) I did not know what would happen but the shots were good because I had the knowledge of the green speed, the needed weight, the object distance and the subconscious made a perfect shot. (raised a bowl to the opponent's toucher (on the jack) and rolled the jack 4 or 5 inches for my points.
If you do not feel this "Void" of "Muscle Memory" there is a December 2012 blog of "Three Subconscious Mind Exercises" which explain "Muscle Memory" and the feeling. It is a long blog but touches on several sports and explains "Muscle Memory Void" which happens when we return the muscle control to the conscious mind. The blog has a 2014 comment from a reader which reads.
"Do
you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long as I provide
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I had to re-organize the order of "Next's List of actions", because "Muscle Memory" is the mind giving control to the subconscious mind for an instinctive performance, all your thinking must be finish and your word (or image) to Trigger control for the action to start is seen. Often this action is done as your backswing movement is finishing. After Muscle Memory has finished, you will feel that you were not aware of your thoughts; and you see the bowl rolling up the green. This is a "Muscle Memory Void" feeling. Yes, a lot of players do a Muscle Memory delivery but never attempt to feel the "Void".
That feeling is important because as you start your Post-Delivery Routine it is the confirmation that your delivery was correctly finished. If not finished because of a distraction or control of the mind's action was returned to the conscious mind. In a Youtube video, "Tiger Wood " tigers says "Between my swing starting and seeing the ball in flight up the fairway, I have no memory of what happen"
To understand more "Muscle Memory" two very detail blogs were done in April with reference to older blogs. The Cycle of Performance, Golf, Bowls and Petanque 1/2 and The Cycle of Performance, Golf, Bowls and Petanque 2/2 are available. These last two Routine of Delivery, the Post-Delivery (or Post-Shot) and Post-Mat are just all the things to think about as your bowl rolls up the green. After it stops and you step from the mat the information of these two routines are the data and decisions for your delivery and results. It will probably be the information you use to do your next bowl or even your next competition as this data remains in the mind and seldom forgotten. When next you make the same mistake the Subconscious will remind you of that game and your views of it.
The Post-Delivery Routine (or Post-shot) is important because as the bowl leaves your hands and is rolling you can feel all the mistakes you made. Your balance, a bad grip, a distraction, a thought; all are fresh in your mind. If you wait until the bowl stops you are 15 second too late to feel it.
The Post-Mat Routine is leaving the mat and the various thoughts as you analysis the delivery and bowl roll. You may make new decisions or be upset with yourself.
Between now, Post mat thinking after leaving the mat and returning to the Mat for the next bowl Delivery you must find method and time to "Reset". Reset is to regain your calm for the next bowl roll. If you have self-talk it is best to be positive and help you prepare. It is here in this time while the opponent is doing their delivery that many game are lost.
If you can watch the opponent's bowl without it confusing your bowl roll data let the time be occupied with confirmation of what you learned. If there is a bad section of green check and see how it effects your opponent's bowl. If you have tricks like "Walking the Mat" or "Off-Bias Draw" maybe make a decision of how to fix what you saw happen to your bowl. If all is good, then let the joy fill your body as you wait for the opponent to finish and you can repeat the great bowl roll.
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