Pin Perspectives: Improving Your Focus

Greetings, BTM readers! If you are reading these words, you already know that our sport demands skill and that those skills require time and effort to develop. But let’s consider the following scenario:

• One bowler possesses a great deal of bowling knowledge and skill but lacks consistent mental focus and discipline.
• Another bowler doesn’t possess the same level of skill and knowledge but has immovable confidence and focus.

Who do you think will win in a head-to-head match? We can agree that, ideally, a bowler must strive toward both a strong physical and mental game, but I think we can also say that without the latter, the former is insufficient.

Let’s talk about how we can practice our mental game so that we can truly be strong on both fronts.

Gaining focus

The primary mental game skill a bowler needs is focus. A bowler needs to focus before their turn to bowl, while they are preparing to begin their approach, during the approach, after they have released the ball, and between shots. These five focus touchpoints can be isolated for mental game practice, just as bowlers will use different drills to isolate different movements in the physical game.

How would you feel if I said that you can easily isolate these five points and practice them in the comfort of your own home, without a ball, and without paying a penny? You can, and I’ve done it. Here are some ways to practice your focus at each of the five focus touchpoints.

Touchpoint #1: You’re up next!

Total time needed: 15 minutes

Frequency of drill: Three to four times weekly

1) Set a timer for four minutes. You’re trying to approximate the time it usually takes for the bowler before you to complete their frame from start to finish.

2) Sit in a chair, mimicking what you typically do while waiting for your turn to bowl, and visualize the different components. This might mean listening to music, chatting ...