Practice is much more than the 10-15 min that you get before the start of your league session. From the 120 to the 220 average bowler, we all can still learn something new; from understanding the technology of new bowling balls, ball motion to even getting that first ball and shoes. As I said before practice is for ALL bowlers. This week we will talk about the What, When & Why of practice.
What is Practice? By the definition it is “repeated performance or systematic exercise for the purpose of acquiring skill or proficiency”. So what does that mean to us? Many of us have heard coaches or fellow league bowlers talking about muscle memory. Looking at the definition that would be a repeated performance or systematic exercise. Is the 10-15 min you get at the beginning of a league session all the practice that we need? As a bowler you have 10-15 minutes to “get loose” and “find the shot,” for some centers this maybe tougher than others. These 10-15 minutes are even more critical when competing in a center you have never been in before.
When can you practice? Visiting a new center before you are wanting to bowl is a good idea so that you have an idea of the open play times and costs. What to look for during the practice session. I would first see if there is a Pro Shop in the center and go talk to them and ask question about the shot. Most to all Pro Shops offer lessons, and who better to help you but a Pro at the center you are bowling at. Take advantage of a quick 30 min lesson although you may need to book in advance since they are in the shop waiting for customers too.
Why practice at all? I love the quote “You will only get out of something what you put in” If you are just starting out and have a low average it is okay; with practice and a good coach you will start to see less gutter balls and more strikes and that will give a great boost of confidence. For the Above 180…pardon the pun group, strikes come and go sometimes spares become harder than they need to be. Check around your local area and see if there is a center that puts out tougher shots and go out there and bowl on them. It will make the house shots look much easier but will have you excel as a bowler when you get on tougher shots.
I would really like to say thank you to Coach Jordan Nassberg and the Arizona State Bowling team for letting me bowl in their weekly ASU Experience tournament. In short they run a 5 gamer and each pair has a different shot on it. The “experience” part of the format is you practice on a house shot 30 min before you got to the assigned lanes. Once you have your lane there is NO practice and you go right into the event. I would like to say that I did ok for my 1st event and left that night learning something about my game…..I need to learn to play Paris better 🙂 The 5 shots that were laid out was Dead Man’s Curve, Paris, Winding Road, Haugen and Nassberg.
Get out there and PRACTICE!!!!!!
Brian Hirsch grew up in Bronx, New York. After moving to Arizona and seeing bowling on TV there was something about it that brought him to the lanes that next Saturday and to this day the PASSION for the sport is still there!!!! Off the lanes you’ll find Brian cheering on the New York Yankees at every chance he can! When not working, Brian can be found Coaching, working at Bowling with LEVERAGE Pro Shops and spreading the word about Bowling, Brian is a proud member of the MOTIV, Turbo and High 5 Gear Staff. Please follow me on Twitter @Onefrombills
