Home Videos Downloads Training Teams
Training Material

Pressure

Bowling in pressure situationsPressure can only come from within, if you allow yourself to be intimidated by a particular situation (e.g. the 10-pin spare, bowling in front of a crowd, playing anchor position and your team needs a strike on the last ball to win).

Each person is different and feels pressure in different ways - you have to identify your own 'weak points', admit them (rather than deny them) so that you can address them. Consider them easy ways (you probably already know them!) to improve your game.

Revised July 31st 2000

What if you had to bowl in these situations?

  • Could you handle the pressure?
  • Can you visualise the situation before you get there?
 
  Picture of Steve Thornton (England) bowling in the AMF Tenpin Masters Picture of Jesmine Ho (Singapore) bowling in the live television finals of the Asian Bowling Tour (Malaysia, 2000)  
Arena Bowling Bowling in Live TV Finals  
       

Methods of dealing with pressure are listed below...

  • Experience, the more you encounter your pressure situation the less fear it holds for you. You can practise the ten-pin until it is second nature. Recall your first time playing for your team, you may have been very nervous, the next time, though, you will feel more at ease. Anticipate your next competitive event and visualise yourself coping successfullly with that event prior to it happenning.
  • Routines, have a set way of preparing for each shot: pick up the ball a certain way, clean it a certain way, stand on the approach a certain way, have a personal affirmation you say to yourself - and do this routine the same way, every time. Do it in competition and it can feel as comfortable as a practise situation: you are changing to an 'internal' focus (just like a self-hypnosis script) and removing external distractions.
  • Refocusing, this is a skill which needs to be practised. In leagues develop your awareness of your alter-ego, the little voice in your head which runs you down, the negative thoughts that help induce pressure. You needs to stop the negative thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts. This 'thought-stopping' process is vital: not only do you stop the bad thoughts but introduce prepared positive affirmations (again, this is just like self-hypnosis relaxation scripts) to assume control of the situation.

If you suffer from pressure incorporate this as part of your goals. Consider also this article, which visibly illustrates the Affirmation that "everybody can have a bad game".

 

Finally remember that 'nerves' are a good thing: you are in a competitive event and there will be a winner and a loser. If you have no nerves you are too comfortable and need to psych-up. All actors and musicians relate to the nervousness before performing. Nerves are a natural part of the bodies self-preservation instincts. Of course, feeling too nervous that you cannot peform is no good, so you will need relaxation techniques in those situations.

Revised July 21st 2000

Top Home NITBF Teams Video

Contact Information