‘Talking Tactically’

with Lachlan Tighe..... 

(a weekly edition, commenced 12/9/2001, of thoughts, observations and commentaries on developments for bowls coaching and competition)

‘The conditioning within bowls’

(edition 123  - 2004 of thoughts & observations on lawn bowls)

When I started bowling the ‘old gurus’ used to say to all us naïve bods to only count your bad bowls (pity I did not have a calculator or an abacus).

At the time I thought this to be a bit of a negative approach, but kept my silence so as to learn the right way to play.  However this (negative) approach was conditioned into all newcomers (without question).

Similarly any coaching provided to me, and other ‘would be hot shots’, emphasized only our faults (technique) and quickly so – again more of that negative conditioning.

Never, ever, was there a thought to tell us what we did well, or, let us fling a few bowls down to see if we could (self) correct.  

And spare me if ever it was thought that meant to fling a few (hundred) bowls under the direct supervision of the coach.

Now with that level of game preparation, not surprisingly like all competitors there were / are times when I have choked in competition.  This happens at a time when we least want or need it to happen as much because we have not trained for it.  Hence my comment above re the introductory approach / experience into bowls.

Don’t get too concerned as even Tiger Woods acknowledges his choking on occasion.  It is part of being human and mistake prone.

Now let’s learn from modern approaches to sport and dispense with that ‘old school conditioning’ I and every other bowler experienced and introduce mental conditioning at training.

This should be one of the first new phases of program introduced by these new national coaches and their bevy of support staff because these skills training can assist elite and future bowlers in these ways

-          thinking positive thoughts on the mat every delivery in training and events
-          practicing to think clearly
-          practice to experiment with various decision making situations
-          importance of stretching, laughing
-          set up the ‘impossible shot’ and train to reduce the proportion of pressure it may have exposed
-          practice to tune out mentally in training (that is meant to be a reduction of intensity of focus, not total tune out)
-          improve your sensory awareness, e.g. hear and feel your breathing at training
-          train for a strong consistent pre delivery routine
-          talk and visualise every shot you do ( training and competition)
-          record your delivery skill rating
-          know your current skill performance
-          train to have a mental rehearsal, consistently
-          on sunny days your club has windows and shadows, use them to ‘see yourself’ deliver as others see you
-          I often say kids play games when we should train for games, however remember kids have fun so do not reject that approach in your training
-          Train for the intended game plan for the next prime event in your own calendar (what was that, you don’t have one, well …….stop reading this now as you do not need any of this material as it is a waste for you)
-          And train to simulate the future game
-          Do not focus on game results in training, use the session to experiment and work on process and these other skills (tactical and mental).

This list of ideas is the emphasis I place on training elite players as it is above the average, and also, above the shoulders, where the skill training is noticeably absent in all levels within bowls.  

Until coaches (or in their absence elite players) either learn some training skills, or, seek out external professionals to assist in mental and tactical skill training, we in this our sport of bowls are never going to be in the same league of elite akin to other sports.

Lachlan Tighe

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