Mental Game Keys

The mental game has been made into this mystical thing, but at it’s core it is very simple. Don’t get me wrong, having a great mental game takes a lot of work, discipline and buy in to make it work. Let’s look at some of the keys to a strong mental game.

The first key to the mental game is understanding the difference between practice and play. In the chart below, practice is on the left side of the chart and play is on the right side, with a BIG red line in between.  This is to remind you that you can never practice at any time when you’re bowling for score.  These are two TOTALLY DIFFERENT things.

The Practice Mindset

In practice, you are using your conscious mind to direct what you are doing.  Practice is the process of creating new neural pathways in the mind to change your game.  You must consciously be highly focused and work on ONE thing for a stretch of 15 minutes.  This will optimize your mind’s ability to program those new pathways to make a change.

The Play Mindset

Play is not practice – it’s go time!  Think of play mode as your reward for all the time you put into practicing!  Here your sub-conscious mind is reacting and you are using what you have already learned.  The sub-conscious has to take over the space in your mind in order for you to perform at an optimal level. This means that you must be fully present in order to perform, and that your mind must be CLEAR OF ANY THOUGHTS!  Another way to say this is:

“If you’re thinkin’ you’re stinkin’”

Your job in this moment is to get up on the approach, go through your pre-shot routine, and go. You are a ball throwing machine at this point.  There is no last shot, next shot, or outcome.  There is only the process of letting your mind and body do what they have already been trained to do.  In other words:

“Shut up and bowl!”

Note that in play mode, at the bottom is one word – autopilot.  In play mode you are in autopilot, letting your subconscious mind do what it has been trained to do.  You mind starts and ends the swing clear of thoughts.  So, before you start the swing, you must be clear of any thoughts.  You must maintain this until you release the ball. In short, your only focus in play is on your mental game and lane play. Let your physical game take care of itself – your subconscious will make adjustments as needed.

Once you release the ball, your job is to gather information by watching the ball go down the lane.  This must continue until the ball is off the pin deck.

This is what the mental game is all about!  Stay tuned for my next article where I discuss how to practice a great mental game!