Your online lawn bowls resource presented by

LAWN BOWLS INTRODUCTION: An Analysis of the Acquisition is very much to the forefront of learning in lawn bowls and in this article we focus on the cognitive phase such as the perception of the learning process, the associative phase pertaining to or resulting from the skill association and the autonomous phase which is the process or act of automating the performance skill within the subconscious mind. This also includes; what should be learnt, the consideration of some key factors which affect skill acquisition, and the consolidation of training which coaches and bowlers should make in structuring the practice environment in order to optimize skill acquisition.

Interpretation: In this article the interpretation of the words are as follows;

• Phases; This being any of the appearances or aspects in which a thing of varying modes or conditions that manifest itself to the eye and mind of the bowler.
• Acquisition; The act of acquiring or gaining possession of the skill,
• Stages: A single step or degree in the process or a particular period in the process of development,

PHASES OF ACQUISITION: Although the passage from being a novice bowler through to being an expert performer seems a long and arguably a continuous one, most learner bowlers pass through at least three identifiable phases of acquisition in acquiring bowling skills. These are cognitive, associative and autonomous phases and are as follows;

1. Cognitive Phase: In the cognitive phase of learning the performer is preoccupied with trying to determine and understand the demands of new bowling skills. This occupies most of the learner’s processing capacity. In general terms issues which dominate are how do we score points in this game, what is the best way to hold the bowl, how do we control the alignment and length, where should we be positioned on the green relative to our team mates and what are the bounds of the rink etc. The movement skills which are to be developed are sometimes difficult for some bowlers particularly when they physically and mentally match old movement patterns that exist from their other skills. Improvements in performance at this stage tend to be quite rapid but performance levels fluctuate substantially and movement execution is extremely inconsistent and the perceptual and decision making aspects of the performance skills are both slow and error ridden. It should be noted that progress is enhanced when the coach introduces them to play in social games with other advanced bowlers.

2. Associative Phase: This is the phase where most bowlers make that decision whether to remain social bowler’s or become highly motivated to learn more about the skills. It is the phase where bowlers realize that to be successful in bowls they must focus more of their attention upon fine-tuning of the execution of the movement skill so that the task they are performing are more precise and consistently met. Bowlers at this intermediate and lengthy stage of learning, learn more precisely the rules and relationships which govern successful performance in bowls. This knowledge allows them to be more accurate in their production of particular movement patterns e.g. a factor which leads to success in this closed skill tasks which are performed in bowling environments which are highly predictable and where the performer can plan what to do and how to do it in advance, without the time stress that is associated with open skills. At this stage of learning, task-specific practice is the most powerful means of improving performance, coaches should introduce progressive increases in the complexity of the practice situation at this point in skill acquisition so as to give the bowler the opportunity to become familiar with the perceptual and decision making demands specific to their particular environment e.g. tactically preset heads that require the bowler to play certain types of shots. How the practice environment should be precisely structured for optimal skill acquisition depends largely on whether the bowling skill involves primarily skills which require practice conditions in which the perceptual and decision making demands are high and emphasis is placed on the development and adaptability which emphasizes the development of consistency, both in movement patterns used and in the outcomes achieved. These skill outcomes and cues are segmented as follows;

An acquisition analysis of the segments in the associative phase: Throughout the delivery; this acquisition analysis of the segments in the associative phase is imperative to what bowlers must learn and process throughout the entire skill performance. This also illustrates these output cues and processing stages which are interconnected as follows;

• Eye control: Training the eye muscles to extend focus time on the aiming point so that throughout the entire delivery it stabilizes the alignment, length, internal and external senses, sense of balance and the mental output, (see the paragraph: Attuning the eyes below),
• Alignment: This relates to the precise eye, hand and aiming point alignment in the follow-through action which steers the body postured position towards the aiming point,
•  Length: This relates to static eye control on the aiming point, and the coordination of breathing, balance, timing and power source,
• Balance: This relates to the controlling elements of balance which are the fixation of the eyes on the aiming point and the coordination of breathing with the pendulum swing,
• Power source:  this relates to the forward movement of the body e.g. the simultaneous movement of the forward step, bending forward from the hips and the speed of the pendulum arm swing (e.g. same speed back same speed forward),
• Breathing: This relates to regulating the breathing so that the lungs inhale with the backswing and exhale with the forward swing of the delivery arm. Exhaling adds to the bowler’s balance and the power source by simultaneously deflating the lungs and relaxing the stomach muscles, which in turn takes pressure of the spine and allows the mid part of the body to freely bend forward, 
• Sense of feeling: This relates to the sense of touch in the timing, coordination and the power source. It also refers to the biomechanics that should support with ease and comfort the movement of the upper body, arms and legs in relation to the flexion of muscles, tendons and joints,
• Sensory: this is the practice of using positive words in speech, statements and internal thoughts.
• Timing: This relates to the speed of the pendulum arm swing to propel the jack or bowl to the required length along the green. The key to it is no matter what speed is required the pendulum action of the arm at that speed is the same speed back and same speed forward,
• Communication: This relates to briefings and debriefings and the use of hand signals.
• Tactics: This is the art or science of disposing of the opposition in competition by maneuvering them to a plan or procedure for achieving a desired winning end. It is the art of building the head, detecting the oppositions strengths and weaknesses, deception and entrapment, the expertise of defense, attack and recovery, combined with the precision and use of the draw shot, on-shots, running shot and drive.

Note: With consistent practice many of the above outputs will gradually go into automation which is unconscious competence.

3. Autonomous Phase: After extensive practice normally over a period within one or two years, some but not all, bowlers enter the autonomous phase of learning. It is a phase where the performance of the required motor skills becomes largely automatic and independent of the normal attention demands which accompany motor performance. At this stage of learning, control of movement becomes precise consistent and accurate.

The Skill: Skill is usually distinguished from ability or talent which is linked more specifically to the potential for skilled performance as delimited by the bowler’s genetic make-up. A large range of criteria has been used to describe skilled performance and the skilled performer. Examples of these are drawn from both the lay observer and the motor behavior literature as follows;

The skilled performance: The skilled performance is a complex, intentional action involving a whole chain of sensory, central and body motor mechanisms which through the process of learning have come to be organized and coordinated in such a way as to achieve predetermined objectives with maximum certainty.

The skilled performer: The skilled performer is the one who;

• Selects responses which are highly appropriate to environmental demands e.g. alignment, length, balance, thought, sensory and respiratory control etc, etc,
• Has all the time in the world, Reacts rapidly but in an unhurried manner,
• Produces movements which are smooth, precise and highly efficient,
• Is extremely well organized,
• Makes responses identical to those of the ideal model of performance,
• Makes highly consistent responses yet adapts to meet novel demands,
• Responds in a way which fulfils the objective of the task.

Processing stages: To understand how a the brain functions we cannot simply look at the output it produces, rather we must understand what has occurred within the internal and external senses beforehand, especially with respect to the information processing that has taken place within it. The same is equally true of trying to understand skilled movement. Movement does not simply occur as a consequence of spontaneous unplanned muscular activity but rather the end product of a long series of preceding information processing stages which is called Nero-Linguistic Programming (NLP). These stages are not directly observable, they involve covert information processing in the brain and central nervous system, but they are nevertheless critical to skilled performance. There are at least three key processing stages involved in the combined production of the senses and skilled movement that we need to consider. These acquisition stages, in the sequence they might be expected to occur are;

• Perception: the senses determining what’s happening,
• Decision making: NLP determining what needs to be done,
• Movement execution: the precision of the skill producing the required action.

An acquisition analysis of the senses in the autonomous phase: Throughout the delivery, this acquisition analysis of the senses in the autonomous phase is what bowler’s must learn and process in the follow-through action of eye, hand and aiming point alignment. This also illustrates these NLP output cues and processing stages which are also interconnected as follows;

• Visual: (Sight); this relates to what is perceptible by the sight e.g. the fixation of the eyes are angled inwards towards the aiming point to control concentration on the hand and aiming point alignment. It is imperative that concentration is maintained on the alignment process which ultimately controls other senses as follows;
• Auditory: (Hearing); this relates to; pertaining to hearing, to the senses of hearing or to the organs of hearing e.g. all sounds of hearing are blocked out,
• Kinaesthetic: (External feelings); this relates to the sensation of movement or strain in muscles, tendons joints e.g. all senses of touch, relating to coordination, timing, length, balance and respiratory becomes automatic. Meaning you are oblivious to the surroundings and all you are aware of is the eye, hand aiming point alignment.
• Kinaesthetic: (Internal feelings); this relates to being emotionally affected e.g. all emotional feelings are blocked out,
• Olfactory: (Smell); all odors of smell are blocked out,
• Gustatory: (Taste); this relates to the faculty of taste e.g. the flavor or qualities of food are blocked out,
• Mental: (Thought); the product of mental activity is confined to the culminating point of eye, hand and aiming point alignment throughout the entire delivery action.

Application: This above example of NLP application applies to many sports but the sensory cues will change to suit the particular type of sport and the various techniques used e.g. golf, cricket, rugby football, soccer, darts etc.

Recognizing autonomous experiences: This is the state of recognizing when you are in the autonomous phase e.g. the passage from one phase to another. It can be brief or a sudden modulation serving as a connecting link between two or more important passages or cues. Most bowlers will experience part transitions in the associative phase during training or in a game performance when whatever they do is successful, their alignment and length is automatic, but they will have no recollection of how it is occurring because it is controlled automatically in the subconscious mind. Bowlers should be emphatic in their own mind to reach this autonomous phase of learning, because automation remains an impregnable ingredient lingering to emerge into the bowler’s performance this will only occur if training is ongoing and a continued intensive practice. It is therefore logical to use practice drills with attention demands and difficulties greater than those provided within the game itself as a means of stimulating the bowler to reach even greater levels of automaticity. Such approaches to training appear to be rarely used in lawn bowls coaching and it must be realized, by one and all, that the introduction to such a challenge and stimulus is necessary to further enhance the bowler’s exceptional skill development.

POOR PERFORMANCE: It is clear, however, from previous discussion, that error in any one of the three processing stages, perception, decision making or movement execution, could have been the cause of poor performance which may be observed. In this case, for example, the bowler’s poor performance could have been due to;

A perceptual error; Attending to inappropriate cues e.g. listening to the talk of the opposing team rather than visually attending to the eye, hand and aiming point alignment psychologically allowing your emotions to take over e.g. fear, anger, apprehension etc.

A decision making error; Electing to play a certain type of shot when it was unnecessary, under or over-estimating the angle width or length of delivery e.g. delivering a narrow or wide bowl or the length is long or short of the head or target, Failing to secure the head by not placing a defensive back-wood, Failing to play the attacking shot when required, Failing to play a recover shot when required e.g. draw shot, on-shots, running or drive shot.

A movement execution error;

• The muscles failing to respond with the force and speed of the required backswing due to fatigue e.g. lack of mental, game and physical fitness,
• Failing to look to, step to and swing towards the aiming point,
• Failing to control eye movement,
• Failing to coordinate the simultaneous movement of the forward step, bending forward and the backswing, e.g. no power in the delivery action,
• Poor timing of the back and forward arm swing of the pendulum action e.g. it must be the same speed back same speed forward,
• When using the parallel delivery method, failing to maintain the body parallel to the aiming line or aiming point,
• When using the gyrostatic delivery method, failing to maintain the eye, hand and aiming point alignment.

Note: When using a combination of both the parallel and the gyrostatic method it may at times affect the processing stages as stated above e.g. delivery length, alignment, coordination, timing, balance, mental and respiratory control.

OFF GREEN ALIGNMENT EXERCISES: A logical starting point for trying to enhance the perceptual skills of any bowler is to first have their eyes tested to ensure they have no uncorrected visual defects. Major defects detected may be usually corrected through the wearing of prescription spectacles. Correction of this nature too bring vision up to normal levels are likely to bring corresponding improvements in performance. Bowlers may enhance their visual performance by attuning the eyes to the follow-through action through a simple training exercise program which is as follows;

Attuning the eyes: To maintain high performance alignment in the follow-through action; the eye muscles need to be strengthened to allow the eyes to maintain pin-point focusing on the aiming point. Whether we are aware of it or not; under normal conditions when we view things our eyes are constantly moving parallel in all directions e.g. right, left, up, down and around and around, when we think of things our eyes will move in certain parallel directions. When we use our peripheral vision our eyes are positioned parallel to the line of sight but when we concentrate on an aiming point the eyes focus inwards to an apex line of sight. The problem for most bowlers is that our eyes are atoned to a very high percentage of parallel flexible movement and are inclined not to stay on one point for longer period of time. So in order to extend this time longer we suggest a training eye exercises that will strengthen the eye muscles for that purpose as follows;

• Sit down in a comfortable lounge chair and relax the whole body,
• Focus the eyes on a particular fixed point e.g. the corner where the two walls and sealing meet or a small object that you can focus on these being no closer than 5 meters and no further than 7 meters,
• Stare as long as you can and when you feel your eye muscles quiver look away for a few seconds then repeat the procedure again. Practice this procedure for about three minutes each time and then rest the eyes. If this exercise is practiced about five times and spread throughout the day, over the coming weeks you will discover that your focusing periods and mental concentration will become longer and longer.

“Remember excellence is in the eyes of the beholder”