Indoor bowls is a game of precision, requiring a combination of skill, focus, and practice. As a beginner, improving your accuracy, aim, and control will significantly enhance your performance and enjoyment of the game. This article explores each area in detail and provides practical exercises to help you develop these essential skills.
Table of Contents
1. Improving Accuracy
Accuracy is about consistently delivering your bowl to the desired point on the rink. To improve accuracy, you need a steady delivery, proper weight control, and an understanding of your own strengths.
Tips to Improve Accuracy
- Focus on consistency over power. Delivering the bowl at the right speed is often more important than throwing it hard.
- Develop a pre-shot routine to ensure every delivery starts from the same position. I ensure I always stand on the same part of the mat for forehand shots, and another point for backhand shots.
- Practice controlling the weight (speed) of your delivery to suit different situations on the rink.
Exercises to Enhance Accuracy
- Target Practice: Place small objects, such as coins or markers, at various points on the rink. Aim to stop your bowl as close as possible to these targets. Start with short distances and gradually increase the challenge.
- Line Practice: Set up a straight line of cones or markers and practice rolling your bowl along this path. This exercise helps refine your alignment and delivery technique.
2. Enhancing Aim
Aim involves accurately aligning your delivery with the intended line to account for the bowl’s bias. A good aim ensures that the bowl curves as expected toward your target.
Tips to Improve Aim
- Always identify a visual marker or point on the rink (a jack, a marker, or a spot on the mat) to guide your delivery.
- Use the same stance and arm movement for every shot to maintain consistency in your line.
- Adjust your aim based on the bias of the bowl and the conditions of the rink, such as its speed or any imperfections.
Exercises to Improve Aim
- Bias Awareness Drill: Practice delivering your bowl with different levels of bias. Set a target at the end of the rink and experiment with wider and narrower lines to understand how the bowl curves.
- Ghost Jack Exercise: Imagine a second jack placed along your desired line of aim. Focus on delivering the bowl to this “ghost jack” rather than the actual one, training your ability to pick and follow a line.
3. Developing Control
Control refers to the ability to manage both the weight and direction of your delivery. It combines the skills of accuracy and aim while adding the ability to adapt to varying circumstances during a game.
Tips to Improve Control
- Stay relaxed and avoid gripping the bowl too tightly, as this can lead to jerky deliveries.
- Focus on a smooth, pendulum-like motion in your delivery for consistency.
- Learn to adapt your weight and line for different situations, such as delivering a draw shot or a heavier drive.
Exercises to Enhance Control
- Weight Adjustment Drill: Place several jacks at different distances along the rink. Deliver your bowl to each one in turn, focusing on adjusting your weight to reach each target accurately.
- Scenario Simulation: Create game-like situations by placing bowls and jacks on the rink in different positions. Practice delivering bowls to replicate scenarios you might encounter during a match.
Conclusion
Improving accuracy, aim, and control requires dedication and regular practice, but the results are well worth the effort. By refining these three skills, you’ll not only become a more competitive player but also gain greater confidence and enjoyment in the game, thus giving more to your team.
Incorporate the exercises above into your training routine, and don’t be afraid to seek feedback from more experienced players. With time and effort, you’ll see steady progress in your performance on the rink.