How Can I Improve My Composure When Bowling Under Pressure?

By: bowlingballcom
Publish Date: 10/19/15

How can I improve my composure when bowling under pressure? If this is a question you find yourself asking, then there are some things to consider to help you stay calm when bowling “under the gun.”

The objective is to avoid the highs and lows of emotion when you bowl and adapt an even-keel temperament.

Every bowler becomes emotional now and again. No competitive player likes to perform poorly or worse, lose.

Getting emotional is a human trait. Controlling your emotions is, however, the trick to fighting the urges of losing your temper and then making a succession on poor shots hurting your competitive chances at winning.

Avoiding as much physical tension as possible or sudden rushes of adrenaline improves your chances in making good shots over the period of time needed to be successful in each given event you bowl.

When you suddenly tense up, your arm and leg muscles strain and your freedom of movement is restricted. The pace of your arm swing and steps will change.

You may find your neck and shoulders tighten from a surge of anger or emotion which, in turn, may adversely affect the freedom of your swing.

Relaxation is one key to making good decisions and thinking well during competition. Every competitive bowler faces decisions to make during the course of any event.

When you do not relax, your reasoning powers suffer.

If you find yourself very angry or “frosted’ after getting ‘rapped’, as example, walk it off before grabbing your ball and making a careless shot.

A common mistake is to miss the pocket when you have been lined up previously because you lost your cool.

Anger is not the only emotion which can throw off your game. Getting overly excited is another.

If you can maintain and even disposition physically throughout your competition, you stand a good chance at performing well.

Seeking to develop a steady rhythm with your bowling motion over the course of your event is the objective.

Don’t get too far ahead of yourself if you are stringing strikes, as another example, but rather focus on one good shot at a time.



You know going into an important league match or into a tournament that during the course of the battle, you will encounter a few high points and low points.

Getting “rapped” is a common reason you might become emotional but if you know in advance “raps” are coming and are part of the game, you can avoid emotional surges of energy and just move on to the next shot.

Everyone gets “rapped.” Every bowler in your tournament will get an occasional poor ball reaction causing an open frame or two, and everyone will get their fair shares of good breaks too.

If you know these things going in to your competition, it will help you to ride and even level of energy and avoid any over-reacting to unwanted breaks.

Focus on the components of scoring and the little things it takes to win.

Think about making repeated good shots and stay in the moment.

Whether you like it or not, containing emotions while you are in competition gives you the best chances at winning.