Twenty years ago, one of my best bowling attributes was that I could focus on each shot. I don’t know if I would ever throw a shot without knowing exactly what I wanted to do and was committed to my decision. My target areas were always at least as small as a board.

Today I often find myself not really focusing on a particular target. I have a board in mind but I have a harder time centering my mind on it. I believe this has caused me to miss some spares that I don’t normally miss and some strike balls go wayward.

Maybe I’ve already become a Sawbone’s flinger and didn’t know it.

I have tried the last few weeks to regain a lot of that focus and it has helped but I’m still struggling with it. Man this Alzheimer’s is a bear that is when I remember that I have it.

I can look at my target and still not be focused on what I doing.  Just looking at a target will not, by itself, get you focused on what you are doing.  There is a lot more to it that just hitting a target on the lane.  Let's say I'm playing 10 at the arrows.  I can use that target for any number of lines, but dows that mean I'm focused  not really.  I can hit the target and put the ball in the gutter, not really focused is it

Bob - While none of them have been severe I haven’t been as fortunate in the injury category.

I’m on the large side built like a fullback. I’m 6 foot and go 240 right now. I have 28 inch thigh’s, 18 inch biceps, 50 inch chest, and 19 inch neck. Played a lot of sports thru the years. In high school lettered in football, wrestling, and track. Played a year of small college football. Played fast pitch softball (25 years ago), slow pitch softball, tennis, volleyball, baseball and basketball all until about 6 years ago now. Still play golf and bowl and work out at the gym 5 days a week.

I’ve had some tendonitis in my elbow the last few years and my wrist had some problems. I may have a touch of Carpal tunnel having typed all these years. I have a couple of herniated disk in the lumbar region of my back but my stretching and exercise has kept my back from  bothering me much in recent years.

The worst is my shoulder. I was never terribly flexible but about 25 years ago I was involved in a motorcycle wreck that tore my right shoulder up and I’ve had a rotator cuff problem as well. Because of this my back swing has always been pretty short but I made up with it with strong legs and upper body strength. But the shoulder keeps getting stiffer despite my stretching and the legs are starting to go a little and I’ve lost ball speed the last few years. While it is still serviceable (probably 17 in the heads) it has become more of an issue during later shifts.

I had to laugh the other day when ksucat mentioned that his father in laws back swing wouldn’t go past his butt…. But mine would be much better (and we bowled in the same league long enough ksucat knows it true).

I took the summer off  (from bowling not golf ) for the first time in about 20 years and most of the pain is now gone. I haven’t practice much for a couple of reasons. 1) Was fear of injury on the elbow/wrist again 2) My old house closed down and really haven’t found a good place to practice since then.

The funny thing is right now I feel the mental side is hurting me more in scoring.