Review of Mind Body / Pool - hypnosis CD

[ShootingRazbone]

Improvements in an old game like mine are hard to measure but I am dwelling on past successes now rather than the failures. I mean why think that you might miss a shot that you've been making for 50 years? LIne up and shoot it just the way you've done it a thousand times before. I can't measure the improvement after using Mind/Body pool but I just feel better about my game when I go into competition. And it's cheaper than Moori tip. I shoot every day. I listen to the CD every day.


-------------BUY IT! USE IT!-------

Althought the CD is about visualization for the most part you have a great attitude towards the game now. This exactly what PLAYERS do. Positive thinking simply just cannot hurt you in a match or anything else for that matter. I have really tried to do this during a game and its amazing what a lil positive thinking can accomplish.

 

[8up]

If you think you can or think you can't you are right. -Henry Ford

 

[edd]

If you think you can or think you can't you are right. -Henry Ford

A component of being "in the zone" that top athletes refer to, is an element of calm detachment or equanimity. Being relaxed and focused helps bring this about. While it sounds so simplistic, deep breathing helps immeasurably with this. I have two articles on my website on diaphrammatic breathing: www.lawrencekincade.com

 

[ShootingArts]

information dump or pass through

A component of being "in the zone" that top athletes refer to, is an element of calm detachment or equanimity. Being relaxed and focused helps bring this about. While it sounds so simplistic, deep breathing helps immeasurably with this. I have two articles on my website on diaphrammatic breathing: www.lawrencekincade.com

Probably should swap to a different thread to discuss the zone but "the zone" means different things to different people and those threads aren't usually very productive.

Achieving the true zone in pool is rare for me. I have done it, playing for eight or ten hours at a high level and feeling like I had only played a couple hours, but I have been far more successful reaching the zone in activities with a smoother flow or where the entire anticipated activity can be planned in advance.

The highest level of the zone I have found isn't focus at all but seemingly the opposite. As you mention above, focus is beneficial to leading into this zone but many seem to believe that narrow focus is the final goal. In the highest zone I have found senses are heightened and the conscious mind is almost completely off. If an issue comes up the conscious may be triggered to help resolve the issue but other than that it is just a seeming straight pass through from outside stimuli to my unconscious and from unconscious to body. While I have no idea if the 90%-10% number is accurate it does seem to be the consensus that our unconscious mind is far more powerful than our conscious mind. When we don't try to focus and filter with our conscious, just basically do an information dump to our unconscious, great things can happen.

Although a lower level zone, narrow focus, is adequate for some activities which probably include pool when a person is highly skilled, the higher zone is much more effective for things like tennis, hitting a fastball, or driving a race car on a circle track or road course. I did a little circle track driving a long time ago and found that entering the zone was almost guaranteed with the repetitive activity with constant small variations. Aside from driving my line very smoothly this had two very positive results when I had to react to something happening on the track. Faster reflexes because there wasn't the lag time while the conscious mind was trying to make a decision. Much more importantly, the right decisions as to what corrective action to take, if any, were made so fast I wasn't aware of making them. I simply did what needed doing.

I think the zone, hypnosis, mysticism and some of the eastern religious practices are probably all closely associated. I don't know that as a fact, just that there seems to be some similarities between all of them. The zone I seek is expanded awareness of everything around me to best select the things I can use while not being distracted by any of this information pouring in. Using our conscious mind we are overwhelmed by all of this information and either are sidetracked from performing our main task well or totally gridlock and can't focus on anything. Our unconscious can pluck what it needs from all of this incoming information and smoothly shuffle everything else to the side for future consideration.

The above is my purely unprofessional opinion of course. I look at things from a competitor's standpoint. I suspect the professional world might be in some disagreement.

Hu

 

[edd]

Probably should swap to a different thread to discuss the zone but "the zone" means different things to different people and those threads aren't usually very productive.

Achieving the true zone in pool is rare for me. I have done it, playing for eight or ten hours at a high level and feeling like I had only played a couple hours, but I have been far more successful reaching the zone in activities with a smoother flow or where the entire anticipated activity can be planned in advance.

The highest level of the zone I have found isn't focus at all but seemingly the opposite. As you mention above, focus is beneficial to leading into this zone but many seem to believe that narrow focus is the final goal. In the highest zone I have found senses are heightened and the conscious mind is almost completely off. If an issue comes up the conscious may be triggered to help resolve the issue but other than that it is just a seeming straight pass through from outside stimuli to my unconscious and from unconscious to body. While I have no idea if the 90%-10% number is accurate it does seem to be the consensus that our unconscious mind is far more powerful than our conscious mind. When we don't try to focus and filter with our conscious, just basically do an information dump to our unconscious, great things can happen.

Although a lower level zone, narrow focus, is adequate for some activities which probably include pool when a person is highly skilled, the higher zone is much more effective for things like tennis, hitting a fastball, or driving a race car on a circle track or road course. I did a little circle track driving a long time ago and found that entering the zone was almost guaranteed with the repetitive activity with constant small variations. Aside from driving my line very smoothly this had two very positive results when I had to react to something happening on the track. Faster reflexes because there wasn't the lag time while the conscious mind was trying to make a decision. Much more importantly, the right decisions as to what corrective action to take, if any, were made so fast I wasn't aware of making them. I simply did what needed doing.

I think the zone, hypnosis, mysticism and some of the eastern religious practices are probably all closely associated. I don't know that as a fact, just that there seems to be some similarities between all of them. The zone I seek is expanded awareness of everything around me to best select the things I can use while not being distracted by any of this information pouring in. Using our conscious mind we are overwhelmed by all of this information and either are sidetracked from performing our main task well or totally gridlock and can't focus on anything. Our unconscious can pluck what it needs from all of this incoming information and smoothly shuffle everything else to the side for future consideration.

The above is my purely unprofessional opinion of course. I look at things from a competitor's standpoint. I suspect the professional world might be in some disagreement.

Hu

Thanks, Hu. All good points. Sometimes the word "focus" implies concerted, conscious effort. What I was more referring to was an automatic, unconscious phenomenon. So, thank you for your input. I used to play a bit of jazz guitar, and I still remember one solo where it seemed effortless and "outside of myself". Truth is, I was so acutely focused on soloing within the chord structures, that it was like I wasn't focusing, at all. That to me is an example of "the zone."

 

[ShootingRazbone]

Probably should swap to a different thread to discuss the zone but "the zone" means different things to different people and those threads aren't usually very productive.

Achieving the true zone in pool is rare for me. I have done it, playing for eight or ten hours at a high level and feeling like I had only played a couple hours, but I have been far more successful reaching the zone in activities with a smoother flow or where the entire anticipated activity can be planned in advance.

The highest level of the zone I have found isn't focus at all but seemingly the opposite. As you mention above, focus is beneficial to leading into this zone but many seem to believe that narrow focus is the final goal. In the highest zone I have found senses are heightened and the conscious mind is almost completely off. If an issue comes up the conscious may be triggered to help resolve the issue but other than that it is just a seeming straight pass through from outside stimuli to my unconscious and from unconscious to body. While I have no idea if the 90%-10% number is accurate it does seem to be the consensus that our unconscious mind is far more powerful than our conscious mind. When we don't try to focus and filter with our conscious, just basically do an information dump to our unconscious, great things can happen.

Although a lower level zone, narrow focus, is adequate for some activities which probably include pool when a person is highly skilled, the higher zone is much more effective for things like tennis, hitting a fastball, or driving a race car on a circle track or road course. I did a little circle track driving a long time ago and found that entering the zone was almost guaranteed with the repetitive activity with constant small variations. Aside from driving my line very smoothly this had two very positive results when I had to react to something happening on the track. Faster reflexes because there wasn't the lag time while the conscious mind was trying to make a decision. Much more importantly, the right decisions as to what corrective action to take, if any, were made so fast I wasn't aware of making them. I simply did what needed doing.

I think the zone, hypnosis, mysticism and some of the eastern religious practices are probably all closely associated. I don't know that as a fact, just that there seems to be some similarities between all of them. The zone I seek is expanded awareness of everything around me to best select the things I can use while not being distracted by any of this information pouring in. Using our conscious mind we are overwhelmed by all of this information and either are sidetracked from performing our main task well or totally gridlock and can't focus on anything. Our unconscious can pluck what it needs from all of this incoming information and smoothly shuffle everything else to the side for future consideration.

The above is my purely unprofessional opinion of course. I look at things from a competitor's standpoint. I suspect the professional world might be in some disagreement.

Hu

Good post

Finding the zone for me is apparently a bit more difficult then you. I wish I could find that zone for more then 2 hours. I loose focus at some point during a session ESPECIALLY if I am winning. I typically peak for around 45 mins to an hour then go into a lull for 20 mins or so where I do the most incredible stupid stuff. I have always assumed it was from lack of focus. After a few ridiculous shots I wake up when I find I have given away 3 or 4games. I am an advocate of Ipods and headphones listening to music. This for me (crutch or not) helps me focus longer and easier, due to not hearing distracting noises whatever they may be. (That sounded like a commercial for pool Viagra)

Sounds like I need to work on focus technique as well. Which is still part of the mental game anyways.

 

[peteypooldude]

Good post

Finding the zone for me is apparently a bit more difficult then you. I wish I could find that zone for more then 2 hours. I loose focus at some point during a session ESPECIALLY if I am winning. I typically peak for around 45 mins to an hour then go into a lull for 20 mins or so where I do the most incredible stupid stuff. I have always assumed it was from lack of focus. After a few ridiculous shots I wake up when I find I have given away 3 or 4games. I am an advocate of Ipods and headphones listening to music. This for me (crutch or not) helps me focus longer and easier, due to not hearing distracting noises whatever they may be. (That sounded like a commercial for pool Viagra)

Sounds like I need to work on focus technique as well. Which is still part of the mental game anyways.

I too , like the ipod . But I have caught flack about it .

 

[JesseAllred]

If you think you can or think you can't you are right. -Henry Ford

If you think your ford truck needs gas or you don't, you're right. -Carmen Ford

My cd is in the mail! everyone should seriously think about getting one, improvement is priceless.

 

[ShootingArts]

I think that is what we are looking for

Thanks, Hu. All good points. Sometimes the word "focus" implies concerted, conscious effort. What I was more referring to was an automatic, unconscious phenomenon. So, thank you for your input. I used to play a bit of jazz guitar, and I still remember one solo where it seemed effortless and "outside of myself". Truth is, I was so acutely focused on soloing within the chord structures, that it was like I wasn't focusing, at all. That to me is an example of "the zone."

I think the zone we are looking for is exactly what you found playing the guitar. Funny thing is we have to put in a lot of hard work, narrow focus, and drills before we can do things effortlessly when our heads are in the right place.

Hu

 

[edd]

I think the zone we are looking for is exactly what you found playing the guitar. Funny thing is we have to put in a lot of hard work, narrow focus, and drills before we can do things effortlessly when our heads are in the right place.

Hu

Yes, absolutely. Building that skill set and muscle memory, so it seems effortless.

 

[JAW725]

I bought a pool hypnosis CD while at the VNEA International and I don't believe it has helped all that much, really. I fell asleep twice, which may have worked because I actually awoke as instructed, per say. The many other times I listened to the CD, I didn't fall into a hypnosis, trance or anything as such, I just sat there completely conscious and become bored, then turned it off. I'm going to give it another try but so far I'm not all that impressed.

 

[JoeyA]

I bought a pool hypnosis CD while at the VNEA International and I don't believe it has helped all that much, really. I fell asleep twice, which may have worked because I actually awoke as instructed, per say. The many other times I listened to the CD, I didn't fall into a hypnosis, trance or anything as such, I just sat there completely conscious and become bored, then turned it off. I'm going to give it another try but so far I'm not all that impressed.

When over-tired, I too have fallen asleep while listening to self-hypnosis cds. I don't think that is the best way to get the most out of self-hypnosis. This weekend I brought my CD player with me to the tournament and regularly listened to the pool self-hypnosis cd.

What is the name of the pool hypnosis CD that you have?

 

[edd]

I bought a pool hypnosis CD while at the VNEA International and I don't believe it has helped all that much, really. I fell asleep twice, which may have worked because I actually awoke as instructed, per say. The many other times I listened to the CD, I didn't fall into a hypnosis, trance or anything as such, I just sat there completely conscious and become bored, then turned it off. I'm going to give it another try but so far I'm not all that impressed.

Being relaxed is the key which assists in becoming focused. As Joey noted, listening to the CD when extremely tired may not be the most ideal time. Although even then the message can "get through."
The primary reason my CD is the length it is ( ~ 17 minutes), is that it is meant for repeated listening. Caution: Don't listen to it while driving. However, some folks have noted they find it helpful listening to it before they play. You may want to allow for enough time to get to the hall early, then sitting in your car you could listen to it before heading in to play. Feel free to ask any questions.

 

[JoeyA]

Being relaxed is the key which assists in becoming focused. As Joey noted, listening to the CD when extremely tired may not be the most ideal time. Although even then the message can "get through."
The primary reason my CD is the length it is ( ~ 17 minutes), is that it is meant for repeated listening. Caution: Don't listen to it while driving. However, some folks have noted they find it helpful listening to it before they play. You may want to allow for enough time to get to the hall early, then sitting in your car you could listen to it before heading in to play. Feel free to ask any questions.

I listened to your CD just before playing CJ Wiley and did quite well. I also read some of my recorded pool affirmations in between matches.

The match with Gene Albrecht was early in the morning and I did not have time to listen to your CD. :embarrassed2: I have to give credit where credit is due, Gene played EXTREMELY well and I don't remember him missing a ball or scratching on the break. I didn't play my best game but even if I had, I think the outcome would have been very similar. I could have had Norman Vincent Peale, Zig Ziglar, Og Mandino, and Dr. Denis Waitley* whispering positive thoughts in my ear and the outcome would have been similar.

*Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning.

 

[3andstop]

Good post

I loose focus at some point during a session ESPECIALLY if I am winning.

I typically peak for around 45 mins to an hour then go into a lull for 20 mins or so where I do the most incredible stupid stuff. I have always assumed it was from lack of focus. After a few ridiculous shots I wake up when I find I have given away 3 or 4games.

One of reasons that IMO straight pool is "light years" a better game than those short bang em up rotation games. It allows you an opportunity at an extended time at the table to fall into the zone.

And .... you are really (as you mentioned in the first sentence above) never really winning or ahead in a "session" since you are playing a single game.

 

[JoeW]

if your personal experience shows that something works repeatedly I don't believe a scientific fact is needed. by experience I mean; years of having the thought "just don't scratch in the side" and it laser tracks to the side and times of clear headedness where a spot is picked and scratching never happens

I get what you mean... but aim the ball properly and it doesn’t matter what you are thinking, I’m pretty sure it will go in! Of course nerves can effect your shot, but what about when you miss otherwise (w/o negative thoughts)?

This is indeed accepted scientific truth. That means the experts in the field believe this to be the truth. Something else may be accepted truth a hundred or two hundred years from now but this is current theory. More importantly, it is an excellent working theory.

This is already a misnomer. If it were a truth, it would be a scientific law. But there are no laws in anything psychology-based, we are not even close to that yet... too complicated! Excellent working theory I totally buy. It doesn't matter to us if the scientific theory is dead wrong if we get the results we need. Totally agree....sugar pill, placebo, what works, works.

If you think there is not an intimate mind/body connection, then consider a blush.

Well I’m not silly, of course there is a connection between minds and body. Another good example is a sympathetic yawn (you yawn, I yawn, we all yawn... no one is sure why but it is!).

Most headaches are caused, or influenced, by psychological conflict.

Now I am calling shannanigans on that. You must be talking to Freud in your dreams. This is totally not proven. There are many types of headaches... migraines, cluster, tension, secondary. They can be manifested by physical or emotion trauma... but to say most is totally silly. Give me something to back that up! Otherwise I’ll tell you I believe in Unicorns and you can’t prove me otherwise

The right hemisphere of the brain is very concrete and processes information metaphorically. In other words it thinks in pictures. When you practice the mental game via visualization, you are building muscle memory. Since the right brain (or unconscious) thinks so concretely, our self-talk needs to be positive vs negative, as noted earlier.

Right brain = concrete... more or less I agree. To say “it” thinks in pictures...that is way oversimplified. Thinking in pictures is very bilateral, involving temporal lobe, visual cortex, and accessory visual cortex. Like daydreaming. Mental practice = muscle memory... agree. To say “unconscious” as being solely right-brained....uhhh....no.

Here is something based on science... in case you are wondering:

Step-by-step: The effects of physical practice on the neural correlates of locomotion imagery revealed by fMRI Iontna et. al. 2009
“In our paradigm, most of the postural manipulation (and imagery effort) was on relief of the right leg (the heel was under the right foot). The significant right cerebellar activity during motor imagery of locomotion after short practice when compared with imagery of stance is in line with previous studies on the imagery of different motor behaviors and that found a cerebellar activation IPSI-lateral to the limb involved in the imagined movement [Luft et al.,[1998]; Naito et al.,[2002]], whereas cerebellar activation after long practice showed a large variability across subjects and was not significant at the group level. Cerebellum is connected to SMA via the basal ganglia [Hoshi et al.,[2005]]. It is involved in motor imagery, even if with a weaker activity with respect to the execution of the same movement [Lafleur,[2002]; Nair et al.,[2003]]. Cerebellum has also been shown to play an important role in the motor imagery of slow movements [Jahn et al.,[2004]] and in the organization of movement sequences: indeed, it is recruited during imagery of playing tennis [Decety et al.,[1990]; Ryding et al.,[1993]], dancing [Sacco et al.,[2006]], standing, walking, and running [Jahn et al.,[2004]], playing golf [Ross et al.,[2003]]. Our task required a sharp imagined coordination, and this is probably why we found cerebellar activation in all conditions.”


Now... honestly I buy that meditation, imagery definitely helps do help your game... any good sports psychologist could prove that. I just enjoy the good conversation...

There is "talking" science and there is "doing" science. Why not try it for your self? Design a simple study that uses negative, neutral, and positive self talk over a series of shots. Counter balance the design over a two or three day period and use a few subjects. All you have to do is keep track of the ability to pocket and get position in the center of the table. The results might surprise you.

Here is a link to some of the better work and a review of "Flow" or "the zone" in sports. http://www.amazon.com/Flow-Sports-optimal-experiences-performances/dp/0880118768. Imagery can lead to 20 - 30% improvement as demonstrated by solid research protocols.

Having used hypnosis (Erik Erikson school of training) one quickly learns that the sub-conscious and unconscious are literal. "six in the corner" is not the same as "six in the corner pocket." There are many variations and it is well accepted that simple positive phrases should be used during hypnosis.

With that said some of the better research leads to the conclusion that most anything that can be done with hypnosis can be done with other methods.

 

[JoeW]

If you are interested in scientific psychology's contribution to sports see the quiet eye research. especially Joan Vickers work. Another eye opener.

http://quieteyesolutions.com/QE_testing_and_training_research.htm

With regard to the use of positive simple language and the ability to change one's pool playing behavior see

http://www.sunburstselect.com/PBReview/ChangingBadHabits.htm

with references to some of the better research and commercial applications.

 

[ShootingArts]

Thanks for the link!

There is "talking" science and there is "doing" science. Why not try it for your self? Design a simple study that uses negative, neutral, and positive self talk over a series of shots. Counter balance the design over a two or three day period and use a few subjects. All you have to do is keep track of the ability to pocket and get position in the center of the table. The results might surprise you.

Here is a link to some of the better work and a review of "Flow" or "the zone" in sports. http://www.amazon.com/Flow-Sports-optimal-experiences-performances/dp/0880118768. Imagery can lead to 20 - 30% improvement as demonstrated by solid research protocols.

Having used hypnosis (Erik Erikson school of training) one quickly learns that the sub-conscious and unconscious are literal. "six in the corner" is not the same as "six in the corner pocket." There are many variations and it is well accepted that simple positive phrases should be used during hypnosis.

With that said some of the better research leads to the conclusion that most anything that can be done with hypnosis can be done with other methods.

Joe,

Thanks for the link. The zone is something I have always wanted a deeper understanding of. A very interesting comment about hypnosis being one option among many. I think that most who find the zone find it as I did, purely stumble into it. After that happens a time or two we start trying to induce it. In pistol competition there were at least fifteen minutes between stages and the stages lasted from a few seconds to 18 seconds maximum in that particular competition. I found that I could go off away from the crowd and focus on the next stage, practice it over and over in my mind, often physically in the safe gun handling area facing into some woods, and then slip into the zone for the duration of a run.

Did my preparation amount to hypnosis? I don't know. The command to fire was, "Shooter ready, stand by," and a buzzer. I heard that over over in my mind getting ready to shoot a stage and then went through shooting the stage, mentally or mentally and physically. The zone seemed to be triggered when I actually heard, "Shooter ready, stand by . . ."

Racing cars on a circle track I always found the zone and I did almost impossible things sometimes. One thing I noted about the zone racing circle track, it seemed somewhat similar to road hypnosis that befalls drivers on a long boring drive. The state feels much the same but in one everything is flowing in and ignored, the other everything is flowing in and anything needed is processed.

Hu

 

[edd]

There is "talking" science and there is "doing" science. Why not try it for your self? Design a simple study that uses negative, neutral, and positive self talk over a series of shots. Counter balance the design over a two or three day period and use a few subjects. All you have to do is keep track of the ability to pocket and get position in the center of the table. The results might surprise you.

Here is a link to some of the better work and a review of "Flow" or "the zone" in sports. http://www.amazon.com/Flow-Sports-optimal-experiences-performances/dp/0880118768. Imagery can lead to 20 - 30% improvement as demonstrated by solid research protocols.

Having used hypnosis (Erik Erikson school of training) one quickly learns that the sub-conscious and unconscious are literal. "six in the corner" is not the same as "six in the corner pocket." There are many variations and it is well accepted that simple positive phrases should be used during hypnosis.

With that said some of the better research leads to the conclusion that most anything that can be done with hypnosis can be done with other methods.

Good info Joe. I believe you're probably referring to the utilization methodology of Milton Erickson. Yes, the unconscious mind is very literal, that's why you don't want to use negatively-phrased suggestions, such as "Don't scratch in the side"

 

[JesseAllred]

I bought a pool hypnosis CD while at the VNEA International and I don't believe it has helped all that much, really. I fell asleep twice, which may have worked because I actually awoke as instructed, per say. The many other times I listened to the CD, I didn't fall into a hypnosis, trance or anything as such, I just sat there completely conscious and become bored, then turned it off. I'm going to give it another try but so far I'm not all that impressed.

I believe you have to be a willing participant in the listening experience. If you aren't in the right mind frame, or already predisposed to dismiss the info it won't be as effective. I think it requires you to quiet your mind and focus on the words, if you do that there's no such thing as being bored while immersed in the moment.