Biohacking and pool performance

[sixpack]

It's been a while since I posted in the main forum as I haven't been playing much so bear with me.

When I used to play a lot of tournaments I definitely noticed a huge difference in performance based on what I ate, how I slept, etc...but I never really followed up on it.

Skip to today, biohacking is a very exciting movement that was popularized by Timothy Ferriss's book "The Four Hour Body." People are experimenting and reporting their results across the internet for peak mental and physical performance and I can't help but think that there is a huge potential to apply this to pool.

Biohacking is the field of logging and performing experiments on yourself to see what triggers your peak performance, peak mental acuity, peak energy etc...

Maybe it's possible that the elusive "zone" is nothing more than a bunch of the right factors coming together at the right time.

Anybody applying this to your pool game? Seeing any improvements? What have you tried?

Eating a diet high in good fats (grassfed beef, olive oil, coconut oil, grassfed butter, fish oil, avocados) helps me do almost everything better.
~rc

 

[Chopdoc]

I apply similar concepts in advising students and doctors preparing for the USMLE (United States Medical License Exam). It is probably one of the most grueling things a person can attempt in general.

Certainly it can apply to pool.

I've often thought about getting involved in that with pool, working with players in that way to help optimize their performance.

 

[itsfroze]

It's been a while since I posted in the main forum as I haven't been playing much so bear with me.

When I used to play a lot of tournaments I definitely noticed a huge difference in performance based on what I ate, how I slept, etc...but I never really followed up on it.

Skip to today, biohacking is a very exciting movement that was popularized by Timothy Ferriss's book "The Four Hour Body." People are experimenting and reporting their results across the internet for peak mental and physical performance and I can't help but think that there is a huge potential to apply this to pool.

Biohacking is the field of logging and performing experiments on yourself to see what triggers your peak performance, peak mental acuity, peak energy etc...

Maybe it's possible that the elusive "zone" is nothing more than a bunch of the right factors coming together at the right time.

Anybody applying this to your pool game? Seeing any improvements? What have you tried?

Eating a diet high in good fats (grassfed beef, olive oil, coconut oil, grassfed butter, fish oil, avocados) helps me do almost everything better. Add in some NAC or PS for mental clarity and my productivity jumps even more.

~rc

What is NAC or PS, I love it when people type in some initials like everyone knows what the h*ll they're talking about.

 

[Donny Lutz]

Good fats?

It's been a while since I posted in the main forum as I haven't been playing much so bear with me.

When I used to play a lot of tournaments I definitely noticed a huge difference in performance based on what I ate, how I slept, etc...but I never really followed up on it.

Skip to today, biohacking is a very exciting movement that was popularized by Timothy Ferriss's book "The Four Hour Body." People are experimenting and reporting their results across the internet for peak mental and physical performance and I can't help but think that there is a huge potential to apply this to pool.

Biohacking is the field of logging and performing experiments on yourself to see what triggers your peak performance, peak mental acuity, peak energy etc...

Maybe it's possible that the elusive "zone" is nothing more than a bunch of the right factors coming together at the right time.

Anybody applying this to your pool game? Seeing any improvements? What have you tried?

Eating a diet high in good fats (grassfed beef, olive oil, coconut oil, grassfed butter, fish oil, avocados) helps me do almost everything better. Add in some NAC or PS for mental clarity and my productivity jumps even more.

~rc

Having studied nutrition in some depth, I'm not sure I would call "grassfed beef, olive oil, coconut oil, grassfed butter, fish oil, avocados" "good fats".
Beef and butter are saturated fats, and high in cholesterol. Olive oil (virgin, cold-pressed) is polyunsaturated fat. Fish oil varies between species, but is generally unsaturated fat. Avocados contain both kinds of fats, as does coconut oil. There are many foods that have healthy fats. If you're serious about eating right, PM me and I'll send you a link to book lists.

Back in the late '70s and early '80s I hung out with a team of vegetarian poolplayers. Between the five of us, we probably won 200 league and tournament team and individual titles.

The only problem with healthy eating is sorting the good info from the avalanche of lies coming from the food industry, which profits most from selling unhealthy foods.

Donny L
PBIA/ACS Instructor

 

[sixpack]

What is NAC or PS, I love it when people type in some initials like everyone knows what the h*ll they're talking about.

Sorry I thought I edited that out. It's gone now.

~rc

 

[sixpack]

Having studied nutrition in some depth, I'm not sure I would call "grassfed beef, olive oil, coconut oil, grassfed butter, fish oil, avocados" "good fats".
Beef and butter are saturated fats, and high in cholesterol. Olive oil (virgin, cold-pressed) is polyunsaturated fat. Fish oil varies between species, but is generally unsaturated fat. Avocados contain both kinds of fats, as does coconut oil. There are many foods that have healthy fats. If you're serious about eating right, PM me and I'll send you a link to book lists.

Back in the late '70s and early '80s I hung out with a team of vegetarian poolplayers. Between the five of us, we probably won 200 league and tournament team and individual titles.

The only problem with healthy eating is sorting the good info from the avalanche of lies coming from the food industry, which profits most from selling unhealthy foods.

Donny L
PBIA/ACS Instructor

The latest research is showing quite the opposite re:saturated fats and cholesterol. Saturated fat is critical for brain function and to control inflammation. Many biohackers are reporting excellent health and performance on diets that are 50-70% fat, a large percentage of that saturated fat.

Grassfed beef has a better omega 3/omega 6 ratio and is better for you than taking fish oil according to some studies.

Lower cholesterol is linked with higher incidences of death from all causes. The relationship between high cholesterol and heart disease is either poorly understood by the masses or just simplified to the point of being useless by the media.

In the 80s and 90s I won about 200 individual tournaments and league events drinking beer, eating junk food and playing a lot of video games.
Doesn't mean anything.
~rc

 

[Chopdoc]

The only problem with healthy eating is sorting the good info from the avalanche of lies coming from the food industry, which profits most from selling unhealthy foods.

Donny L
PBIA/ACS Instructor

There are also misconceptions and outright deceptions from elsewhere as well. A lot of popular information about nutrition is actually garbage, and it isn't just the food industry. The "health food" industry, "supplement industry", personal trainers, various and sundry charlatans, and other such industries quite commonly operate with little understanding and a great deal of greed.

 

[sfleinen]

There are also misconceptions and outright deceptions from elsewhere as well. A lot of popular information about nutrition is actually garbage, and it isn't just the food industry. The "health food" industry, "supplement industry", personal trainers, various and sundry charlatans, and other such industries quite commonly operate with little understanding and a great deal of greed.

I agree. I can't tell you how many "nutritionists" I've bumped into that, end-run to the punchline, were nothing more than hardline-messengers against the general medicine, food, and pharmaceutical industries.

It's like if one possess even an inkling of formal training and certification, they are automatically labeled as being biased and tainted by the pharmaceutical industry.

"Being awake" (a billy-club these new age anti-food-establishment types like to hit those in the medical profession over the head with) does not mean truly and scientifically correct.

I wish people would learn the meaning to the word, "moderation." Everything in life is best taken with moderation. Unfortunately, the human race has a "talent" to f'ing things up with an "all or nothing" attitude.

On topic with the question, I do think there's a "just right" combination of not only foods, but how your day went as well. I find that those days when I've had what most would consider a "somewhat" bad day (not a really bad one, but just a bit irked), I end up blistering my opponents in league or matching up that night. If I've had a particularly bad day, where I'm worried about the current day's outcome on tomorrow, my mind isn't quite "there" and I don't play as well. Also, if I've had a good day, I find I'm in a care-free mood, and most times I don't put forth a good game at all -- and not give two hoots.

So I believe in keeping healthy (this is key, for one's health affects EVERYTHING in life), challenging yourself every day (including adopting a bit of healthy "come on now, self, you can do better than that" critique, but not going overboard), having healthy relationships, and "brain food." For me that's a nice healthy Cobb salad with fresh-squeezed lemon juice as a salad dressing, or something light like that. I can't eat heavy right before competing -- or at least not without taking a healthy "Navy nooner" in between.

I'm still learning, though, and I revel in the fact that I *am* still learning!

-Sean

 

[Chopdoc]

I agree. I can't tell you how many "nutritionists" I've bumped into that, end-run to the punchline, were nothing more than hardline-messengers against the general medicine, food, and pharmaceutical industries.

It's like if one possess even an inkling of formal training and certification, they are automatically labeled as being biased and tainted by the pharmaceutical industry.

"Being awake" (a billy-club these new age anti-food-establishment types like to hit those in the medical profession over the head with) does not mean truly and scientifically correct.

I wish people would learn the meaning to the word, "moderation." Everything in life is best taken with moderation. Unfortunately, the human race has a "talent" to f'ing things up with an "all or nothing" attitude.

On topic with the question, I do think there's a "just right" combination of not only foods, but how your day went as well. I find that those days when I've had what most would consider a "somewhat" bad day (not a really bad one, but just a bit irked), I end up blistering my opponents in league or matching up that night. If I've had a particularly bad day, where I'm worried about the current day's outcome on tomorrow, my mind isn't quite "there" and I don't play as well. Also, if I've had a good day, I find I'm in a care-free mood, and most times I don't put forth a good game at all -- and not give two hoots.

So I believe in keeping healthy (this is key, for one's health affects EVERYTHING in life), challenging yourself every day (including adopting a bit of healthy "come on now, self, you can do better than that" critique, but not going overboard), having healthy relationships, and "brain food." For me that's a nice healthy Cobb salad with fresh-squeezed lemon juice as a salad dressing, or something light like that. I can't eat heavy right before competing -- or at least not without taking a healthy "Navy nooner" in between.

I'm still learning, though, and I revel in the fact that I *am* still learning!

-Sean

Sounds like you are talking about eustress vs distress. A certain amount and type of stress (or more properly, how the stress is perceived) enhances performance. Anything outside that optimal range of eustress degrades performance.

As far as the heavy meal, I could explain the physiology, but suffice it to say your discovery about yourself is quite right. If you take a heavy meal and then attempt to perform at anything, that performance will be degraded.

.

 

[Chopdoc]

I had a request to explain the physiology I mentioned in the above post, there is a lot more to it, but I will lay down the basics of it...here goes:

When you ingest a bolus of food the stomach secretes acid. That acid is produced in a reaction using the enzyme carbonic anhydrase in stomach parietal cells. On one side (the inside of the stomach) the reaction is pumping out HCL, hydrochloric acid, but on the other side (the blood), the reaction is producing base, bicarbonate.

Now, you have this base in your blood, which is raising your serum pH, and your body does not like that. All of your enzymes are designed to work within a certain pH range inherent to wherever they are, so you need to maintain the proper pH or your enzymes slow down. Every cell, organelle, tissue, organ, fluid, etc maintains a specific pH range, we are only talking about serum pH here. This biochemical slow-down will cause many, many problems but suffice it to say that ultimately oxidative damage and membrane damage will ensue. Not good for you.

So, in order to lower your pH you will lower your respiratory rate. A slower breathing rate leads to retaining CO2 in your serum, the gas that you usually breathe out that comes from normal oxidative metabolism in your body. That CO2 in the blood is an acid by way of the same enzyme we saw earlier but now in the red blood cell instead of a stomach cell (carbonic anhydrase). That retained acid (CO2) compensates for the base that the stomach put in your blood.

Now, in order to accomplish this you will note that we had to slow down breathing. Slower breathing is not generally a part of higher performance is it? And when you slow your breathing you also take in less oxygen? You will have less oxygen in your blood? Well, that's not compatible with higher performance is it?

About this time you are probably yawning, which is appropriate because the above explanation also describes why you yawn after a big meal!!! To get some oxygen to your brain!

Oh....less oxygen in the brain after a heavy meal? You think maybe that can make you a little transiently "stupid"? Maybe you won't think as fast or as well?

But wait! It's not over yet!

When you eat a big meal, especially a fatty one, the blood vessels supplying your gut dilate (get bigger). This increases blood flow for two purposes. 1) The working gut has more demand for oxygen and nutrients...but especially oxygen...it begins extracting oxygen from the blood at a very high rate, approaching 100%. 2) To carry the nutrients you absorb to the liver. Oh wait...did you want some of that oxygen for your brain so you could perform? And now it's going to your gut and your liver? Well OK then! Under intense concentration your brain becomes a very efficient extractor of oxygen and it too will try to extract nearly 100% of the oxygen from the blood it gets, so the vessels there will dilate too!

Now wait a minute. If we eat a heavy meal and then compete and concentrate at something like pool we dilate the vessels to our gut and to our brain at the same time? Which one will win that battle for blood and oxygen? Think about it. Sir Isaac Newton told you all about it. Gravity. Your brain will lose that battle my friend, simply because of gravity it will be easier for your gut to get the blood and hence the oxygen than it will be for your brain.


So...eat light for competition. Fruit juices, grains/cereals. Because if you try to put your brain in competition with your gut when it is time to perform you will find it won't work out so well....unless of course you plan on playing pool standing on your head.

And that's all I have to say about that.

 

[itsfroze]

Let me ask again what is NAC or PS? Last line of original post.

Quote from SixPack:

Eating a diet high in good fats (grassfed beef, olive oil, coconut oil, grassfed butter, fish oil, avocados) helps me do almost everything better. Add in some NAC or PS for mental clarity and my productivity jumps even more.

????

 

[chevybob20]

Thanks Sixpack. Do you have a preferred website or forum which you use that covers this topic or do you only use the book?

 

[CreeDo]

Let me ask again what is NAC or PS? Last line of original post.

Quote from SixPack:

Eating a diet high in good fats (grassfed beef, olive oil, coconut oil, grassfed butter, fish oil, avocados) helps me do almost everything better. Add in some NAC or PS for mental clarity and my productivity jumps even more.

????

Guessing it's these two:

http://www.diet-and-health.net/Supplements/NAcetylCysteine.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/016646.html

My thinking on biohacking: most people won't make a major life change just for pool, even if they love it. And most of us probably shoot best when we're at our most comfortable... the usual pool hall, favorite table, usual clothes, usual amount of sleep, usual meal, etc.

A sudden change, even if it's good on paper, can really screw up your game. Like if you're used to five hours of sleep, and decide to sleep eight the night before a tournament... you're gonna be groggy as well, not happy and well-rested.

 

[Chopdoc]

And most of us probably shoot best when we're at our most comfortable... the usual pool hall, favorite table, usual clothes, usual amount of sleep, usual meal, etc.

A sudden change, even if it's good on paper, can really screw up your game. Like if you're used to five hours of sleep, and decide to sleep eight the night before a tournament... you're gonna be groggy as well, not happy and well-rested.

Generally good advice.

What I generally tell people in a nutshell: eat, sleep, hydrate, take breaks, and don't do anything extreme or "different" as the results will be unpredictable. If you have a big game (or test like my students) don't get engaged, married, divorced, buy a house, sell a house, etc while you are preparing.
.

 

[Delusional]

Generally good advice.

What I generally tell people in a nutshell: eat, sleep, hydrate, take breaks, and don't do anything extreme or "different" as the results will be unpredictable. If you have a big game (or test like my students) don't get engaged, married, divorced, buy a house, sell a house, etc while you are preparing.
.

Awesome stuff Doc. Thanks for the Great info and of course i will try to do.

 

[Chopdoc]

Awesome stuff Doc. Thanks for the Great info and of course i will try to do.

Yeah....the divorce thing can throw a monkey wrench in though...sometimes it's not up to you! LOL!


I had a student that was ready to take their medical license exam when his wife showed up, surprised him with a visit. They went to lunch, talked, laughed, all was well. When he wasn't looking she took his car and left town. Next thing he gets is a letter from a lawyer...she's divorcing him...oh...and she took all the money too. So now he's broke, depressed, penniless, and alone. He asked me if I thought he should still go take his exam or if he should delay it. Delaying it meant losing the $800.00 he paid to take it, and delaying his graduation from medical school.

HELL NO, DO NOT TAKE THE TEST!

Anyway, yeah...control what you can. :wink:



.

 

[sixpack]

Thanks Sixpack. Do you have a preferred website or forum which you use that covers this topic or do you only use the book?

Www.bulletproofexec.com is the one I'm reading now. There are lots of good references on his site. Four hour body is a good book but I don't really use the website much.

I also follow marksdailyapple.com for nutritional and performance advice.

~rc

 

[sixpack]

Guessing it's these two:

http://www.diet-and-health.net/Supplements/NAcetylCysteine.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/016646.html

My thinking on biohacking: most people won't make a major life change just for pool, even if they love it. And most of us probably shoot best when we're at our most comfortable... the usual pool hall, favorite table, usual clothes, usual amount of sleep, usual meal, etc.

A sudden change, even if it's good on paper, can really screw up your game. Like if you're used to five hours of sleep, and decide to sleep eight the night before a tournament... you're gonna be groggy as well, not happy and well-rested.

Yes. Those.

Yeah, changing is tough. I know that when I stopped eating processed foods I felt a lot better but I also had brainfog for a few days.

~rc

 

[itsfroze]

Guessing it's these two:

http://www.diet-and-health.net/Supplements/NAcetylCysteine.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/016646.html

My thinking on biohacking: most people won't make a major life change just for pool, even if they love it. And most of us probably shoot best when we're at our most comfortable... the usual pool hall, favorite table, usual clothes, usual amount of sleep, usual meal, etc.

A sudden change, even if it's good on paper, can really screw up your game. Like if you're used to five hours of sleep, and decide to sleep eight the night before a tournament... you're gonna be groggy as well, not happy and well-rested.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Black-Balled]

Let me ask again what is NAC or PS? Last line of original post.
????

Maryjane and Jaegermeister.

I am sure of it.