What do you do to get ready for a big game?

Cdryden

Cdryden

Pool Addict
Silver Member
So you're getting ready to play a important match. Whether it's a money game, a tournament playoff, league championship, or just someone you really want to beat. What do you do to get yourself ready for the game?

Practice?
Meditate?
Exercise?
Liquid courage?
Pharmaceuticals?
Rub your lucky rabbits foot?
 
It's no different then a first date...you FAP and everything will go as planned in a much more relaxed state of mind.
 
Cdryden said:
So you're getting ready to play a important match. Whether it's a money game, a tournament playoff, league championship, or just someone you really want to beat. What do you do to get yourself ready for the game?

Practice?
Meditate?
Exercise?
Liquid courage?
Pharmaceuticals?
Rub your lucky rabbits foot?
Click to expand...

A long time ago...I would practice eight hours a day for three days straight. After this, I could make balls without aiming. I could just see where I need to hit.

I'd also wear a bright red shirt during a tournament...and this was way before Tiger Woods came along.
 
As simple as it sounds I find that getting a good nights sleep (8 1/2 hours per night) for me and eating plenty of lean meats, veggies and fruits the week before helps.
 
Rest is #1, but the day before, take a day off, recharge roger Rabbit. If you drive or fly there, work out when you arrive make sure you include a hot tub soak 'before' bedtime.
Kimmer got me into this habit, go see a good movie and completely detach your mind from pool. Rebooting is powerful.
 
I've been doing self-hypnosis for the past 8-9 years, with multiple, very simple, "triggers" to the subconscious implants. I should have been undefeated and world champion by now, but unfortunately, performance is also needed, and I'm working on that. But before an important match, I will "refresh" the hypnotic implant/visualization/trigger manufacture and try not pay much more attention to it beyond the simple triggers. I think Joe W here on azb has written some stuff on self-hypnosis for pool, and I've put some pieces of that into my refresher. Also, I get there early and hit balls for an hour or so.
:thumbup:
 
Last edited:
Cdryden said:
So you're getting ready to play a important match. Whether it's a money game, a tournament playoff, league championship, or just someone you really want to beat. What do you do to get yourself ready for the game?

Practice?
Meditate?
Exercise?
Liquid courage?
Pharmaceuticals?
Rub your lucky rabbits foot?
Click to expand...

This is as good as any to repost this one:

No Second This Time - Preparation

Freddie <~~~ ill prepared of late
 
Island Drive said:
Rest is #1, but the day before, take a day off, recharge roger Rabbit. If you drive or fly there, work out when you arrive make sure you include a hot tub soak 'before' bedtime.
Kimmer got me into this habit, go see a good movie and completely detach your mind from pool. Rebooting is powerful.
Click to expand...

I really believe in this too. Getting myself relaxed and comfortable has been key for me.I have my own little secret that helps me but I will wait until a few others have posted.
 
dr9ball said:
As simple as it sounds I find that getting a good nights sleep (8 1/2 hours per night) for me and eating plenty of lean meats, veggies and fruits the week before helps.
Click to expand...

I need to do more of this (eating healthy) I am 6'2" and 230 lbs. and not all of it's fat! I'm in ok shape but I could/need to do better. I actually prefer eating light right before a match though. If I eat too much my brain goes to sleep!
 
rayjay said:
I've been doing self-hypnosis for the past 8-9 years, with multiple, very simple, "triggers" to the subconscious implants. I should have been undefeated and world champion by now, but unfortunately, performance is also needed, and I'm working on that. But before an important match, I will "refresh" the hypnotic implant/visualization/trigger manufacture and try not pay much more attention to it beyond the simple triggers. I think Joe W here on azb has written some stuff on self-hypnosis for pool, and I've put some pieces of that into my refresher. Also, I get there early and hit balls for an hour or so.
:thumbup:
Click to expand...

I've always wondered about this but haven't dove into it yet. I have done some meditation before and it really helps to calm my mind down, not to mention it has really helped me sleep better at night.
 
Drink.

:grin:

Actually, that's if I'm playing at night, after work, and not much till I'm done my match. Just one beer to nurse along....

On days where I'm gonna play in an all day tourney, I hold off on the beer till the afternoon, usually, and do the "nursing" thing as well. I skip coffee that morning, try to eat small amounts, more often. Snack type stuff, crackers and cheese, pretzels, sunny d, granola bars, etc. I read about doing that here some time ago, and I found it helps me, a lot.

I am wound up enough that coffee on match day isn't good, even decaf. Orange juice or sunny d gives me a little sugar boost, without being too much. That also explains why a beer on match night, after work, is good for me. Work is stressful enough, and hurrying to get home, then to the room, add to that team management duties....Yup, a beer makes that work much better. :p
 
Cdryden said:
So you're getting ready to play a important match. Whether it's a money game, a tournament playoff, league championship, or just someone you really want to beat. What do you do to get yourself ready for the game?

Pharmaceuticals?
Click to expand...

Yes, but they're on the up-and-up. I am required to take a daily dose of beta-blockers for my heart. They slow my heart rate down. I first experimented taking them before I shot in Hi-Power rifle matches to ease the pulsating of my heartbeat. Worked pretty good so I figured out that if I take them about 30 minutes before a pool match, it seems to relax me/calm my nerves down. I used to have a hard time fading slopped-in balls by my opponent, but now I just wince a little bit and go right on enjoying myself. I still get the crap beat outta me, but at least I don't really give a sh*t when I do. :grin:

I have to take them daily anyway, so why not just before my match? This wouldn't be breaking any rules, would it?

Maniac
 
Maniac said:
Yes, but they're on the up-and-up. I am required to take a daily dose of beta-blockers for my heart. They slow my heart rate down. I first experimented taking them before I shot in Hi-Power rifle matches to ease the pulsating of my heartbeat. Worked pretty good so I figured out that if I take them about 30 minutes before a pool match, it seems to relax me/calm my nerves down.

I have heard of pro golfers doing this. They say it really helps when putting. :smile:
Click to expand...
 
Maniac said:
Yes, but they're on the up-and-up. I am required to take a daily dose of beta-blockers for my heart. ...
I have to take them daily anyway, so why not just before my match? This wouldn't be breaking any rules, would it?

Maniac
Click to expand...

If pool was an Olympic Sport, it would be against the rules, as far as I know.

And I also took a Beta Blocker for a while. But, I also have allergies. And a Beta Blocker might not do me so well.

Freddie <~~~ no gold for me
 
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