You're shooting like garbage. How do you break yourself out of it?

[jeffj2h]

I've been in league matches, race to 7, down like 1-4 and 0-4 and come back to win. Playing like garbage in the beginning of the match. I don't know how I've done it, but I've recovered, gotten myself in stroke, and then dominated to come back from behind.

But the thing is, although I've done it numerous times, I can't do it at will. Other times I've just continued to be rolled over.

Thoughts?

The only thing I've done is never given up. I keep re-racking the GD balls, and thought "just win this game."

-Jeff

 

[Darkridder]

Could be because you have more to prove that makes you focus that much more.

 

[jeffj2h]

Could be because you have more to prove that makes you focus that much more.

You are on to something. I've certainly dogged league matches, but overall the pressure does seem to focus me into playing better.

BTW, this thought branches into an APA vs BCA thought: here in north Dallas, APA masters is race to 7 against one opponent. But BCA masters (or anything) is playing one game against five different opponents. Although I'm not opposed to playing BCA, it seems to me the race to 7 in APA focuses me on an hour long battle i can figure out a way of winning. (once again I've lost plenty, but hey, it's a theory)

 

[RiverCity]

For me a lot of the times it boils down to confidence, more than nerves. If I start slipping, I take a restroom break, wash my hands and face with cold water and think to myself something along the lines of

You are the better player
You can beat him
Tighten up and bear down, you can do this

Basically I try to mentally pump myself back up, and I dont go back out until I believe it.

Works great, except that one time I got locked in the restroom all night after the pool hall closed, cause I couldnt lie to myself..... :thumbup:

 

[SloMoHolic]

I've been in league matches, race to 7, down like 1-4 and 0-4 and come back to win. Playing like garbage in the beginning of the match. I don't know how I've done it, but I've recovered, gotten myself in stroke, and then dominated to come back from behind.

But the thing is, although I've done it numerous times, I can't do it at will. Other times I've just continued to be rolled over.

Thoughts?

The only thing I've done is never given up. I keep re-racking the GD balls, and thought "just win this game."

-Jeff

We all know when we're having an off night. It isn't fun. But I always try to keep a positive attitude, change the scenario, and remind myself that I have a learning opportunity right in front of me (and it's an important one).

In my experience, those nights that start out bad make me want to try to "focus" on everything. Straight stroke, eyes on object ball, loose grip, keep my head still, choose the right shot, play the right strategy, etc. Those are things that, while important to my physical game, detract from my mental ability to perform at my best if my mind is consumed with them.

So, instead, for the past few years, when this happens to me, I try to really devote myself to learning how to survive it. I'll allow myself to focus on one particular thing - for me, it's keeping my head still during the shot, but it may be different for you - and at the same time, challenge myself to snap out of it and just play pool. I don't expect to suddenly play my best game. I just try to manage the situation, as well as take note of what recovery strategy tends to help me right the ship versus sinking me further into the sea of failure.

It's an opportunity to experiment, and the more it happens, the more benefit you can gain from it. You're playing bad, anyway. It can't get any worse; If you fail, you still lose. It seems to me that when I accept this, and transition my focus from "playing better" to learning how to get through a bad day/session, I'm able to accomplish two goals at once. First, it takes my mind off of my poor performance, so I quit dwelling on it. Second, I can redouble my newly available focus on the few aspects of the game that are truly most important.

In short: Quit trying to simply play better when you're clearly playing bad. Shift your focus to learning how to overcome the situation. You'll learn how to overcome it, and you'll likely play better anyway.

I hope this makes some kind of sense. Don't give up.

-Blake

 

[Sofla]

You are on to something. I've certainly dogged league matches, but overall the pressure does seem to focus me into playing better.

BTW, this thought branches into an APA vs BCA thought: here in north Dallas, APA masters is race to 7 against one opponent. But BCA masters (or anything) is playing one game against five different opponents. Although I'm not opposed to playing BCA, it seems to me the race to 7 in APA focuses me on an hour long battle i can figure out a way of winning. (once again I've lost plenty, but hey, it's a theory)

That sounds right. Potentially 13 games in a race to 7 (10 games if it's a wipeout) gives many more chances to get another shot, make it, and get shape. Sometimes with an out table. Once you can win that game, once it gets going, you can get in stroke from that confidence and come back because your top game is good. One game may never give that opportunity, and four other opponents' games may not either.

When behind in a race, I strongly visualize that I get to the hill and see my hand as I move my coin or move a bead on the string and see my opponent's face fall. I've gotten to a lot of hills with that, after playing bad at first. Each shot is a vision, and each out is a vision. Be sure to give the match result the same visual imagination you give a shot and your pattern plans. Don't just know you need to win, want to win, are trying hard to win, but remember to visually imagine the desired end result in physical detail. The mind part of the brain/body pool playing system only takes visual input, not thoughts or words. I think this is a way to program your performance. Try it at the start of every game, and also visualize winning that game.

It works a lot for me, it seems. I should do it before I get behind, I just realized. Doh!

I did make one change already. Besides seeing the hill, I now visualize the later win at the same time.

 

[PoolBum]

I've been in league matches, race to 7, down like 1-4 and 0-4 and come back to win. Playing like garbage in the beginning of the match. I don't know how I've done it, but I've recovered, gotten myself in stroke, and then dominated to come back from behind.

But the thing is, although I've done it numerous times, I can't do it at will. Other times I've just continued to be rolled over.

Thoughts?

The only thing I've done is never given up. I keep re-racking the GD balls, and thought "just win this game."

-Jeff

One piece of advice I have to help get back into the zone is to be in the present moment and focus only on the immediate task at hand. Notice that thinking, "just win this game" is actually not focused on the present moment, but on the future (the end of the game).

If I'm sitting in my chair waiting my turn, then I try to clear my mind of all negativity, including what may be happening in my opponent's current turn at the table, which I have no control over. I just focus on the moment, the now, and maybe pay close attention to my breathing, or the color of the balls, or anything present to my consciousness that brings me back to the present moment.

When it's my turn at the table my entire focus is on the table, analyzing the layout, determining my shot, and then executing the shot. Then I go on to the next shot and do the exact same thing. Regardless of the outcome of my shot I don't judge the result positively or negatively. I just register the result and proceed from there. I also try to use the energy that comes with competition to help me stay focused and up to the task at hand.

If I play in the zone I usually find that after a match my only memories are of my analysis of the table and of my execution of the shots one by one.

 

[336Robin]

I've been in league matches, race to 7, down like 1-4 and 0-4 and come back to win. Playing like garbage in the beginning of the match. I don't know how I've done it, but I've recovered, gotten myself in stroke, and then dominated to come back from behind.

But the thing is, although I've done it numerous times, I can't do it at will. Other times I've just continued to be rolled over.

Thoughts?

The only thing I've done is never given up. I keep re-racking the GD balls, and thought "just win this game."

-Jeff

I would highly suggest you take up One Pocket. Its extremely demanding and will make you focus and what you are doing and as a result will fix a lot of what causes inconsistent play. There is just a lot to it therefore its a great exposer of what is wrong.