Exactly What are the Reasons Pool gets Tougher as you Age?

Speaking only very generally (because everyone ages differently): when you're an active player anywhere on the spectrum between early senior years and well into your 70s, even 80s (I'm 83) it's crucial to studiously tune up certain key things periodically via very self-observant special practice sessions, as follows (and they needn't be long sessions):

(a) Carefully notice and allow for the fact that retinal and lens acuity (and aging eye muscles) and the muscles involved in your stance and setup can change in subtle -- or sometimes major -- ways from your younger days and therefore affect where your optimal vision center and head position should be. Experiment with changes that help your accuracy and CB position play.

(b) Ensure that the timing of your eye movements between CB and OB is ideally coordinated to what your arm is doing during each of the phases of the aiming and stroking processes. Subtle, overly-casual lack of concern about this important eye-movement timing often creeps in amongst senior players and can make a huge difference in performance results.

The (a) and (b) items I cite above can be consciously monitored and ingrained during these recommended periodic tune-ups from year to year in the special practice sessions by being deliberately observant and not least, by definitely recording those sessions using a mounted smartphone or camcorder. The camera is an objective observer -- virtually a coach that will notice physical and behavioral things that you couldn't spot yourself. The recording will then "report" them to you when you carefully study the video. You'll then see any easily correctable performing lapses you can either remedy or work around by making a few changes that make up for physical body aging of strength and endurance, or overly-relaxed attention to the details that once were automatically present in your game . . . and thankfully can be regularly made automatic once again when you're consciously aware of year-over-year needed adjustments.

Arnaldo
 
desi2960 said:
I'm 75, I started playing 1pocket,
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72 here. Focusing on learning/improving 1P. Eyes getting worse...neck, back, get dizzy when standing up. Get fatigued badly sometimes and so on...... However I'm playing better pool than ever (regardless of level). Memory kills me sometimes. Tend to forget certain situations but I'll take whatever comes along with age. I have a lot of hobbies but pool has to be the best fun to be had. Playing 2-4 hours keeps me going. Keeps me thinking and upbeat. Makes me live for the day...to wake up and look forward to the afternoon sessions. Like a frog I'm playing until I croak........and want to be the best 1p player in the old age home....and hopefully remember which pocket is mine..:thumbup:
 
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In addition to everything mentioned so far, I would imagine that the natural decrease in testosterone would have an effect as well.
 
strmanglr scott said:
Does the 60 year old have the same passion for the game? Put in as much time daily? Think about playing(visualization) as much? Compete as much?
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I play more now than I did when younger.

Young = a job..... got to work so no time for serious pool.

Older = retired/financially prepared........ lots more time to spend at table.

Passion? Way more passion now than then.... mentally that is.

My body just isn't as passionate as I am though.

Why cry about it? I don't understand why the OP is crying about it. We all age. Some of us age a little "smarter" than others.

I LOVE seeing the faces of some of the 20's to 40ish year old players when they get up after a pack was just put on them by what they consider an "older" player.

OP:

Had you rather be dead? You know what they say about pain, right?
 
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wigglybridge said:
one thing it's Not about is eyesight.

Neils Feijen is essentially blind in his left eye. Thorsten Hohmann sometimes plays tournament matches without his contacts in. Mark Williams won the World Snooker title last year -- shooting into pockets the size of thimbles on a 12' table -- with his Eyes Closed on key long pots in the final. vision has squat-all to do with pool.

on a far less lofty plane, i'm 69 and my game is stronger than ever, even though my vision is horrible and getting worse: i've always been severely nearsighted, and recently started getting really big floaters and the beginnings of cataracts. but for the first time in my life, i've taken time to work on my fundamentals, and it pays off big-time.

the decaying abilities part, though, is mostly about nerves. pool and snooker at the highest levels are all about how little extraneous body movement and twitches you have, and as you get older you get jumpy. look at the "dinner match" between Mosconi and Caras on youtube -- they've got it, too.
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All very, very true!!!!
 
For me, I think the #1 thing bothering me is my eyes. I had a detached retina a year ago and I'm getting cataracts. I have floaters and my vision is pretty blurry in both eyes. I wear glasses daily, but I wear contacts when I play pool, which is only on Sundays. Wearing the contacts, only once a week, makes my eyes take quite a while to get used to them.

However, I think "seeing the shot" is more than just being able to "see". To me, "seeing the shot" means my depth perception and 3D perception is working also. I used to say, many years ago, that "if I can SEE the shot, I can make it" and I think that is still pretty much the case.

Secondly, I really "don't care" if I'm not playing as good as I once could. I never practice or play except on Sundays and I still can play at an "A" level on most days and sometimes I can catch a "gear" that goes a notch or two higher.

I think I get distracted more easily now than I did when I was younger. I am the type of person who shoots and then returns to my chair when my turn at the table it over and I expect my opponent to do the same. Most of the people I play have a habit of jumping around like Beavis and Butthead and not paying attention to what is going on, which gets on my nerves at times.

My fundamentals are usually pretty solid and I am a "system" player. I don't want to open up a can of worms, but I use TOI and I think it keeps me more consistent. Over the last few weeks, I've played several different people and they all ask me how I do so well only playing once a week. I tell them what I "think" is the "truth"...as least with my playing. I try to position my shots where I can use a TOI or stun on most of my shots. I try to leave the same "angles" if I can and I try to leave myself where I can hit somewhat the same speed on every shot. I like to play what I call "a heavy cue ball". Keeping shallow angles allows me to "muscle" the object ball into the pocket and move the cue ball with speed and not a lot of spin, unless I need to turn the cue ball loose.

Some people are afraid of inside, especially on long power shots. Those are some of my favorites. I'm very comfortable hitting hard and inside and going multiple rails for position.

Even as old as I am, my stamina is still pretty good. I played around 15 hours, or so, straight for the last three Sundays and I was still hitting them as good when I quit as I was during mid day.

I think most of my screw ups now come from just being lackadaisical and not fully concentrating on every shot. In order for me to play better, my opponent has to put pressure on me, where I know if I screw up I may not get another shot. Most of the people that I play with don't have that level of skill, so I don't bear down on every shot, like you should do.

I'd like to play more, just to see how much better I could play, but it's about a 50 mile round-trip, through traffic just to get to the pool hall and that takes too much time and is a hassle.

I'm seeing the eye doctor on Wednesday and hoping to get some information on what my status is, as far as cataract surgery. I know I'll be getting it sometime in the future, but don't know exactly when. He told me that I would have 20-20 again once it is done. Assuming that all works out, that will surely affect my pool game. I'll probably never make a ball again if I can actually see what I'm doing.
 
Is the vision really the same? Depth Perception and focusing ability is a lot of
Pool. It doesn't take much change in vision to shake things up. Men tend to lose their
ability to focus maybe that is from being outside or just whatever but that would be my
first go to answer. Also after about 4 or 5 hours I'm ready for a nap.
 
Stamina and focus primarily. This s^* goes away. No escaping it. Also that firey desire when you were young just doesn't burn as bright.
 
I've been really nearsighted since I was a kid. Now that I'm in my sixties, my vision is actually improving!
Once I get cataracts and have surgery I'll be unstoppable.
 
No problem, it's a good thing

I don't remember how I played, years ago,hell I don't remember how
I played last week, So when I play I think,man I'm pretty good for someone
that just started playing, must be a natural.
jack
 
I will be 80 this year. I play 2/3 times a week and only if I am gambling or in a tournament. The competition keeps me going and it takes a fairly good player to beat me at the games I still play.

There are days I just cannot focus and nothing I can do that day seems to help. I believe it is a combination of most of the things mentioned on here. As a senior I have some health issues, mostly arthritis from age and old injuries. The eyes are not a problem for me, so I am lucky there. I have worn glasses since I started to play pool at 14. My Rx has not changed too much over the years and hopefully it will not in the future. I still play golf on a 6 x 12 when I get a chance and see the edge of the ball just fine.

I believe the worst culprit is the arthritis. I seem to get out of kilt on my mechanics and when I start trying to make adjustments, it usually gets worse. I try not to take any pain pills unless it really gets bad, but I am a believer in CBD Oil and I think it helps some.

I know one of these days I will not be able to compete. I don’t think anyone enjoys pool and what goes along with it more than I do, so that will be a sad day, but for now, I will still be playing the game I love.
 
jrhendy said:
I know one of these days I will not be able to compete. I don’t think anyone enjoys pool and what goes along with it more than I do, so that will be a sad day, but for now, I will still be playing the game I love.
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Enjoy every stroke and every breath of air.
 
I'll be 72 in a couple weeks. I have floaters in my non dominant eye, and cataracts are getting pesky at night.

I have been on the ketogenic diet about eight months, since discovering I was pre-diabetic. I've been in ketosis since, nearly the whole time. I bought the Keto-Mojo meter. It can measure blood glucose and ketones.

I usually eat one meal a day, mostly meat (search carnivore diet), some broccoli or cauliflower now and then, but no starchy carbs or desserts, etc.

6'1", was 235 ish, 42" waist, now 197 and 39". Not spectacular compared to a lot of people on youtube, but I look and feel a lot better, and all my blood markers are now very good.

My wife has been ill so I do the cooking now. I can RUN up the stairs carrying two plates of food without thinking about it. Sleeping better, longer. Something is UP because EVERYTHING works better. :)

Try it, guys. It will be hard getting off carbs the first week or so, until your body is adapted to burning fat. Once that happens, you will be surprised how long you can go without even thinking about food.
 
just a quick chime-in to say great thread, and tap tap to all y'all experienced players for often inspiring this (relative) youngster:thumbup:
 
I'm nearing 68. Was exposed and fascinated to the game as a college freshman. Played league in my 20's. At age 30, stock car racing, work, family, hunting, etc. caused me to give up the game. Playing competitive pool became my retirement objective. I currently play better than ever, due to better pattern, position, banking, kicking, strategy skills. However, it's been difficult. When I retired, I had to get glasses (those big snooker type) to play pool; my PSR had to be modified to have a reliable and consistent vision center (my dominant eye would switch day-to-day); moderate neck arthritis; and tremors that began at age 60 making jacked up shots very difficult (I now use a short bridge often).
Maybe I need all the gadgets that Earl uses........
 
I think maybe the health begins to fade, and I know someone mentioned stamina, that's
true too, and if you're not a professional player I think as you get older there are other
things that might occupy your time and concentration. Now you have house payments,
and lower back pain, and your position as a full time employee is now a career and just
a job, you simply can't knock 'em down like you used to, and I do mean balls, booze,
and women. You don't have to be ft to be old and fat it's part of getting old. The first time
you sit on your balls can be a traumatic thing, then you start to fart and not care who's
around and you wake up a couple times a night just to take a piss. So when you're up
at 4:00 am you decide just to stay up and soon lunch is at 9 or 10, supper at about 3,
and breakfast is the night before.
Your reflexes slow a little, you're probably playing with different goals in mind.
Pool is now more for fun, it becomes secondary.
Some night go out and watch a rec bowling league, you'll have all your answers
 
I just turned 54 and have only really been playing for about 8 years now but my guess that its just due to age slowing us down. I remember when in my late 20's and early 30's I felt like Superman. I used to work a full 8 hour day then work another 8 at home in the garage, sleep a few hours and I was ready to start all over the next morning. Now I work an 8 hour day and think I will work a few hours in the garage but rarely do I have the energy for that anymore. I just think its our bodies as a whole slowing us down and affects every aspect of our lives.
 
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