Newbie and nerves

FeelDaShot said:
Welcome to the lovely world of pool! Pressure/nervousness/anxiousness affects everyone at all skill levels. The more you play the better you'll be at dealing with it but I wouldn't expect to ever feel as comfortable in match as you do when you're at home on the practice table. Here's a good video which might help (his whole youtube channel is top notch):
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So many good points brought out in this thread, and this is one of my favs. Instead of being intimidated by the event, embrace the nerves and try to make something positive out of them. Maybe a 'bring it on' attitude. I am realizing everyone is in a similar situation, and we all have to deal with it. When I got into pool playing several months ago I was intimidated by my playing companions because they were better than I. Now I have become used to that level, and it is not intimidating anymore. I feel I can accomplish this in any setting with time and involvement.
 
MajorMiscue said:
So, when you miss a shot while practicing, set it up again and again until that shot is automatic, practice some more, then come back to the problem shot and make it a few more times. Success breeds success.
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Shots came up I’d say to myself… I made this in practice I can do it here. It went in.
Practice and you’ll get better. Please keep in mind pool is not easy. Looking for help/advice to improve is a great start.
 
measureman said:
Nerves are a funny thing.
I worked for many years with a former professional boxer that had around 50 fights.
He told me that the day of the fight he would get so nervous that he often thought about pulling out.
But the moment the bell rang the nerves settled down and he was fine through the whole fight.
Weird huh?
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Actually, that is a typical response. I used to have to do a lot of public speaking, at times to a hostile crowd. The butterflies can be distressing right up intil the time I stepped onto the stage. The fight or flight anxiety is instantly gone as soon as that decision is passed.
 
SeniorTom said:
So many good points brought out in this thread, and this is one of my favs. Instead of being intimidated by the event, embrace the nerves and try to make something positive out of them. Maybe a 'bring it on' attitude. I am realizing everyone is in a similar situation, and we all have to deal with it. When I got into pool playing several months ago I was intimidated by my playing companions because they were better than I. Now I have become used to that level, and it is not intimidating anymore. I feel I can accomplish this in any setting with time and involvement.
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Remember, iron sharpens iron. Play with folks who you know are better than you, whenever possible. Take note of their table habits, strategies, stroke, etc. When I was a kid, I asked my Dad once when I would get better at pool, he said "when you get tired of racking." 😉
 
SeniorTom said:
I am a newbie to playing pool, about 5 months into it. I have been playing on a league and am presently a APA 5 rated. I would be winning more matches with my skill set if I could just get over the nerves when playing. I was wondering how many people here don't reach their potential because of nerves, and also how people overcome them as well. Are you still affected by nervousness? How do you deal with this?
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Nerves are good, it tells me you care.
 
SeniorTom said:
I am a newbie to playing pool, about 5 months into it. I have been playing on a league and am presently a APA 5 rated. I would be winning more matches with my skill set if I could just get over the nerves when playing. I was wondering how many people here don't reach their potential because of nerves, and also how people overcome them as well. Are you still affected by nervousness? How do you deal with this?
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Yes, this is part of the game. It is why practicing on your own under no pressure yields better performance than during live matches.

You need to practice this like any of the other 1000 skills required in this game.

When not playing in tournaments, play on table 1, or the hardest and most observed table in your pool hall. Play infront of others who might be watching you often. Figure out what part of your stroke starts failing first under pressure and work on that.

Every time you play in a bigger tournament, nerves come back. Everyone has them at all times, it is jsut how you control them.

The trick is to get used to the nerves being present and living with it.
 
measureman said:
Nerves are a funny thing.
I worked for many years with a former professional boxer that had around 50 fights.
He told me that the day of the fight he would get so nervous that he often thought about pulling out.
But the moment the bell rang the nerves settled down and he was fine through the whole fight.
Weird huh?
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Not weird at all, imo.

Also, not directly relevant...imo.

I am (was) full of afraid before some of the bike rides I used to do, either coz it is (was) dangerous terrain out in the middle of nowhere or a crazy fast road ride that I know will be suffering for hours.

Point being, boxing / biking/ most sports have the ability to be influenced by sheer power.

Pool does not.
 
MajorMiscue said:
Know why Stephen Curry can bomb in 3 pointers like it was nuthin' no matter the stress? Because he has practiced 3 pointers from everywhere so many times that from the time the ball is in his hands and his eyes see the hoop it is all automatic. Muscle memory is developed through practice. The more you can rely on muscle memory the more confidence you will have regardless of the pressure.

So, when you miss a shot while practicing, set it up again and again until that shot is automatic, practice some more, then come back to the problem shot and make it a few more times. Success breeds success.
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Instead of starting a new thread for newbie issues, I will add to this thread another angle of struggle. I'm a Believer the more competent you are the more success you will have and the more nerves will go away and not affect you negatively. I have been practicing my diagonal straight in shots across an 8 ft table and have difficulty being consistent in pocketing the ball. My question to any who care to respond is do you look at the object ball last before you hit the shot, or do you look at the cue ball lastly before you strike it. I seem to have quite a bit of success looking at the cue ball last. When I look at the object ball I have a tendency to hit the cue ball off center, which is really annoying. So is it the cue ball last or the object ball last?
 
The only shot I look at the cue ball last is the break shot, otherwise I am focused on the object ball.

SeniorTom said:
I have been practicing my diagonal straight in shots across an 8 ft table and have difficulty being consistent in pocketing the ball.
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Try shooting the cue ball diagonally into center of the corner pocket with no object ball. Focus on the pocket. If it is a straight in shot and you can routinely shoot the cue ball straight into the pocket, adding the object ball should make no difference.
 
SeniorTom said:
Are earbuds accepted in competitive play?
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In APA, I believe the National Rule is they are not allowed. However, its always best to check your local Bylaws to see what is allowed. For instance, in our LO's territory, earbuds are permitted during regular league play, but I believe that they are not allowed during any High Level Tournaments. The territory where you play may have such a rule in place, as well. Or something completely different.

It's a good idea to be familiar with the Bylaws locally for many reasons. You can always ask your LO, but that person may not always be available, too. They should be available in the app (they are on mine), under your local territory section.

I wish you luck in getting a handle on it. I've been playing APA for about 14-15 years now, and I still have to fight nerves and anxiety at times, too. If I can get out of my own head, I do OK. :)
 
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SeniorTom said:
Instead of starting a new thread for newbie issues, I will add to this thread another angle of struggle. I'm a Believer the more competent you are the more success you will have and the more nerves will go away and not affect you negatively. I have been practicing my diagonal straight in shots across an 8 ft table and have difficulty being consistent in pocketing the ball. My question to any who care to respond is do you look at the object ball last before you hit the shot, or do you look at the cue ball lastly before you strike it. I seem to have quite a bit of success looking at the cue ball last. When I look at the object ball I have a tendency to hit the cue ball off center, which is really annoying. So is it the cue ball last or the object ball last?
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there are many thread on cue ball or object ball last
like which tip is best you will get proponents of each.
darren appleton's tip in a video was to not look at the cue ball or object ball last but look at the back of the pocket
and shoot the cue ball as if the object ball was not there
 
Eye Pattern ...Me ....by way of SPF stroke instructor Scott Lee (RIP)... cue ball cue ball Object ball
 
Someone once asked Johnny Archer how he dealt with the stress in game play. I'll paraphrase what he said: I'll take a deep breathe and then let it out , that relaxes me.
I have taken that advice, and it works.
 
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SeniorTom said:
I am a newbie to playing pool, about 5 months into it. I have been playing on a league and am presently a APA 5 rated. I would be winning more matches with my skill set if I could just get over the nerves when playing. I was wondering how many people here don't reach their potential because of nerves, and also how people overcome them as well. Are you still affected by nervousness? How do you deal with this?
Click to expand...

APA 5 after playing for not even a year is very good. You get over nerves due to more play, and I guess in some way your personality. You need a bit of a calm attitude combined with confidence and trust in your skill to just focus on the shot/game and not anything else like looking bad if you miss. There is a bit of an ego involved there, but very tempered, you can't just act like you are big shot on campus strutting around, but you have to calmly believe in it, or at least that you can do what you need to. Think of how the Patriots and Belichick act vs most other teams, Pats just score and win, the other teams make it a circus and do more trash talking that winning. Be the Pats.
 
I am surprised at the amount of people who think they played worse when nervous or when the adrenalin starts flowing (I thought it was the same but maybe I am wrong). I played better when when nervous or with adrenalin and wish that I still had that same nervousness now when playing. Maybe it didnt bother me so much because I was used to being under pressure from other activities before I started shooting pool.
 
Deruki said:
Beta blockers are so effective they are banned. I was on one awaiting heart surgery about 20 years ago and happened to notice all my pool anxiety was gone during that time in match play.
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Intake beta blockers every 12 hours for an arrhythmia. They have zero effect on me otherwise other than make my heart feel normal
 
fastone371 said:
I am surprised at the amount of people who think they played worse when nervous or when the adrenalin starts flowing (I thought it was the same but maybe I am wrong). I played better when when nervous or with adrenalin and wish that I still had that same nervousness now when playing. Maybe it didnt bother me so much because I was used to being under pressure from other activities before I started shooting pool.
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That’s experience. When I gamble at anything I’m so used to it now, I don’t feel pressure. I can feel “the action” and that helps. Hard to explain. The amount of the bet doesn’t matter anymore to me, been that way the last 25 years I’d guess, maybe longer
 
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