Fight or flight

trob

trob

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is something I’ve struggled with on and off through my 35 year playing life And I really am now. To give you an Idea in my first two session of apa masters I played every week. A session is 12 weeks and I lost 3 matches in both sessions combined. Right now I’m lost 4 of my last 5 . 3 of them went to the hill. This week I lost 7-4 to a guy that the opportunities he gave me he should have been lucky to get 4. Lol I’m on the struggle bus right now mentally.

So what I’m referring to with fight or flight Is when the stress or anxiety pops up suddenly I lose my rhythm. Where Im normally a slow player who stays down on the ball a little longer then others suddenly I’m shooting the ball quickly. you jerk your cue back quickly poke at it. A It’s like your body and brain our feeling the anxiety and wants to get it over with and thats exactly when you dog a silly shot or position. In the past I beat it with just taking my time and staying down on a balls a little longer but the last few weeks my brain goes blank and don’t realize I did it until afterwards. I guess I’m just wondering is this a normal thing you fight with and how did any of you handle it.

I’m sure I’ll play myself out of it and by vegas in 2 months I’ll be back to normal but man is it frustrating and almost embarrassing when everyone in the room knows your out of here and you dog it like a punk lol maybe I should take a day or two off but with that damn diamond in my house it just calls out to me 😂
 
Performance anxiety...I think everyone goes through it and it goes away with table time. If youre still struggling with it after 35 years you might have to change something to get through it. A solid PSR or making your self take a certain number of practice strokes when down on the ball before you can even think about shooting...something to take your mind off the anxiety.
 
TeddyKGB said:
Performance anxiety...I think everyone goes through it and it goes away with table time. If youre still struggling with it after 35 years you might have to change something to get through it. A solid PSR or making your self take a certain number of practice strokes when down on the ball before you can even think about shooting...something to take your mind off the anxiety.
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That’s the problem I do have a solid psr but sometimes it pops up anyway. Trust me this time next week I’ll be back to running out fine but man this game gets in your head and when your confidence gets shook it takes everything with it.

Oh well.. it’s what keeps us coming back I guess. If we were always playing our best it would get boring . None of us our robots.
 
Feel you here. One of the reasons I don't play tournaments anymore. Even when I tell myself it doesn't matter and I'm just playing to have fun. Always end up shoving my own head where the sun don't shine...

Wish I could reclaim some of that arrogance I had in college (key word: some). Thought I could beat anyone back then. Extra frustrating because I'm a FAR better player now.

I dunno. Brains are dumb.
 
probably means you are choking. your speed doesnt vary much. so since its in your head you have to deal with that.

gambling even though it isnt your thing gets you to not choke as you just get used to the small pressure.

otherwise maybe you do need to learn to shoot faster so you dont choke because you dont think about it for long.
 
maha said:
probably means you are choking. your speed doesnt vary much. so since its in your head you have to deal with that.

gambling even though it isnt your thing gets you to not choke as you just get used to the small pressure.

otherwise maybe you do need to learn to shoot faster so you dont choke because you dont think about it for long.
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Meh everyone chokes now and then I don’t care who you are. The best players of every sport choke. Gambling won’t stop you from never choking again. I feel plenty of pressure from leagues and tournaments. More times then not I handle it fine. I’m just on the struggle bus right now. Ebbs and flows of the game
 
trob said:
This is something I’ve struggled with on and off through my 35 year playing life And I really am now. To give you an Idea in my first two session of apa masters I played every week. A session is 12 weeks and I lost 3 matches in both sessions combined. Right now I’m lost 4 of my last 5 . 3 of them went to the hill. This week I lost 7-4 to a guy that the opportunities he gave me he should have been lucky to get 4. Lol I’m on the struggle bus right now mentally.

So what I’m referring to with fight or flight Is when the stress or anxiety pops up suddenly I lose my rhythm. Where Im normally a slow player who stays down on the ball a little longer then others suddenly I’m shooting the ball quickly. you jerk your cue back quickly poke at it. A It’s like your body and brain our feeling the anxiety and wants to get it over with and thats exactly when you dog a silly shot or position. In the past I beat it with just taking my time and staying down on a balls a little longer but the last few weeks my brain goes blank and don’t realize I did it until afterwards. I guess I’m just wondering is this a normal thing you fight with and how did any of you handle it.

I’m sure I’ll play myself out of it and by vegas in 2 months I’ll be back to normal but man is it frustrating and almost embarrassing when everyone in the room knows your out of here and you dog it like a punk lol maybe I should take a day or two off but with that damn diamond in my house it just calls out to me 😂
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Gummies. 🤷
 
I think you have a good handle on what's happening. Quiet mind, quiet stroke. Empty your brain of what doesn't matter. Hard to do when things aren't going well. Easy, almost automatic, when rolling.
 
Jimmorrison said:
I think you have a good handle on what's happening. Quiet mind, quiet stroke. Empty your brain of what doesn't matter. Hard to do when things aren't going well. Easy, almost automatic, when rolling.
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And if something is bothering you, don't try to ignore it because that can amplify it. Take a brief step back and acknowledge it's happening then leave it in the past. In a way it's like meditation or practicing mindfulness.

This game really is nuts how many different aspects need to come together to get into the zone. Then sometimes it just happens without any effort. :)
 
boogieman said:
And if something is bothering you, don't try to ignore it because that can amplify it. Take a brief step back and acknowledge it's happening then leave it in the past. In a way it's like meditation or practicing mindfulness.

This game really is nuts how many different aspects need to come together to get into the zone. Then sometimes it just happens without any effort. :)
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Yes, this is so right on! Do not just "shoot it anyway". You know everything isn't right, make it right.
 
Brian, from FXBilliards, has a whole thing on "shoot it anyway". It's worth a look. You already know it, but a revisit doesn't hurt.
 
maha said:
probably means you are choking. your speed doesnt vary much. so since its in your head you have to deal with that.

gambling even though it isnt your thing gets you to not choke as you just get used to the small pressure.

otherwise maybe you do need to learn to shoot faster so you dont choke because you dont think about it for long.
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More pressure is just as likely to make things worse as it is to make them better. There's a point where brute force isn't productive anymore and you need help wrapping your brain around itself. It's not as simple as more experience or higher stakes solving the problem when often that will just compound the issue.
There's a reason many top pro athletes have therapists...
 
its not a mental game you cannot reason your way into playing well. that only puts doubt and makes you worse.

it is a physical game just like any sport. you just stay loose as in any sport. you tighten up and your toast.
that is choking, and comes from not being able to handle pressure. so swing away and dont think about it. that is the only way to play once you are approaching your shot.
 
Realize and embrace the simple and eternal truth of competition: there is no shame in losing, only in not giving one's best. No right thinking person will ever think little of anyone for losing, because, if one is a true competitor, one must necessarily take on players who are their betters, and if one does so, he will lose. The lowest in the barrel of shameful are the players who stride about us preening fragile egos by achieving "greatness" on the backs of lesser players. A truly "good" player will never look down on someone he has simply beaten, but those going down without offering real struggle are viewed as beneath contempt.

I did not invent the above, and others have set it down in far more artful terms, but I have been in enough battles and lost often and enough to have been compelled to closely examine why I kept on. I finally realized two things: first, we have to take on some people, not to win, but to show them there was someone willing to take them on and demonstrate their vulnerability (surprisingly, some of these are actually won) and, secondly, losing does not sting anywhere near as bad as not giving it everything. Leaving it all on the table allows one to sleep at night and keep on competing.
 
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Perhaps you need to give a thought on why does the stress and anxiety pops up and you start feeling uncomfortable? Is it after a missed shot or the scoreline scare, maybe because the finish line is closing, team member is watching? Does your pulse go up (relax, breathe) or do your thoughts start running (empty your mind with your psr) or do you start squeezing the cue (relax your fingers)? Do you start frowning/complaining (stop it, back to deadpan). Usually anxiety is a combination of all there, but you can fight them.
 
Great pool playing demand a very, very high and consistent form of simultaneous mind focus and body relaxation. Observing and playing against great players leads me to a few conclusions that seem to present themselves in almost every masterful performance in the game:

1. Their self developed PSR allows them to approach each shot in a manner that promotes maximum confidence in their ability to make the shot and move that CB to the next desired location - the key is the confidence part - once down on the shot- the mind is free of doubt allowing the body to execute the shot as planned in their PSR- this time period between table approach to actual CB contact varies by each individual's own time clock.

2. The very best players have step # 1 nailed down so solidly in their table DNA that superior results are much more consistent than the average player.

3. Find the PSR that works best for YOU, say " I CAN DO THIS" to yourself prior to each and every shot- and MEAN IT!

RELAX THAT GRIP HAND- hard to go forward stroke too fast if your grip hand is TRULY relaxed!

Finally, ACCEPT who you are PRIOR to every shot and AFTER your results and VOW to LEARN from every shot what is best for you going forward.
 
trob said:
This is something I’ve struggled with on and off through my 35 year playing life And I really am now. To give you an Idea in my first two session of apa masters I played every week. A session is 12 weeks and I lost 3 matches in both sessions combined. Right now I’m lost 4 of my last 5 . 3 of them went to the hill. This week I lost 7-4 to a guy that the opportunities he gave me he should have been lucky to get 4. Lol I’m on the struggle bus right now mentally.

So what I’m referring to with fight or flight Is when the stress or anxiety pops up suddenly I lose my rhythm. Where Im normally a slow player who stays down on the ball a little longer then others suddenly I’m shooting the ball quickly. you jerk your cue back quickly poke at it. A It’s like your body and brain our feeling the anxiety and wants to get it over with and thats exactly when you dog a silly shot or position. In the past I beat it with just taking my time and staying down on a balls a little longer but the last few weeks my brain goes blank and don’t realize I did it until afterwards. I guess I’m just wondering is this a normal thing you fight with and how did any of you handle it.

I’m sure I’ll play myself out of it and by vegas in 2 months I’ll be back to normal but man is it frustrating and almost embarrassing when everyone in the room knows your out of here and you dog it like a punk lol maybe I should take a day or two off but with that damn diamond in my house it just calls out to me 😂
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Until you learn to embrace adrenaline for improved performance, it may lead you to overhit your shots. Simply telling yourself to play softer can create anxiety and increase adrenaline levels.

Instead, you can achieve a softer shot than usual by allowing adrenaline to carry the ball almost automatically; this can be done by shortening the length of your bridge. I suggest trying this in practice when you are not feeling adrenaline to understand what I mean.
 
trob said:
This is something I’ve struggled with on and off through my 35 year playing life And I really am now. To give you an Idea in my first two session of apa masters I played every week. A session is 12 weeks and I lost 3 matches in both sessions combined. Right now I’m lost 4 of my last 5 . 3 of them went to the hill. This week I lost 7-4 to a guy that the opportunities he gave me he should have been lucky to get 4. Lol I’m on the struggle bus right now mentally.

So what I’m referring to with fight or flight Is when the stress or anxiety pops up suddenly I lose my rhythm. Where Im normally a slow player who stays down on the ball a little longer then others suddenly I’m shooting the ball quickly. you jerk your cue back quickly poke at it. A It’s like your body and brain our feeling the anxiety and wants to get it over with and thats exactly when you dog a silly shot or position. In the past I beat it with just taking my time and staying down on a balls a little longer but the last few weeks my brain goes blank and don’t realize I did it until afterwards. I guess I’m just wondering is this a normal thing you fight with and how did any of you handle it.

I’m sure I’ll play myself out of it and by vegas in 2 months I’ll be back to normal but man is it frustrating and almost embarrassing when everyone in the room knows your out of here and you dog it like a punk lol maybe I should take a day or two off but with that damn diamond in my house it just calls out to me 😂
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I am just coming off 3 weeks without touching a cue (and I have a diamond in my living room). I think it will be a good thing. Hit a few balls last night and shot straighter than I have in a while...and it was fun!

REcently, pool had started to feel like a chore. Guess I needed a few weeks to remember that it ain't a job, don't pay the bills, and I'm never going to be world champ :). I personally just needed to find the right perspective again.
 
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