Drugs to shoot better

Bellhemen

Registered
I'm wondering if you could shoot better under the influence of drugs. Lots of people claim they shoot better after consuming alcohol. But what about drugs like Adderall that increase concentration and decreases fatigue. Or Anti Anxiety meds that calm your nerves when there's a lot on the line. For your average player it probably wouldn't make a difference, but pro level players...I would think they could stay in the zone longer or not be distracted as easily or not feel the pressure of the shot. Is this or has this been done by the pros?
 

dr9ball

"Lock Doctor"
Silver Member
I'm wondering if you could shoot better under the influence of drugs. Lots of people claim they shoot better after consuming alcohol. But what about drugs like Adderall that increase concentration and decreases fatigue. Or Anti Anxiety meds that calm your nerves when there's a lot on the line. For your average player it probably wouldn't make a difference, but pro level players...I would think they could stay in the zone longer or not be distracted as easily or not feel the pressure of the shot. Is this or has this been done by the pros?

I'd bet that a few have tried cocaine and crank. How else do people play 2 or 3 days straight with no sleep?
 

Foolio

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not a pothead (sound like denial huh?) but personally after a couple hits I seem a lot more focused on playing. I get very calm and my mind is on the ball. It seems like the ball is going in no matter what. Although when the high is gone I feel very down which is never good. When I first started to learn, I smoked quite frequently but I slowed down since then. Maybe it was because I learned in that state that I feel more comfortble? Just my own thoughts, I know some good players that after their session can't make a ball.

I wouldn't try pills or cocaine or any of that stuff. Alcohol makes me looser but the same time I feel that it has a negative impact on my game.

Speaking of the green, how many Californians are voting for prop 19? Maybe I'll ask in the npr section. Not to hijack this informative thread.
 

OPQ

Registered
Sure you could stay up a long time using speed etc. but I'm not sure it would do much good for your concentration.

As for weed, that's definately a performance enhancing drug when it comes to billiards. I'm sure there are lots of "legal" drugs that have the same effect.
 

JB Cases

www.jbcases.com
Silver Member
In a society that takes drugs FOR EVERYTHING it's pretty much a given that people try all sorts of drugs to play better.

From pain pills to anti-depressants to cocaine to majiuana to speed, legal and not, people try everything to get into a good space.

The problem is that chemical help is temporary, it's a solution with diminishing returns as you have to take more and more to get the same effect.

So while yes you can get into the zone with some drugs in the end it's not worth it because it only leads to a roller coaster of performance and leaves you wondering what's you and what's the drugs.

Take what helps you to be healthy, not something to make you play better than you really are.

The best drug in the world is what you get when you win without any chemical help. It's the high you can't buy.
 

Blue Hog ridr

World Famous Fisherman.
Silver Member
Forget XTC, I take a new drug called CTE.

With the right mixture of beer and herb, not only can I play better, but I'm also Wayne Newton on Karaoke nights.
 
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nksmfamjp

Refugee...
Silver Member
Over a longer session, ibuprofen helps keep an old sports injury from acting up! :slap:

But seriously, sick, pain, whatever, it all goes away when I see the table. They do creep back into my mind after a few hours.
 

cuetechasaurus

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If you look at people like Shane, Mika, Bartram, Donny Mills, Dominguez, and plenty more, it should be enough proof that drugs aren't needed to play world class pool. All the above are well known fitness fanatics that don't use anything but heart and determination.

Now if you are talking about an older person with heart rate issues, I can see how anti-anxiety, beta blockers, or alcohol could steady one's arm. But that doesn't mean it makes you think any clearer. In fact they are known to cloud one's mind as a side effect, so it's kind of a catch-22 IMO.
 

vincentwu817

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't think anyone should resort to drugs to improve their pool game. Train and practice well. Eat and live healthy and get proper rest. I'm sure you will be mentally sharp.
 

Matt90

Trust the Process
Silver Member
on my soap box of course BUT .......

Have to tell a little bit of my story to make this make sense.When I was a very young kid ,maybe 6 yrs old, I fell in love with pool playing at a camp ground to cool off in the hot summer evenings spent at the camp ground pool and rec center. When I could not get any money to play I would just shoot the cue ball around the table for what seemed like hours. A few short years later I find myself playing pool in places that are a bit rough ,using drugs and or the drug alcohol,yes alcohol is a drug ,look it up ,ask a medical professional.That behavior continued until there was no pool or anything else just the drug.By the age of 19 I am using daily as much as I can get my hands on of whatever was obtainable that day.I ended up in a treatment center weighing a mere 118 lbs soaking wet and by the Grace of God was introduced to a 12 step program known as Narcotics Anonymous.One of the suggestions they give you early on in recovery is the leave old play grounds ,play mates,and play things alone.So , I never even considered playing pool or going around it on a big level until I had over 15 yrs clean. At that time I am living in Atlanta and it hits me riding down the road that the disease of addiction had robed me of a great past time that I really loved. Soon after I discovered leauges and tournaments , and that there was a whole other side of this sport I never considered. Some nights I play really good for a player of my experience and level ,other nights it's a crying shame but make no mistake about it you are playing me and only me ,good or bad . So there have been a few times I have played a few people I knew were flying high and felt a bit shorted that they had an advantage and yes it is an advantage to use a drug any drug to change your mood and mind to enhance your preformance ,in pool and I believe that even includes alcohol .My conclusion is simply this .People get on here and other forums and cry about how bad pool is , how bad the pay outs are and all this .Well LEVEL the playing field just like any other sport. Drug test !!! Set up tournaments to where the spectators are the only ones consuming alcohol during matches .Yeah , I said that .....No Booze !!! Till after you win or lose .Give a player like me a strait up game that's all I ask.I'm sure there are others that feel the same.You know I noticed one thing when I streamed a few pro events,most of the pro level players are not drinking before or during there matches .Some may be using something , I'm clueless for a reason but I do know a few top players personally and know about all they do is have a drink or two after the day is done. All I'm saying is LEVEL the field .I once beat up three guys ,all bigger than me, at one time, all jacked up in a dope house scared out of my wits , a human being jacked up on dope can do some amazing things and it is not fair to a player who just brings there heart ,skills, and experience to the table.
hm36drugs-are-bad-posters.jpg
 
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vincentwu817

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Good post, but had a hard time reading it lol! You're right, any sort of drugs gives an unfair advantage. I'm not sure how common it is in professional pool, but I doubt that any of the top players use drugs to enhance performance. If you practice sober, you'll perform best sober.
 

Luxury

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I smoked weed for years but every time I tried playing pool on it my brain was mush and I couldn't make a ball.
 

JB Cases

www.jbcases.com
Silver Member
For real... you guys take your "performance enhancers" and ill outperform your enhancements without them.

You think so?

If so then you haven't been around pool much, at least not any gambling on pool.

If you ever have to play a guy that's got his mix right and he is playing over his head you'll understand.

Those of us who have been around have all had to go up against guys who were high on coke, speed, pain pills, meth, etc... who played LIGHTS OUT while up.

IF you can outlast it until they are coming down then you can win. If you and the other guy were about even players without any "help" then you will likely get creamed if your opponent has taken something to help him focus.

One time in the pool room someone gave me a pill. I don't know what it was and it made my knees feel like they had pins in them. But I gave a good player the 6 out for $50 in a race to nine and the race to nine was over in 15 minutes.

I ran out from EVERYWHERE. I made every kick, bank, tough cut etc. I made the spot look ridiculous. I asked him if he wanted to play another set and he declined and I offered the FOUR out and he STILL declined.

I would NEVER take another pill like that again where I didn't know what was in it. Because although I played like god for 30 minutes I felt totally out of control and a little scared at what my body felt like.

So I understand that when someone goes to the bathroom and comes out and they are suddenly slicing in 100 degree shots like they are hangers.

This is a very real thing in pool and other sports. It's called performance enhancing because that's exactly what happens.

Call me back next time a guy snaps you off for $1500 while taking ten trips to the bathroom while doing it.

I once beat a guy out of $1200 because I imposed a ONE TIME bathroom break during the set rule. He couldn't get his fix every ten minutes and I beat him.

Previously I had tolerated his activity and sometimes I won and sometimes I didn't but every time fading the chemical breaks and resulting swings played on my mind.
 

ironman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm wondering if you could shoot better under the influence of drugs. Lots of people claim they shoot better after consuming alcohol. But what about drugs like Adderall that increase concentration and decreases fatigue. Or Anti Anxiety meds that calm your nerves when there's a lot on the line. For your average player it probably wouldn't make a difference, but pro level players...I would think they could stay in the zone longer or not be distracted as easily or not feel the pressure of the shot. Is this or has this been done by the pros?

Are you kidding? At some of the tournaments starting 4 hours later than scheduled and running practically non stop until done, Adderall is about s common as Blue Chalk!! How do you think they do it.
Why do they run tournaments like this? Once it is done, only first and second place have any money left. The house has the rest!
 

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
I took drugs for years playing pool. Drugs never made me shoot better than I was capable of, they just kept me shooting that best game for hours and kept the choke away. That said, drugs and booze have taken a toll on my body over the years.
I use to play 14.1 for 24 to 36 hours on speed and coke. When I was tuned up right I could see the fuzz from the table on the balls 9 ft away. Johnnyt
 

Marcl3954

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think the problem with anything alcohol or drugs, Is mataining at a constant level.
Short term might work, but how could anyone stay(maintaian) at a level that would make you play better consistently.
Better off spending your money on equipment, trainig aids, or lessons
 

poolplayer2093

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm wondering if you could shoot better under the influence of drugs. Lots of people claim they shoot better after consuming alcohol. But what about drugs like Adderall that increase concentration and decreases fatigue. Or Anti Anxiety meds that calm your nerves when there's a lot on the line. For your average player it probably wouldn't make a difference, but pro level players...I would think they could stay in the zone longer or not be distracted as easily or not feel the pressure of the shot. Is this or has this been done by the pros?

running nitrus through your car might make you go faster in the short term but over the long haul you ain't going to like where it gets you
 

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
I'm wondering if you could shoot better under the influence of drugs. Lots of people claim they shoot better after consuming alcohol. But what about drugs like Adderall that increase concentration and decreases fatigue. Or Anti Anxiety meds that calm your nerves when there's a lot on the line. For your average player it probably wouldn't make a difference, but pro level players...I would think they could stay in the zone longer or not be distracted as easily or not feel the pressure of the shot. Is this or has this been done by the pros?
Yes you can, but as others have pointed out, it's temporary. Weed is the most temporary and least predictable. It might make you more or less distractible and as the high wears off your mental state changes while you're playing.

pj
chgo
 
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