Choking - Why we do this
- Thread starter MuchoBurrito
- Start date
My advice to you is to simplify your game. Not just PSR, but thinking about ANYTHING else. Just focus on the task at hand. If you miss, you're not a Pro. Forgive yourself and move on to the next opportunity at the table. If something doesn't feel right, stop, re-center yourself, re-focus on the task at hand, and execute. Sometimes people choke on the game ball. I tell them that the game ball doesnt exist. All of them are the same. Every shot, even the hard ones. And above all, enjoy the game. If you aren't having fun, then what are you playing for?
Your suggestion oh wise one?
:wave:
See post number #9. No matter what you do though,
it's hard to stop the eyes from glazing over and feeling frightened that you might miss a ball and lose a game.
We used to unbutton the top button on our shirts to stop choking but that didn't help either.
That's why in the Pottstown area, all the leagues are partners. That way you might
get lucky and your partner will be shooting the eight ball.
:lmao:
.
You live in Pottstown? Your info says MD. I live not far from Pottstown but don't play team. You seem a little stuck on yourself oh omniscient one. Enjoy your distasteful self. Creep.
Being a champion often means overcoming reality.
I can't remember which professional athlete said that but that saying above always sticks with me. Choking happens when you realize the magnitude of the situation and aren't sure if you can rise to the occasion.
The only way to overcome that is to believe in yourself, in spite of the odds of your succeeding and regardless of the reality of the magnitude of the situation.
I can't remember which professional athlete said that but that saying above always sticks with me. Choking happens when you realize the magnitude of the situation and aren't sure if you can rise to the occasion.
The only way to overcome that is to believe in yourself, in spite of the odds of your succeeding and regardless of the reality of the magnitude of the situation.
SilverDevil
Registered
I agree. I have felt this many times in league. I am having a year like that right now. I went from being a masters player in South Dakota where I think the quality of pool is unusually high to losing APA matches against a six when I only need 2 games to his 5. Last week I missed 3 eightballs and three times I made excellent breakouts to open the table up and miss an easy shot or make bad shape on an easy ball. Makes me want to quit. It also makes me hit the practice sessions harder. Since then I have run a lot of stroke drills (back to the basics) and I am now running 3/5 tables on my home table but it is still not translating to league.
Motor skill loss
Under extreme stress us humans loose fine motor skills, but can usually still perform gross motor skills. I was taught this long ago in some hand gun training.
We were taught that it was easier to rack a slide when moving and being shot at then it was to use your thumb to hit the slide release.
It is easy to grab a hammer when excited and beat some thing with it. It is hard to run around the block and stop and thread a needle in a hurry with every one watching you and adoration and money and self satisfaction is your waiting reward.
Pool is unlike any thing else and requires fine motor skills for many shots, especially as the difficulty of the shot increases. Which is what happens when we are stressed by the importance of the shot. I can think of no other sport where an 1/8 of an inch can cost one a shot, game, a match, a title. There are many more world class football, basket ball, etc. players then world class pool players. Which is one of the reasons there is no money in it compared to other sports.
I believe mental conditioning can help one to over come some of this. Picture making important shots under pressure and always picture your stroke and the ball going in the pocket, picture the shot over and over, telling your self what you will do.
Mental conditioning has been taught to police and combat troops for many years and is a proven tool. But, I do not believe it can cover up poor basic skills. In other words, it won't turn an average shooter into a great shooter. But, it will help one to maintain their shooting skill level when the pressure is on.
Under extreme stress us humans loose fine motor skills, but can usually still perform gross motor skills. I was taught this long ago in some hand gun training.
We were taught that it was easier to rack a slide when moving and being shot at then it was to use your thumb to hit the slide release.
It is easy to grab a hammer when excited and beat some thing with it. It is hard to run around the block and stop and thread a needle in a hurry with every one watching you and adoration and money and self satisfaction is your waiting reward.
Pool is unlike any thing else and requires fine motor skills for many shots, especially as the difficulty of the shot increases. Which is what happens when we are stressed by the importance of the shot. I can think of no other sport where an 1/8 of an inch can cost one a shot, game, a match, a title. There are many more world class football, basket ball, etc. players then world class pool players. Which is one of the reasons there is no money in it compared to other sports.
I believe mental conditioning can help one to over come some of this. Picture making important shots under pressure and always picture your stroke and the ball going in the pocket, picture the shot over and over, telling your self what you will do.
Mental conditioning has been taught to police and combat troops for many years and is a proven tool. But, I do not believe it can cover up poor basic skills. In other words, it won't turn an average shooter into a great shooter. But, it will help one to maintain their shooting skill level when the pressure is on.
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GoldenFlash
Banned
There is one thing 99% of all players do differently from what they've been doing in running balls...when they get to the money ball.
And it is not a 'fear' thing either.
They do not play position for another ball, as they have been doing...since there are no more balls remaining. This, in itself, breaks up the rhythm that has been established and contributes greatly to fouling up on the money ball.
So, an aid, not a magic cure, for the problem is to merely play simple, easy, position on an imaginary ball (that isn't there) when shooting the money ball.
That comes from no less an authority than Billy Johnson...(you guys would remember him as Wade Crane). NOT from me.
And it is not a 'fear' thing either.
They do not play position for another ball, as they have been doing...since there are no more balls remaining. This, in itself, breaks up the rhythm that has been established and contributes greatly to fouling up on the money ball.
So, an aid, not a magic cure, for the problem is to merely play simple, easy, position on an imaginary ball (that isn't there) when shooting the money ball.
That comes from no less an authority than Billy Johnson...(you guys would remember him as Wade Crane). NOT from me.
.nothing to learn?! Say whuuuut!?!?!
Spoke to a local pro caliber player on Saturday that I am friends with. I asked him, how do you stop making the stupid little mistakes... the errant miss... bad shape on an easy shot... the idiotic shot selection that did not do anything remotely like you thought it would.
His replay... play better players more often and always play for something. He said it doesnt have to be any crazy amount or anything like that. Dont play for fun anymore. If you are going to play, then play by yourself. If you play someone, make it for something and make sure they are better then you. You dont have to donate. You can get weight to make it fair.
He plays incredible and I trust his advice...
His replay... play better players more often and always play for something. He said it doesnt have to be any crazy amount or anything like that. Dont play for fun anymore. If you are going to play, then play by yourself. If you play someone, make it for something and make sure they are better then you. You dont have to donate. You can get weight to make it fair.
He plays incredible and I trust his advice...
Leagues are the worst thing for anyone's game.
Thinking too much leads to choking I think. Just concentrate on the task and shoot balls in.
Thinking too much leads to choking I think. Just concentrate on the task and shoot balls in.
Say what ? ? How in the heck do you go from a masters rating in whatever league or rating system you were in to an apa 3 ?
I was kinda wondering the same thing myself. Someone already beat me to it but make sure to play position on the money ball. The other thing that has really helped me is actually pointing to a specific spot where you want the cue ball to land, especially getting a good look at it from your shooting line. Just thinking "over there" is not accurate enough, it seems to really help when you pinpoint a spot. One more thing, it does no good to pinpoint that spot after your shot and you find you are hooked, I seem to see so many people do that. Its kinda like "no shit, you wanted the cue ball there and not locked up to that other ball, huh"?
This statement about "Leagues being the worst thing for anyone's game." is ridiculous. It gives the average player (the vast majority) a chance to compete. Overthinking is just one of many things that can contribute to choking.
It really boils down to not having confidence in your ability when it counts. Nothing more. Many enjoy leagues for the comradery, sportsmanship, and challenge of the game.
I'm crying BS here too.. No way you can go from a Masters level player to an APA 3 unless you lose body parts or suffer from a serious accident. Don't see any validity here but YMMV.
There apparently are not many average players here. From many replies one would ascertain they all play pretty even with SVB. Well maybe not quite, they would probably ask for 1 on the wire in a race to 12 with SVB.