Competition ruins my stroke

[nrhoades]

Pool is a hard game!! I'm definitely not a natural at it. I've been nitpicking over my stroke for years because I used to think that it was the reason I would play awfully under competition. I've discovered that no matter what new stroke I invent, the same problems come back. The pressure brings out bad habits that I am having an awful time squashing (not taking my time, rushing, dropping my elbow, becoming timid and losing confidence). Taking videos show these things, but only if someone is watching me play and I feel like I have an audience. Otherwise I play much better.

I feel like I need to make a complete change to my philosophy, so I am trying this:

1. Analyze shot. Decide what type of English I need.
2. Like always, approach shot in line.
3. Stare only at the CB. Pretend OB doesn't exist. Forget that it has a destination.
4. Pump practice strokes into CB for draw, stun, center, or follow, all dead center in line. Look at my tip and keep pumping until the stroke is straight. Do this until it feels as though I can confidently hit the shot perfectly straight.
5. Commit to what I'm about to do next.
6. Look at OB. Pretend CB doesn't exist. Pump exactly two more practice strokes in the same way as I did before, while adjusting for side spin and fire on the third stroke.
7. Continue staring at the space where the collision occurred, and never desire visual feedback from any moving balls. Completely freeze my entire body at the possible expense of looking ridiculous. This is the hardest part of the entire process!

If at anytime I need to look back at the CB, I quit and walk around the table one time.

So it feels like I am building my shot at the cue ball, and then looking at a destination and sending my creation on a trajectory. Since I can't control anything except the collision, that's all I will look at.

Do you think a routine and a defined eye pattern like this will help keep the pressure of competition from hurting my game?

 

[Donny Lutz]

Pressure conditioning...

Pool is a hard game!! I'm definitely not a natural at it. I've been nitpicking over my stroke for years because I used to think that it was the reason I would play awfully under competition. I've discovered that no matter what new stroke I invent, the same problems come back. The pressure brings out bad habits that I am having an awful time squashing (not taking my time, rushing, dropping my elbow, becoming timid and losing confidence). Taking videos show these things, but only if someone is watching me play and I feel like I have an audience. Otherwise I play much better.

I feel like I need to make a complete change to my philosophy, so I am trying this:

1. Analyze shot. Decide what type of English I need.
2. Like always, approach shot in line.
3. Stare only at the CB. Pretend OB doesn't exist. Forget that it has a destination.
4. Pump practice strokes into CB for draw, stun, center, or follow, all dead center in line. Look at my tip and keep pumping until the stroke is straight. Do this until it feels as though I can confidently hit the shot perfectly straight.
5. Commit to what I'm about to do next.
6. Look at OB. Pretend CB doesn't exist. Pump exactly two more practice strokes in the same way as I did before, while adjusting for side spin and fire on the third stroke.
7. Continue staring at the space where the collision occurred, and never desire visual feedback from any moving balls. Completely freeze my entire body at the possible expense of looking ridiculous. This is the hardest part of the entire process!

If at anytime I need to look back at the CB, I quit and walk around the table one time.

So it feels like I am building my shot at the cue ball, and then looking at a destination and sending my creation on a trajectory. Since I can't control anything except the collision, that's all I will look at.

Do you think a routine and a defined eye pattern like this will help keep the pressure of competition from hurting my game?

It may help a bit by giving you more confidence in general in your game. But pressure situations are just that...they are different situations than most of the shots you face. When you feel pressure your memory bank (computer) brings up the last time you felt that pressure. If the pressure "got to you" the last time and you did not execute properly, you will likely repeat the error. So it's what you do when feeling the pressure that will help overcome the problem, not so much what you do with your game when you're not feeling pressure. That's why the pros say you must feel pressure to conquer it. A simple thing like a deep breath may solve your problem. Or it may take an internal reminder to clear your head, relax and execute properly as you know you can.

Donny L
PBIA/ACS Instructor
Gainesville, Fl

 

[Tony_in_MD]

Just like developing a preshot routine, you need to develop routine that can be used to make you relax under pressure.

Yawning, deep breathing, or a word statement or visualization are all triggers that players use to cope with stress.

You just have to train your mind and body to respond.

 

[dr9ball]

Pool is a hard game!! I'm definitely not a natural at it. I've been nitpicking over my stroke for years because I used to think that it was the reason I would play awfully under competition. I've discovered that no matter what new stroke I invent, the same problems come back. The pressure brings out bad habits that I am having an awful time squashing (not taking my time, rushing, dropping my elbow, becoming timid and losing confidence). Taking videos show these things, but only if someone is watching me play and I feel like I have an audience. Otherwise I play much better.

I feel like I need to make a complete change to my philosophy, so I am trying this:

1. Analyze shot. Decide what type of English I need.
2. Like always, approach shot in line.
3. Stare only at the CB. Pretend OB doesn't exist. Forget that it has a destination.
4. Pump practice strokes into CB for draw, stun, center, or follow, all dead center in line. Look at my tip and keep pumping until the stroke is straight. Do this until it feels as though I can confidently hit the shot perfectly straight.
5. Commit to what I'm about to do next.
6. Look at OB. Pretend CB doesn't exist. Pump exactly two more practice strokes in the same way as I did before, while adjusting for side spin and fire on the third stroke.
7. Continue staring at the space where the collision occurred, and never desire visual feedback from any moving balls. Completely freeze my entire body at the possible expense of looking ridiculous. This is the hardest part of the entire process!

If at anytime I need to look back at the CB, I quit and walk around the table one time.

So it feels like I am building my shot at the cue ball, and then looking at a destination and sending my creation on a trajectory. Since I can't control anything except the collision, that's all I will look at.

Do you think a routine and a defined eye pattern like this will help keep the pressure of competition from hurting my game?

It sounds like you have "too much" going on in your head while you're shooting. I think some of the things you mention above are good things to work on when you practice. However, when you're competing, you have to go out there and shoot with confidence. That's not the time to be having a conversation with yourself or running down a check list.

Remember the saying: "Do all your thinking before you get down on the shot, then execute the shot." paraphrasing RandyG but the words are true. Sometimes we are our own roadblock to success.

Train and practice and break everything down, build that solid foundation when you are working on your game but when you're going to compete, trust yourself, let go and play the game.

 

[FranCrimi]

If you study the traits of champions you'll find that they have several things in common. I think the most important trait is that they believe in themselves.

I have seen many players with pretty terrible flaws in their games shoot well in competition because they believe in themselves.

It's important to work on your fundamentals, but confidence is a psychological issue. You can fix your fundamentals until the cows come home, but excelling under pressure is about your feelings about yourself and whether or not you feel you deserve to do well.

 

[Ratta]

If you study the traits of champions you'll find that they have several things in common. I think the most important trait is that they believe in themselves.

I have seen many players with pretty terrible flaws in their games shoot well in competition because they believe in themselves.

It's important to work on your fundamentals, but confidence is a psychological issue. You can fix your fundamentals until the cows come home, but excelling under pressure is about your feelings about yourself and whether or not you feel you deserve to do well.

Amen !

I know a lot wonderful examples for theses type of player . All is fine and excellent....until the *Gong* comes....haha^^

 

[nrhoades]

Amen !

I know a lot wonderful examples for theses type of player . All is fine and excellent....until the *Gong* comes....haha^^

Pool is the first real competitive activity I've done in my (adult) life. When I started playing my first match in the APA, I was shaking so badly because of people watching me play that I dropped my cue many times. It was so nerve racking that I wanted to quit immediately and go home. I faked being sick many nights so I wouldn't have to be in front of an audience.

Now I can actually play in front of people without much of a problem, and with out shaking, except my skill level drops after a few games. So I think that if someone isn't born with a competitive spirit (like me), they can learn it.

Now that I've finally realized this, I think that I can enjoy the time spent playing pool more than I have, which has been an obsession over perfect stroking habits and technical execution, much like studying for an exam.

 

[randyg]

Pool is a hard game!! I'm definitely not a natural at it. I've been nitpicking over my stroke for years because I used to think that it was the reason I would play awfully under competition. I've discovered that no matter what new stroke I invent, the same problems come back. The pressure brings out bad habits that I am having an awful time squashing (not taking my time, rushing, dropping my elbow, becoming timid and losing confidence). Taking videos show these things, but only if someone is watching me play and I feel like I have an audience. Otherwise I play much better.

I feel like I need to make a complete change to my philosophy, so I am trying this:

1. Analyze shot. Decide what type of English I need.
2. Like always, approach shot in line.
3. Stare only at the CB. Pretend OB doesn't exist. Forget that it has a destination.
4. Pump practice strokes into CB for draw, stun, center, or follow, all dead center in line. Look at my tip and keep pumping until the stroke is straight. Do this until it feels as though I can confidently hit the shot perfectly straight.
5. Commit to what I'm about to do next.
6. Look at OB. Pretend CB doesn't exist. Pump exactly two more practice strokes in the same way as I did before, while adjusting for side spin and fire on the third stroke.
7. Continue staring at the space where the collision occurred, and never desire visual feedback from any moving balls. Completely freeze my entire body at the possible expense of looking ridiculous. This is the hardest part of the entire process!

If at anytime I need to look back at the CB, I quit and walk around the table one time.

So it feels like I am building my shot at the cue ball, and then looking at a destination and sending my creation on a trajectory. Since I can't control anything except the collision, that's all I will look at.

Do you think a routine and a defined eye pattern like this will help keep the pressure of competition from hurting my game?

NOPE!!!!!

That routine has failure written all over it. Find a SPF Instructor and get some help.

randyg

 

[FranCrimi]

Pool is the first real competitive activity I've done in my (adult) life. When I started playing my first match in the APA, I was shaking so badly because of people watching me play that I dropped my cue many times. It was so nerve racking that I wanted to quit immediately and go home. I faked being sick many nights so I wouldn't have to be in front of an audience.

Now I can actually play in front of people without much of a problem, and with out shaking, except my skill level drops after a few games. So I think that if someone isn't born with a competitive spirit (like me), they can learn it.

Now that I've finally realized this, I think that I can enjoy the time spent playing pool more than I have, which has been an obsession over perfect stroking habits and technical execution, much like studying for an exam.

Good for you. I know what you mean. Many years ago, before I really started competing, I was shoved in front of Minnesotta Fats during an exhibition of his and told that if I wanted to be serious I had to challenge him. I did it, but I was scared to death. In fact, my back hand was shaking so much that I chose shots that didn't expose my back hand to the crowd. I know they thought I was crazy taking tough shots over easy ones, but they didn't understand what I was going through.

Most of us have to learn how to play in front of a crowd. It's not something that comes naturally to us. It's a great life experience, though, once you figure it out. I find that pool imitates life, and it helped me in all aspects of my life, particularly when I had to give presentations in front of people.

Just remember not to be so hard on yourself. Always strive to be a better player, but also give yourself time to breathe and enjoy the game.

 

[Ratta]

Good for you. I know what you mean. Many years ago, before I really started competing, I was shoved in front of Minnesotta Fats during an exhibition of his and told that if I wanted to be serious I had to challenge him. I did it, but I was scared to death. In fact, my back hand was shaking so much that I chose shots that didn't expose my back hand to the crowd. I know they thought I was crazy taking tough shots over easy ones, but they didn't understand what I was going through.

Most of us have to learn how to play in front of a crowd. It's not something that comes naturally to us. It's a great life experience, though, once you figure it out. I find that pool imitates life, and it helped me in all aspects of my life, particularly when I had to give presentations in front of people.

Just remember not to be so hard on yourself. Always strive to be a better player, but also give yourself time to breathe and enjoy the game.

Hehe,
i remember the first time i played at germans championships in team-tournament.....table in front of crowd, first table at the tribune-
omg.......-- i played many many tournaments before, but that was new and it was a nice challenge- Before my first shot i was shaking like hell. Additional some really funny things happened in this game.
You have to play a lot of tournaments until you *learn* to handle the pressure-
---> you just will be controlled where you concentrate on! <---
You and the table- nothin else counts. Self-confidence and believing yourself are important!

lg
Ingo

 

[nrhoades]

NOPE!!!!!

That routine has failure written all over it. Find a SPF Instructor and get some help.

randyg

What's wrong with it?

What is an SPF instructor (Set,Pause,Finish I assume?) Do you know of any in Rhode Island?

 

[Sonny1918]

Mine issue is somewhat similarly head related in that I have recently come back to the game and a league. I have played well in 8 ball and am
unbeaten. I have moved up two skill levels. So my captain has played me in the final 9 ball matches the past two weeks and in both I have bombed, missing ducks and not making enough balls overall to make it close.

 

[Scott Lee]

nrhoades...I like what Rufus had to say, about too much going on while you're trying to play (you cannot "think" and "play" at the same time). I also like what Fran had to say about confidence, and believing in yourself. That said, you could certainly develop a simpler, repeatable set up and delivery process (including a consistent PEP). You mentioned that you used to stay home deliberately, because you were nervous about playing in front of people. IMO, that nervousness can only be handled with more and more competition. I will be in RI early summer, if you're interested in working with an SPF instructor.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

 

[Cameron Smith]

You mentioned that you used to stay home deliberately, because you were nervous about playing in front of people. IMO, that nervousness can only be handled with more and more competition.
www.poolknowledge.com

Absolutely, no matter what the pursuit, a lot of people suffer from some form of anxiety performing in public whether it be pool, music, public speaking etc. It's well out of a lot of peoples comfort zone.

First, increasing your exposure to those kind of situations will add a sense of normalcy to it and decrease you're anxiety. Second, you need to build confidence in your game. It's easier to deliver a presentation if you know the subject front and back. It's easy to perform music if you've practice it to perfection, and know that you can handle any mistakes should they come. It's easier to play you're game if you believe in yourself and you're own ability. Also, I like what Darren Appleton said on the break and run dvd, don't be afraid to miss. We all do it no matter who you are, the worst thing that can happen to you is that you lose the game which isn't so bad in the grand scheme of things.

Of the routine posted, 1 and 2 are fine. Though 1 will be become more automatic as you improve. I'm not sure what 3 refers to, whether or not this is during you're set up or during practice strokes. 4, 5 and 6 has too much thinking going on. If you're doing practice strokes until you get a straight one, you're going to be thinking waaay too much and you'll tire yourself out. Ideally you want to relegate much of what you are doing to your muscle memory. If you're in your stance and not stroking straight I would get up and reset. Number 7, all you really need to do freeze until the ball enters the pocket or misses (whichever the case may be). But if you are having problems with staying down, it's not terrible to exaggerate the freeze a little longer (but not 10 seconds after everything has come to rest longer).

I firmly believe that we execute more consistently when we let our muscle memory do the work. The more we over think something the more we get in the way our own game. For my own routine,

1. I'll of course determine the shot and required position first.
2. Line up the pot standing about 4-5 feet away on the line, and walk into my position whilst focusing on the object ball.
3. Practice strokes are automatic, I like to focus on the cue ball at this point. I'll typically do 3 rarely more than 4 practice strokes. If anything feels wrong, I'll get up and start over. I remember reading an article that indicated that it's better to allow your eyes to focus on one thing at a time rather than previously believed wisdom that your eyes should be flicking back and forth between the cue ball and object ball.
4. I'll pause before starting my backswing, pause at the end of my backswing, finish my stroke. During the process I'll keep my eyes fixed on the object ball, as you hands to tend to want to go where you are looking.

That's a general idea of how I approach things, though I didn't mention chalking, it's in there generally during during step 1. The whole process is fairly quick, though I don't advocate playing fast intentionally. My personal belief is to not shoot until you know exactly what you want to do, and not to hang around after you know what you want to do. For me this process lets me focus as I'm spending all of my thinking time contemplating my next series of shots and after that it's just executing. If I hang around too long, that's when doubt begins to creep in. I find being too deliberate in your routine will also exhaust you mentally. I tried it in my earlier years, and after running 20 balls I'd feel like I ran 100.

Finally the Set Pause Finish approach is great for executing under pressure. It keeps you from rushing your stroke which is a huge issue for a lot of people when they get nervous. Adding a pause to you're stroke is tough for sure, but well worth it imo.

The best thing you can do is get into the box as much as you can, but also spending plenty of time at the practice table doing deliberate practice. But it's tough to diagnose on a forum so I'd definitely look into an instructor.

 

[nrhoades]

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I know that it takes a few minutes out of your day.

For now I'll just try to compete when I can. Once a month shouldn't be too bad.

 

[manwon]

Pool is a hard game!! I'm definitely not a natural at it. I've been nitpicking over my stroke for years because I used to think that it was the reason I would play awfully under competition. I've discovered that no matter what new stroke I invent, the same problems come back. The pressure brings out bad habits that I am having an awful time squashing (not taking my time, rushing, dropping my elbow, becoming timid and losing confidence). Taking videos show these things, but only if someone is watching me play and I feel like I have an audience. Otherwise I play much better.

I feel like I need to make a complete change to my philosophy, so I am trying this:

1. Analyze shot. Decide what type of English I need.
2. Like always, approach shot in line.
3. Stare only at the CB. Pretend OB doesn't exist. Forget that it has a destination.
4. Pump practice strokes into CB for draw, stun, center, or follow, all dead center in line. Look at my tip and keep pumping until the stroke is straight. Do this until it feels as though I can confidently hit the shot perfectly straight.
5. Commit to what I'm about to do next.
6. Look at OB. Pretend CB doesn't exist. Pump exactly two more practice strokes in the same way as I did before, while adjusting for side spin and fire on the third stroke.
7. Continue staring at the space where the collision occurred, and never desire visual feedback from any moving balls. Completely freeze my entire body at the possible expense of looking ridiculous. This is the hardest part of the entire process!

If at anytime I need to look back at the CB, I quit and walk around the table one time.

So it feels like I am building my shot at the cue ball, and then looking at a destination and sending my creation on a trajectory. Since I can't control anything except the collision, that's all I will look at.

Do you think a routine and a defined eye pattern like this will help keep the pressure of competition from hurting my game?

Yep I have seen this many times, competition certainly does make people choke.:wink:

 

[deanoc]

i'm not much of a playerbut i play pretty good under pressure

one time a while back i was playing some 14:1 or call shot for a few hundred dollars,i never play the game and it always makes me dog

this was no exception,i was thinking about several things,how to break up the bals etc,it got so bad i could not make an easy shot

i was looking like a pure dog,so i finally decided to stand up and see exactly where to hit the object ball,i then bend over and triy to just see the cue ball hit the object ball

if it went in,it went in if not there was nothing i could do but look and hit where i looked

well the next thing i knew i was making everything i looked at,i made a few 20 ball runs etc

from then on i look and see the cue ball hit the object ball and it works for me

my thoughts are not on my thoughts or doubts or the consequence
any fool can hit the cue ball into the object ball,decide before i bend over and hit the spot

my terrible dogging is over

to me that is the key,don't doubt or think about my feelings,hit the cue ball where i am looking

 

[acousticsguru]

Pool is a hard game!! I'm definitely not a natural at it. I've been nitpicking over my stroke for years because I used to think that it was the reason I would play awfully under competition. I've discovered that no matter what new stroke I invent, the same problems come back. The pressure brings out bad habits that I am having an awful time squashing (not taking my time, rushing, dropping my elbow, becoming timid and losing confidence). Taking videos show these things, but only if someone is watching me play and I feel like I have an audience. Otherwise I play much better.

I feel like I need to make a complete change to my philosophy, so I am trying this:

1. Analyze shot. Decide what type of English I need.
2. Like always, approach shot in line.
3. Stare only at the CB. Pretend OB doesn't exist. Forget that it has a destination.
4. Pump practice strokes into CB for draw, stun, center, or follow, all dead center in line. Look at my tip and keep pumping until the stroke is straight. Do this until it feels as though I can confidently hit the shot perfectly straight.
5. Commit to what I'm about to do next.
6. Look at OB. Pretend CB doesn't exist. Pump exactly two more practice strokes in the same way as I did before, while adjusting for side spin and fire on the third stroke.
7. Continue staring at the space where the collision occurred, and never desire visual feedback from any moving balls. Completely freeze my entire body at the possible expense of looking ridiculous. This is the hardest part of the entire process!

If at anytime I need to look back at the CB, I quit and walk around the table one time.

So it feels like I am building my shot at the cue ball, and then looking at a destination and sending my creation on a trajectory. Since I can't control anything except the collision, that's all I will look at.

Do you think a routine and a defined eye pattern like this will help keep the pressure of competition from hurting my game?

First of all, you need to simplify your routine, and get rid of all that's "mental" in it. I'd recommend taking lessons with someone who can show you how to be more economical. Secondly, divide your pool life or hobby into practice, play and competition, by which I mean attitude-wise. Competition is when all you do is execute what you've practiced (= have tested and come to know by heart, and know the percentages of). All the other stuff, there's opportunity enough to do it all in your free time, even in a friendly game where you might say something to yourself like "today I'll concentrate on a slow back swing, regardless of whether I miss or lose" (= basically, giving yourself permission to divide your attention, contrarily to a competitive situation, where all one does is recognize what's to be done next and do it). Now, this may all sound straightforward, but, I'm repeating myself, you'll save yourself a lot of time and money finding someone who can teach how to do this.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

 

[Ratta]

First of all, you need to simplify your routine, and get rid of all that's "mental" in it. I'd recommend taking lessons with someone who can show you how to be more economical. Secondly, divide your pool life or hobby into practice, play and competition, by which I mean attitude-wise. Competition is when all you do is execute what you've practiced (= have tested and come to know by heart, and know the percentages of). All the other stuff, there's opportunity enough to do it all in your free time, even in a friendly game where you might say something to yourself like "today I'll concentrate on a slow back swing, regardless of whether I miss or lose" (= basically, giving yourself permission to divide your attention, contrarily to a competitive situation, where all one does is recognize what's to be done next and do it). Now, this may all sound straightforward, but, I'm repeating myself, you'll save yourself a lot of time and money finding someone who can teach how to do this.

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

Like always- 100% agree with you David!
to find the *right* coach is the hardest thing- the rest is just about your willing to improve!

lg
Ingo

 

[JLD]

This is something I read a long time ago and then modified it to help with the mental part of my game.


An old pool instructor is teaching his young student how to play pool. "When I play in competition a fight is going on inside my mind," he said to the student.

"It is a terrible fight and it is between two dogs. One dog is negative - he is telling me that I can't make the shot, I will blow my shape, I can't kick, I can't bank, everyone is looking at me, they are whispering bad things about my game, no one will respect me if I lose, the person I'm playing is too strong, the other player gets all the luck, I will lose no matter what I do, "put your own negative thoughts here". He continued, "The other dog is positive - he is telling me to relax, take my time, analyze the table then the shot, determine the object ball rebound angle and speed for shape, line up the shot and step into it, aim, stoke smooth with the right speed and execute the shot, again with the right speed. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside the person you are playing, too."

The student thought about it for a minute and then asked his instructor, "Which dog will win?"

The old instructor simply replied, "The one you feed."



When I am at the table and any of the negative things enter my mind I simply replace that negative thought with "don't feed that dog". It has worked well for me.