concentration, focus, nerves, and competion

J

jcpoolgod

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i know this game, but it seems
i lose focus alot, i have a problem concentrating, like i miss shots that i normally would make, how do u increase your focus, should i try to narrow the contact point down, i just have a problem focusing sometimes, maybe its my A D D....what r some things that i can do to increase my focus, and increase my runouts, i know how to make almost every shot yet i dont run all the way out alot, less than i would like ....and how about tourneys and leagues, and money games,

are there any tips that you use to focus, or concentrate, to calm the nerves and mind, how can i learn to deal with pressure, or use it to benefit me....
 
Focus!

Try to set up a money game with somebody that is close to your speed, play some small sets for $5 or $10 bucks, race to 5 kind of stuff. After buying this guy lunch for a while I'll bet you'll start to stay focused a lot more!! It's hard to make a change that will stick unless it cost you something. You'll start to stay focused more when you need to keep your money in your own pocket!
Good Luck!!!
FINGERS
 
These are the things that keep good players from becoming champions.
I think you have to learn to care , but not care.
It seems any time I try to bear down and try harder it is the worst thing I can do.
I always play my best when I have done something stupid and put myself in a position where I almost can't win.
The problem with that is , you can't keep doing that to yourself and expect to not break down sooner or later.
If you figure it out, I will be happy to pay you for the answer.
 
not by choice......atenalol


keeps me from having a coronary and lets me build an awsome chopper every week!

k crew.....g,
 
neal916 said:
adderrall or mary jane.
Click to expand...

i know this is a joke but thats the problem with people in general and why no one can ever get better or even good at anything.......instead of addressing the issue and working WITH it and figuring out a way to make it work people just pop a pill...........to lose weight, to see better, to feel better, to act better bla bla bla


dependency makes you suck............b/c its not you its you+"X" that makes it work so when you don't have your lucky rabbits foot your useless......


think about it this way......you say you got problems paying attention or whatever......if a 6'5 bear of a man stood over you and everytime you didn't PAY ATTENTION to the utmost he WHACKED you upside the head with a stick.........HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WOULD TAKE YOU TO BEAR DOWN AND PAY ATTENTION.......

not long at all imop.........think about that......BE CONSCIOUS AT ALL TIMES AND YOU WILL PAY ATTENTION...DO NOT DRIFT OFF TO BEAT YOUR MENTAL MEAT

do something utterly boring and keep your concentration thats good practice.

-Grey Ghost-
 
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work on your preshot routine. When you start doing the same thing everytime, you will develope consistancy...regardless of the situation.
 
If you're like me, you're probably pretty loose when your practicing. There's no penalty for a miss and your shots are probably a lot more fluid. But tension builds up rikky-tik when you're playing competitively. And with tension comes doubt. (Think of it as your left side brain butting in to talk to you just as you're about to fire away, confusing your right side that controls your shooting ability). Bingo, there goes your focus.

Best advice I ever got for this kind of mess was that just as I get ready to stroke my cue before a shot, I should consciously relax, particularly the muscles in my arms. If I can't relax or something just doesn't seem right, I get off the shot and start again.

Secondly, don't drop into your stance until you're CERTAIN you know what you want to do and how you'll do it. (If you're not certain, your left and right sides are likely to engage in a protracted discussion over the cue ball that like a shotgun marriage probably will end badly when you finally do hit the cue ball.)

The third part of the advice was that once I'm in my stance, focused on my aiming points (cue and object balls), consciously relaxed, then I should TRUST my stroke and hit the cue ball. After all, I've hit the same shot probably hundreds if not thousands of times before. My brain will tell my muscles what my hands and eyes should be doing. Call it muscle memory for lack of a better terminology. Believe me it's not a misplaced trust.
 
Remember when you had a paper route? The first house helped you remember where the next house was. At the second house, the one with blue shutters, you had to skip three houses and put the paper inside the screen, etc.

A preshot routine that leads to a heightened state of concentration is like this. Begin with step one and this will trigger step two. With each step your mind knows to narrow your focus and increase your concentration.

Physically step into the shot and narrow your focus.

Bend to the shot while staring at the contact point and increase your concentration on the shot.

Etc.

With enough practice the whole thing goes on autopilot. It requires practice to setup a whole pattern that is unique to you.
 
jcpoolgod said:
i know this game, but it seems
i lose focus alot, i have a problem concentrating, like i miss shots that i normally would make, how do u increase your focus, should i try to narrow the contact point down, i just have a problem focusing sometimes, maybe its my A D D....what r some things that i can do to increase my focus, and increase my runouts, i know how to make almost every shot yet i dont run all the way out alot, less than i would like ....and how about tourneys and leagues, and money games,

are there any tips that you use to focus, or concentrate, to calm the nerves and mind, how can i learn to deal with pressure, or use it to benefit me....
Click to expand...

play in tournaments and cash games....play people better then u....and practice by urself, not by throwing balls on the table and runnin them out..practice ur problem shots by hitting them with diffrent speeds,angles and only using minimum english...and shoot them shots 50-100 times....as far as the nerves.... just breath and try to have more fun with the game...maybe something like an ipod might help for some of the things ur talkin about...also when ur playing keep ur eyes on the table at all times shooting or not...trying to plan out ur next move when ur oppenent is at the table is helpful...and when ur on the dreaded money ball lol instead of saying please dont miss! stand up and talk ur self out of it by saying im just going to make this ball by hitting it with a firm confident stroke.......see the shot ..feel the shot....shoot the shot...:)
 
I always hear playing for money will improve focus. My question is why? The money is supposed to make you care most people already care to win.
 
5am said:
... don't drop into your stance until you're CERTAIN you know what you want to do and how you'll do it. (If you're not certain, your left and right sides are likely to engage in a protracted discussion over the cue ball that like a shotgun marriage probably will end badly when you finally do hit the cue ball.)
Click to expand...

This applies to me, BIG TIME! I am constantly catching myself breaking this rule. It is so important. And it helps SO much.
 
One word

Being able to focus and concentrate is the result of one word - discipline.
How much self-discipline do you have? Do you 'train' for Pool as you would for another sport?
 
greyghost said:
i know this is a joke but thats the problem with people in general and why no one can ever get better or even good at anything.......instead of addressing the issue and working WITH it and figuring out a way to make it work people just pop a pill...........to lose weight, to see better, to feel better, to act better bla bla bla


dependency makes you suck............b/c its not you its you+"X" that makes it work so when you don't have your lucky rabbits foot your useless......


think about it this way......you say you got problems paying attention or whatever......if a 6'5 bear of a man stood over you and everytime you didn't PAY ATTENTION to the utmost he WHACKED you upside the head with a stick.........HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WOULD TAKE YOU TO BEAR DOWN AND PAY ATTENTION.......

not long at all imop.........think about that......BE CONSCIOUS AT ALL TIMES AND YOU WILL PAY ATTENTION...DO NOT DRIFT OFF TO BEAT YOUR MENTAL MEAT

do something utterly boring and keep your concentration thats good practice.

-Grey Ghost-
Click to expand...

Props to you, GG. As much as I can be affected by the music being played at the pool hall, I never bring my earplugs or mp3 player. Although I know that I'd be more consistently in a better mood; which yields better play - I do NOT want to build a crutch into my game. It's unlikely I will ever play in a tournament where headphones aren't allowed, I simply just don't want to do it. It has cost me some cash in the past, but that's my own fault for not staying mentally focused and blocking out the noise flooding the room.
 
Listen to me tell you how to focus ... I'm the guy who, when playing 1pkt, doesn't even have to ask my opponent which pocket is mine, I just look at them and they automatically point to it. That happens every other shot.

Kidding aside, Your set up (or pre-shot routine) is very important, but, I'd like to suggest that loss of focus and concentration can come very much from uncertainty. Uncertainty in aiming, but even more so, uncertainty in where you want the CB.

Put together a complete picture of what you want to accomplish which includes the part of the pocket you want to hit with the OB, and the exact spot on the table you want to place the CB. If you're going one rail or multiple rails with the CB for position, pick an exact spot on the rail to hit that first rail and feel the shot completing.

It may not all play out perfectly, but if you are content with your choices, and you have a mental visualization of the entire shot, you can approach it without big holes in your thought pattern. The holes in your thoughts and visualization is what leads to confusion and loss of focus while you're pulling the trigger.

Next thing I'm going to suggest is, focusing for longer periods of time will help you focus much easier in short spurts. Translating what I just said equals playing 14.1 much more.

I don't know your level of play, but set up break shots and just try to get through an entire rack and fall on another good break shot. This will give you a longer continuous period of concentration, and help you in other games more than you can imagine.

That's my two cents worth of opinion anyway... :)
 
accustatsfan said:
I always hear playing for money will improve focus. My question is why? The money is supposed to make you care most people already care to win.
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hello accustatsfan, u prob hear that alot because there is truth to it....depending on ur goals in the game of billiards it may or may not affect u...but if ur looking to really really improve and be a strong player....some of the things u have to do require gambling of some sort....not for alot but for something....most good or really good players dont want to play for pride or for fun...so if u want to play with those guys u have to ante up.....its a known fact u cant get to a high level of play without gambling ....u need that pressure to get over the hump.......worse case play for table time...a dollar or 2 dollars a rack even a soda or a beer...if it makes u tight or uncomfortable that means its workin and u will improve....u are right about no one likes to lose ....but ifs somethins on the line then they really really really dont want to lose lol..so yes ur focus will improve...and u will also get ur oppenents best game in most cases....give it a shot what can it hurt...if u play poker at all...look at the diffrence in peoples games when its for fun and when its for money...some sports need it some dont....u play in one that does...gl to u
 
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