Coping with pressure...
- Thread starter Gsitz89
- Start date
I saved this page from another thread, maybe it can help.
http://zacharyburt.com/2010/12/how-to-prevent-choking-under-pressure-and-how-to-force-it-in-others/
http://zacharyburt.com/2010/12/how-to-prevent-choking-under-pressure-and-how-to-force-it-in-others/
The more you do it, the better you get at it. On the job training (OJT) will teach you everything you need to know.
That said, I find it helpful to slow down a bit. I even get out of the chair slowly. The idea is to slow your heart rate and stay calm under duress. The thing is, we bring these feelings upon ourselves.
While it's easy to walk a beam that's sitting on the floor, it's very difficult to walk one 100 stories in the air. This is where OJT is important. Once you've done it, it gets easier to do it again.
You may find this article on "choking" that was written with golf in mind, but would apply to all sports.
http://onpar.blogs.nytimes.com/2011...behind-the-choke/?scp=12&sq=pennington&st=cse
Might require registration.
http://onpar.blogs.nytimes.com/2011...behind-the-choke/?scp=12&sq=pennington&st=cse
Might require registration.
Like Mitchxout said, "The more you do it the better you will become."
If you want to be a better tournament player, play more tournaments. If you want to be a better money player, play more money matches. But, no matter what, always and I mean always have a positive attitude and believe in yourself. Lie to yourself if necessary, but eventually you won't be.
If you want to be a better tournament player, play more tournaments. If you want to be a better money player, play more money matches. But, no matter what, always and I mean always have a positive attitude and believe in yourself. Lie to yourself if necessary, but eventually you won't be.
TurdFerguson
Registered
I believe that most players spend all their practice time practicing what they do at the table.
..and waste all the time in their chair.
If you try to address choking when it is time to shoot, you could easily be in trouble. One must realize that ones heart rate will increase, ones mind will race, breathing itself can become troublesome. So, one must combat this from the instant the match is called, if not earlier.
The whole time spent sitting in the chair must be spent controlling your breathing, and focusing the mind. Deep breaths in through the nose, hold for 5-10 seconds, and breathe slowly out the mouth. Repeat, repeat, repeat, until you feel your calm demeanor come back.
Keep your eyes focused on the table, tell yourself you are going to play pool, which you love, and have done a thousand times before. Allow no distractions from the game. Visualize a few shots you can play, feel the opponent shooting, to get your mind focused...
And breathe...
It gets easier each and every time.
..and waste all the time in their chair.
If you try to address choking when it is time to shoot, you could easily be in trouble. One must realize that ones heart rate will increase, ones mind will race, breathing itself can become troublesome. So, one must combat this from the instant the match is called, if not earlier.
The whole time spent sitting in the chair must be spent controlling your breathing, and focusing the mind. Deep breaths in through the nose, hold for 5-10 seconds, and breathe slowly out the mouth. Repeat, repeat, repeat, until you feel your calm demeanor come back.
Keep your eyes focused on the table, tell yourself you are going to play pool, which you love, and have done a thousand times before. Allow no distractions from the game. Visualize a few shots you can play, feel the opponent shooting, to get your mind focused...
And breathe...
It gets easier each and every time.
I take 2 or 3 hits off my pipe and I can truly focus and get past the overwhelming feeling I get sometimes when I'm in a money match or tourney. Pot, if used responsibly can help. Don't go crazy with it, just a little bit to take the edge off and help you relax. I'm sure many people here can agree. It also improves your focus to a certain degree too. Beer can make you a bit careless so I don't recommend that.
the more you play under pressure the easier you get used to it .
so play more tournaments and moneygames and after a while you get it right .
so play more tournaments and moneygames and after a while you get it right .
But, what do you recommend if you have never smoked anything and haven't taken a drink in 30 years?
All that smoke, liquor, pills, ect., are crutches you don't need. You'll play better and longer with a clear mind. If you're already an addict or alcoholic, that's a different story.
If you've never done it, I can't recommend it for playing if you're not used to it right away. Recreationally on the other hand, absolutely! Check with your doctor if you're over 55 yrs old, to see if you are healthy enough to use it. My aunt did, he didn't recommend she use it, but said she was healthy enough... If you eat it (brownies etc etc) or vaporize it, there is virtually no way it can harm your health(if you have a weak heart/heart problems, stay away from it!! It does increase blood flow and your heart rate slightly).
Btw, I'm not an addict. I smoke 6-8 times a month. It's not a "crutch", it's natural and everyone should try it. You may gain perspective, concentration and inner peace... I'm fully functional, successful and lead a very happy life. No complaints here! Life is GREAT! :thumbup:
*cough cough cough* damn I'm high as a kite now! Oh, wait, you were saying something?
I didn't mean to discourage anyone from trying pot. I'm a lifelong smoker myself and believe in it's many benefits.
However, anything you use for performance enhancement is a crutch and should be avoided. Want to get high after a match? Go right ahead. Before a match, not so much.
...and illegal . Oh wait, we don't have to abide by the laws of the land do we? Let's all do what ever we want to...
...maybe if the women started taking steriods, they could compete with the men too.
Move to Amsterdam and take PocketPoint with you.
What is pressure for you? Each of us experiences pressure but not for the same reasons, so to deal with it you first have to figure out what your source of pressure is.
If it is Gambling you only have a few choices:
1) Don't gamble unless you can afford to lose, if the money is extra cash and not needed to eat the pressure will surely be less.
2) If that doesn't work quite gambling, it certainly is not for everyone. Some people just can not gamble because they are afraid of losing their money. When I gamble the money is nothing more than a bead or a coin to keep score, it takes enough concentration just to play the game without worrying about loosing some cash.
It also could be that you are embarassed to lose. I have seen many people over the years that played Jam Up durng practice but could not win a game with an opponent when people were watching.
JIMO
If it is Gambling you only have a few choices:
1) Don't gamble unless you can afford to lose, if the money is extra cash and not needed to eat the pressure will surely be less.
2) If that doesn't work quite gambling, it certainly is not for everyone. Some people just can not gamble because they are afraid of losing their money. When I gamble the money is nothing more than a bead or a coin to keep score, it takes enough concentration just to play the game without worrying about loosing some cash.
It also could be that you are embarassed to lose. I have seen many people over the years that played Jam Up durng practice but could not win a game with an opponent when people were watching.
JIMO
Great post Craig! There are many kinds of pressure...some involve gambling and some don't. How we respond to pressure is what tells the tale. Regardless of what the pressure is, being able to absolutely trust your stroke is paramount to learning how to handle pressure. Gambling sometimes gives players the "yips" (butterflies). IMO you can't be taught how to get over the yips...you just have to get into combat a LOT. Trusting your stroke will help here too.
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
For me its mainly when I play with lower players if that makes any sense. I'll make stupid mistakes that I normally never would. But I've received some good advice from many and I'm more than willing to give it a go next time I'm in action. Thanks
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death . . .
. . . I shall fear no evil for I am the biggest meanest son of a b!tch in the valley!
That is the short version. I cut and pasted the longer version I wrote in another thread recently below. I also posted a link to the thread since there are many excellent posts in it. Not meant as a slap for not searching, I had trouble finding the thread and I knew what I was looking for!
In a nutshell focus on doing your job to the best of your ability and putting the pressure on the other person. Often we are concerned about how we appear to our opponent or people watching and take away focus from what counts, just playing our best and letting the chips fall where they may.
Hu
(from other thread)
I have competed at many different things, successfully. The key for me is to have a bit of an ego and let everything and everybody else form around me. Your task is to play 90%-95% of your best game. Anybody that wants to win has to beat that benchmark. Since you are playing against yourself it really doesn't matter who you are playing or what they do. This isn't to say don't attack another player's weaknesses but don't care who others think is supposed to win. Play to your expectations and that should be good enough. If somebody else has a better day, so be it. They may beat you but don't beat yourself because you are concerned about what other people think.
Do focus on what you will do. Be careful how you mentally phrase what you are going to do while you are standing up too. "Seven in the side, hit the rail there, there, and there, to come back to the eight is far stronger than seven in the side, don't scratch, get shape on the eight. I often trace the path of the cue ball with my eyes all the way to the stopping point before shooting. Get in the habit of phrasing everything in positive terms all of the time too. Don't focus on what you don't want to do or you will do exactly what you are focusing on not doing.
To repeat the main point, focus on playing your game to your potential. Measure yourself only against the yardstick of the performance you should be able to deliver. Not winning or losing or where you should place in an event but just the level of skill you should demonstrate on the table. Play very close to your best game on demand and you put the pressure right where you want it, on the other player.
Hu
many excellent posts on the subject in this thread
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=231059&highlight=pressure
. . . I shall fear no evil for I am the biggest meanest son of a b!tch in the valley!
That is the short version. I cut and pasted the longer version I wrote in another thread recently below. I also posted a link to the thread since there are many excellent posts in it. Not meant as a slap for not searching, I had trouble finding the thread and I knew what I was looking for!
In a nutshell focus on doing your job to the best of your ability and putting the pressure on the other person. Often we are concerned about how we appear to our opponent or people watching and take away focus from what counts, just playing our best and letting the chips fall where they may.
Hu
(from other thread)
I have competed at many different things, successfully. The key for me is to have a bit of an ego and let everything and everybody else form around me. Your task is to play 90%-95% of your best game. Anybody that wants to win has to beat that benchmark. Since you are playing against yourself it really doesn't matter who you are playing or what they do. This isn't to say don't attack another player's weaknesses but don't care who others think is supposed to win. Play to your expectations and that should be good enough. If somebody else has a better day, so be it. They may beat you but don't beat yourself because you are concerned about what other people think.
Do focus on what you will do. Be careful how you mentally phrase what you are going to do while you are standing up too. "Seven in the side, hit the rail there, there, and there, to come back to the eight is far stronger than seven in the side, don't scratch, get shape on the eight. I often trace the path of the cue ball with my eyes all the way to the stopping point before shooting. Get in the habit of phrasing everything in positive terms all of the time too. Don't focus on what you don't want to do or you will do exactly what you are focusing on not doing.
To repeat the main point, focus on playing your game to your potential. Measure yourself only against the yardstick of the performance you should be able to deliver. Not winning or losing or where you should place in an event but just the level of skill you should demonstrate on the table. Play very close to your best game on demand and you put the pressure right where you want it, on the other player.
Hu
many excellent posts on the subject in this thread
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=231059&highlight=pressure
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