fOcUs,FoCUs,fOCuS,FocUS,FOcuS,focUS

Walt Frazier

Walt Frazier

Banned
To be be good at anything,you must be able to maintain your level of focus.

This thread is for those that'd like to share some of the tactics that has proven useful/helpful thru personal experience.

Whenever I gamble;or feel the need to "bear" down and focus on my play,I always go thru a series of self- affirmation exercises .I reaffirm that whomever I'm playing will not have a chance against me. I know that I can make every ball I focus on and play perfect cueball position everytime..It works for me.I am my biggest cheerleader(in my mind) when I'm playing; My confidence goes soaring thru the roof and I feel like I cannot lose to anyone.

That's what does for me..How about you AZ? what gets/keeps you focused?:) :)
 
I myself visualize the shot, before I shoot. If I go down and cant visualize the shot I try standing up and trying again. Not that difficult, but you must be totaly focused. thats how I know if Im "ON" or not.



SPINDOKTOR
 
When Im struggling, I always sing the theme song to Happy Days in my head....

Southpaw
 
SPINDOKTOR said:
I myself visualize the shot, before I shoot. If I go down and cant visualize the shot I try standing up and trying again. Not that difficult, but you must be totaly focused. thats how I know if Im "ON" or not.



SPINDOKTOR
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If you do this about 3 or 4 times before you shoot,you are a graduate from the Kid Delicious school of focus.:p :p
 
Walt Frazier said:
To be be good at anything,you must be able to maintain your level of focus.

This thread is for those that'd like to share some of the tactics that has proven useful/helpful thru personal experience.

Whenever I gamble;or feel the need to "bear" down and focus on my play,I always go thru a series of self- affirmation exercises .I reaffirm that whomever I'm playing will not have a chance against me. I know that I can make every ball I focus on and play perfect cueball position everytime..It works for me.I am my biggest cheerleader(in my mind) when I'm playing; My confidence goes soaring thru the roof and I feel like I cannot lose to anyone.

That's what does for me..How about you AZ? what gets/keeps you focused?:) :)
Click to expand...


Oh, I just fart whenever I want.

See article below:
http://www.azbilliards.com/tomsimpson/tom9.cfm
 
When I'm at the table, I try to use the same preshot routine on every shot. It's nothing too elaborate, but it helps me play better. First I identify where I want the cue ball to be when the shot is done, then I look at the angle the cue ball will take after contact with the object ball, then I make sure my grip on the butt of the cue is where I want it to be (because sometimes I find that I hold it too far towards the end of the butt if I don't remind myself to check), and then I give a few practice strokes while I'm standing up before I address the ball.

While I'm sitting down, I always pay attention to what my opponent is doing. I'm always thinking about how I would play the shots or maybe even learn something new. Alot of people can't stand to watch after they miss. Too busy cursing themselves or something.
 
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Power of indifference, empty all thoughts and just stare at the shot. Easier said than done, but if one can pocket balls even if miss universe is looking at him then he's passed.
 
bcf said:
Power of indifference, empty all thoughts and just stare at the shot. Easier said than done, but if one can pocket balls even if miss universe is looking at him then he's passed.
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So basically, you're telling us that if Miss Universe is looking at you, you would continue playing pool?
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
So basically, you're telling us that if Miss Universe is looking at you, you would continue playing pool?
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Not me, because I haven't pass yet.
 
The trick is to know when you need to focus and when you don't. Your brain will not let you stay focused for any extended length of time. Try to focus on 1 specific thing for 60 seconds without your mind wandering. I am betting you can't do it. Now, try focusing on 1 specific thing for 10 to 15 seconds....much easier! Now all you need to do is learn how to turn the focus on and off at will.
We spend a lot of time in pool school teaching players how to direct their focus when it is needed.
Steve
 
great thread

Here are some things that i do to help my focus...they really work...well at least for me. First thing i did was go and purchase The art of ZEN IN ARCHERY...and read it front to end ....twice..great book...apply what taught in the book to pool ...next and this one is gona throw you for a loop..i play minesweeper on the computer..it really makes me focus on what is in front of my eyes..i have found that i have more focus since i started playing it. ...next every night i fall to sleep watching pool..and i generally watch the same tape for a week...like this week i have been watching Phil Capelle eval of Johnny Archer vs Efren Reyes..and focusing on what they did each match untill i know the route and positoin of each shot in the match..and i do that with all the accustat tapes i have in my collection...so thats what i do
 
Walt Frazier said:
No Comprende' senor bcf:eek: :eek:
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Oh no, pardon me for the incompleteness. I mean I haven't passed and attained the power of indifference to carry on playing pool even when Miss Universe is looking at me.
 
actually i seem to play better with a quiet mind..........ill do my preshot routine, visualize the shot and where the cueball is going to go, then once down in my stance i try to think of nothing and just lose myself in the cueball, similar to how the author of the inner game of tennis describes.
 
pooltchr said:
The trick is to know when you need to focus and when you don't. Your brain will not let you stay focused for any extended length of time. Try to focus on 1 specific thing for 60 seconds without your mind wandering. I am betting you can't do it. Now, try focusing on 1 specific thing for 10 to 15 seconds....much easier! Now all you need to do is learn how to turn the focus on and off at will.
We spend a lot of time in pool school teaching players how to direct their focus when it is needed.
Steve
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Thank you steve. I was just saying the other day while playing someone a tad better than me perhaps, but I should have hung in there better and didn't. I was saying that When I miss easy shots it is for one reason and one reason only. Lack of focus. Then, because I missed some ducks, I let my mental game slip and it is just downhill from there. I will take your advice, and try to just give intense focus for the 10-15 seconds of execution of the shot only. Let's see if this works for me.
 
I think it's true that an average person can barely hold empty mind for more than few minutes, I couldn't even get pass two minutes without thinking of something else. And I suppose most meditation exercises train people how to empty their minds and gain better focus.
 
pooltchr said:
The trick is to know when you need to focus and when you don't. Your brain will not let you stay focused for any extended length of time. Try to focus on 1 specific thing for 60 seconds without your mind wandering. I am betting you can't do it. Now, try focusing on 1 specific thing for 10 to 15 seconds....much easier! Now all you need to do is learn how to turn the focus on and off at will.
We spend a lot of time in pool school teaching players how to direct their focus when it is needed.
Steve
Click to expand...
Great info! Thanks.
 
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