Have to bear down more as you get older?

Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
Do you find that you have to really bear down on every shot more as you get up in age? I don’t remember ever having to focus so much on just about all shots to run out when I was younger. I just got up and shot them in the hole and got position for the next shot. Only times I had to really bear down were very long shots and combos and caroms, and I played a bit better back then. Johnnyt
 
Well, bro. It's like this. You don't. First, as we pass forty, our testosterone drops about 30%. Second, we've had our day. Third, we now have jobs and plain and simple just don't give a fu#$. We still have income, win or lose. It's supposed to be enjoyable and just plain fun.

I played a kid last night and was down fourteen games. We started out me giving him the seven, and ended up playing the game even. 6 and a half hours and $640 down, back to even. I play two days a week. This kid has no job, and relies on the "making of the balls" to eat. Almost killed me. Hated to admit I couldn't give this kid weight. Man, seven years ago, I'd swim a river of shit to give him weight. Now, it just doesn't matter like it did then.

So, unless you're "juicing", your natural burn to compete just physically isn't what it was in your twenties. If you find another solution to this, please let me know.
 
Johnnyt said:
Do you find that you have to really bear down on every shot more as you get up in age? I don’t remember ever having to focus so much on just about all shots to run out when I was younger. I just got up and shot them in the hole and got position for the next shot. Only times I had to really bear down were very long shots and combos and caroms, and I played a bit better back then. Johnnyt
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This has been my experience. Shots I barely gave a thought to, now require more concentration. Instead of being fast and loose, I'm now slow and methodical. I don't even recognize my game anymore!
 
Everything you guys have said is true.
I went to a pair of shooting glasses a while back, which made things a bit easier. Now there's only fifteen balls to shoot at instead of thirty.
A five hour stretch of One Pocket is a long time for me now and aging muscles just won't provide that silky smooth stroke they once did.
Ah, but such is life. Once the circle is complete, we may get the opportunity to do it all over again. In which case I want to be an insurance salesman. :D
 
Johnnyt said:
Do you find that you have to really bear down on every shot more as you get up in age? I don’t remember ever having to focus so much on just about all shots to run out when I was younger. I just got up and shot them in the hole and got position for the next shot. Only times I had to really bear down were very long shots and combos and caroms, and I played a bit better back then. Johnnyt
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I turned 50 last month and yes, you are correct. My eyes are not as good, my concentration outside of pool is weaker so I agree completely. If I win or lose is completely determined by my concentration at the table. Some days I have it and other days I do not. It is a struggle.
 
crawfish said:
Well, bro. It's like this. You don't. First, as we pass forty, our testosterone drops about 30%. Second, we've had our day. Third, we now have jobs and plain and simple just don't give a fu#$. We still have income, win or lose. It's supposed to be enjoyable and just plain fun.

I played a kid last night and was down fourteen games. We started out me giving him the seven, and ended up playing the game even. 6 and a half hours and $640 down, back to even. I play two days a week. This kid has no job, and relies on the "making of the balls" to eat. Almost killed me. Hated to admit I couldn't give this kid weight. Man, seven years ago, I'd swim a river of shit to give him weight. Now, it just doesn't matter like it did then.

So, unless you're "juicing", your natural burn to compete just physically isn't what it was in your twenties. If you find another solution to this, please let me know.
Click to expand...

The few times I went out and gambled since I stared playing again I found the amounts of money I'd played for ($50-$100 a set) 1000's of times put pressure on me now. So much pressure that my heart started beating fast and irregular. I believe if I could just play for money more that the pressure would stop, but can't take that chance. Funny, I have more money and less responsabilities than in the last 40+ years. You'd think the money wouldn't even bother me. Johnnyt
 
It's possible that the older we get, the more we learn about the game, and the more overthinking we tend to do. Instead of just letting it happen. One has to get the proper proportion between the two. Do things the right way, but don't overthink. It's a lot like walking, we don't think about walking, we just do it.
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The above quote hits the nail on the head IMO. When you're young or just learning to play it's hard to recognize the difference between a routine shot and a really difficult shot so both are shot with virtually no thought or pressure. Once you learn the difference there is a greater tendency to overthink the difficult shot. Kinda like when I raced motorcycles. Going fast never bothered me at all until I fell down going fast, lol.
 
Johnnyt said:
Do you find that you have to really bear down on every shot more as you get up in age? I don’t remember ever having to focus so much on just about all shots to run out when I was younger. I just got up and shot them in the hole and got position for the next shot. Only times I had to really bear down were very long shots and combos and caroms, and I played a bit better back then. Johnnyt
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This is very interesting to me because I work with older people, myself included. I have noticed a few things that at first might not seem to have anything to do with your question but bear with me.
Old people tend to look down more as they walk for fear of falling. But the act of looking down they are more off balance and more apt to fall.
If you watch an infant learning to walk and then doing it they never look down.
As an older player comparing how we once did something is not as important as understanding that really the only thing that has changed is our perception . Having to really bear down on the shots you mentioned is not trusting what you already know how to do. And not worring about falling down.
 
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IMNSHO I'll tell you what I think. ......... Ahhhh. What was it we were
talking about? Another aiming system ? No? Oh yeah. What? Oh screw it!
Gettin' old sucks. It's time to take a nap anyway. :boring:
 
This year is the first year since I was 14 years old I had to aim balls in. I always just hopped up there and it all worked. Now I can miss anything if I don't give it my 100%.

I think I am being punished for not trying for 15 years. If I focus on everyshot I still make them, but I can miss a duck now if I am not giving a100% it is uncanny...

I'd say most of the time I miss it is because I was lazy, and I did not go look at the spot I needed to hit on the ball.
 
Johnny you were bearing down, just as hard then, only you were having more fun and it didn't seem like work back then.

Now just getting off the chair and getting to the table, seems like a mission. I still look forward to my next shot. Wherther it's hard work, or not.

____________________________________

http://tommcgonaglerightoncue.com
 
I'm 58 and probably playing nearly as well as I ever have. I think bearing down is part of the reason. Watch the pro's, young or old. They all "bear down". That's what makes them so good.

And it's true that my eyes aren't as strong as they once were, and my hands tend to shake a little more than they used to, but I still like my odds against the free wheeling kids. I have often said, I may not be able to out-shoot them, but I can frequently out-play them.

Steve
 
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