How do you get out of a slump

Big Pappa Pool

Big Pappa Pool

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am looking for advice on how to work through a slump. I have tried practicing more, playing in more tournaments, taking a week off from pool and everytime i play a match in league i lose. Last session I only lost once, the session before that I went undefeated. But now im losing and cant stop. any suggestions?
 
I'm anxious to see what replies you get.

I'm playing so poorly now, and it has become incredibly discouraging.

Sigh.
 
Try gambling in a ring game.

One of the deals I think gets people in slumps is one pocket (exclusively) and matches where you play alot of defense.

I tell you when you HAVE to MAKE the shot or it will cost you money you WILL bear down and focus.

JMO

Ken
 
When I went through my longest & worste slump I bumped itno my friend Bobby W. TOld him, he said go down and hit some balss and I'll come down and see if we can't get your game back. W/in 30 minutes, I was shooting better than before, and didn't slump for a long time.

Thanks Bobby...
 
When I hit a slump it is almost always because something in my fundamentals changes, usually my stance shifts for one reason or another and I start missing balls. I just try to spend some time making sure everything is lining up correctly and when I identify the problem I can get back to playing well. My last issues was a new pair of shoes, it just killed me.
 
I have been thru these times and it is most frustrating, I told myself to take 2 weeks off but, because of the love of the game, I think I made it for 5 days.....what worked was getting back to the "focus on the shot" part of the game and reviewing my fundamentals. the grip was the issue on the last "slump". once I had that figured out, it wasn't but 30 minutes of getting the grip fixed and I was back on the game. it is a different fix for each player. hope this helps somewhat.
 
Try going back to basics. Work forward from the simplest steps like walking into the stance, your grip, bridge hand, stroking into a bottle or along the line between the cushion and the rail to make sure everything is straight.

My most frequent cause of silliness is getting up off the shot too quickly or tightening my grip too much. Either one can throw everything off.

Mike Page's Learn to Play Pool in Ten Minutes is a great starting point.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the suggestions. The weird part is, if I'm shooting in a APA match I start off extremely slow, I'm a 7 in 9 ball and a 6 in 8 ball. I catch fire 3/4 of the way through but by then it's too late. I shot a 5 last night and got destroyed. After league I jumped on a table with a stranger and ran back to back racks. It's mind boggling to me right now. Sometimes I can shoot myself out if I practice too much before a match, so last night I only shot two games. Was not the answer lol
 
Ghosst said:
Try going back to basics. Work forward from the simplest steps like walking into the stance, your grip, bridge hand, stroking into a bottle or along the line between the cushion and the rail to make sure everything is straight.

My most frequent cause of silliness is getting up off the shot too quickly or tightening my grip too much. Either one can throw everything off.

Mike Page's Learn to Play Pool in Ten Minutes is a great starting point.
Click to expand...

This is what I do. Same thing we would do during high school sports break it down to its simplest fundamentals and focus on that then build yourself back up. Sometimes I take it to the extreme go to a bar by my house and play college kids with a house cue. Get back to why you fell in love with the game...a way to win free beer.
 
Big Pappa Pool said:
After league I jumped on a table with a stranger and ran back to back racks. It's mind boggling to me right now.
Click to expand...

Sounds like performance anxiety / tightening up too much. That's why the "ol'give-up stroke" works so well - you're loose and not over-thinking every little detail. Finding a way to always be that detached is a life-long pursuit.
 
Ghosst said:
Try going back to basics. Work forward from the simplest steps like walking into the stance, your grip, bridge hand, stroking into a bottle or along the line between the cushion and the rail to make sure everything is straight.

My most frequent cause of silliness is getting up off the shot too quickly or tightening my grip too much. Either one can throw everything off.

Mike Page's Learn to Play Pool in Ten Minutes is a great starting point.
Click to expand...

This is good advice. But also attitude, mood, and stress level can have a huge effect on your game. In addition to going back to fundamentals, I recommend reading "The Pleasure of Small Motions". It covers a lot in a short book but the things that apply most to your slump are to go back to enjoying the game win or lose. Try to avoid thinking about your record, your rating, and winning or losing.

For your refocus on the fundamentals, you might want to review the first couple of chapters of Byrne's book on pool or even better, Phil Capelle's "Play Your Best Pool", and then keep those lessons in mind as you hit the practice table. Also keep in mind the importance of the preshot routine and timing and rhythm.

Buy and read "The Pleasure of Small Motions". That's the best advice I can give for people who know how to play well but aren't.

I've just recently come out of a slump myself. These things helped me do that.
 
You need these, you'll be back at it in no time:
(someone had to do it)
 

Attachments

  • Slumpbuster.JPG
    Slumpbuster.JPG
    26.5 KB · Views: 675
  • Capture.JPG
    Capture.JPG
    21.7 KB · Views: 661
  • Beer.JPG
    Beer.JPG
    32.3 KB · Views: 675
Last edited:
Ghosst said:
Try going back to basics. Work forward from the simplest steps like walking into the stance, your grip, bridge hand, stroking into a bottle or along the line between the cushion and the rail to make sure everything is straight.

My most frequent cause of silliness is getting up off the shot too quickly or tightening my grip too much. Either one can throw everything off.

Mike Page's Learn to Play Pool in Ten Minutes is a great starting point.
Click to expand...

This is pretty much exactly what I do. For me, a slump usually indicates that there is something off in my mechanics. Reworking my stroke from the ground up always seems to work for me.
 
Confidence is always a slump buster. Gamble a win, get in stroke you can ride a high for weeks. Practice generally just gets more frustrating if you are not hitting them give yourself some momentum
 
You have gotten some good advice. If you are a good player & nothing has changed physically then just forget about it.

I know that may not be that easy to do but it is a good thing to do. You have to get all of the negative out of your MIND. Focus on those back to back run outs & KNOW that you are a good player & then just play.

When ever I get into a mini slump I just play through it because I know that that is not me. I'm better than that. Then just play without any thought to the 'bad' previous outcomes. They're gone. They're dead & buried. Put them OUT of your mind & focus on the task at hand that you KNOW you can handle & then just Get It Done.

For league with handy caps, forget about them too & play each game as a stand alone game that you have to win. Just win one game at a time. If an opponent wins a game, put it out of your mind & focus on the next one as one game that you have to win & then just get it done & win. It truly is one shot at a time even though you may see the whole line of them to the game ball. It truly is executing one shot at a time & recording one game at a time, but don't think of them at all. Just Play & play one game at a time & one shot at a time.

You may probably know much or all of this but sometimes we just need reminding.

Best Wishes,
Rick

PS It IS a game of confidence. One does not need to be cocky, but one needs to have confidence in one's ability or doubt will destroy any chance of real success. Many times, actually most of the time I play scared. Not of my opponent, but of myself. I do not want to play below my capabilities & let down the giver of the gifts that I have been granted. You may need to find someone to play for other than yourself, your team mates, your respect for the game, or your respect for the abilities that you have been granted. Playing for something or someone other than ourselves has brought out some of the best performances in sports & have also gotten some out of the deepest of slumps regarding their abilities.
 
Last edited:
Best guess is there is something else going on in your life. You said you played well after the league play so my bet would be something with your team mates. or something related to team play.

The skills are there. For some reason you do not want to use them.

Here is a trick to find what is bothering you.

Make your three best guesses about what the problem could be. You don't have to be right (two of them will be wrong). You don't have to know the answer. Just let it bubble up in your mind.

Write all three guesses on a piece of paper. One (maybe two) of them is what is causing your slump. Not necessarily the first or last guess, but one of them. If you let it sit for a day or so, one of the guesses will pop out and that is what you need to deal with.

BTW, I have often found that the real "best" guess that you want to immediately dismiss is probably pretty close to the problem. That is why you have to wait for a day or so.

Another way to figure it out is to tell yourself before you go to sleep that you want to dream about the problem. Then let it happen.
 
Last edited:
50% of the time your coming up too soon causes the slump other chance is in your mind as in Lack of confidence, or you have something bothering you and you are tensing up during your stroke. You can't do fine motor movements when you are in fight or flight mode,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top