I work too hard playing pool and forgot how to enjoy the game

Shermanscs

Shermanscs

Steve sherman
Silver Member
Wondering if anyone else has felt like this before. It seems as if I can't just let my stroke out. Every shot seems like so much work. I seem to have also lost my confidence. I do play two nights per week in apa league and also try to practice about 2 additional nights. I really haven't had a layoff to speak of. Really weird. I am trying to fight through it, but the more you try to analyze it, correct for it, the worse it gets. This game which genuinely brings me so much pleasure has become so frustrating - and dare I say, I have forgot how to enjoy the game.

I sincerely hope this is temporary and I am hoping someone else has experienced the same problem and overcome it. I would really appreciate hearing other people's experiences with this.

Regards,
Steve
 
Shermanscs said:
Wondering if anyone else has felt like this before. It seems as if I can't just let my stroke out. Every shot seems like so much work. I seem to have also lost my confidence. I do play two nights per week in apa league and also try to practice about 2 additional nights. I really haven't had a layoff to speak of. Really weird. I am trying to fight through it, but the more you try to analyze it, correct for it, the worse it gets. This game which genuinely brings me so much pleasure has become so frustrating - and dare I say, I have forgot how to enjoy the game.

I sincerely hope this is temporary and I am hoping someone else has experienced the same problem and overcome it. I would really appreciate hearing other people's experiences with this.

Regards,
Steve
Click to expand...

Read this...

http://www.amazon.com/Pleasures-Small-Motions-Mastering-Billiards/dp/1585745391
 
Yes, I've experienced it, and am experiencing it now and it sucks. The harder you try the more self-conscious you become. And the more self-conscious you become the more you suck. Very hard cycle to get out of but keep at it. It will happen.
 
It sounds like we play about the same amount. A few weeks I have not practiced though except warming up before league and I felt like it helped. I have been trying to come back after 5 years away. One week was so bad I almost wanted to quit. I stop practicing that week and just played my matches. I usually try and remind myself if I can't have fun I shouldn't play, no matter how bad I always want to win.
 
Shermanscs said:
Wondering if anyone else has felt like this before. It seems as if I can't just let my stroke out. Every shot seems like so much work. I seem to have also lost my confidence. I do play two nights per week in apa league and also try to practice about 2 additional nights. I really haven't had a layoff to speak of. Really weird. I am trying to fight through it, but the more you try to analyze it, correct for it, the worse it gets. This game which genuinely brings me so much pleasure has become so frustrating - and dare I say, I have forgot how to enjoy the game.

I sincerely hope this is temporary and I am hoping someone else has experienced the same problem and overcome it. I would really appreciate hearing other people's experiences with this.

Regards,
Steve
Click to expand...

Steve:

You know where I'm at -- give me a call or drop me an email! I'm only playing one in-house league night a week these days, so I'm always looking for an excuse to get out and play. Would love to practice with you, anytime.

-Sean
 
Shermanscs said:
Wondering if anyone else has felt like this before. It seems as if I can't just let my stroke out. Every shot seems like so much work. I seem to have also lost my confidence. I do play two nights per week in apa league and also try to practice about 2 additional nights. I really haven't had a layoff to speak of. Really weird. I am trying to fight through it, but the more you try to analyze it, correct for it, the worse it gets. This game which genuinely brings me so much pleasure has become so frustrating - and dare I say, I have forgot how to enjoy the game.

I sincerely hope this is temporary and I am hoping someone else has experienced the same problem and overcome it. I would really appreciate hearing other people's experiences with this.

Regards,
Steve
Click to expand...

Need to play every game outside of APA for money (low bets), that will bring some excitement, you will loose some, and win some. With APA there seem to be sitting time-frustrating at times, APA should work on this by arranging outside of APA matches between players within a team where possible, i do not think all have to watch their friends play
 
I've been through this a couple times. However, I was playing 6-7 nights a week, and for 4-6 hours everyday. You have to break up what your doing. whether that's finding some one else to shoot with for a night here and there, putting a new challenge on yourself (i.e. - i want to be able to beat _____) or just hang up the cue case for a week or two and go golf.

What you need is a change of pace, what ever you want it to be is fine. Just gotta change it up so that you have the desire to go play pool again. When you WANT to go play, it's so much easier to find that stroke.

best of luck to you sir,

Justin
 
There are a few things that can be done to bring the enjoyment back to the game. Ultimately you have to get your head out of your way. The book "Pleasures of Small Motions" will in fact help with that but I have a story that might provide a different perspective.

This past Saturday I was asked to be a partner for an APA fundraiser tournament. The format was scotch doubles, SL12 total. My friend who asked me to play is a pretty new SL5. In preparation for the big tournament, we played in a Friday night smaller tournament and he performed way below his level. He said he didn't feel relaxed, etc. I decided to go and play a couple more games, but we used the butt end of a bar cue. It was entertaining and fun, not the stress/focus of competition. That proved to be a great idea because we got runner-up in the tournament even though we were almost the lowest selling team at the auction! We had fun instead of letting the poor performance of the night before linger.

I'd never done such a thing before but was amazed at its effectiveness and urge anyone to try it :)
 
We've all experienced it, Sherm. It's called burn-up.
Similar to what happens when a space capsule reenters the earth's atmosphere, a pool player will, from time to time, overload his sensory input capacity to the point where he will simply shut-down, or burn-up, as it were.
I actually saw it happen. One night, at a pool room in East Lansing, Michigan, a friend of mine was into his fifteenth hour of One Pocket when he suddenly burst into flames. We all agreed that he had suffered burn-up.
Turns out, however, that he was re-filling his Zippo at the time and spilled lighter fluid down his vest. An errant cigarette, tossed by a nearby fat woman, actually set him ablaze. :smile:
 
Me Too

My friends point out that my most recognizable fault is that I take the game way to seriously. As imperfections are part of us, I suppose that's not the worst image to see looking in the mirror. How many times have we heard "anything worth doing". After thinking of how I got to that state, without realizing it, I began to see my love for the game had turned into my expectations of how I should be able to perform at this game. Although I had played at the game most of my life, I only began learning about it a few years ago. As I'm closing in on 60, I felt an urgency, taking information and putting it into practice, which unfortunately caused my experiences to become more analytical than pleasurable. "JMW" gave you reference to a delightful book that helped me considerably. It sounds like "sfleinen" is in your area and has offered some practice time. I know from past post that his perspectives on the game are very healthy. Life is very short my friend so enjoy it as much as you can. Good luck.
 
This happens just about every time I play. On the outside, I seem calm, but on the inside there is a storm of emotions. I tighten up and the result is that I try to force everything that should be a natural motion.
 
I've been playing pool for about 15 years now and have loved most of it. The parts I did not enjoy usually involved unfortunate encounters with self aggrandizing pool players. My advice: take a vacation. I'm on one right now and can't wait to get back to the table upon my return (note: Jackson Hole is a nice place!!! Gotta love those Tetons - ha ha!).

Also, I am playing pretty good these days despite my utter lack of practice. I just focus on playing the game that I have always loved and just enjoy the experience. The result is better concentration, better execution, and more fun.

Cheers and best of luck,

JL
 
This is why the AZBilliards community is so great. Thank you all so much for the encouragement and advice. I appreciate that you would take the time to read my post and respond so thoughtfully.

- Steve
 
I can personally relate and have actually read Pleasures of Small Motions.

I also think that taking a break for a couple weeks will help. I've done it and gone to play in a tournament with little or no expectations because I was coming off a break and placed higher than I ever have at that tournament.

Also, take DoubleD's advice to heart. If you just recently changed something in your game, you could be adjusting. It could also be an "a-ha" moment about to happen. The more you learn, the more you think and it messes you up. Pretty soon, the thinking will be gone and you'll have all the new knowledge without your mind getting in the way.

As said already, we've all been through this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top