i would find it very interesting on hear opinion on.......

[oldschool1478]

I like this article by AZB member Joe Waldron:

http://billiards.colostate.edu/PBReview/Learning_Mental_Control.pdf

You should also click on the link at the bottom for his other articles.

 

[Bambu]

Intense concentration might work for awhile, but can burn a player out too quickly. I suppose it could be practiced and improved upon, but I would rather save some mental stamina for when I really need it.
I think its better to keep a comfortable pace and stay loose at the table. Intense concentration might translate to over thinking, tension, etc...

 

[eightandout]

1) Never take your eyes off the pool table (the game being played) whether you're at the table or watching your opponent. 2) do some research on sports psychology, especially being in the "zone". 3) Play some one pocket. this game requires a lot of concentration to win.

 

[CSykes24]

1) Never take your eyes off the pool table (the game being played) whether you're at the table or watching your opponent. 2) do some research on sports psychology, especially being in the "zone". 3) Play some one pocket. this game requires a lot of concentration to win.

I completely disagree with 1).

I've won several tournaments this year and I don't stare at my opponent or even watch them shoot anymore. Just keep my head down and wait to attack again.

I think exercising and working out will help you, to be honest. It keeps you relaxed and focused. Also, try practicing for a long session every now and then. It's kind of like running a marathon -- you train for the 5k first, then a half, then full. You can't just jump into it and start running like a champion if you're not well-trained.

 

[xplor]

You have to lose your mind and rely on your brain Your mind can be influenced by things in the past or in the future that can cause you to miss. Your brain is strengthened by practice. Call it muscle memory or hand eye coordination it is work your brain was made to handle.

 

[Pidge]

Practice. I don't think you need to specifically practice concentration techniques personally. Practicing or playing for 5+ hours straight might be mentally tiring the first handful of times, but after you keep doing it you adapt, you don't get physically and mentally tired as much and concentration levels should still be pretty high. Also experience counts for a lot. With experiences comes the ability to figure out problems faster and with less effort. So rather than thinking about a particular layout, CB path, how much English and so on you instantly know what's required because you've hit similar shots, had similar layouts plenty of times before. This alone can massively help keep concentration levels high but with a combination of the two, it should massively help improve concentration.

What helped me was 14.1. When I first took it up I struggled making high runs not because of a problem with fundamentals, aiming, fitness and so on but because I'd get mentally tired, stop concentrating and then mess up. As I became more familiar with the game I'd recognize patterns instantly and wouldn't have to concentrate to progress through racks. It just flows.

Deep concentration may not be needed depending on what you play. For 9 ball its definitely not needed unless you're up against a world class player and 1 mistake can mean loss of several games. 9 ball is as simple as pool games come, learning a handful of patterns and CB paths is all you really need to be successful. So unless you're playing a 9 ball set for 6 or 7 hours, you can coast through without giving it much thought. 8 ball is a little different, safety play can be quite confusing at times and you do get in situations where you need to really think about what you're about to do. But still, after playing it for a few months you will get to a stage where you need less and less concentration when playing it. As for 1 pocket....i dunno. I've never given that game the time of day. Its dull, extremely slow paced and tends to cater to the older generation imo. So I couldn't possibly comment.

 

[Zphix]

This is an interesting part of pool that I personally don't utilize that much - I find that when I intensely concentrate then I start to over-analyze.

Anyway - this is also a part of pool where having a martial arts background helps a lot because of the breathing katas and breathing techniques we practice. Breathing is one of the most essential aspects of becoming "concentrated" and the rest is a matter of putting your energy into one thing.

When I play - if your energy is all over instead of in one place (ie the pool table) then it's a lot harder to concentrate on shot-making so you could breathe in your seat and keep your mind on the table instead of on drinking, talking with friends, etc. but then pool becomes a chore instead of fun.

Deep concentration can actually be quite draining - but it's also possible to train your body/mind to become concentrated at will (a neurolinguistic technique called anchoring).

-Richard

 

[logical]

Maybe the better word is focused. There are more parallels between pool and golf than most games I can think of. Both require you to move in and out of intense focus and a more relaxed strategic thought pattern dozens of times each hour.

The pre shot routine is the bridge that gets you into focusing on executing the shot. I'm not as into pool as I am golf, in fact I rarely actually practice pool. But with golf, the best results I had were when my practice was not just beating ball after ball without even regripping the club, but rather when I would actually put the club down or even back in the bag after each shot. This style of practice was driven into me by a long time instructor I worked with and I believe it helped my ability to focus and make fewer execution errors.

 

[rvan]

Play for rent or pay checks in races, 9 ball is good when you put a 5 pack on your player it hurts!!! When he or she gives it back too you, well, you wake up!!

I used to play at alexanders in Phx all the tables had had counters over the tables, 10 on each side it was great.

I lost a lot of rent but not checks!!!!


Thanks
Rick

 

[Black-Balled]

Mary Jane and Jaegermeister.

 

[trustyrusty]

I completely disagree with 1).

I've won several tournaments this year and I don't stare at my opponent or even watch them shoot anymore. Just keep my head down and wait to attack again.

I think exercising and working out will help you, to be honest. It keeps you relaxed and focused. Also, try practicing for a long session every now and then. It's kind of like running a marathon -- you train for the 5k first, then a half, then full. You can't just jump into it and start running like a champion if you're not well-trained.

I hardly ever pay any attn to what my opponent is doing....less taxing if you only worry about what you can control (your time at the table). Besides, it's more fun checking out the ladies around the room, etc. than watching my opponent struggle with an out, or even getting out easily....

Can you learn something from watching? Sure, but most of my opponents aren't world class players. If I'm going to study someone elses game, I'd rather try and emulate what a champion would do in sticky situations.

Guess I need to play more champions is all :wink:

 

[dontscratch]

try shaving your testicles with an extremely sharp straight razor