If you felt 25 yrs younger, would you play better?

[Steve Ellis]

I'm 55. My pool is better than ever, but old Mother Nature wakes me up every morning with a new problem that I'm forced to overcome just to play "normally." If it isn't my eyes, it's my knee or my shoulder, or my back or feet or desire to move, or bowels, or skin...always something. She is a mean old beatch!

I've often wondered if I felt like I did when I was 30, with my accumulated knowledge still intact, just how much better would I play? I'd have the body of a 30 year old (or feel like it, anyway) with my mature mind (no laughing now). That combo would be devastating to my opponents, imho.

Anybody else think feeling 25 years younger would matter much to their games? (24 year olds can chime in, too) Or would you just play the same without the pain?

Jeff Livingston

I'm 62 and the answer is no. If I was 25 years younger I'd be raising 4 kids again, holding down 2 jobs, only getting to play once a year, and would really, really suck.
I played a max of 3 times a year until I got my youngest half way through college, my game is much, much better now than it was 5 years ago.
I know what you're getting at, but I think it is moot. We are what we are and were what we were.

 

[Johnnyt]

If I felt 25 years younger I either wouldn't play any pool at all and do something else in life or knowing what I know now, become the best player I could be. Johnnyt

 

[stick8]

What???

If i was 25yr younger i could do a lot of thing better, if you get my drift??? must i must say i have had a good life as i found love in a beatufil lady andcan still play a little pool, and golf!!!! 70yr young thanks to viagera:grin-square: :grin-square: :grin-square:

 

[chefjeff]

(snip)
I know what you're getting at, but I think it is moot. We are what we are and were what we were.

Well, with science discovering and inventing new, marvelous things everyday, maybe our bodies can soon be made to feel younger or even perhaps actually reverse their aging processes.

I think the time is just about here and that's why I started this thread. I really am interested in longevity and I was wondering if pool players would embrace such a thing for their games and what effect would result from such science.

The responses so far are postive mostly. Yet, some seem to have accepted aging as naturally inevitable and can't envision their futures as anything other than a slow march to death. The psycological thinking about curing aging intrigues me.

Thanks for the responses, all....any more?

Jeff Livingston

 

[chefjeff]

If i was 25yr younger i could do a lot of thing better, if you get my drift??? must i must say i have had a good life as i found love in a beatufil lady andcan still play a little pool, and golf!!!! 70yr young thanks to viagera:grin-square: :grin-square: :grin-square:

In case you missed it in the "joke" thread, they've come up with a new generic substitute for viagra. It's a pill called:

Mycoxaphillin

Jeff Livingston

 

[dabarbr]

I'm not talking about chronological aging but biological. That is, you don't go back in time for re-dos; you stay in the present but have a biologically younger body.

Jeff Livingston

If I have to stay in this time, so be it, but give me back my stroke. That's what I miss the most.

 

[pool4u]

A wise man once told me "Son what ever you want to do in life do it before your 50".

That's depressing. I think I'd rather live by "Daughter, whatever you want to do in life do it before you die."

Yeah, that feels better.

 

[TXsouthpaw]

25 years no. Since im not even 30 yet. 10 years younger yeah.

 

[Fuji-whopper]

I'm not old enough to want to be 25 years younger but I know quite a bit about playing with pain, if I didn't have the pain though I might play too quickly again and my game wouldn't be where it is now. Back pain has helped me slow down (well, that and I can't walk very fast) and pay more attention to position play, plus when I get down on the ball I am very committed since I only want to get down on the ball once and not dilly-dally down there.

The pain is sometimes a good distraction and lets your subconscious take over which is what helps you fall into "dead stroke", but with longer sets/tournaments the pain builds and soon you just want to sit down and not shoot anymore. Pain meds help but they burn you out or make you sleepy so finding the right mixture is hard to do also.

Just like everything else in life there are pros and cons, either way it's a learning experience and I take my hat off to the long time players that are still sharp in their twilight years. I think pool is a good game to keep you mentally sharp and walking around the table isn't bad for you either, it really is a game you can play for life and even if you have some form of disability.

 

[uwate]

If I was 25 years younger, I would be chasing more girls and less pool. Seriously, when the end comes and your life flashes by like a slide show in your head, the time spent in passion with women gives pool the last 5 imo.

But if your asking about would I play better pool with 25 years shaved off of my body, well yeah...hell ya. To be minus two knee surgeries, a blown out shoulder and the bullet proof attitude of a 17 year old and yeah I might play a ball better or two.

 

[3andstop]

I get tired fast these days. 25 yrs ago I'd be in my 30s and playing better.

How does that saying go? " I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was."

 

[chefjeff]

I'm not old enough to want to be 25 years younger but I know quite a bit about playing with pain, if I didn't have the pain though I might play too quickly again and my game wouldn't be where it is now. Back pain has helped me slow down (well, that and I can't walk very fast) and pay more attention to position play, plus when I get down on the ball I am very committed since I only want to get down on the ball once and not dilly-dally down there.

The pain is sometimes a good distraction and lets your subconscious take over which is what helps you fall into "dead stroke", but with longer sets/tournaments the pain builds and soon you just want to sit down and not shoot anymore. Pain meds help but they burn you out or make you sleepy so finding the right mixture is hard to do also.

Just like everything else in life there are pros and cons, either way it's a learning experience and I take my hat off to the long time players that are still sharp in their twilight years. I think pool is a good game to keep you mentally sharp and walking around the table isn't bad for you either, it really is a game you can play for life and even if you have some form of disability.

That's an interesting take on the issue.

If I was 25 years younger, I would be chasing more girls and less pool. Seriously, when the end comes and your life flashes by like a slide show in your head, the time spent in passion with women gives pool the last 5 imo.

But if your asking about would I play better pool with 25 years shaved off of my body, well yeah...hell ya. To be minus two knee surgeries, a blown out shoulder and the bullet proof attitude of a 17 year old and yeah I might play a ball better or two.

Maybe feeling younger brings back the libido and THAT might be another pain, similar to Fart sniffer's, that helps one play better? I've got the 8 ball, no more balling blues....

Jeff Livingston

 

[Fuji-whopper]

That's an interesting take on the issue.

Jeff Livingston

I'm an interesting guy.......just kidding. Lately it's hard to try and see the positive side of things but it's definitely there, you just have to try and see it.

My life is full of adversity lately and I am doing what I can, many people have seen the change in my game since I have been injured and mentioned them. So some of the things I have said were not self-realized, I had help.

 

[chefjeff]

I'm an interesting guy.......just kidding. Lately it's hard to try and see the positive side of things but it's definitely there, you just have to try and see it.

My life is full of adversity lately and I am doing what I can, many people have seen the change in my game since I have been injured and mentioned them. So some of the things I have said were not self-realized, I had help.

So, if my body, through science, becomes like it was 25 years ago, I wouldn't have the pains of now, but that by itself isn't enough to make my pool game better. I'd still need to execute well and that takes integrated effort no matter what age my body acts like. My mind still needs to do the work.

So, I COULD play better, but maybe not IF I don't do what's necessary to ensure good play.

Now, if I can get my body younger, then theoretically, I'd have an extra 25-50 years of playing time. Would THAT make one a better player moreso than the youthful body? I think so. Anyone?

Jeff Livingston