Lifting weights and pool
- Thread starter CTYankee
- Start date
I've played pool for over 30 years and lifted weights for about 20 and never noticed any ill effects. You might have a little issue with steadiness after a hard work out but that's about it. I can gaurantee you the soreness gets less and less as you get in better physical condition too. I'd say just enjoy them both.
Ahh, I use to lift. Played football, Was very active. I stopped playing and lifting becauce it cut into my pool time. Put a little Vicks vapor rub on the sore areas for just about an hour. Give enough time for your mucles to relax. That worked pretty well, still does.
It is more important that you get to a level of fittness where a work out wont knock out your storke , than it is for you to good pool player.
I just dropped 35 lbs and cut by BF% by more than half....in just a little over 3 months... (documentedon the forum) and my level of suckness on the table has remained steady
I just dropped 35 lbs and cut by BF% by more than half....in just a little over 3 months... (documentedon the forum) and my level of suckness on the table has remained steady
I'm 5'10, 225, bench between 300-355 for eight reps, with about 8-12 percent body fat. I work out four times a week and am on more supplements than Arnold, except the heavy "not legal" kind. You know the "Bonds Supplements." Just don't try to play for the cash after drinking some arginine and caffeine. They don't go well together. Also, when your shoulders get to the point where they inhibit your getting down on the ball, it's rather annoying. Best of luck and pump away.
After lifting---take a fast walk for 10 to 15 minutes. This will reduce soreness but most importantly it will take out any tightness that will effect your stroke.
Sprite said:
depending on the size of your wife that could be considered weight lifiting
Bobby Yamasaki
I remember a player from Los Angeles, named Bobby Yamasaki. He was both a serious body builder and a very good pool player. I think the only way it really interfered with his game was the fact that it just took a lot of time away from the pool table. Physically, the mass didn't seem to hinder his game.
I remember a player from Los Angeles, named Bobby Yamasaki. He was both a serious body builder and a very good pool player. I think the only way it really interfered with his game was the fact that it just took a lot of time away from the pool table. Physically, the mass didn't seem to hinder his game.
CTYankee said:
I think his questions is more "how to not mess up my game by being to sore" rather than "how will getting massive arnold like shoulders a hogan arms affect my stroke"
if you havent been active in a while then it is gonna hurt when you start..thats the price you have to pay for being inactive (aka lazy
)withing a few weeks you will be in the grove and the sorness will subside
I lift very heavy 5 days a week before work. When I go to shoot pool it doesn't effect me at all. I've actually started doing a set that helps improve my break speed. I'm not trying to brag but just about everyone I play against in league is jealous of my break.
Once you get over the initial shock to your muscles, lifting shouldn't hurt your pool game. Just don't try to lift more than you're capable of lifting. Its a great idea to avoid the supplements before playing pool too like was mentioned above. Too much jitteryness. Creatine is not your friend either before pool. Anyone who has taken creatine knows about the creatine squirts (diarhea).
Good luck
Dave
Once you get over the initial shock to your muscles, lifting shouldn't hurt your pool game. Just don't try to lift more than you're capable of lifting. Its a great idea to avoid the supplements before playing pool too like was mentioned above. Too much jitteryness. Creatine is not your friend either before pool. Anyone who has taken creatine knows about the creatine squirts (diarhea).
Good luck
Dave
CTYankee said:
you cant do both good, specificall body building and high level pool, i was into bodybuilding (BB) with roids etc for years and when i took time off the gym for a week i could ge instroke fast soon as the soreness wore off, but to BB you need to hit the muscles soon as the soreness wears off not leaving time to play pool,
i'm far from the best player on this board but i promis you i'm the most qualifyied to answere this question, i BBed for 13 years played pool for as long, both full time but at seperate times, i'm not top BBer-just dont have the genitics like natural talent in pool, anyone can build a good body or become a solid B player with hard work,
i wish both could be done at the same time, i have been out of BBing because of back problems-thats why i started BBing was my back problems, now i can barely play pool and no BBing, when my back problems get solved i'm going back to the gym and train for fitness and to play pool better because when your in good shape you do play better, training chest and bi's destroys your stroke, lats, traps, legs, tri's have no effect on pool. When I was in shape getting in stroke was a joke I remember thinking why was this so hard before when i played everyday, now i'm out of shape and i'm not in stroke at all i have good and bad days like before when i wasnt in shape, never had a bad day to speak of when i was in shape, i'm gonna design a plan and help bring up alot of peoples game and make it easier to find a date too.
what i'm going to do since these 2 hobbies are pretty much been my whole thing for the last 23 years is write and design a work-out routein that will accomodate pool players and help their game, in BBing you need days off, you do in pool, so i'm going to design a schedual of pool and training that will work together, I have to hit the gym and pool at the same time document it and when i have a systenm i'm going to share it with everyone on AZ, I hope they-Mods give me a permant sticky or a link to a article on this topic, because fitness and pool are my 2 passions in life, my name Fatboy was an old nickname from the poolroom 20 years ago before I got in shape, i'll dig up a pic of me from a few years ago so everyone can se what i looked like, I was the equivalant of a weak B player in terms of BBing, but my knowlege of BBing far exceeds my knowlege of pool and i'm reasonably sharp in pool too.Also please dont think i'm vain about my looks, i wasnt ever cut or a good looking guy-I want to show the pic so people can see what hard at the gym can create, believe me i'm no prize to look.
please dont think i'm bragging about my qualifications here, it would make me feel like a million dollars to help anyone who wants to get in shape and play good pool. I aint selling anything its my passion from my heart. Pool and Fitness by Fatboy<----now if that dosent sound silly I dont know what does.
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exactly right
You and Tennessee Joe are spot on. It does take a bit of experimenting to find what is right for you but one of the best things to prevent soreness is a "warm down" or whatever you choose to call it. After recovering from exertion a light exercise just enough to get the blood pumping for ten minutes or so without real exertion will flush many of the damaged cells and much of the lactic acid out of your muscles. Soreness will be vastly minimized. Of course nothing will eliminate soreness when you are lifting to increase muscle mass rapidly and add "cuts" it's the nature of the beast that when you are breaking down your muscles they will get sore.
Hu
alstl said:
You and Tennessee Joe are spot on. It does take a bit of experimenting to find what is right for you but one of the best things to prevent soreness is a "warm down" or whatever you choose to call it. After recovering from exertion a light exercise just enough to get the blood pumping for ten minutes or so without real exertion will flush many of the damaged cells and much of the lactic acid out of your muscles. Soreness will be vastly minimized. Of course nothing will eliminate soreness when you are lifting to increase muscle mass rapidly and add "cuts" it's the nature of the beast that when you are breaking down your muscles they will get sore.
Hu
Fatboy.. gotta go the other way here buddy...
there is no reason why a person cannot be in great shape and carry an A game ... none.....
Besides .. this guy just got some weights.. not some wieghts and some D-bol and test. ....
there is no reason why a person cannot be in great shape and carry an A game ... none.....
Besides .. this guy just got some weights.. not some wieghts and some D-bol and test. ....
Seems to me that a specific weight training program for pool could be beneficial...a building of trunk muscles to aid the back...work on the legs to aid stamina in long matches, etc... Not necessarily to have a beautiful body, but a program that helps one do what he or she loves doing...
CTYankee said:
Lifting weigths is great for preserving and building your strength and for your muscle tone and shape. I just have a bench in my room with a leg attachment and a dumbell set.
It takes a while for the muscles to become conditioned to lifting, so at first you will probably feel stiffness and soreness which is likely to affect your game. There is more threat in injury to your joints, muscles, and ligaments in the beginning stage and they can nag you for a long time - so take it easy, work your way up, and warm up with light weights first. It takes six weeks for a damaged muscle to fully heal - so be careful!
Once I became conditioned to lifting, I found it only affects my pool game for the first few hours after lifting. When your arms are pumped and recovering, they feel a little numb and the cue feels too light, so I don't play as well.
Remember, you can accomplish a lot by working the legs, shoulders, abdominals, and back. Squats. Extensions, lunges, leg bicep curls, etc. work much larger muscles than the arm muscles.
Arm curls for sure affect the pool game. The bicep is in use during the stroke. So is the tricep. I suggest curling with less weight than you can handle but use really good form (elbow fixed) and higher reps.
I only left weights twice a week now - I like distance running better, so I am sticking with that more.
Staying in good physical shape should be a lifetime goal for all of us. My advice is to not let pool be your excuse to not exercise. Likewise, don't make exercise your excuse for playing bad pool. A number of top players work out regularly, Thorsten being the one who comes immediately to mind, and feel it helps their game.
Chris
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The key ingredient
Is that you lift to complement your Pool playing, not work against it.
I am 59 and still lift, but I try to stay reasonable about it. I have decreased the extent of my workouts over the years as I have aged, and also have lightened the weights some.
My goal was never to just build bulk. I wanted good strength, a good physique, and to stay firm. I don't lift heavy weights like I did when I was younger, and as you age, you have a tendency to fill out some, so staying lean looking is harder to do.
If you do a heavy workout with heavy weights, do it at least 2 days before you are to play Pool. It takes a day for your muscles to recover, and on the 2nd day, you will feel 'normal' again. I used to have a tendency to 'over power' my break after I had worked out.
I have decreased my normal workout weight from 75 lbs down to 50 lbs for
presses, curls, and other exercises, but do feel I need a better workout regimen for my legs. I probably average about 4 times a week for 15-20 minutes at a time. Like I said, my goal is just to stay strong, and firm without bulking up
If you workout 1 day, not heavy, just normal, and are going to shoot Pool the next, I recommend that you do some stretching exercises earlier in the day before playing Pool. I can still lay my palms flat on the floor.
Is that you lift to complement your Pool playing, not work against it.
I am 59 and still lift, but I try to stay reasonable about it. I have decreased the extent of my workouts over the years as I have aged, and also have lightened the weights some.
My goal was never to just build bulk. I wanted good strength, a good physique, and to stay firm. I don't lift heavy weights like I did when I was younger, and as you age, you have a tendency to fill out some, so staying lean looking is harder to do.
If you do a heavy workout with heavy weights, do it at least 2 days before you are to play Pool. It takes a day for your muscles to recover, and on the 2nd day, you will feel 'normal' again. I used to have a tendency to 'over power' my break after I had worked out.
I have decreased my normal workout weight from 75 lbs down to 50 lbs for
presses, curls, and other exercises, but do feel I need a better workout regimen for my legs. I probably average about 4 times a week for 15-20 minutes at a time. Like I said, my goal is just to stay strong, and firm without bulking up
If you workout 1 day, not heavy, just normal, and are going to shoot Pool the next, I recommend that you do some stretching exercises earlier in the day before playing Pool. I can still lay my palms flat on the floor.