Nervous

The first step to overcoming this problem is to understand why your play declines in certain situations.

The Pleasures of Small Motions: Mastering the Mental Game of Pocket Billiards by Fancher is a good place to start.

http://www.amazon.com/Pleasures-Small-Motions-Mastering-Billiards/dp/1585745391

The next step is to put that knowledge to use. The Inner Game of Tennis: The Classic Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance by Galway is a good instruction to put theory to practice.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Inner-Game-Tennis-Performance/dp/0679778314

The final book to jump your game forward is The Pro Book: Maximizing Competitive Performance for Pool Players by Henning. Pay good attention the pre-shot routine.

When you play your buddies, you are in a "lose - lose" situation. Issuing a beat down on your friends places your friendship in a tenuous situation. So, a win on the table could be a loss in life do to a change in your social status. If you lose, you lose.

To get through this, you really need to understand why you get nervous and more importantly, why you even play the game.
 
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Its very common to be nervous, it's your neurotransmitter giving you strong shots of epinephrine. Your adrenaline is pumping.. You'll have to learn how to control it... Just like the saying goes, the game is the teacher..

Rob.M
 
Get drunk.

No, don't do that. It happens to everyone, even the best in the world. The thing is they deal with it in such a way that it helps their game instead of hindering it. There has been times I've been so nervous that when given ball in hand I've struggled picking up the CB because my hand was shaking so much. Playing under that kind of pressure more often helps you learn how to deal with nerves.

Don't give yourself time to think, or doubt yourself. What I do is just think, 9, corner...10, middle so I have to hit the CB here at this speed. All of which is done whilst walking from where the 8 was to the 9. Play at a speed that is quick enough for you not to over think, but not too quick that you don't have time to think.

Your opponent can't do anything whilst sat in their seat so its just you and the table. Don't think about what's going on around you or what your opponent might do if you miss. Think positively. Only think about what your about to do, and remember, you ARE going to make every ball!

The same goes when you aren't playing. Don't watch your opponent too much. If I see a guy playing good and I'm stuck in my seat it puts me on a downer and makes me play negatively when I'm at the table. If there is a TV watch the TV. Otherwise just look around, think about what you are having for dinner, how your favourite team is going to do at the weekend etc.

One last thing... When you miss don't linger at the table. Get away from the table. If I stay at the table after a miss I get pissed off wondering how I missed the shot. The next time a similar shot comes up I start to get nervous and doubt my self. So just go and take a seat and smile about it.

All that said, the best thing you can do is to play more people. Enter tournaments, play for $5 sets and before you know it you will be turning the nervousness into something that aids your game.
 
dontlitethat said:
Its very common to be nervous, it's your neurotransmitter giving you strong shots of epinephrine. Your adrenaline is pumping.. You'll have to learn how to control it... Just like the saying goes, the game is the teacher..

Rob.M
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The game is not the teacher. Experience is. That's how we learn. Through experiences. The game provides the experience. :)
 
americanfighter said:
I have that problem from time to time as well here are some things to remember.

1. you may get preoccupied with pleasing/impressing your friends. Impressing/pleasing other players should not be on a players list of goals. The only expectations that matter are yours.

2. Set proper goals in your game. Don't think I hope or should win this game. Think I am going to hit the 7 ball with low left english then move on to the 8 ball. Focus on the here and now not the glory of winning the game.

3. the number 1 thing that kills confidence is fear. So ask yourself what are you afraid of.

4.Change your self to focus on what you want to do not what you are trying to avoid.

5. Use reality checks to cope with fear. For example If a pitcher is striking people out left and right the confidence of the on deck hitter lowers but if the same pitcher gets hit hard then the confidence of on deck hitter goes up because of the reality check of no pitcher is unhittablle. So Use reality checks like this run can be done and this shot can be made.

6. When fear starts to take over try to bring forward past successes to remind you what you are capable of not failures.

7. think positive I can vs I cant

8. finally relax. Become aware of your tension then step away from the pressure talk to yourself (in a positive way) move around to loosen up stretch visualize breath focus on the ball and relax.

Hope that helps
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Awesome advice.

I would suggest adding breathing exercises to your practice regimen so when you have fear or loose your center you can do some controlled breathing, So when you have future fears you can decide to return to the present control your breathing and then return to pool with you making a plan and executing it.

Inspect
Plan/Decide
Picture/Visualize
Pre Shot Routine
Execute
Stay Down
Watch
Repeat
 
If the game provides experiences that means the game is teaching you experiences so there for the game is teaching you.

I'm not kissing CJ's butt I just heavily agree with his motto


Reading my posts means you consent to my incorrect spelling and poor typing skills.
 
Your peers I smash my buddies but it does not hinder my friendship and I have been smashed and still had my frendship intact it's called friendly compition


Reading my posts means you consent to my incorrect spelling and poor typing skills.
 
Pearlnick said:
I live in CA and it is legal for me...kind of. Trust me, I get plenty of vitamin THC in my diet.
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Add Jaeger!

Or go clean...might wanna give it a try??

Naa.:grin-square:

Just let go...zen it out and all that. Just shoot the balls and know that repeated efforts build comfort with a given task. You can't just wake up one day and decide you are gonna play runout pool, you gotta work your way to it.

Just keep at it and learn to parlay that adrenaline into a positive.

Easier said than done, but we've all been there- still spend time there, really- and remember:
Sometimes you're the hammer, sometimes you're the nail.
 
"To experience the experience of experience is to lead a life of wishing ........

Tramp Steamer said:
"What you lack", said the great and powerful Oz, "is experience."
Remember, the game is not the teacher, as our good friend Mr. Wiley would lead you to believe. Experience is the teacher.
So how does one become experienced, you ask? By playing, playing, and playing some more. The more you play the more experience you'll acquire, and the better you'll become.
It's as simple (or, as hard) as that. :smile:
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I will add "Experience" alone is nothing without the game. "To experience the experience of experience is to lead a life of wishing, wanting and regretting" 'The Game {of Life} is the Teacher'

www.thegameistheteacher.com
 
I have heard from several people that they have found this article about Competitive Anxiety useful. It is long but may help you with those nerves

http://billiards.colostate.edu/PBReview/Competitive_Anxiety.htm

It was a series of three articles I wrote for Cues and News several years ago. One day I need to revise it and clean up the transitions. The substance of the article is as true today as it was 20 years ago.
 
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Communicating more clearly - The Pool Game is the Master Game Indeed :-)

Tramp Steamer said:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fuDDqU6n4o
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I know many people think the "Pool World" is Flat, and this is not a unique opinion (relatively speaking of course), as a matter of fact there was a time the majority thought the whole world was Flat - now we KNOW it was just their perception or "vantage point"

It's all about perception, creativity and action.....without the ability to put these three "elements" together we may still be without cars, planes and certainly you wouldn't be reading this on a computer.

20 years ago your cell phone (now) would be worth a BILLION dollars, and today even the homeless have access to these "Mega Computers". It's truly amazing how far we've come in the last few decades and some will never "realize with their real eyes the real lies" about how good we've really got it in this time and day...we're truly Blessed!

We live in a GREAT age, don't let the negative people, places and things get in the way of your joy, happiness and freedom....this is a great nation and an AWESOME time to live....there's been no better in history.

.....and remember, it's all about perception, and our ability to see the good in things, not the bad......and ADD to things rather than take away, in other words adding value to every transaction life has to offer.....this creates INCREDIBLE value in anyone's life.

These are the EXPERIENCES the "Game" of Life has taught me. 'The Game is the Teacher' Aloha Everyone......and "Good Breaks" to ALL ! www.cjwiley.com

45561_760378467321525_619498394_n.jpg
 
Funny how that stuffs works eh.

I can practice by myself and pot balls like a Boss. We get together for a few friendly games and all of a sudden, the Boss can go down hill. Same with league play.

Myself and team mates can have a crappy night and directly after, we stick around for a few games and we can play again.

If I knew the exact cause of it, I wouldn't do it any more.

Cool Hand. Apparently a Black Jack is the Teacher. I have one of those spring loaded ones when they were slightly legal. Used to carry it in the taxi with me.
A great equalizer it was.
 
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Tramp Steamer said:
The game is not the teacher. Experience is. That's how we learn. Through experiences. The game provides the experience. :)
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-
Yeah' what you said... Experience is the teacher. The game is only the influence.
Youall know'd what I meant, you guys are comedy... somedays.

Rob.M
 
Relax.......yeah ok....

Remember, this is just a game.

You're not going to save your life or anyone else's life by playing and winning or losing. In the big picture of life, this isn't the most important thing you will ever do.

Just wish I could take my own advice.

Ok, then practice meditation with deep-breathing when awaiting your turn at the table. I do and it does help.

For some, relaxing when they play pool is as natural as breathing. For others like me, you are asking them to achieve what does not come naturally.

The others in this thread gave excellent advice. Try them all and see which ones work for you. It will get better.

JoeyA
 
Pearlnick said:
I got a table a few months ago and have been playing a ton. I've really noticed a lot of improvements in my game. I can consistantly run 5-6 balls and sometimes the whole rack (9 ball), when I'm by myself.

As soon as some of my better playing friends show up, I have trouble running 2 or 3 balls. I over analyze my shots, second guess myself, and forget about basics like my stance and stroke. I start worrying about missing and giving my opponent a chance to runout. Over all, I guess I just get really nervous.

Any advice or tips to get over this?
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No, nervousness is not the issue, you are still at a level where you do not know exactly what make you miss, you think you got it during practice, but when you show someone or in a match you fail typical C & B players. There is a secret for pocketing balls, keep searching, when you find it, you will never miss a reasonable long cut shot, once that is achieved, you need a year or so to work on patterns and position. Having a good instructor will speed the process.
Do not believe those that say you have to have talent, or good stroke, or magic, or mediation. I know a guy that is really cannot talk, cannot walk straight, crazy something wrong with his brain but plays good pool go figure!


Best of luck.
 
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