please help what do i do when i get nervous??

[Stones]

Just keep remembering that you are playing the table.

Pool is one of the few sports that your opponent can have no effect on you while you're at the table. He totally defenseless and the table is an inanimate object.

Two rules:

Take what the table gives and do the highest percentage shot YOU know how to do.

Don't fight the table.

 

[FLICKit]

Losing excessive bodily fluids always worked wonders for me....I B STROKIN

Sorta like that movie, "there's something about Mary".

Dom: You choke the chicken before any big date don't you? Tell me you spank the monkey before any big date. Oh my God he doesn't flog the dolphin before a big date. Are you crazy? That's like going out there with a loaded gun!

 

[12310bch]

it's the same in any competitive game. We gotta learn to play with it by welcoming it . The rush is a reward. If it ever goes away find another game.

 

[tedkaufman]

Focus on the table at all times. Never take your eyes off the table. Plan your shots as you watch what your opponet does. Think only about your shots. If you catch yourself thinking about winning or losing replace those thoughts with thoughts about your next opportunity at the table all the while planning your game.

As you make your plans see yourself in your minds-eye exhibiting perfect form all the way through your long perfect follow through. Be sure you have an ingrained preshot routine as that will save you from rushing because of nerves.

MOST IMPORTANT... TAKE DEEP BREATHS THROUGH YOUR NOSE AND AS YOU BREATH OUT BE CONSCIOUS OF THE TENSION BEING RELEASED FROM YOUR NECK, SHOULDERS, CHEST AND ARMS.

Focus completely on each shot. Never allow any thoughts about the outcome to stick in your head. Think about the next 3 balls and how to pocket them.

This is all great advice. I would add, accept your nerves. It's okay to be nervous. It's even okay to shake. If you use your nervousness to gain focus by following the advice detailed above, you will find you actually can play better under pressure. The trick is to narrow your focus. I like to give myself simple tasks. I like the aforementioned 3 ball pattern. Then I think only of the shot at hand and where I want the cueball to go. If you occupy your mind with simple thoughts, you will achieve clarity that enables you to focus under pressure.

 

[seanjonsean]

that makes a lot of sense play the table not the man , and i kno it feels great to be under pressure for some reason it is a rush , i once won my last game with a long rail bank in the middle pocket and evryone thought i was nuts instead playing safe but i went for it and even the other team seemed happy lol and all i did was smile and was shaking like a leaf. i thoiught to myself i can make ok shots and i have practicing hard y cant i win but its only nerves and now that i have these tips we wil see what happens this coming wed thst wen we play ,thanxz again guys

 

[JimS]

Pool is one of the few sports that your opponent can have no effect on you while you're at the table. He totally defenseless and the table is an inanimate object.

Two rules:

Take what the table gives and do the highest percentage shot YOU know how to do.

Don't fight the table.

Good stuff.. and I also like the post advising to never take your eye off the cue ball. FOCUS your attention where YOU want it to go rather than where it just goes by itself. If you focus on noticing how nervous you are you'll freak out. Focus on what will calm the nerves (breathing) and focus on what will improve your chances of winning (plan your game, stick to your preshot routine).

I had a friend who was an excellent player and he agreed to help me. He MADE me develop a preshot routine telling me over and over that it would save me in a stress filled situation because my body would just do what it was supposed to do even if I was in the process of crapping my drawers from the nerves.

He said he'd help me but I had to make 100 straight in shots a day for at least a month and every shot had to be preceeded by the exact same motions which must include no more and no less than 4 practice strokes. Two fairly quick ones to relax the muscles, another to focus the aim and then the slow draw back.. pause and the final smooth and perfect stroke.

Prior to the practice strokes I was to pick up the chalk, move to a position behind the cue ball, pay attention to applying the chalk and plan the next 3 shots. Once I've "seen" in my minds-eye (visualized) the EXACT shot I want... seen the object ball roll into the hole and seen the cue ball roll to the exact spot I want it, then I was to stand behind the cue ball and line up the shot (aim whie standing!). Then SLOWLY lower my cue and my body into shooting position. Then the practice strokes.

Once the body is trained to do all of this (with small personal variations) by making a minimum of 100 shots a day, you won't have to worry about having good form when you play, no matter how nervous you get.

I'm anal as hell so I did it a minimum of 200 times a day for 6 months. Had to make 200 table length straight in shots a day (home table allows this). Drove me crazy but it had a dramatic effect on my game. I still don't play for shit but I've got dammed good form.

He's dead now. Cancer in his 40's. Rest in peace CC.

 

[mworkman]

Your lucky you have these emotions when you play. You will learn to use them to your advantage. You are close Danialson.

For me when I play my best the feeling I have is almost an angry or mean feeling. Like I've had enough and its time to get out of my way. I get a huge rush, not really nervous and it is very hard to describe. When I feel like this I'm a very dangerous player.

I wish I could call up this feeling at will, but I can't. Most of the time I struggle with conflicting reasons for playing. I like to socialize, help others with their game and enjoy a few cold ones. When I'm matched up against a friend or a new up and comming player I don't want to destroy them. I want them to succeed.

When I really do want to win, like in a big tourny, sometimes it takes me a while to wake up and start kicking a$$. I stumble along with being nervous or unsure of myself. Then when it looks like I might actually get beat, I start to fight. Sometimes it's too late and sometimes I start playing lights out, and I go on a roll.

This has been said probably a thousand times on this board. You need the right kind of emotion for you to play your best. Lack of emotion and you probably aren't going to get it done. To much or fear wont get it done either.
Tell yourself that you are gonna take some respect for yourself and your game today, and go take it.

 

[renard]

This is all great advice. I would add, accept your nerves. It's okay to be nervous. It's even okay to shake. If you use your nervousness to gain focus by following the advice detailed above, you will find you actually can play better under pressure. The trick is to narrow your focus. I like to give myself simple tasks. I like the aforementioned 3 ball pattern. Then I think only of the shot at hand and where I want the cueball to go. If you occupy your mind with simple thoughts, you will achieve clarity that enables you to focus under pressure.

Corey Deuel was once asked if he got nervous and his reply was, "I hope so it lets me know I'm ready!" Now I may have paraphrased him but that is very close to what he conveyed.

Playing without emotion is just simply going through the motions, it doesn't mean anything to you. No emotion = no performance. Fortunately, if you are nervous you know there is motivation and a chance to see your top game.

On the other hand, too much emotion though is like running a fuel mixture in a carburetor without any air to that fuel mixture. It just will not perform.

It is you that regulates that emotion and its not easy to do. I agree playing for cash exposes you again, and again, and again to that emotion. Soon you develop a way to regulate your emotion. But playing to much for cash it soon becomes a crutch (you can't become motivated without it.)

What to do? First we can fix emotionless/ unmotivated play by accumulating knowledge about your motivated game. Find what motivates you. What might motivate you in one set of circumstances might not in another. Every time you play the circumstances change and so does the motivation. You should have at least four or five motivating factors you can pull up and use for your listless play.

Second when the emotions run on overdrive you need to find again four or five reasonable goals. They may indeed be the same goals that motivate you to begin with. But some of the goals in the present circumstances are just too rich in octane and are putting you into overdrive. Shift gears! Be flexible and find another goal more suited to the situation.

Goals alone will not diffuse your emotion.Those goals must be coupled with your appraisal of the circumstances. The habit of using the most optimistic appraisal that is reasonable under the circumstances is the key. You need to ask yourself simply, "What is the situation? What tools do I have to cope with it?" Sometimes we give ourselves helpful or unhelpful directions; make sure the appraisal is reasonable.

Edit: A simple list of what motivates or makes you nervous
- Social Status (big one, we all care about this one.)
- Hot girl/guy
- Cash
- Loud mouth opponent
- Superior opponent
- Inferior opponent
- Everyones depending on you
- I'm the weakest player but my bite is gonna hurt.
- Love the motions the balls make, the game itself.

This is all I could think of off the top of my head, feel free to add...

Heres an example that comes to mind:

How many times have you said to yourself in accessing a situation, "I'm dead" And the outcome was, you were dead. How many times have you said, "Well this is the only option within my capabilities, it's tough; but I can't wait to see the response after I pull this off." And you do just what you set out to do.

Optimistic and reasonable appraisal of the situation gets you there. The anchor of this appraisal is the goal that fit the circumstances.

Nervous is good, too nervous is not. Our motivations are varied and many. Most of us, myself included; have not put a finger or labeled these motivations. (Let alone change them when needed.)

Another example: Have you ever been too nervous at the beginning of a match only to finally settle down and really start shooting? You adjusted your goals and appraisals of the circumstances automatically through your past experiences without even thinking about it.

Keep in mind you have not seen or been exposed to every circumstance out there. So sometimes that automatic switch just doesn't happen. Learn to modulate your emotion by consciously finding the proper goal. If it fits, use it; if it doesn't try another.

Easier said than done...

 

[JoeyA]

im sure alot of peop have gone through this . i get real nervous when im playing i play decent and im able to run 4 5 balls and sometimes run out wen i play friends .i kno thats not alot to some of u but for me it is ,anyways wen its time to compete i freeze up cant think and start shaking ,alot of peop say ill get over it and i hav to play strangers but im going on 2 years playing bnow and still cant get past this .is there anything u guys can offer besides chugguing a few beers wich thats not a good idea lol ...

Lots of good suggestions already in this thread. Use them if you can.

Another thing you should do is ask yourself why you are so nervous. The answer(s) may allow you to reevaluate the situation and lessen the pressure on you.

Developing a well defined pre-shot routine can help you with some nervousness. Breathing deep slow breaths definitely helps. I also try to think about anything but pool in between matches. I use to not want to talk to anyone before, during or after matches but now I allow myself to talk with others just as long as it is not about my playing or their playing. For me, I like talking about things that are not related to pool.

At your level of play, you should be practicing more to improve your game. This will give you more confidence and will enable you to better handle the pressure of competing. Compete more like some of your friends suggest. You will get "more use to it" but the pressure will never be completely gone no matter how good you get.

And that one piece of advice when playing, about never letting your eyes leave the table is "GOLDEN".
JoeyA

 

[renard]

that makes a lot of sense play the table not the man , and i kno it feels great to be under pressure for some reason it is a rush , i once won my last game with a long rail bank in the middle pocket and evryone thought i was nuts instead playing safe but i went for it and even the other team seemed happy lol and all i did was smile and was shaking like a leaf. i thoiught to myself i can make ok shots and i have practicing hard y cant i win but its only nerves and now that i have these tips we wil see what happens this coming wed thst wen we play ,thanxz again guys

Play the table, not the man doesn't always work. Playing the table is not a motivating factor. (No motivation = no performance.) Besides the man himself may be a big reason why your nervous to begin with. Other reasons (goals, motivation, & appraisal of the circumstances being correct) corrected at the same time have probably brought this assessment as a fix for nervousness because they figured it was the factor in a conscious decision.

If your assessments of the circumstances with the proper goal in mind are met, it makes it easier to let the pre-shot routine, the simple 3ball patterns, and concentration to take place. Simply said modulate your emotions and the rest becomes easier.

 

[renard]

great tips thanxz guys ill give all a try,wen im losing i think very positive i dont wish any bad on any of my opponents but what my friend once told me is that i over analyze and overthink evrything ,the daydreaming has worked but not as i would like lol

Over analysis and over thinking is usually related to indecision of the proper course or the mind has doubts of a favorable outcome. How can Johnny Archer make any balls in his over analysis? He works out the favorable outcome with the tools at his disposal by choosing the the best option available.

Lot of factors out there!!!

 

[PoolBum]

Pool is one of the few sports that your opponent can have no effect on you while you're at the table.

Hmm...I wish somebody would tell that to some of the guys I've played around here.

 

[renard]

Hmm...I wish somebody would tell that to some of the guys I've played around here.

Killers huh! I know what you mean, it affects me!

 

[StevenPWaldon]

I'm sure I'll repeat a lot of what's been said, but I'll keep mine short and to the point:


PSYCHOLOGICAL STEPS
1. Loosen up! I think of Ralf Souquet a lot, who seems to play very loose (tho mechanical at the same time). His stroke almost "weak" but obviously it's not. Loose arm, loose wrist... calm as can (appeared) to be. Makes cueing look simple.

2. Like others said, just have fun. The best feeling is pocketing a ball; the sound of the ball dropping, the feeling of control you have over yourself, and control over the table. That's what makes it fun =)

PHYSICAL / PRACTICAL STEPS:
3. Focus on the cueball. When I'm nervous, I focus on the object ball too much and it often causes me to hit it too full... sometimes dead on! Focus on the path of the cueball more. Align correct, stroke it straight. If you eliminate "aim" once you're aligned, all you have to do is hit the cue in a straight line.

4. Focus on fundamentals. It's easy to say, "You know what to do. Do it." The way that helps me to execute that phrase is to accutely and solely focus on exactly what I'm doing.

 

[cuetechasaurus]

I'm sure I'll repeat a lot of what's been said, but I'll keep mine short and to the point:


PSYCHOLOGICAL STEPS
1. Loosen up! I think of Ralf Souquet a lot, who seems to play very loose (tho mechanical at the same time). His stroke almost "weak" but obviously it's not. Loose arm, loose wrist... calm as can (appeared) to be. Makes cueing look simple.

2. Like others said, just have fun. The best feeling is pocketing a ball; the sound of the ball dropping, the feeling of control you have over yourself, and control over the table. That's what makes it fun =)

PHYSICAL / PRACTICAL STEPS:
3. Focus on the cueball. When I'm nervous, I focus on the object ball too much and it often causes me to hit it too full... sometimes dead on! Focus on the path of the cueball more. Align correct, stroke it straight. If you eliminate "aim" once you're aligned, all you have to do is hit the cue in a straight line.

4. Focus on fundamentals. It's easy to say, "You know what to do. Do it." The way that helps me to execute that phrase is to accutely and solely focus on exactly what I'm doing.

Good advice bro. I would also like to add that when you are on the money ball, and you feel yourself shaking, make sure you compose yourself before you get down and shoot. The reason I say this, is because when you are under pressure, you want to get it over with ASAP! So many people make the mistake of shooting when they aren't ready. It doesn't look right, it doesn't feel right, but they shoot anyway, steering and twisting and popping up in the air. Sometimes when my nerves get to me, I will get up three or four times on the shot. I wait until I've calmed down and feel ready to shoot. It works a surprisingly high % of the time when shooting at the money ball in a hill/hill match

 

[Flex]

Good advice bro. I would also like to add that when you are on the money ball, and you feel yourself shaking, make sure you compose yourself before you get down and shoot. The reason I say this, is because when you are under pressure, you want to get it over with ASAP! So many people make the mistake of shooting when they aren't ready. It doesn't look right, it doesn't feel right, but they shoot anyway, steering and twisting and popping up in the air. Sometimes when my nerves get to me, I will get up three or four times on the shot. I wait until I've calmed down and feel ready to shoot. It works a surprisingly high % of the time when shooting at the money ball in a hill/hill match

Tap, tap, tap!

 

[renard]

Good advice bro. I would also like to add that when you are on the money ball, and you feel yourself shaking, make sure you compose yourself before you get down and shoot. The reason I say this, is because when you are under pressure, you want to get it over with ASAP! So many people make the mistake of shooting when they aren't ready. It doesn't look right, it doesn't feel right, but they shoot anyway, steering and twisting and popping up in the air. Sometimes when my nerves get to me, I will get up three or four times on the shot. I wait until I've calmed down and feel ready to shoot. It works a surprisingly high % of the time when shooting at the money ball in a hill/hill match

Steve and Cuetechasaurus both have added great points here. but I would like to add to cuetech point here in which he is absolutely correct.

In a preshot routine some take (like Allison Fisher) a set number of practice strokes every time which is good. But they sometimes are not ready and force the issue because they have to pull the trigger by that certain stroke count. What they are supposed to do is get up and start all over again. I believe that this preshot routine with training has potential to make a stronger player through fundamentals but it is harder to grasp for most.

Others take as many practice strokes as necessary until it feels right before pulling the trigger. I feel this is the correct way unless we have proper instruction on our stroke to become the former...

 

[seanjonsean]

so basically i have to "free my mind",like morpheus told neo? i have to learn how to leave it all at home or work and just play the table ,sounds easy but tougher to do lol ...

 

[renard]

so basically i have to "free my mind",like morpheus told neo? i have to learn how to leave it all at home or work and just play the table ,sounds easy but tougher to do lol ...

In a nutshell yes. We play the game of pool. It is exactly that... play. Keep that in mind. Pool won't make you a better person or a worse one. It won't change who loves you or increase your safety in the world. Lighten up, we play this game for the pleasure it provides in itself.

Consciously coach yourself, I mean what are you really scared of? Remember that know one crucial to your happiness is going to hurt or abandon you because you won or lost. In our minds we tend to try and take pool to that same level of importance, it's not.

Pool really does matter to us because we know it's not about survival. We are allowed to fail and bask in the glory with out effecting what is really important to us. Think of that before a game. Heck if you take 3 minutes in the parking lot to look at a picture of a loved one to ground you, use it.

Just put your mind in order. Find what works for you. Like you said, "Sounds easy but tougher to do lol" and it is. It's just part of the process of improving ourselves in the game we PLAY.

 

[VIProfessor]

One well known fact about pressure is that nobody's game remains the same under the pressure of competition. Under pressure, a player's game will increase or decrease from the everyday norm.

The other incontrivertible fact is that everyone, at some time, succumbs to the pressure. Anyone who saw Efren miss that eminently makeable nine-ball at hill-hill against Tony Crosby in the 2006 WPC can attest to that! The difference is the tolerance threshold for pressure (as any old-timer often says, "What will scare me will kill most people!) You can increase your threshold through practice, breathing exercises, etc., but there is no substitute for experience! With repeated exposure to pressure, and with the proper mental approach and preparation, your ability to handle pressure will increase to the point where you will embrace pressure, and it will bring out the best in your game (most times!) instead of inducing you to fall apart.

There's no magic bullet or quick fix. In the end, the ability to compete under the heat, like every other aspect of your game, is something that you must develop with time, experience, and work.