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

nerves

seanjonsean said:
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 ...
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Believe it or not, nerves can be a good thing cause if you're not nervous, you can AND will slack off. Now, to be as nervous as you say you are, its not a good thing but it CAN be rectified. ( I used to be similar) When you're playing with your buddies, as stated before, play for something...ANYTHING that will keep your focus on the table and NOT your opponent. In reality, you're ONLY playing the table in front of you and NOT your opponent cause as soon as they're done and have to sit down, they can do NOTHING but watch you play. You still have to keep your opponent in the back of your mind regarding safety play and such, but they're far from being another obstacle you have to overcome at the table...so just relax, take your time, and think most of all. This game IS around 90% mental so its VERY important that you learn how to "think" your way out of a rack...When you can mentally visualize that your opponent has no chance of winning cause you KNOW you can run these balls, then you can play ANYONE and not worry about them. The moral of my story I guess, is just keep tabs on whats going on ON the table, not off and you'll be just fine. After all, the ONLY thing that needs to be worried about is the table and the layout in front of you, nothing more. Its when you begin worrying about everything off the table that your game becomes jeapardized. Good luck
 
ok thanxz again wel i played this wed and wasnt as nervous as i thought breathing and thinking bout other stuff helps ,i missed an easy 8 and that made me laugh and that helped a bunch too...
 
seanjonsean said:
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 ...
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I recommend the Keith McCready motto, "take a shot, make the shot".
 
seanjonsean said:
ok thanxz again wel i played this wed and wasnt as nervous as i thought breathing and thinking bout other stuff helps ,i missed an easy 8 and that made me laugh and that helped a bunch too...
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Or you could join The Laughing Club of America. That club will take the nervousness out of ya and you will be able to reduce stress at will. Just make sure you do the artificial laughing in private or your might draw a crowe. :-)
JoeyA
 
Curvilinear relationship

JoeyA said:
Or you could join The Laughing Club of America. That club will take the nervousness out of ya and you will be able to reduce stress at will. Just make sure you do the artificial laughing in private or your might draw a crowe. :-)
JoeyA
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There is a vast body of research on the relationship between test anxiety & performance. The relationship is curvilinear, that is to say, as anxiety increases performance increases until anxiety becomes counterproductive. I suspect that these findings are generalizable.

Given that you routinely have runs of 45 balls, your skills are far superior to mine, however I have found that my incidences of "choking" on key balls have been drastically reduced by playing the table and becoming oblivious to my opponent & observers. I also find that as feelings of aggression replace anxiety it is helpful in achieving a constructive "out of body" experience.
 
seanjonsean said:
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 ...
Click to expand...

Enjoy playing the Game, it helps a lot. believe me ! ;)
 
If you can't seem to enjoy the game, try to remember the most hilarious thing that you have ever experienced or have seen. on my experience, I try to recall certain movies which made me ROFL my ass off ! It works like a charm on my part ! most often than not, you'll be loose as hell as you know it ! ;)
 
I never used to be nervous when playing. I couldn't even comprehend the idea! I knew what I had to do, wanted to do & did it. Then I played an exhibition game against Jim Rempe in my home town. I was first up & I was shaking! I lost, no big surprise there.

Soon after I played the finals of our summer league's Captain's Cup. I hadn't lost a rack throughout the event, but come finals night, when there's a big crowd watching the nerves crept in again. I lost the first rack, I was really mad at myself about it & went on to to win the next 4 to take the trophy.

Now, after 12 years away from the table I'm playing 9 ball in the USA, after playing 8 ball in the UK. I play in a tournament every week or so, the standard of competition is pretty high, and once again, I find the nerves are kicking in! In another thread I've said I do play better when I stop over analysing every shot, but the nerves are still there.

I don't know whether it's because I want to win so badly that I get nervous or just some kind of mental block. I have found that if I get a little mad at myself, or at something that has happened on the table, then my game just goes up a notch. If I'm pissed at something, I'll just sink everything, as long as I can keep that anger in control. If I let it go too much then I'll make a completely stupid shot!

There is one thing I will always do. I may be furious at myself, or nervous as hell. I will always shake my opponents hand & say "Good game." I may be mad at myself, but I will never be a bad loser.

So Sean, take every game as it comes. Enjoy it. Enjoy it more when you win! You'll get there, just keep loving the sight of those balls falling in the pockets. Whatever helps you, use it.
 
mr berlo i meant 4 - 5 balls not 45, but if evryhting is out on the open i can basically run out ,now thats practicing but wen i am against an opponent i over analyze and choke up ,but ever since i posted this thread and with alll these tips my game has improved ! laughing and thinking of other things like all the cheetos stuck in my braces sure did help lol...
 
take your time, play your game. focusing on my fundimentals helps me. and remember don't pussy foot around it. if you have to make the shot and draw back 6 inches DO NOT SINCH the shot. physical mistakes happen (missing shots) mental mistakes will almost always cost you the game
 
seanjonsean said:
i didnt even notice but i have alot of replies to this thread thanxz guys ,does this help to get greenies?
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The best way for you to get some greenies is to bet real high and win.
Good luck.
JoeyA
 
berlowmj said:
There is a vast body of research on the relationship between test anxiety & performance. The relationship is curvilinear, that is to say, as anxiety increases performance increases until anxiety becomes counterproductive. I suspect that these findings are generalizable.

Given that you routinely have runs of 45 balls, your skills are far superior to mine, however I have found that my incidences of "choking" on key balls have been drastically reduced by playing the table and becoming oblivious to my opponent & observers. I also find that as feelings of aggression replace anxiety it is helpful in achieving a constructive "out of body" experience.
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What is an "out of body" experience. Good post, I have similar experiences...

Strictly speaking, there is no way to perform at your peak without nervousness. It simply means you care about what you're doing. It is only when that nervousness about results doesn't allow you to focus on process that you start choking.

I try to welcome it, and use it as a way to focus on the process of playing and enjoy the fight.
 
The Master Shooter Royal James Brewster...

seanjonsean said:
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 ...
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Hello...:cool:

This Is The Master Shooter Royal James Brewster...:cool: :cool:


I Would Like To Say, To Answer Your Question, ( What Do I Do When I

Get Nervous?)

First, I Would Like To Say, I Do Agree With The People Here That

Has Shared Their Wisdom On Your Question...

Second, This Is Another Way You Deal With Being Nervous. (i.e.),

When You Are Shooting Pool, Do Not Think About What Other People Will

Think Of You When You Miss A Shot, and (If) People Start Laughing At

You. "Do Not Take It To Heart." Everybody Starts Some Where Playing

Sports, and Its Ok To Make Mistakes, That How You Learn, and Do Not Be

Nervous When You Make A Mistake. Learn From Your Mistakes, and Try To

Improve On What You Are Trying To Accomplish. I Have Learned From

Michael Duffry, The Master Shooter, When I Was On The Up

Coming, By Praticing These 3 Ways...


#(1) Put Alll The Balls On The Table, and Start Out By Seeing What You

Can Make.


#(2) Put All The Balls On The Table, and Miss Your Shots On Purpose.


#(3) Put All The Balls On The Table, And Do A Mixture Of Making Your


Object Balls, And Missing Your Object Balls.


*The Reason For This Is, When You Are On The Table Appling These 3


Steps That I Have Given You, You Should See A Diference In Your Game.*


*How So, You May Ask?*


*By Appling These 3 ways,*


#(1) You Will Know, What To Do.


#(2) You Will Know, What Not To Do.


*The More You Do This By Practicing, The Better Your Game Will Improve.*:D :D


These Words Of Wisdom Are From: Michael Duffry, The Master Shooter...:cool: :cool::cool:


*I Hope This Will Help You From Being Nervous.*


Thank You For Your Time...

From:


The Master Shooter Royal James Brewster, The True Worlds Greatest

Master Shooter For Billiards...:cool: :cool:
 
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