Practicing focus

[gunzby]

This is something that came to me the other week. I caught a bad cold right after Thanksgiving where I was just too worn down to bother playing. Anyhow I took a month off and came back seemingly better than ever as I was feeling great. I suppose after feeling horribly tired for a month and a half anyone would feel great after getting over it.

Well I got to feel good for a week before getting another cold. I tried playing and really I was just too worn down. I could focus for about 4 balls and then I'd catch myself missing a ball that I wasn't even looking at.

I'm over that cold, but it got me thinking. Is focus something you can practice? Is it something that gets easier the harder you work at it, or is it something that you can't really force?

 

[lastdimetaker]

Focus can be practced with just simple shots the big problem is that people get the concept of focus and concentration mixed up or think they are the same thing. Focus has to do with the eyes concentration has to do with the mind. Best way to practice focus is pick smaller targets and concentrate on ur eye patterns.

 

[cueporn]

focus training

I will set an alarm to practice at 4am. When grinding for hours into the night, preparing to keep focus and play tired pays off. Having a table home permits this. Knowing I can hold up better helps me when gambling or playing multiple sets in a tournament.
That and not recharging yourself with drugs and booze. No matter what anybody says, it does not work.Half the room is stoned, love to play burnouts!

 

[gunzby]

Of course you can practice focusing.

Have you ever noticed how bored five-year-old children get and how often they need to do something else? What if the same were true of doctoral students? Maybe you would be content knowing that the engineers who designed the jet you are about to fly on can only work on it for fifteen minutes at a time?

Focus is something that you need to practice at all times, in every way if you are going to get better at it. Here are some things that help with focus:

-Read. Anything, but completely. I'm not saying that you need to crack open 'Moby Dick', but if you pick up a 'Sports Illustrated', read every word in it.

-Learn to juggle if you don't already know how.

-Do puzzles, crosswords, soduku, whatever.

-Learn chess.

-Carve or start doing intricate woodworking. When I started inlaying cues by hand, each one took forever, but I didn't feel like I could stop in the middle of one, so I would crank through even though I was mentally spent.

Learning to concentrate and focus in one area carries over into all areas.

dld

I am most certainly out of practice
The last time I did something that was of the utmost importance was when I was in bench press competitions. Focus is of the utmost importance when you have 1" bar right above your lungs and heart with 500lbs on it. I'd guess it was much easier to focus then because I never used a spotter while working out as I didn't trust anyone in the gym with me.

I guess I need to figure out a way to give myself the same tunnel vision doing this. My guess is that I need to focus on repeating one part (a foundation) of my pre-shot routine.

Another reason why I might be finding this a little tougher than before is because I can only hit the tables on Fri-Sun because I work 630pm-630am Mon-Thur. When I did powerlifting I was in the gym 7 days on and one day off, but I also worked 4 on and 4 off then too.

This might be something I need to work on at home.

 

[gunzby]

I will set an alarm to practice at 4am. When grinding for hours into the night, preparing to keep focus and play tired pays off. Having a table home permits this. Knowing I can hold up better helps me when gambling or playing multiple sets in a tournament.
That and not recharging yourself with drugs and booze. No matter what anybody says, it does not work.Half the room is stoned, love to play burnouts!

I would give just about anything to play at home after work.

The fiancee' and I were talking about what we would do if we won the lottery a while back. My answer = I'd play pool. That was it....nothing more and nothing less. I don't really care to accumulate crap as I've never been all that big into money and have never really had much respect for it. Don't take that to mean that I've been rich all my life as I've spent a small time being damn near homeless and I've certainly not crossed into the 6 figure category. I just happen to value a long list of things above money.

 

[clarkster]

funny how I can make 4 tough shots in a row and dog a easy shot that I just didn't concentrate on.

 

[gunzby]

funny how I can make 4 tough shots in a row and dog a easy shot that I just didn't concentrate on.

That's what I was doing when I was sick. I hung it up after about 2 hours because I kept noticing that I was missing shots where I wasn't even looking at the ball. I was just too beat down to concentrate.

I think I remember SVB winning the US Bar Table either last year, or the year before while having the flu. If true I have a ton of respect for that after trying to play with just a nasty common cold.

 

[Dunnn51]

The big picture

funny how I can make 4 tough shots in a row and dog a easy shot that I just didn't concentrate on.

I have been trying to not do this because it seems so easy to overcome. I did it tonight --- on the game/match ball. An easy one & I dogged it.

in Hindsight: I lost focus. Even though it was an easy shot to make,I felt it was all i had to do to win the match. I was looking at the small print when I shudda been looking at the big picture! (Had I been, I would have realized just how important the shot was ,and applied more focus toward what I needed to do). I still won the match,went hill-hill as I gave him hope when I missed that shot. (wudda been a tough pill to swallow if I lost because of that dogged shot.)

Listened to Syracuse/Seton Hall Basketball post-game interviews and was moved by how many times Brandon Triche(Syracuse) mentioned the word "focus." He posted 29 pts against Seton Hall ( A house record in Seton hall), on 3pt shots at key times in the game. It started when Syracuse was down 12 pts early in the game. Triche's timing for 3pt shots and focus on delivering them ignited the "Cuse" offense. They kept it lit through-out the rest of the game. total turn-around by 1 player doing the right thing at the right time. The mark of a seasoned player.

Syracuse won over Seton Hall 76-65

When PRO's in any sport mention focus, I have to listen.

 

[victorl]

I learned from my golf instructor than knowing when not to focus is just as important and focusing itself. According to him, the human eyes can only sustain the intense focus necessary for precision sports for a few moments at a time. You sometimes see pros staring into space while sitting in the chair and apparently it helps relax the eyes and keeps them from tiring out during long matches. After I make a few shots in a row, I'll take a moment to look around loosen up my eyes a little before going back into focus mode as well. It helps a lot I think, especially when playing long games like 1pocket or straight pool.

 

[trob]

That is the biggest issue I have. It's usually when I'm practicing though. I find myself down on a ball and right as I pull the trigger I realize that I never really aimed it..my mind had wandered to what's for dinner or something that happened at work. I will say I have people make comments about how I take my time even on the easy shots. I go through my pre shot routine no matter what! I don't care if it's a stop shot laying in the hole. That's how I've trained myself to stay focused at all times.

I like the idea of reading though as practice . I do have a habit of skipping through something while reading. I used to love playing chess so maybe I'll get back to that to

 

[cueporn]

funny how I can make 4 tough shots in a row and dog a easy shot that I just didn't concentrate on.

We all do, its called letdown.

Foremost you need a consistent preshot routine. Your physical and mental setup is key.
If you play against the ghost in practice it can keep you focused in practice.
You need to know your motivations for playing. Remember to enjoy yourself above all.

 

[Sloppy Pockets]

Of course you can practice focusing.

Have you ever noticed how bored five-year-old children get and how often they need to do something else? What if the same were true of doctoral students? Maybe you would be content knowing that the engineers who designed the jet you are about to fly on can only work on it for fifteen minutes at a time?

Focus is something that you need to practice at all times, in every way if you are going to get better at it. Here are some things that help with focus:

-Read. Anything, but completely. I'm not saying that you need to crack open 'Moby Dick', but if you pick up a 'Sports Illustrated', read every word in it.

-Learn to juggle if you don't already know how.

-Do puzzles, crosswords, soduku, whatever.

-Learn chess.

-Carve or start doing intricate woodworking. When I started inlaying cues by hand, each one took forever, but I didn't feel like I could stop in the middle of one, so I would crank through even though I was mentally spent.

Learning to concentrate and focus in one area carries over into all areas.

dld

Good stuff. I do or have done everything on the list except juggling. Never could get the hang of that.

I worked as a entry-level lab tech after I got out of college. They gave me lots of busy work until I got up to speed. One thing I had to do was to read hundreds of scientific abstracts a day, looking for topics that directly related to our work. This stuff is dry as dirt to read, but it taught me great focus.

The best excercise I have found to increase focus is the ancient art of Tai Chi. The slow movements allow you to focus deeply into spaces in movement that you normally don't notice when moving at normal speed. The simple outward rotation of the wrist can break down into a seemingly infinite number of intermediate steps. The slower you can go, the deeper the focus, and the more you will notice.

As an added benefit, your health will improve rapidly. I went through a very similar experience as you did after a particularly vicious bout of bronchitis. As soon as I could stand on my feet again, I did my Tai Chi form several times a day and my health improved rapidly. Something about the stretched out movements and slow, deep breathing is very restorative after any kind of respiratory ailment.