Recovering from a tough match

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erikido

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I beat a player of the caliber I have never beaten before. Got up early and he came back to hill hill, when I finally won. But, my question is this-they called my next match as soon as I was finished and I was physically and mentally tired from that last match.

So do you have any things that you do to recover physically and or mentally from a difficult match?
 
Sometimes your're the hammer, sometimes the nail.

What can you do? Wash your hands, get a cold drink, start smoking and take a smoke break, slap yourself and get with the program?

You just gotta make yourself do it. I think conventional approach; play the table, not the opponent applies.

That said, I got nothin.
 
You have to be able to clean the slate and forget the last match. The worst thing you can do is become satisfied with your latest victory.
 
Cdryden said:
You have to be able to clean the slate and forget the last match. The worst thing you can do is become satisfied with your latest victory.
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I think I am being misunderstood...I was obviously thrilled with the win. But, the next match more of the issue was being physically and mentally drained.
 
erikido said:
I think I am being misunderstood...I was obviously thrilled with the win. But, the next match more of the issue was being physically and mentally drained.
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I don't think we have misunderstood you at all.

If your tank is empty nothing can help, save refilling it.

I took Cdryden's input to mean that you didn't have the hunger for the win anymore.

You just need to make it happen.
 
erikido said:
I think I am being misunderstood...I was obviously thrilled with the win. But, the next match more of the issue was being physically and mentally drained.
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No, I know where you were coming from, I was just meaning mentally you have to stay focused and not become complacent. When your drained it can be easy to let your mind wander. I was answering from my perspective, my main pitfall would be to go into the next match thinking about the last match. The fact that I was drained makes it easier to loose focus.

Black Balled suggestion about washing your hands is pretty good, although I wash my face too, just to wake me up some. For some people it's a cup of coffee, for some it's a cigarette, for some it's a line of coke. For me, it's meditation.:smile:
 
Cdryden said:
No, I know where you were coming from, I was just meaning mentally you have to stay focused and not become complacent. When your drained it can be easy to let your mind wander. I was answering from my perspective, my main pitfall would be to go into the next match thinking about the last match. The fact that I was drained makes it easier to loose focus.

Black Balled suggestion about washing your hands is pretty good, although I wash my face too, just to wake me up some. For some people it's a cup of coffee, for some it's a cigarette, for some it's a line of coke. For me, it's meditation.:smile:
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Okay, thanks for the clarification. Haven't done any meditation in a long time. Maybe its time to start again :D

Any other thoughts?
 
This might sound funny, but I exercise when I'm physically and mentally drained. It "resets" my body.

When I'm gambling with a guy all night long, I will do 25 pushups when he goes to the bathroom. People laugh at me, but it gives me a second wind and clears the mind.

I use the same technique on long 12 hr road trips. Every 2 hours I stop and get out of the car, and do pushups and squats at the gas station along with a bathroom break. Again, people laugh at me, but it gives me energy.

Works for me...
 
erikido said:
Okay, thanks for the clarification. Haven't done any meditation in a long time. Maybe its time to start again :D

Any other thoughts?
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For some people (like me) talking to myself helps, kinda like a coach would talk to a player "ok, dig in now, just a little more" etc....you get the idea....A personal pep talk...................I dont do this out loud..

a letdown after a big win is very normal, so you have to fight the instinct to relax, and if its more about being mentally drained, you could tell yourself....."I'm not tired, I got this, I'm tough as nails" (whatever works)
 
A lot of times after a great shot or a great match, I blow the easy one after. I've found that taking a moment to be impressed with myself resets things a bit. Like a nagging pet or child who goes away after being acknowledged. In your case, take a minute and just sit down to take in the exhausting match, let yourself be tired for a moment... Then put your game face back on.
 
iusedtoberich said:
This might sound funny, but I exercise when I'm physically and mentally drained. It "resets" my body.

When I'm gambling with a guy all night long, I will do 25 pushups when he goes to the bathroom. People laugh at me, but it gives me a second wind and clears the mind.

I use the same technique on long 12 hr road trips. Every 2 hours I stop and get out of the car, and do pushups and squats at the gas station along with a bathroom break. Again, people laugh at me, but it gives me energy.

Works for me...
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I do the same thing, when I feel like I'm running out of gas I get my heart pumping by some form of exercise...take a 5 minute break and go take a brisk walk. I also use an iPod during the walk and crank up some high energy music to get me going.
 
been there

erikido said:
I beat a player of the caliber I have never beaten before. Got up early and he came back to hill hill, when I finally won. But, my question is this-they called my next match as soon as I was finished and I was physically and mentally tired from that last match.

So do you have any things that you do to recover physically and or mentally from a difficult match?
Click to expand...

Worst case was just a twelve lap heat race in a stock car. The car needed work and I was broke. The car wasn't handling and I needed the cash from a win badly. Started outside pole with eight or ten faster timed in cars behind me. Every inch of the race was a nail biter with another car at least partially alongside me most the time. Got hit in the left rear coming out of turn four on the last lap and my car was spun around. I realized the only way to cross the finish line first was to keep it spinning so I romped on the throttle and cranked the steering wheel hard left, crossing the finish line spinning. Don't think that finish did it as much as the strain of having to drive absolutely perfect the entire race but after that little short race I could barely climb out of the car and I had to lean against it and rest a moment although I was only a teenager. Like your match, I had poured everything into that race and it was just the prelim!

Unfortunately the brutal truth can be spelled out checking results from tennis and similar sports. Play a very tough match early and win and you are likely to lose what should be an easier match next.The energy poured out costs us but also our body rewards our mind dumping chemicals in the brain.

To keep that mission accomplished chemical dump away and your body and mind going into regroup and rebuild mode try to remember while you are fighting this battle that it is only one step of the victory. I strongly agree with washing your face, neck, hands, and arms in the coldest water you can find. I use ice water sometimes literally with ice in it. That'll perk you up!

A very little of fast energy food might be good but beware of the crash afterwards and eat a little more of slow release food or take something to the next match with you. Eat lightly, there is a lot of truth to the old saying that a full hound won't hunt. Eating a meal releases some of those happy chemicals in your brain too.

You can keep going at a high level after a tough match against a name player but it takes some thought and care. The let down afterwards has nailed hundreds of world class players in every sport. You certainly aren't alone! Recognizing that you have to deal with it is a good start in the right direction. You will have to find what works best for you.

Edit: Don't hesitate to call a five or ten minute break when you are called to your next match literally right after a tough match. You are entitled to a few minutes to regroup.

Hu
 
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erikido said:
I beat a player of the caliber I have never beaten before. Got up early and he came back to hill hill, when I finally won. But, my question is this-they called my next match as soon as I was finished and I was physically and mentally tired from that last match.

So do you have any things that you do to recover physically and or mentally from a difficult match?
Click to expand...

Keep some dried Apricots in your bag. Eat a couple after a tough match for a new start.

Ray
(dont eat too many, they are very high in fiber)
 
Personally, I prefer to play matches back to back because I can maintain "hyper" focus.

Preparing by eating a hearty-healthy meal before hand, and then having snacks available during, helps greatly.

In my business I have had many 130+ hour work weeks, that include very physical work, as well as mental. The trick (and it is actually a learned skill) is not letting your body tell your mind that it is tired. Conversely, you must not let your mind think that your are finished. You must mentally over-ride the urge to let yourself "relax", for even just a couple of minutes, or your body will drag your mind down, and your done.

Just my .02
 
ditto all of the above,
then, go to the restroom, wash your face and hands, straighten your tie, and come out smiling and say 'Let's play some pool'
 
I believe the ability to play at a high level for long periods of time needs to be practiced, just like anything else in pool.

Two main factors here..

1. Eye strain.

2. Mental Fatigue (from focusing for long periods of time under stress.

For 1., you can build up your eyes to be able to focus hard on small things for longer and longer periods of time. Practice focusing on small distant objects during your day to day activities. Practice holding this focus for longer and longer periods of time.

For 2., you really have to do this at the practice table.. You can NEVER relax on any shot. This has been a downfall of mine lately. I have practicing only physical fundamentals, and have failed to work on the two things above.

I have been playing about 1/2 a ball above my usual C player speed lately, so take my advice with a grain of salt.

Short Bus Russ
 
Wow, all sorts of great advice. Looks like I have some practical application to do this weekend :D
 
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