Ronnie O'Sullivan - Running

Pidge

Pidge

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ive just re-read Running. Its Ronnies autobiography and it goes through his life as a snooker player from an early age and how running helped him on his journey. When you speak to the guy you just think he's a nice quiet guy, not really up for a laugh and a joke, quite serious when speaking about snooker. Then you see him on TV, making a fool of him self, getting himself in trouble with the things he says, you aren't quite sure which Ronnie is going to show up. One thing I got from the book is how tortured his soul really is. He has battled with drug and alcohol addiction aswel as a messy child care battle when he divorced his ex-wife. Anyone that can get their hands on a copy of the book should. It doesn't go into any detail as far as learning something about the game, but he does cover the mental side and how he gets into a mentally prepares for pressure.

On to the real question I want to ask - as the title suggests its about running. Ronnie claims he became addicted to running, not just a gentle jog, but 10k races, competitive lung burning running. So, how important do you see it to be super fit to compete in long races. Would you feel it would aid you a considerable amount? Ive never been "unfit", nor have I been "super fit", I keep a steady middle ground but there have been times I've been in a week long event with matches lasting over 10 hours in total and I've been not only mentally but physically tired towards the end. I'm sure it has cost me a match or two in the past, so maybe I ought to take up running.
 
Pidge said:
Ive just re-read Running. Its Ronnies autobiography and it goes through his life as a snooker player from an early age and how running helped him on his journey. When you speak to the guy you just think he's a nice quiet guy, not really up for a laugh and a joke, quite serious when speaking about snooker. Then you see him on TV, making a fool of him self, getting himself in trouble with the things he says, you aren't quite sure which Ronnie is going to show up. One thing I got from the book is how tortured his soul really is. He has battled with drug and alcohol addiction aswel as a messy child care battle when he divorced his ex-wife. Anyone that can get their hands on a copy of the book should. It doesn't go into any detail as far as learning something about the game, but he does cover the mental side and how he gets into a mentally prepares for pressure.

On to the real question I want to ask - as the title suggests its about running. Ronnie claims he became addicted to running, not just a gentle jog, but 10k races, competitive lung burning running. So, how important do you see it to be super fit to compete in long races. Would you feel it would aid you a considerable amount? Ive never been "unfit", nor have I been "super fit", I keep a steady middle ground but there have been times I've been in a week long event with matches lasting over 10 hours in total and I've been not only mentally but physically tired towards the end. I'm sure it has cost me a match or two in the past, so maybe I ought to take up running.
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To be honest, I don't think it can hurt your game to take up running (or some other form of exercise) to keep physically fit, but in my opinion they are different kinds of fitness.

When you're running 10km you aren't really going to be going over an hour's worth of exercise (I think Ronnie does it in closer to 35 minutes) so how much that fitness will translate to a long session playing pool or snooker is debatable.

Being in good-very good shape will help, obviously, but I think the only real way to prepare your body for the demands of a 10 hour plus match is to incorporate some long, focused practice sessions into your general routine, if you don't already.

Ronnie's running seems to do as much for his overall mental state (on and off the table) as it does for anything else.
 
SakuJack said:
To be honest, I don't think it can hurt your game to take up running (or some other form of exercise) to keep physically fit, but in my opinion they are different kinds of fitness.

When you're running 10km you aren't really going to be going over an hour's worth of exercise (I think Ronnie does it in closer to 35 minutes) so how much that fitness will translate to a long session playing pool or snooker is debatable.

Being in good-very good shape will help, obviously, but I think the only real way to prepare your body for the demands of a 10 hour plus match is to incorporate some long, focused practice sessions into your general routine, if you don't already.

Ronnie's running seems to do as much for his overall mental state (on and off the table) as it does for anything else.
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You're spot on. I would only really consider taking up running for the mental aspect it provides. Ronnie does it for that exact reason. When he runs he has no worries, all he thinks about is his breathing and time. I personally couldn't ever get into running that seriously. But, say a 5 a-side kick about with the lads has the same results for me
for that 1 hour I'm care free. And that's how Ronnie feels with running. He doesn't have time to go on 3 day booze and drug benders because it gets in the way of running.

One thing I would say is being as fit as Ronnie does aid your mental alertness. I took 5 years off playing football when I was 18. I've got back into it over the last year or so, and I feel more switched on the longer a game goes on in pool or snooker. Before I would know that after X amount of time my game tends to fall apart because I can't think straight so I would rush when X amount of time was coming close to get the game over with. I'd make mistakes and the game would take even longer. Now, I tend to carry on at my normal pace of play, knowing X amount of time has increased for me so there is no rush. One other minor little thing...my bodies recovery time has massively improved. If I played for say, 4 days straight and took a day off my legs, waist and neck would ache a little. Since I've started chasing a ball around a wet muddy field in minus temperatures all that has stopped.
 
peppersauce said:
I need to read that book.

I think a lot of that depends on a persons natural body type. I've seen heavier gents who were completely healthy and had great strength and cardio. I've also seen slim guys with zero strength and cardio.

I've been both unhealthy and super fit and personally, I prefer super fit. For my natural body type I would consider myself unfit right now, but not unhealthy. There's just something about being fit that settles me and makes me more confident.

I took a 6 month layoff from pool years back and did nothing but work out and diet. I was completely ripped and in the best shape of my life when I started playing again and played better than I ever had before right out of the gate, having not touched a cue in 6 months.

It might be different for others but I think it's very important to be fit for your particular body type. If nothing else, just for the mental aspect. Feel good, play good.
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If you PM me your address ill send you my copy free of charge :-)
 
Pidge said:
You're spot on. I would only really consider taking up running for the mental aspect it provides. Ronnie does it for that exact reason. When he runs he has no worries, all he thinks about is his breathing and time. I personally couldn't ever get into running that seriously. But, say a 5 a-side kick about with the lads has the same results for me
for that 1 hour I'm care free. And that's how Ronnie feels with running. He doesn't have time to go on 3 day booze and drug benders because it gets in the way of running.

One thing I would say is being as fit as Ronnie does aid your mental alertness. I took 5 years off playing football when I was 18. I've got back into it over the last year or so, and I feel more switched on the longer a game goes on in pool or snooker. Before I would know that after X amount of time my game tends to fall apart because I can't think straight so I would rush when X amount of time was coming close to get the game over with. I'd make mistakes and the game would take even longer. Now, I tend to carry on at my normal pace of play, knowing X amount of time has increased for me so there is no rush. One other minor little thing...my bodies recovery time has massively improved. If I played for say, 4 days straight and took a day off my legs, waist and neck would ache a little. Since I've started chasing a ball around a wet muddy field in minus temperatures all that has stopped.
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Agreed on all points. I run. Similar distances to Ronnie but unfortunately not quite similar times, and I find that when I'm in a regular routine, running set distances at a decent pace 4+ times per week, I am in a much better frame of mind than when I'm not.

One thing I like about running (or football) when it comes to cue sports is that while it's a full body exercise, practically all of the impact is on your legs, so any soreness you may feel afterwards isn't going to impact the range of movement in your cueing or bridge arms enough to negatively affect your practice.
 
Pidge said:
If you PM me your address ill send you my copy free of charge :-)
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That's a very generous offer and I appreciate it! I think I'm going to just buy it though. There are a couple of other books I've been wanting to read anyway, like The Inner Game of Tennis and some other non pool related stuff.

Besides that, I think there is an ocean between us. Thank you very much though. :-)
 
peppersauce said:
That's a very generous offer and I appreciate it! I think I'm going to just buy it though. There are a couple of other books I've been wanting to read anyway, like The Inner Game of Tennis and some other non pool related stuff.

Besides that, I think there is an ocean between us. Thank you very much though. :-)
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No worries, besides, the pages have got half an African beach between then from my vacation.
 
as far as fitness goes- pool has physical aspects to the game, so whenever you get awkward on a shot, i think being in shape makes it easier to jack up/stretch out.

aside from that- i think working out in general relieves a lot of stress that may be in your life. so whenever you have worked out, you have relieved some tension that may carry onto the pool table which may distract you from fully concentrating on the game.

as others have said, i think that working out makes you feel good physically/mentally in general and therefor more confident.

although there are plenty of great players who are not in prime condition and they still play phenomenal.

thats the beauty of the game- its not just physical but mental. but i think being in shape cant hurt you and is likely a plus.

i think having players in shape also will make the game look more competitive to the general public
 
Training

I'd recommend cross-fit type and interval training, with some focus on flexibility for the best physical preparedness. For the mental side, meditation would be my recommendation, for keeping focus when challenges and distractions occur.

Long distance running is often addictive in that it provides an endorphin buzz, which in a way, helps people escape the world artificially. Sure, it clears the head and strengthens some leg muscles, but it has drawbacks such as losing flexibility and joint soreness, and even depletion of various vitamins and minerals.

Most would feel better physically by doing some traditional strength moves like push ups, pull ups and a few sets of sprints (50 to 200m) a few times a week.

An a former athlete, I've tried all these. Funny thing is, my best pool came when I was hanging out in bars with pool players much more than exercising.
 
Physical fitness can have some impact on a pool player for sure, but pool isnt really an athletic endeavor. Some of the best in the game were not in the greatest of health, and usually lived extremely unhealthy lifestyles ie not enough sleep, drug and alcohol abuse, bad diet etc. And the best marathon players got to be the best by chemical means..... Not running laps. Is good health better than bad health in any endeavor? Of course! But its not needed to excel in pool IMO. Trust me, Im not condoning unhealthy habits, just stating my observations.
Chuck
 
Pidge said:
Ive just re-read Running. Its Ronnies autobiography and it goes through his life as a snooker player from an early age and how running helped him on his journey. When you speak to the guy you just think he's a nice quiet guy, not really up for a laugh and a joke, quite serious when speaking about snooker. Then you see him on TV, making a fool of him self, getting himself in trouble with the things he says, you aren't quite sure which Ronnie is going to show up. One thing I got from the book is how tortured his soul really is. He has battled with drug and alcohol addiction aswel as a messy child care battle when he divorced his ex-wife. Anyone that can get their hands on a copy of the book should. It doesn't go into any detail as far as learning something about the game, but he does cover the mental side and how he gets into a mentally prepares for pressure.

On to the real question I want to ask - as the title suggests its about running. Ronnie claims he became addicted to running, not just a gentle jog, but 10k races, competitive lung burning running. So, how important do you see it to be super fit to compete in long races. Would you feel it would aid you a considerable amount? Ive never been "unfit", nor have I been "super fit", I keep a steady middle ground but there have been times I've been in a week long event with matches lasting over 10 hours in total and I've been not only mentally but physically tired towards the end. I'm sure it has cost me a match or two in the past, so maybe I ought to take up running.
Click to expand...
I have been a life long runner (5 marathons and Boston). I have also played pool for 26 years. I don't think that running specifically improves your pool game, but it sure doesn't hurt. I do believe now more than ever that maintaining your fitness level and weight will enable you to continue to play competitive pool as you get into midlife and older. And there are many ways to get fit and stay fit besides running. I don't believe you need super-endurance nor strong, developed big muscle groups to perform better in pool. However, I think that the small stabilizer muscles groups (developed through things like yoga, pilates, light weight, PT, etc.) improve your balance as you age and give you longevity in pool.
 
I would cite Earl as a good example. He's still able to stay competitive with today's elite players, whereas Efren may have fallen off a bit more due to a more sedentary lifestyle. Plus, look at players like Thorsten, Shane, Mika, etc.
 
During a five year five day a week running three miles in the soft sand off the beach and five hundred crunches five days a week, it definitely helped allot. The shot weakens as the mind weakens. Having great stamina in pool helps your play immensely. Staying hydrated and fed is critical also.
 
I would agree that being fit is not essential for playing pool, but the European players have clearly raised the standard of fitness for poolplayers and I believe it's just another reason why American pool has fallen behind.
 
There are more arguments in fitness then there are in pool aiming systems....

That said, I'm a health nut, and the sources I subscribe to are pretty much all against "running" for health. By running, I mean regularly running 3k, 5k, and above, or even being on the treadmill for 45 min at a light jog. If that is your sport, then fine. But to recommend it for health goals, is akin to recommending everyone play tackle football for health, rather than for sport.

The reason against steady state running for long time periods is it emaciates your muscle mass, and it increases the insulin in your body. This is why long distance runners are generally very thin, yet they might have some mid-section fat. That's where the insulin shows up the most, in mid section fat.

That's why, imo, Earl runs 5 miles a day, and does 500 situps, yet you can see in his clothes that he is a relatively thin guy, but has a bit of a belly sticking out. I'm NOT calling him fat, or degrading him, just using him as an example of someone who runs 5 miles a day, yet is not lean in the belly.

The sources I subscribe to, instead of running, recommend the following for optimal health:
1. WALK everywhere. As much as you can. If you can walk 5 miles a day, do it. You can't walk to much.
2. Lift HEAVY. Heavy is relative to the individual of course. Squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses, pull-ups, etc. Use freeweights, not machines. Do this 2 or 3 times per week.
3. SPRINT. Do this once every 7 to 10 days. Sprint all out full speed for 20 seconds. Then take a couple of minutes rest. Then repeat this 3 or 4 total times. Thats it. If you do more than that, it is no longer a sprint, and starts to look like steady state running, from above.

And of course, we can't leave out nutrition. Eat stuff we have evolved to eat, such as meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Eating grains, sugars, and processed junk foods will most likely result in what happened to Mizerak and Buddy, and half of the USA in 2014.

I'm not a Dr, or a trainer, or a nutritionist, but I play one on AZ Billiards;) Proceed at your own risk.
 
Pidge said:
Ive just re-read Running. Its Ronnies autobiography and it goes through his life as a snooker player from an early age and how running helped him on his journey. When you speak to the guy you just think he's a nice quiet guy, not really up for a laugh and a joke, quite serious when speaking about snooker. Then you see him on TV, making a fool of him self, getting himself in trouble with the things he says, you aren't quite sure which Ronnie is going to show up. One thing I got from the book is how tortured his soul really is. He has battled with drug and alcohol addiction aswel as a messy child care battle when he divorced his ex-wife. Anyone that can get their hands on a copy of the book should. It doesn't go into any detail as far as learning something about the game, but he does cover the mental side and how he gets into a mentally prepares for pressure.

On to the real question I want to ask - as the title suggests its about running. Ronnie claims he became addicted to running, not just a gentle jog, but 10k races, competitive lung burning running. So, how important do you see it to be super fit to compete in long races. Would you feel it would aid you a considerable amount? Ive never been "unfit", nor have I been "super fit", I keep a steady middle ground but there have been times I've been in a week long event with matches lasting over 10 hours in total and I've been not only mentally but physically tired towards the end. I'm sure it has cost me a match or two in the past, so maybe I ought to take up running.
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Pidge,

Endorphins are released by the pituitary gland in the brain during sustained, vigorous exercise. Thought to be released in response to painful or stressful stimuli, endorphins diminish the pain associated with exercise, allowing you to exercise longer and at higher intensities. Other endorphin effects include decreased stress, euphoric feelings often referred to as a post-exercise high, decreased appetite and improved immune response.

The unfortunate thing pool does not need that much exercise to be good, you really do not do hard physical labor playing pool; what you need really is good stroke, aiming & good eyes, lots and lots of practice, luck and some energy left so not to fall a sleep while your opponent is shooting
But exercise (normal / regular) is great to ensure good general body health for all live's activities.

I am welling to bet Efren does not do any physical activities other than playing pool, and many other pros.
 
naji said:
Pidge,

Endorphins are released by the pituitary gland in the brain during sustained, vigorous exercise. Thought to be released in response to painful or stressful stimuli, endorphins diminish the pain associated with exercise, allowing you to exercise longer and at higher intensities. Other endorphin effects include decreased stress, euphoric feelings often referred to as a post-exercise high, decreased appetite and improved immune response.

The unfortunate thing pool does not need that much exercise to be good, you really do not do hard physical labor playing pool; what you need really is good stroke, aiming & good eyes, lots and lots of practice, luck and some energy left so not to fall a sleep while your opponent is shooting
But exercise (normal / regular) is great to ensure good general body health for all live's activities.

I am welling to bet Efren does not do any physical activities other than playing pool, and many other pros.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the post, Naji :-)

I think it becomes more important the older you become. Ronnie is pushing it when it comes to age. No one in snooker has ever played to the standard he currently plays at going into their 40s. You also have Earl, again he is pushing the boundaries of what people feel is within the reach of someone his age. As people click to the idea that why those two have had long successful careers in what's normally a short lived career, more and more will take up healthy lifestyles in an attempt to prolong their careers at the highest possible level in their respective sports.

Whilst I agree pool and snooker are games where technique counts for the majority of the total player, we have players doing what Tiger did in golf. He became a fit, strong guy whilst in his prime and blew the competition away as and when he feels... Ronnie does the same. Down to his fitness levels. If he is in the mood, no one can touch him. Whether its the running that seems to have sorted his head out and put him in the mood more often, or whether the fitness has helped him play world class more times a season we will never know.
 
To the original post

your description of the trials and disappointments as well as the description of
"the troubled soul" present Ronnie in a different way than I would have thought

I found your comments to be insightful and I think the book might provide
many of us life lessons apart from pool and exercise.

I enjoyed reading your brief description,and I would appreciate the title of the book
and where it may be obtained.

I have never played snooker,but I enjoy watching Ronnie play,more than any pool I have
ever viewed.His skill level leaves me amazed,his cue control and pocketing abilities
are beyond amazing
 
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