TheThaiger
Banned
Hmm. I wouldn't. Surprised to read so many thinking slumps don't exist - I guess it depends on your level of play to begin with.
Slumps (usually) = lack of confidence + general unhappiness.
Slumps: Myth or Reality?
- Thread starter Six Shooter
- Start date
Hmm. I wouldn't. Surprised to read so many thinking slumps don't exist - I guess it depends on your level of play to begin with.
Slumps (usually) = lack of confidence + general unhappiness.
Oh slumps exist alright no question about it, it is just that they only exist for people that believe in them. It is a self fulfilling prophecy; you only get into a slump if you believe you're in a slump. I don't believe in slumps (anymore). Sure I have bad games, bad days/nights but I don't have bad weeks or months.
http://timnovate.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/innovators-as-star-trek-what-we-learn-from-episode-62/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRKz6QS5UYI
^^^^You can learn a lot from this^^^^
CreeDo says it best here, CreeDo I tried to give you green for this but it says I have to spread some rep around.
Slumps do exist, and I believe they are as much mental as well as physical. The subconscious mind can work for you or against you. You have to decide which way it will go.
You have to get back to the basics, and work on visualizing good things while you are practicing and training, visualize yourself playing a perfect shot. Putting positive mental pictures in play, sends messages to your subconscious that lead to good results.
Always end your training/practice on a positive, as that is the last thing you will remember, to let the good feelings carry over.
And finally, seek me out and play me some. I am the greatest slump breaker in the world. I have watched players for months bang balls into rails until they play me. They acknowledge it too, with statements like, "I have not played that good in a year"
You have to get back to the basics, and work on visualizing good things while you are practicing and training, visualize yourself playing a perfect shot. Putting positive mental pictures in play, sends messages to your subconscious that lead to good results.
Always end your training/practice on a positive, as that is the last thing you will remember, to let the good feelings carry over.
And finally, seek me out and play me some. I am the greatest slump breaker in the world. I have watched players for months bang balls into rails until they play me. They acknowledge it too, with statements like, "I have not played that good in a year"
Thanks to everyone who has posted responses. And to you as well CreeDo (ol' buddy, ol' pal...$!!#*&).
I can see that opinions vary greatly here as well. I didn't want to put up a poll because I did not want to limit choices here.
FTR, I do not consider that a slump is one or twon days/nights of bad play. I know those happen all the time to everyone.
However; what I do refer to is weeks and maybe a couple of months.
As CreeDo knows from first hand knowledge, I claim to be in a slump. A bad one. Longer than a couple of days worth. Flat out, since I have been in the DC area, I've seen my overall game take a severe decline which led to me author this thread.
Normally, I would say that I'm catching a new gear and moving up the ladder. I'm not sure about it this time as I've never had anything plague me as much as this one has. Regardless if it is mental or something in the physical aspect seems somehwat to be irrelevant this time around. What I do know is that something is horribly, horribly wrong and I can't seem to find out what the issue is or what the cause is.
Chalk me up to being a nut case or whatever you want. At this stage, what I do know is that not one PSR, not one address, not one shot is comfortable nor easy.
So moving forward, whether it be lack of confidence as Thaiger points out, mental aspects as quite a few have professed here, believers, non-believers, ghosts, cursed by the pool gods; why do they happen?
As Mr. Jewett points out, it would take some gauge of measure. Is this a possibility? I'm no mathmetician or statistics guru. Could it actually be worked mathematically? I'll volunteer to be a test subject/guinea pig if anyone would volunteer to do the math.
We can use CreeDo as the control subject. lol.:thumbup:
I can see that opinions vary greatly here as well. I didn't want to put up a poll because I did not want to limit choices here.
FTR, I do not consider that a slump is one or twon days/nights of bad play. I know those happen all the time to everyone.
However; what I do refer to is weeks and maybe a couple of months.
As CreeDo knows from first hand knowledge, I claim to be in a slump. A bad one. Longer than a couple of days worth. Flat out, since I have been in the DC area, I've seen my overall game take a severe decline which led to me author this thread.
Normally, I would say that I'm catching a new gear and moving up the ladder. I'm not sure about it this time as I've never had anything plague me as much as this one has. Regardless if it is mental or something in the physical aspect seems somehwat to be irrelevant this time around. What I do know is that something is horribly, horribly wrong and I can't seem to find out what the issue is or what the cause is.
Chalk me up to being a nut case or whatever you want. At this stage, what I do know is that not one PSR, not one address, not one shot is comfortable nor easy.
So moving forward, whether it be lack of confidence as Thaiger points out, mental aspects as quite a few have professed here, believers, non-believers, ghosts, cursed by the pool gods; why do they happen?
As Mr. Jewett points out, it would take some gauge of measure. Is this a possibility? I'm no mathmetician or statistics guru. Could it actually be worked mathematically? I'll volunteer to be a test subject/guinea pig if anyone would volunteer to do the math.
We can use CreeDo as the control subject. lol.:thumbup:
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Slumps do exist, and I believe they are as much mental as well as physical. The subconscious mind can work for you or against you. You have to decide which way it will go.
You have to get back to the basics, and work on visualizing good things while you are practicing and training, visualize yourself playing a perfect shot. Putting positive mental pictures in play, sends messages to your subconscious that lead to good results.
Always end your training/practice on a positive, as that is the last thing you will remember, to let the good feelings carry over.
And finally, seek me out and play me some. I am the greatest slump breaker in the world. I have watched players for months bang balls into rails until they play me. They acknowledge it too, with statements like, "I have not played that good in a year"
Tony,
Just let me know when you are ready.
He signed up as Lord Kelvin only when there was a calcutta
This could be the cause very easily, unfamiliar surroundings are very unnerving for some. Give yourself some time.
You have been on the "downward spiral" I suggest these articles.
http://www.easypooltutor.com/articles/52-david-sapolis-articles.html
And as I said they can be real but make yourself bulletproof watch this again, and what happens, read the Sapolis articles until you have all but memorized them, it will make you bulletproof look what happens!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vlhBnf65u8&feature=channel&list=UL
I think Bob Jewett's whole point is that since it is impossible to measure it can't be real. I might be wrong but I think the "slumpometer" is something for you to say to yourself "ok that's absurd" so as to "snap you out of it".
If you want to track your own basic shooting ability, you can use the drills in this handout: http://www.sfbilliards.com/progpract.pdf That will give you a day-by-day number of your basic level of performance on simple shots. It takes about 20 minutes to do the drills (10 of each shot) once you have gone through them a couple of times and they serve as a good warm-up if you are going to play.
FWIW, I realized that all my slumps were/some still are created because I had a high opinion of my shot making skills which did not reflect my actual shot making skills. Mismatch between reality and my on ego. This is why you must be totally honest with yourself about your skill to really improve.
Once I, meaning the ego, stepped aside and just started to be nothing but aware about how I really shot, how I was missing, what I was doing wrong and right, all without any judgement value of good or bad, I was able to see what I really needed to work on and not have a false belief that I didn't. I stopped thinking "I should have made that" to "Why didn't I make that" This change in thinking provided me with a better understanding with what I needed to practice.
This takes alot of time. You will go through highs and lows, but over time, they will cancel each other out as you improve until you start playing at one consistent level.
Slumps are pools way of saying you need to be honest with yourself.
Once I, meaning the ego, stepped aside and just started to be nothing but aware about how I really shot, how I was missing, what I was doing wrong and right, all without any judgement value of good or bad, I was able to see what I really needed to work on and not have a false belief that I didn't. I stopped thinking "I should have made that" to "Why didn't I make that" This change in thinking provided me with a better understanding with what I needed to practice.
This takes alot of time. You will go through highs and lows, but over time, they will cancel each other out as you improve until you start playing at one consistent level.
Slumps are pools way of saying you need to be honest with yourself.
keith@greatbilliards
Registered
slumps
I am an avid golfer and pool player and I have gone through slumps many times. I beleive the most probable reason for a slump is falling back into back habits. We are motoring along and playing great for weeks or months at a time, in fact we are playing so good that we think we can do this or that becuase we are playing so good. This is when we lose focus, break routine and start the downhill journey towards the slump. Of course once this happen our mental game follows downhill.
I generally find that once I recognize the slump that I'm in (and sometimes I blame it on bad night sleep, late lunch etc..) I need to return to the basics. Don't drop the elbow, follow the eyes find my routine again etc..
Once you return to the basics after a few days or weeks our mental game also starts to improve and before long you are back.
This is why I spend a lot of time on the range or pool table working on my routine and the basic.
I am an avid golfer and pool player and I have gone through slumps many times. I beleive the most probable reason for a slump is falling back into back habits. We are motoring along and playing great for weeks or months at a time, in fact we are playing so good that we think we can do this or that becuase we are playing so good. This is when we lose focus, break routine and start the downhill journey towards the slump. Of course once this happen our mental game follows downhill.
I generally find that once I recognize the slump that I'm in (and sometimes I blame it on bad night sleep, late lunch etc..) I need to return to the basics. Don't drop the elbow, follow the eyes find my routine again etc..
Once you return to the basics after a few days or weeks our mental game also starts to improve and before long you are back.
This is why I spend a lot of time on the range or pool table working on my routine and the basic.
Of course slumps are real, and can be measured. If before a slump you usually run 3 out of 10 racks, and can't run 1 to save your a$$ in the slump, there ya go. If before a slump you play 6 speed, and come out of it playing 7 or 8 speed, surely that's measurable. Slumps are good times to get back to basics, do drills, even have some fun. Might as well, since you can't get out, lol. No sense bashing your brains in about it, think positively about how good you're gonna play when you pull thru it
Without a doubt, slumps are real. The term goes by various names. Some terms we like, some we don’t. The word “slump” is a term most men can live with.
Ever have a bad day at work and come home and take it out on your family?
Ever wake up in the morning and give your spouse grief because the orange juice was warm?
Loss of a job, a relationship and similar experiences often lead to an “I don’t care,” attitude in men.
When you fix whatever else is wrong in your life you will come out of the slump.
Some men know there is something wrong in their life, others have to externalize it and make it something else.
Ever have a bad day at work and come home and take it out on your family?
Ever wake up in the morning and give your spouse grief because the orange juice was warm?
Loss of a job, a relationship and similar experiences often lead to an “I don’t care,” attitude in men.
When you fix whatever else is wrong in your life you will come out of the slump.
Some men know there is something wrong in their life, others have to externalize it and make it something else.
Here is another way to look at it.
A "slump" is an inability to sustain the concentration required to play your usual game.
In general, the ability to concentrate is sensitive to many external factors.
So why can't you concentrate?
If you notice that your game is off this is an excellent subtle sign that somethng is bothering you and you can use this "sign" to tell yourself that you should be addressing some other problem in your life.
A long term slump is a long term problem that has not been delt with.
A "slump" is an inability to sustain the concentration required to play your usual game.
In general, the ability to concentrate is sensitive to many external factors.
So why can't you concentrate?
If you notice that your game is off this is an excellent subtle sign that somethng is bothering you and you can use this "sign" to tell yourself that you should be addressing some other problem in your life.
A long term slump is a long term problem that has not been delt with.
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Thaiger's post might just be the most relevant one. Maybe other stuff in life is just eating at you and once your general mood goes up, so will your shooting ability. I know you miss home. Might be one of the rare cases where 'the geographic cure' applies.
Also like duckie's point, it's what I was trying to drive at. There's no reason to say "omg I can't make a ball, I suck" when you miss a 7 foot thin cut or a delicate spin shot. Some balls you're just supposed to miss, statistically speaking.
Six Shooter, we'll play again (maybe with tony too) and I guarantee you will shoot great. Don't ask how I know, I just know. Think of it as an alternate prophecy to the one you're self-fulfilling.
Also like duckie's point, it's what I was trying to drive at. There's no reason to say "omg I can't make a ball, I suck" when you miss a 7 foot thin cut or a delicate spin shot. Some balls you're just supposed to miss, statistically speaking.
Six Shooter, we'll play again (maybe with tony too) and I guarantee you will shoot great. Don't ask how I know, I just know. Think of it as an alternate prophecy to the one you're self-fulfilling.
Just give me a chance to get my ribs back to normal.
Joe I don't really consider life's trials and tribulations a slump. I may be wrong but I myself see that for what it is. If you go out to play and you know they are cutting your lights out in the morning, then it would be more of a reason such as a crooked stroke than a mystical "slump". I think if you recognize and not depend on blocking it out , I truly believe your better off to know your not likely to have your"a" game with you than you r to label it like a disease. I know you have credentials and respect that
I have been playing pool very strong since I was 12. I had a two year slump, it came from nowhere when I was 26. I fell apart. I went from hero to zero. I rattled every key shot for two years. It was brutal. I had my friends watch me play. I had old video footage from earlier times, no changes that anyone could see. I started to shorten my stroke for a while, that is a good thing to do when you find you are struggling. It got me back to my game. I play normal now, and never rattled a ball again. I still don't know what caused it. No life changes, life was always good.
Lack of confidence is the number one reason for slumps. Of course several things can cause a lack of confidence.
That is exactly what I did yesterday afternoon! I took it back no more than 2 inches. I played the best nine ball I have played in 2 years.
Then I played last night and it didn't work too well. lol
Maybe because I was just tired?
I am going to continue to work with it. It has possibility's for sure!:wink:
Not sure if you are one pocket player or not. Slump in one pocket does not involve pocketing balls, it is a change in one's state of mind and thinking, and making very bad costly decisions in one pocket. Patience and endurance seem to run out , but there is a peak and valley to slump. In 9 ball, 10 ball, 8 ball, maybe banks it is not slump it is just simply lack of knowledge of which cause you to change fundamentals in middle of a game, example, look at pro players if they are down by many games, they still come back, pressure does not bother them, one good example Darren Appleton, and Dennis O solid players, no slumping in their game only luck factor. Efren for example, he lost confident in his stroke, not sure if it is vision, bad back, health!! very disappointing his match in China open
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