so i practice a lot and...

M

matthias1988

Registered
I recently got laid off from my job and when I am not job searching I practice pool on my 7 foot table. I practice like 4 hours a day 7 days week on mechanics and position play and I recently got a boost in confedence at home because I have noticable got better. I am in a b league and we had two weeks of and last night we had a game. I played horrible. Worste than I have ever played and I think it has to do with nerves and I just couldn't shake it. My question is what do I do about it and what are some technuiqes you use to defeat it.

Thank you

Long time reader first time poster

P.s. the things I get nervise about the most is the long shots... and sometimes I get so nervouse its hard to breath which makes it hard to focus... I know it sounds rediculous but I want to do well and I don't even come close to my skill level that I work so hard to achieve and it makes it worse as the night goes on... sorry long post just want to get some info out
 
The Ghost is right. Consistent routines and mechanics are the key. The things you do when shooting must be habits. That is the key to the execution.

Now, you need to understand why you compete. Is it because you just enjoy the game? Or are you looking to impress others with your skill? That one can become a game killer, because you start thinking about what others think about you, and when you mess up, you feel like your status among others has diminished. Is you focus on winning, or is it on playing your best? You must understand that neither of those things will happen every time you compete.

Consider what your average game is. By it's very name, your average is neither your best, nor your worst game...it's somewhere in between. Most of your games will be somewhere around your average. Sometimes, you will be playing well above your average, and sometimes, well below your average. Accept that you can not possibly play at your highest level all the time. So when you get in competition, you need to honestly evaluate which game you have on that day. If it's your best game, you can probably attempt some shots that would be low percentage shots if you aren't playing your best game. Maybe your best course of action becomes a little more conservative when you aren't nailing every shot.

And, finally, use every opportunity to learn and evaluate yourself. You might play your very best game, and still lose. You might be having a bad day, and still get away with a victory. Nobody wins all the time, so if that is your primary goal, you might be disappointed. Practice to develop the skills you need, and then when you play, allow those things you have practiced to take over.

When you find yourself struggling, try to figure out what it is that is causing it. What kind of thoughts are you having? What is distracting you? How can you eliminate those distractions? Try to set aside negative thoughts, and focus on the positive.

All of the above will take some time and effort, but it can be done. You have to train your brain the same way you train your body.

Steve
 
I believe the Ghost meant routine(s). Nevertheless, build them and it will come.
randyg
 
pooltchr said:
The Ghost is right. Consistent routines and mechanics are the key. The things you do when shooting must be habits. That is the key to the execution.

Now, you need to understand why you compete. Is it because you just enjoy the game? Or are you looking to impress others with your skill? That one can become a game killer, because you start thinking about what others think about you, and when you mess up, you feel like your status among others has diminished. Is you focus on winning, or is it on playing your best? You must understand that neither of those things will happen every time you compete.

Consider what your average game is. By it's very name, your average is neither your best, nor your worst game...it's somewhere in between. Most of your games will be somewhere around your average. Sometimes, you will be playing well above your average, and sometimes, well below your average. Accept that you can not possibly play at your highest level all the time. So when you get in competition, you need to honestly evaluate which game you have on that day. If it's your best game, you can probably attempt some shots that would be low percentage shots if you aren't playing your best game. Maybe your best course of action becomes a little more conservative when you aren't nailing every shot.

And, finally, use every opportunity to learn and evaluate yourself. You might play your very best game, and still lose. You might be having a bad day, and still get away with a victory. Nobody wins all the time, so if that is your primary goal, you might be disappointed. Practice to develop the skills you need, and then when you play, allow those things you have practiced to take over.

When you find yourself struggling, try to figure out what it is that is causing it. What kind of thoughts are you having? What is distracting you? How can you eliminate those distractions? Try to set aside negative thoughts, and focus on the positive.

All of the above will take some time and effort, but it can be done. You have to train your brain the same way you train your body.

Steve
Click to expand...

Thank you for your advice and i do think that having preshot routine is a good idea, and yes i do want to win and yes it is disappointing when I don't but that's not the reason why i play is because I love it. When I played the other night i was not doing an average game for me it was a horrible games. I just think I need to be more confident in my shots and I don't know how to over come it so I am more confident if that makes sense.
 
We all want to win. That goes without saying. But for me, there is little satisfaction in winning, if I know I played poorly, just as losing doesn't hurt as much if I know I played well. I try to measure my personal success against my own standard, not against someone else's.

In the case you described, you played poorly. You need to understand what it was that caused you to not play up to your expectations. Distractions? Stress? lack of confidence? Fear? Pressure? Once you learn to be self analytical with your thought process and emotions, you can take steps to deal with them. Only you know what was going on in your mind that night, so the rest of us can only guess.

Here's just a little hint. If you are thinking about anything other than executing a shot as you have planned when you are down on the shot, you've got a problem that needs correcting. To paraphrase one of baseball's greats...You can't think and shoot at the same time!

Steve
 
I think I am thinking don't miss don't miss... lol... I am thinking its really lack of confidence and over thinking. I can say that night I played one good game and the rest was crap. I think one step for next week is showing up early enough to really get some practice games going on the table I will be playing on. I usually don't play on it much and show up and maybe get 2 or 3 games in and i don't feel too confident. I am approaching the shot not thinking i am going to make it and i have to over come it. any more ideas?
 
matthias1988 said:
I recently got laid off from my job and when I am not job searching I practice pool on my 7 foot table. I practice like 4 hours a day 7 days week on mechanics and position play and I recently got a boost in confedence at home because I have noticable got better. I am in a b league and we had two weeks of and last night we had a game. I played horrible. Worste than I have ever played and I think it has to do with nerves and I just couldn't shake it. My question is what do I do about it and what are some technuiqes you use to defeat it.

Thank you

Long time reader first time poster

P.s. the things I get nervise about the most is the long shots... and sometimes I get so nervouse its hard to breath which makes it hard to focus... I know it sounds rediculous but I want to do well and I don't even come close to my skill level that I work so hard to achieve and it makes it worse as the night goes on... sorry long post just want to get some info out
Click to expand...

play in tournaments and get into as much action as you can. the only way to get over the nerves it to work through it
 
matthias1988 said:
I think I am thinking don't miss don't miss... lol... I am thinking its really lack of confidence and over thinking. I can say that night I played one good game and the rest was crap. I think one step for next week is showing up early enough to really get some practice games going on the table I will be playing on. I usually don't play on it much and show up and maybe get 2 or 3 games in and i don't feel too confident. I am approaching the shot not thinking i am going to make it and i have to over come it. any more ideas?
Click to expand...

In the past I have thought to myself "make THIS ball" to focus on the task at hand, and not be concerning myself with the leave. It helped somewhat.

I still try to incorporate that, when I'm not too busy over-thinking things, like matthias seems to be doing. You have plenty of company, matthias. Your thread (and the responses from our amazing instructors here on AZB) is very helpful to us all.
 
Neil said:
I've said this many times on here..... your subconscious is what actually shoots the shot.
Click to expand...

Now i think that this is a very, VERY good point!

When i am playing i immediately realize, at times, i am going to miss the shot. I just know i am going to miss. and guess what? yep, you got it, i miss. even though i've practiced the shot 10,000 times, i miss it.

Knowing i am going to miss is a HUGE problem for me.

Mike
 
Why would you even shoot a shot that you "know" you are going to miss?

Steve
 
pooltchr said:
Why would you even shoot a shot that you "know" you are going to miss?

Steve
Click to expand...

I am talking about shots you should absolutely make. I had this shot earlier this morning, and i just knew i was going to miss. I wanted to draw back about a foot to about Point A so i could have the natural angle on the 4-Ball to get to the 5-Ball. Instead, i hit the shot into the rail at about Point B.

I just knew i was going to miss this shot.

Mike


CueTable Help

 
I Thank everybody with there input. I have changed my pre-shot routine to feel more natural. I have incorporated concentrating on breathing, and thinking positive things like make the shot or make or go got this. My exact routine is
1. pick a shot.
2.plan for the next
3. decide what to do.
4. aim your shot.
5.concentrate on breathing.
6. move to set up the shot.
7. fine aiming (still concentrating on breathing)(also thinking make the shot)
8.look at the cue ball with practice strokes.
9. set pause shift eyes to OB
10. deep breath and exhale through the shot.

after doing this the last 2 day things seem more natural and i do it more without thinking.

let me know if i am doing something wrong here but i am making more shots at home so hopefully i feel better at comp.
 
I had this problem last Sunday at league. I blinked my eye and this woman had me down 20-3. Although I was practicing pretty good that day....she applied the pressure and I couldn't respond with any. Doubting my shots and such. This game is 90% mental.
 
there are things outside off pool

I am also out of work and went thru the same thing you are going thru. It will take some time to work it self out, but you have to stick to it. The problem is not my game its my head. I have been the top shooter in my league for 4 years running, when my captain kicked me off the team to bring in some shooters from out of town thinking it would make him look better(my confence shot). then i lost my job had to sell my table fighting to keep my house it just keeps going(my stress). my point is you are practicing to get better but the things happening out side of pool are wieghing on your confedence, stress,and your thought process. I have been fighting with this problem for a few months now and still cant kick it, but as things get better outside of pool, my game is getting better, i think you are stessed out have fun at the table it's not your job, it's were you relax. and if at all possible leave every thing outside of pool away from the table.
 
pooltchr said:
Why would you even shoot a shot that you "know" you are going to miss?

Steve
Click to expand...


Tap Tap Tap

to go further: At the point you have a negative mind you have to stop your process and go away from the table- and then you ll have to start your whole pre-shot-routine:
NO TIME FOR NEGATIVE!

:-)

lg
Ingo
 
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