Stress/Nerves/Concentration Practice Methods

[manwon]

Out of all of the practice methods I've tried so far, the following method gives me the most induced tension for practice...

Run 10 random 3 ball spreads without missing. If you miss, you start from the beginning. If you succeed, run 10 random 4 ball spreads without missing, etc...

Obviously, the tension comes from the fact that the more runs I make, the more nervous I get about missing. Playing the ghost is too frustrating for me because I don't think that I am good enough yet. Perhaps when I can accomplish the above method well at 6 or 7 balls, then playing the ghost will be easier.

Vinnie, drills are great and a very important factor in improving you consistent ability to act under pressure. Vinnie I am retired Military, and practice / training will certainly help you react instinctively and naturally when faced with a difficult situation. However, you must also without doubt or reservation believe that you can accomplish whatever you have decided to do. If you do not or if you can not find it within your self to do this no matter how much you train, or how many groups of shots you shot for warm-up you will fail at a critical point.

The battle in most cases is not fought on the table, it is fought in your mind. When you feel nervous, you have two choices to succumb to your fear or to use your fear, no matter what it is to your advantage. Fear is a normal instinct and those who can channel it for a positive out come will over come any and all obstacles to achieve the goal they have set for themselves.

The first thing you have do to accomplish this is recognize what you are afraid of. Most people are not really afraid of missing as much as they are afraid of what others will think or how they will look if they miss. Now this may not be the case for everyone, some people are afraid of losing, but worst of all some people are afraid of winning. Now some who read this post are going to say that I am not serious, or that I do not know what I am saying, however, it is a fact there are people who are afraid to win.

I think exercise, a good diet, and the necessary sleep are important factor's that many over look. All of these things given us the strength to clearly focus on the task at hand, no matter if it is shooting a shot, or anything else we do. Once you have found and faced your fear, being nervous will no longer effect your mind, and this will allow your training / practice to dominate your actions in critical situations. Like Yoda said to Luke Sky walker, Do or do not... there is no try and this says it all, either believe in yourself or you might as well quit playing.

Take Care

 

[poolpro]

It's not really distractions that bother me. Here is a typical scenario for me...

I am at a tournament and playing someone I know is better than me. I'm at the table and realize "hey, I can get out from here". Then BAM! I start to get nervous and then POW! I mess up my position or miss a shot.

This is actually more common than you may think. Essentially is the same as choking. Missing a shot under pressure that you could make 9 out of 10 times, or an easy connect the dots runout, etc. Basically making an error that is well within your current ability to avoid. People attribute it to nerves. I do not think that is usually the case.

Why do people run out a whole rack and miss the money ball? It is because of what that ball represents. That player may have banked balls with shape, gotten some nice breakouts along the way, played great position, etc, through the whole rack, then they miss a hanger that everyone knows they should not miss, WHY? It is psychological.

Many people say that this comes from a fear of failure. Failure= losing= pain. Actually this really comes from a fear of winning. A lot of people will say " that's crazy, of course I want to win. Why else would I practice so much to aquire the skills to win?" Because when you win ( especially against a player who is considered better than you) you have proven that you are capable of doing it. You will then feel the pressure to repeat it.

You said in your example that you are playing a player who you know is better than you, and you have the opportunity and the skills needed to win, but you just don't. You sabatoge your performance to ensure that you don't actually win. You say this guy is better than you, so you are expected to lose. You do not want to upset this expectation. Then everybody else who thinks you should not have won will say " aww, you just got lucky". Sombody else may say " No, I watched the match, he deserved to win, he played great". Now the bar is raised, you are held to a higher standard. You will either be expected to step up and repeat a great performance and prove the 2nd guy right, or self destruct again and prove that it was "just a fluke".

Also I notice that in your example that it is in a tournament, where it is in public and the results are monitored and displayed. If you beat players who are better than you, and you continue on this path, your rep as a player will increrase. In any pool room there is a pecking order, everybody tends to know about (if not exactly) where they fall. It can be very uncomfortable to move from one level to another. Your friends who you normally play with may feel you are leaving them behind. You may imagine they might resent your new status. Other players who are above you, may start to see you as a threat to their status, and treat you differently. You will need to prove that you have the skills to justify it. Some people will try to tear you down, etc.

Think of it like you are one of a number of coworkers. Some of your fellow coworkers have been on the job quite a bit longer than you have. Then you get promoted to a higher position. It can be awkward. Some may feel that you did not deserve your new position. You may even question it yourself. You may feel sympathy for those that are now beneath you, etc. It is much the same thing. Your social status has changed. Not everyone may love this idea.

It is easier to just stay right where you are, and be comfortable with your current status. Everyone incuding you understand where you are, and know how to act accordingly. When you move up, it shakes things up a bit. It can be uncomfortable. You may even bounce up and down a bit before settling into your new level. Try on a new set of clothes, and break them in, it will become more comfortable the more you wear them.

The answer is to seriously analyze your motives for playing. If you are in it just to socialize and make friends, then you can stay where you are, and win sometimes and lose sometimes. If you really want to improve, you need to understand and deal with what that will bring. Be mentally prepared for it. Tell yourself it is okay to win, and you do deserve the win. You have put in the time and earned your skills. Even if you play a better player than you, you deserve to win any match in which you play better. He may be considered a better player, but if makes a costly mistake, and gives you an opportunity to win, then you deserve to win. Make him actively show he is better, not just show up and collect his win. Make him earn it. I never mind losing, AS LONG AS MY OPPONENT EARNS IT. I hate losing if I just hand it over like a gift.

All this may seem a bit silly to some. I assure you it isn't. It is said that pool is 90% mental. This is but one small aspect of the mental part. Competition is a test. You can and will learn a lot about yourself and how you handle different situations. To tell the truth, this is a BIG part of what I love about this game. I have learned so much about myself, others, life, etc, just by trying to become really good at moving balls around on a table.

Sorry it is a bit long, but I love these kind of topics.

Bottom line. You have to be okay with winning to get out of your own way. I can give you some neat tips that work well for me when I deal with the same issues. Let me know.
JW

ed for typos

 

[poolpro]

Hey manwon, good post. I did not catch your post before I made mine.

Looks like you beat me to it. I just went on a little bit more. Being concise is not s strong point of mine:thumbup:

 

[JoeW]

That is some great advice. Fear of winning is very real. The suggestion to change your style of clothes, hair cut or any of several factors is a tried and true technique in therapeutic practice.

One of the ways I used to help women who needed to get a divorce get the job done was to have her change her hair style to what ever she had been thinking about lately. Gonna wash that man right of of my hair kinda thing. Later I found that it works with men too. When you decide to change your life style change your physical appearance as one way of telling the people around you that you are not the same old you.

I never thought about this with regard to playing pool but it sure would work. One thought is to start wearing a visor or a pool glove. Make a statement and then live that statement or "fake it till you make it" -- works amazingly well.

Another is to change your attitude. Exude that self confident but not arrogant attitude. Smile at everyone and have some nice comment for everyone. The new you is a winner in every sense of the word. Take the ragging but let them know that you are changing and becoming a winner in life, not just at the table.

 

[poolpro]

That is some great advice. Fear of winning is very real. The suggestion to change your style of clothes, hair cut or any of several factors is a tried and true technique in therapeutic practice.

One of the ways I used to help women who needed to get a divorce get the job done was to have her change her hair style to what ever she had been thinking about lately. Gonna wash that man right of of my hair kinda thing. Later I found that it works with men too. When you decide to change your life style change your physical appearance as one way of telling the people around you that you are not the same old you.

I never thought about this with regard to playing pool but it sure would work. One thought is to start wearing a visor or a pool glove. Make a statement and then live that statement or "fake it till you make it" -- works amazingly well.

Another is to change your attitude. Exude that self confident but not arrogant attitude. Smile at everyone and have some nice comment for everyone. The new you is a winner in every sense of the word. Take the ragging but let them know that you are changing and becoming a winner in life, not just at the table.

Actually I was using "new clothes" as a figurative symbol of new status, not intending it literally. Though your comments sound like they could be valid as well.

The bottom line is to have a new approach and attitude. How you get there is less important.

 

[JoeW]

Oh they are more than an idea, they are very effective methods for changing one's life. I have helped drug addicts, alcoholics, divorcees, and people attempting to climb the ladder of success with these types of behavioral change.

The first thing one needs to recognize is that a serious change will be made. The rest is just stepping through the a process unique to that person. There are many ways to do it and the key is finding things that are meaningful to the person and to the people around that person.

 

[Vinnie]

I appreciate all of the great advice in this thread. Thank you all for enlightening me to what may be the underlying issues causing me to be nervous.