The Mental part of the GAME

JoeW...I think it is quite simple to explain. Since you only have a few (8-10) seconds to get the shot off successfully, once your bridge hand hits the cloth (before the 'evil' voice in your head starts talking to you), you must simply THINK BEFORE SHOOTING, and SHOOT WITHOUT THINKING. You must have an accurate and repeatable setup and delivery process for your cuestick, so that you can build trust in your stroke. Without that, all the rest of this 'gobbletygook' doesn't mean squat...in terms of a likely successful outcome.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

JoeW said:
For me all "thinking" stops when I step into the shot. Then it is all about very intently seeing the lines and contact points. It seems to me that when I concentrate with great intensity on seeing the shots the thoughts leave my head. There just isn't any room left for words. This is a difficult concept to explain but perhaps you understand.
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My apologies if I antagonized you. If you find the information useless please ignore. I try to avoid discussions with people who already have the the answer. However, there is more to life and more to playing pool than Set, Pause, Finish.

BTW take a look at this thread

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=162384

Some of the people who found the article of interest and even useful include the following AZB members:

Yankeepapa, ShootingArts, Paksat. Terry Ardeno, RobleyF7, Pushout, Je54, JohnnyT, dr_dave, Solartje, and Neil.

I believe that some of these people are pretty good players.

With 489 people viewing the thread and several hundred hits on the article in my web site in two days, I conclude that there is some interest in this topic.
 
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It is amazing how much of this game is mental. Lately I have been in a terrible slump and I know 99% is mental. When the committee starts talking, it's all over but the shouting. The only thing I know is to play through it and try and keep a positive mental outlook. Negative thoughts produce negative results.
 
In addition to university teaching and research I had an incorporated private practice where I worked with behavior disordered* people (among other things) for 30 odd years. I used hypnosis extensively when it was needed. Here is a link to an article I wrote about hypnosis, self hypnosis and pool playing.

http://www.sunburstselect.com/PBReview/Hypnosis_And_Pool.htm

While hypnosis can be used and I provide an introduction in the article, it is not required. Using the triggers explained in the most recent article is sufficient. I would recommend the use of trance induction for people who are intent on taking their game to the highest level and/ or have an anxiety based or anger based problems associated with playing pool. Hypnosis can be used to quickly switch states while maintaining one’s usual demeanor. However, the use of hypnosis requires more commitment. To obtain the best result a licensed clinician should be consulted for a long term effect.

Learning to use triggers could be considered a mild or very light state of hypnosis that one enters and leaves quickly. As explained in the first article, “hypnosis” is a word we use to describe altered states. When triggering the subconscious one is entering an altered state of consciousness. Learning to use hypnosis to place one’s self in a deeper state would make it easier to trigger the subconscious and the unconscious and this could be useful for some people.

To learn more about competitive anxiety and avoiding choke shots see this article.

http://www.sunburstselect.com/PBReview/Competitive_Anxiety.htm

Eventually I will take these and other articles I have writen and place them in a monograph that summarizes what psychology can contribute to playing pool. In the mean time these rough drafts are freely available on my web site in the articles section.

___
* Behavior disordered people are “normal” people with serious interpersonal problems such as criminal activity, drug addiction and related behavior. In general, I did not work with people who had psychotic problems.

Click on my name on the front page of my web site (shown below) to learn more about the types of things with which I have been involved.
 
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Finding the Zone of Perfection and stay in it is a very big problem, and IMHO separates the winners from losers.
 
JoeW said:
In addition to university teaching and research I had an incorporated private practice where I worked with behavior disordered* people (among other things) for 30 odd years. I used hypnosis extensively when it was needed. Here is a link to an article I wrote about hypnosis, self hypnosis and pool playing.

http://www.sunburstselect.com/PBReview/Hypnosis_And_Pool.htm

While hypnosis can be used and I provide an introduction in the article, it is not required. Using the triggers explained in the most recent article is sufficient. I would recommend the use of trance induction for people who are intent on taking their game to the highest level and/ or have an anxiety based or anger based problems associated with playing pool. Hypnosis can be used to quickly switch states while maintaining one’s usual demeanor. However, the use of hypnosis requires more commitment. To obtain the best result a licensed clinician should be consulted for a long term effect.

Learning to use triggers could be considered a mild or very light state of hypnosis that one enters and leaves quickly. As explained in the first article, “hypnosis” is a word we use to describe altered states. When triggering the subconscious one is entering an altered state of consciousness. Learning to use hypnosis to place one’s self in a deeper state would make it easier to trigger the subconscious and the unconscious and this could be useful for some people.

To learn more about competitive anxiety and avoiding choke shots see this article.

http://www.sunburstselect.com/PBReview/Competitive_Anxiety.htm

Eventually I will take these and other articles I have writen and place them in a monograph that summarizes what psychology can contribute to playing pool. In the mean time these rough drafts are freely available on my web site in the articles section.

___
* Behavior disordered people are “normal” people with serious interpersonal problems such as criminal activity, drug addiction and related behavior. In general, I did not work with people who had psychotic problems.

Click on my name on the front page of my web site (shown below) to learn more about the types of things with which I have been involved.
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Thank you for sharing :grin-square:
 
Concentration

Originally Posted by pooltchr
Pleasures of Small Motions by Dr. Bob Fancher

That being said, one thing for you to work on is to not try to stay focused 110% of the time. Humans aren't designed to do that. You need to be able to focus when it is important. When is it important? For those 12 to 15 seconds when your bridge hand is actually on the table. When your are standing or sitting, you need to allow your mind to relax a little bit. Think about what you want to do, take in your surroundings, and chill out a little bit. You want to keep your mind on the game, so you are aware of what needs to be done, but that intense focus is really only needed when you are actually down on the shot. It's easier, and less stressful, to slip in and out of that level of focus than it is to try to maintain it for an entire game or match.

Steve




This was a great post. I have to agree. In a series of decisions deciding when to get serious about the shot after all of the decisions have been made is what I do and Im playing the best Ive ever played. If you have a preshot routine where you make a solid decision about each aspect of the shot before you ever focus and get down for the shot I think you have the highest chances of completing your plan.

However if you dont learn how to make the shots and you dont have a plan that you follow on shot making on each type of shot then youre just lost until you do. So trance or not, plan or not, and believing in yourself or not if you dont use some practice on shot method development so when you get down on the shot, that you really know and have settled--everything in your mind--you are going to suffer some problems. Since we arent overcomplicating the issue with anything other than shotmaking skill at the time the shot is made, I think youd be amazed at shot process planning and proper alignment can do for you. Ive read some good stuff here but trance or not if you dont know what it is youre doing the trance may bring inner peace I dont see it putting shots in the pocket. When I know I want to leave my cue ball behind another ball in case I miss and I complete that plan whenever its possible regardless of whether or not I miss its not because of a trance or a desire its because I put a plan in place, I went by the plan through a decsion making process and I did the best with the table based on its layout. Perhaps a trance or hypnotic suggestion is helpful along with a plan. Without the plan, what is the trance?

336robin
 
That goes without saying. Of course you must have the knowledge and ability to make the shot...and the ability comes from practice. The focus of my post was only on one part of the game...the mental part. You can't let your thinking get in the way of shooting. But without the proper practice, you will never just subconsciously know how to shoot the shot.

The thing I was trying to say is you can't let that little voice in the back of your mind creep in while you are down on the shot. If you are second guessing yourself while you are down on the shot, your odds of making it are reduced.

Steve
 
Concentration

Steve,
I agree and while I wrote a lot the previous post I believe we are at the same place. I went to a tournament recently and that little voice was in there and I won a match and got beaten by some really good players but each time I had at least 4 games on the board but the voice was there.

When I walked away I had seen some really fine pool played and I stopped in for some practice when I went home. I worked on my stroke process and my process of dedication to the shot. Amazingly my game went up another notch or two through dedication and I agree with you. Letting that little voice in there is death to a shot. I think that when youve tuned it out and know what to do you just do so much better its unbelievable but you do have to know what to do to start off with. Which I think is what I was trying to say in the previous post. When you do its the greatest high in pool for me. In my tournament weekend I had not allowed what I knew to do to come forward and flow because the voice in my head was getting in the way. I would have never believed it was there but the hesitancy was ,so it was. The minute I figured out what to do to fix it my game became more my game no question and the high you get from that its awesome no doubt. It must be why I play this crazy game!!

336robin
 
Absolutely. You make all your decisions and do all your thinking while you are standing up. When your bridge hand hits the table, it's all about shot execution.
Like we say in pool school, "Think before shooting, then shoot without thinking."

Steve
 
Train1077 said:
About the mental, what is the right thing to think when being in a shot??

I think a lot about, where should I hit the object ball, resulting in me getting unsure if it is the right place = I miss the shot...

I can't seem to get out of this way of thinking. Suggestions for that problem??

That being said, I am a thinker in all aspects of my life. I overanalyze everything and over-think most things... Very annoying...
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"Don't Shoot when you're Thinking and don't Think when you are Shooting".

Words to play by right there.
 
choking in competition

CocoboloCowboy said:
I wish I could make my ind focus 110% all the time, and not wander to other thing when playing pool.

SUGGESTIONS.

Books as I like to read.
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Bearing down on every shot in practice regardless of level of difficulty has helped.
 
Too Many Minds

I have spent a lot of time in practice looking at shot making technique and that one thing I think has helped me the most of any one thing in pool. When I get down on a shot If I know exactly what is going on with the shot I dont miss. If I wonder about anything, it's likely I will.

Ive read some really interesting posts here and I will confess I couldnt read all that Joe W wrote. I will have to make an appt for that and Im almost scared to. Joe goes into minute detail as I do about the things he does. I sort of feel that I have gone through that stage and come out on the other side so Im actually scared to read his detailed post. I am afraid I will get pulled back into being mechanical because I have broken through all of that and simplified my processes extensively.

Im sure I will though because Joe mentions something about hypnosis.

I am of the belief that there is an anomaly that exists between the human mind, the eye and the ball. Im not sure at this point exactly what that is but it seems the ball has a way of hypnotizing the mind through the eye.

For my first thoughts, I believe there is so much there to comprehend that the mind is just blown away by it so to speak.

When you see and understand shots, relationships of ball to pocket, see aiming lines and contact points you are totally fixated on something and that fixation seems hypnotic in itself.

I like Joes approach to concentration --imagining the flame---. I think we could all use a little inner peace that is for sure. Joe Im going to try that one my friend.

I was blown away by some of the post by the Grey Ghost. What a guy.

Steve from Charlottle summed some things up and Im with him on the minds ability to focus and how long you can expect it to.

Thats just what I can remember from my scan through the posts.

Im hitting em so good right now Im afraid to over analyze what Im doing right perhaps when I master this level Ive hit some more, I will be back and look a little deeper into things.

Someone said something about "one mind" Thats one of my favorite lines from the movie with Tom Cruise in the "Last of the Samurai"---"Too many minds". When I first saw this I will never forget how I could remember how I was on the field as young man throwing that baseball. I had no mind whatsoever and I saw the seams and I was throwing, 4hit, 3hit and no hit games in little league ball. That is a high I am trying to attain with pool and at times I get a glimpse of that feeling here recently. When I do-- the pocket seems huge and if Im getting around the table right--All is right with the world--the planets definitely align.

What a great thread!!

336Robin


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I think that what it means when we say “let your stroke out” is a way of saying that after you have learned to aim, use a pre-shot routine, and have a way to trigger the subconscious process then you just let go and let the subconscious control the shot making.

What happens when you “let your stroke out?” It seems that everything is easy, natural and smoothly coordinated. It is kinda like dancing a tango or other type of dance that you may know. I think that it means that you have learned to trust your subconscious and to let that part of you make the shot. I find that when I am in the right place (it doesn’t happen quickly or easily) I can sometimes be amazed at my own shot making and positional skills. It is almost as if I am watching someone else play and it is a satisfying experience.

But, and there is a big but, I have to do my home work and teach my mind / brain and body what needs to be done and the best way to do it is based on knowledge. With sufficient practice and success I can trust that side of me that is much better at making those shots than my conscious thinking. In the end I think we are all learning to let our stroke out in many ways.

I think that letting your stroke out is a form of dance and perhaps some thought as to how you just let yourself get into some form of dancing is a clue that will teach you how to let your stroke out.

I suspect, based on my own experience, that we don't practice the "pool dance" enough during practice. Perhaps this is what people mean when they say that learning to play well requires xx thousands of hours. For most men it takes a long time to get to the place where we can just dance and trust ourselves without a need to control everything that is going on. So I am suggesting that you need to learn the "Pool dance," no easy subject for most men to master, especially when we have to break it down to every little movement. No wonder it takes so long to learn to trust ourselves.
 
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Well, last night everything went haywire. While I was able to pull of 4 incredible shots in a row at one point, I believe a person only has so many of those in them in a day.

Having gone up in skill level due to my increased mental strength through joew's articles and through my own personal meditation, I found the added pressure of having to get a whole extra rack of balls to be to much last night.

My pre-shot routine went to complete sh*t. All the relaxation techniques that i'm well aware of were not used. This all because I was simply unable to focus on the task at hand. After nearly running out the first and second racks, everything fell apart and for the first time in ages I was unable to pull myself together.

Chalk it up as a learning experience. Time to go assess the situation thoroughly and see what needs to be addressed.
 
paksat said:
Well, last night everything went haywire. While I was able to pull of 4 incredible shots in a row at one point, I believe a person only has so many of those in them in a day.

Having gone up in skill level due to my increased mental strength through joew's articles and through my own personal meditation, I found the added pressure of having to get a whole extra rack of balls to be to much last night.

My pre-shot routine went to complete sh*t. All the relaxation techniques that i'm well aware of were not used. This all because I was simply unable to focus on the task at hand. After nearly running out the first and second racks, everything fell apart and for the first time in ages I was unable to pull myself together.

Chalk it up as a learning experience. Time to go assess the situation thoroughly and see what needs to be addressed.
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If I were a betting man, I would bet you were thinking about the change in your skill level, rather than playing your match.

Steve
 
pooltchr said:
If I were a betting man, I would bet you were thinking about the change in your skill level, rather than playing your match.

Steve
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you know it.

I had several easy run outs that I couldn't finish off and hit a gear.

I also wasn't willing to take my time and relax in every shot. I just wanted to hit a gear and get running but I got to aggressive.
 
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