tournament stamina?

S

sharkrus

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As an older player(70+), I play in 2 8-ball leagues/ week & practice some at home. My tournament exposure is fairly limited. One of the problems that I feel when I do play in tournaments is that I tend to run out of gas as the tournament progresses. In Vegas last year when the matches began to go back to back & with each match becoming more competitive, I found myself missing shots that I normally make. Some of this could be related to not coping with the pressure, but on the other hand, each tough match does take a toll & my concentration is affected. Maybe this is a common problem at all ages & may have something to do with "tournament toughness", but I'm wondering if there are "fixes" that would keep my game competitive, besides huge doses of caffeine & lots of sleep the night before?
Thanks
Bob
 
Walking

Bob,

I don't know of any quick fixes. The five or six hour energy drinks may help but I think the only real solution is increasing your overall fitness. I suggest walking at a brisk pace. "Brisk" means different things to all of us, a purposeful walk might better describe it. Walking daily or every other day is good. Swimming is great if it is practical. I also think bending exercises would be helpful because I think that is the main things we do, stand, walk, and bend, with the stroke being minor. I am playing with executing the stroking motion standing up using a ten pound dumbbell. Not sure if this is accomplishing anything and I doubt it would have anything significant to do with reducing fatigue.

Unkind as it is to say, we don't have the boundless resources we had in our teens and early twenties. One strategy is to conserve our resources too. Are you standing when you could be sitting? Sitting when you could be reclining? Deliberately conserving strength and energy may be a big part of our strategy as well as eating right. Eating lightly and regularly as well as staying well hydrated can help with the energy issue.

No real solution, everything above may be of some use.

Hu


sharkrus said:
As an older player(70+), I play in 2 8-ball leagues/ week & practice some at home. My tournament exposure is fairly limited. One of the problems that I feel when I do play in tournaments is that I tend to run out of gas as the tournament progresses. In Vegas last year when the matches began to go back to back & with each match becoming more competitive, I found myself missing shots that I normally make. Some of this could be related to not coping with the pressure, but on the other hand, each tough match does take a toll & my concentration is affected. Maybe this is a common problem at all ages & may have something to do with "tournament toughness", but I'm wondering if there are "fixes" that would keep my game competitive, besides huge doses of caffeine & lots of sleep the night before?
Thanks
Bob
Click to expand...
 
tournament stamina

Drats, i was hoping for some combination of valium & Speed & you tell me that I need to get more physically fit...pretty good advice.
Thanks
Bob
 
sharkrus said:
As an older player(70+), I play in 2 8-ball leagues/ week & practice some at home. My tournament exposure is fairly limited. One of the problems that I feel when I do play in tournaments is that I tend to run out of gas as the tournament progresses. In Vegas last year when the matches began to go back to back & with each match becoming more competitive, I found myself missing shots that I normally make. Some of this could be related to not coping with the pressure, but on the other hand, each tough match does take a toll & my concentration is affected. Maybe this is a common problem at all ages & may have something to do with "tournament toughness", but I'm wondering if there are "fixes" that would keep my game competitive, besides huge doses of caffeine & lots of sleep the night before?
Thanks
Bob
Click to expand...



Hi Bob. We probably play in the same Div. Maybe even have played each other. I can relate to this problem. The two things that I have changed seems to help a lot. I start drinking lots of water a full week before I leave for Vegas. I also get up and have a good lite breakfast every morning during the Tournament. Then I eat some thing smart about every 4 hours. No cookies or energy drinks.

Last year during the finals I felt very alert and stayed in the Championship match right to the end.

The next post by Hu has some very good ideas also....SPF=randyg
 
Tournament stamina

Hi Randy
I remember playing you last year, but would like to forget it.
Good luck
Bob G
Houston
 
sharkrus said:
Drats, i was hoping for some combination of valium & Speed & you tell me that I need to get more physically fit...pretty good advice.
Thanks
Bob
Click to expand...

Bob, I think that as a man of 70(+?) it is time for you to start using illicit drugs.
 

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easier said than done

sharkrus said:
Drats, i was hoping for some combination of valium & Speed & you tell me that I need to get more physically fit...pretty good advice.
Thanks
Bob
Click to expand...

Bob,

I give the advice, rarely take it for myself! I do try to eat and drink reasonably and rest when I can running up to the tournament. I'm bad about standing around talking when I should be resting in a quiet corner though. I feel like it is rude to sit when others are standing but for me it is the smart thing to do.

If you figure out the right mix on the valium and speed let me know! ;) Joking about med's reminded me, do you take beta blockers? I took them for years and that had me dragging around a bit. Definitely helped me when I changed from them to other blood pressure med's.

Hu
 
illicit drugs?

Speaking of drug availability in Vegas, I assume that they now have Viagra dispensors in all the men's restrooms for the older patrons???
Cheers
Bob
 
I try to prepare for a tournament the way runners prepare for races. I train for a marathon, not a sprint. I know when I go out to play I want to be there until the end. I prepare by playing long sessions before I go to a tournament. I try to eat right and sleep right, unfortunately I have sleep apnea, which doesn't help. I understand your frustration, missing shots you usually make. I think we start getting lazy and tired. You need to breathe heavier, get more oxygen to the brain in those situations. To bad we can't get a blood transfusion while we wait to play. Good luck in the future.

I'm almost fifty-nine and recently played in a tournament for seventeen hours, and finished third. Fatigue was a factor in the end but I love the game and wouldn't want to be doing anything else.
 
Me too

tom mcgonagle said:
I try to prepare for a tournament the way runners prepare for races. I train for a marathon, not a sprint. I know when I go out to play I want to be there until the end. I prepare by playing long sessions before I go to a tournament. I try to eat right and sleep right, unfortunately I have sleep apnea, which doesn't help. I understand your frustration, missing shots you usually make. I think we start getting lazy and tired. You need to breathe heavier, get more oxygen to the brain in those situations. To bad we can't get a blood transfusion while we wait to play. Good luck in the future.

I'm almost fifty-nine and recently played in a tournament for seventeen hours, and finished third. Fatigue was a factor in the end but I love the game and wouldn't want to be doing anything else.
Click to expand...

While the Speed and Valium thing has crossed my mind, I think I'll try another route. I had been struggling with the endurance part of just a weekend tourney, and decided to get back on track. In the early 80's I was always active, swimming, playing golf, I played drums in a rock band {which is about a 5 hour cardio workout 5 nights a week} and lots of days 4 or 5 hours of pool. I get pretty good exercise from work. But decided to start changing the diet, and working out with weights, and running 3 or 4 days a week. The painful part is when you start, for the first week or so, being sore every day when you get up. Then it will start to get easier. I like the brisk walking idea too, for those who don't wish to run, or simply can't due to health concerns.
Lets get all us older guys in shape, and put a team together to take on a team of the youngsters from AZ. Ha Ha !!!!!!!
 
Regular exercise and crunchies to strengthen your stomach muscles. If your in a smoke filled room, go outside for 20 minutes before your game and reoxygenate you body.
 
addictive

satman said:
While the Speed and Valium thing has crossed my mind, I think I'll try another route. I had been struggling with the endurance part of just a weekend tourney, and decided to get back on track. In the early 80's I was always active, swimming, playing golf, I played drums in a rock band {which is about a 5 hour cardio workout 5 nights a week} and lots of days 4 or 5 hours of pool. I get pretty good exercise from work. But decided to start changing the diet, and working out with weights, and running 3 or 4 days a week. The painful part is when you start, for the first week or so, being sore every day when you get up. Then it will start to get easier. I like the brisk walking idea too, for those who don't wish to run, or simply can't due to health concerns.
Lets get all us older guys in shape, and put a team together to take on a team of the youngsters from AZ. Ha Ha !!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Funny thing about the exercise. Contemplating it, it seems terrible. When you first start you are quite sure your first thoughts were spot on. After awhile you miss it when you can't exercise. I've never been a runner, as in competitive, but I used to run six miles three or four times a week on the Mississippi River levee a little above New Orleans. Nice view, usually a breeze too. When an injury forced me to stop running I missed it badly.

As a plus, between running and the gym I had shed over fifty desk job pounds. Unfortunately I have found all fifty pounds again and a few of their friends!

As for the team idea, I think age and guile can overcome youth and skill.

Hu
 
sharkrus said:
As an older player(70+), I play in 2 8-ball leagues/ week & practice some at home. My tournament exposure is fairly limited. One of the problems that I feel when I do play in tournaments is that I tend to run out of gas as the tournament progresses. In Vegas last year when the matches began to go back to back & with each match becoming more competitive, I found myself missing shots that I normally make. Some of this could be related to not coping with the pressure, but on the other hand, each tough match does take a toll & my concentration is affected. Maybe this is a common problem at all ages & may have something to do with "tournament toughness", but I'm wondering if there are "fixes" that would keep my game competitive, besides huge doses of caffeine & lots of sleep the night before?
Thanks
Bob
Click to expand...
The easiest thing you can do right out of the box is drink a lot of water, stay hydrated. In fact, the average person is in a state of dehydration most all the time. It is the cause of any number of minor problems. Stay away from caffein just as a general rule. It puts you on a roller-coaster.
 
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tournament stamina

Exercise and attention to hydration are great ideas.

I get regular spam from REI, and my interest has been piqued by the energy products they have which are intended for use while skiing, running etc.

There are energy gels (Jasmin Oushan mentions them in her "what's in the case?" segment) and energy snacks, bite-sized carbo/electrolyte globs. I plan on checking both out when next in the REI neighborhood.

Loud musical noise has been frequently complained about on these pages. What I've not seen noted is that prolonged exposure to loud noise is also very fatiguing. Bar tournaments lasting til midnight and beyond are tough to deal with as the gain is upped as the night progresses. Ear plugs? My solution to play in more ear- friendly locations.

pete
occasional flashes of B
too often in the slough of D
 
Tournament stamina has never been a problem for me. Of course, always going 2 and out might have something to do with that....:embarrassed2:
 
Vegas super senior matches

I guess one of the things I resented at vegas last year with respect to the super senior matches was that on the 1st day , i had one match. on the second day , I had 2 matches. Then on the 3rd day, it was back to back until Ya dropped. Seems like they could do some work on more favorable scheduling of matches for seniors, especially.
Bob
 
sharkrus said:
I guess one of the things I resented at vegas last year with respect to the super senior matches was that on the 1st day , i had one match. on the second day , I had 2 matches. Then on the 3rd day, it was back to back until Ya dropped. Seems like they could do some work on more favorable scheduling of matches for seniors, especially.
Bob
Click to expand...

Bob, that makes allot of sense, bring up idea forward to Mark G. or whomever is TD.
Or they could have a junior tourney and start their matches at 1 am :thumbup:
 
sharkrus said:
I guess one of the things I resented at vegas last year with respect to the super senior matches was that on the 1st day , i had one match. on the second day , I had 2 matches. Then on the 3rd day, it was back to back until Ya dropped. Seems like they could do some work on more favorable scheduling of matches for seniors, especially.
Bob
Click to expand...

Sounds discriminatory to me;)
 
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