What do you do when in a slump?

Ched said:
Quote:
"Had a really shitty Saturday night. In the middle of taking a week off."
yep - I can relate to that.

One thing I noticed with my own game. Sometimes I just try to damned hard. I get to the table - I check my stance, check my grip, check my stroke, get my left eye over the cue, get that "quiet eye" thing going, breathe right, yada yada ....

But when I get to where I'm missing shots. ... Sometimes it helps to quit thinking so much. I walk up - and just shoot what feels natural without thinking. Then - BAM ... I shoot some good stuff. I do that for a few days and then get back to "concentrating" on fundamentals and "doing it right". Often after a slump - my game goes up a notch or two. But ... YMMV.
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Currently on my 4th day of no pool. The withdrawal is real. Want to play, feel it's best to not at the moment. Waiting until Sunday.
 
When I hit a plateau, I refresh my own personal aiming method that I've created by adapting several aiming methods from others. It works amazingly well because the geometry doesn't lie. Once I focus again on what works so well for me, I'm right back in stride.

I've drawn out several examples that I can refer back to in the event that I ever forget the mechanics behind shooting with such accuracy. I keep them on my computer. I'm reluctant to share this system with the fellows around the pool hall because I know I've got the edge on them. :)
 
Icon of Sin said:
Currently on my 4th day of no pool. The withdrawal is real. Want to play, feel it's best to not at the moment. Waiting until Sunday.
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I only play 4 or 5 days a week .. and usually not more than 3 or 4 hours - often only an hour or two. I suppose that taking 4 or 5 days in a row off wouldn't hurt though.
 
I've lost 9 of my last 10! Now THAT'S a slump. Totally bummer because I know it's between my ears. I'll practice lights out before my match, then freeze up in my match. Think it happened when I moved up in skill level. Dunno the answer.
 
Im going to play pool today after a week off... its going to be a shitshow.
 
Shooter1 said:
I've been playing pool for 45 years,

At any rate, this long winded diatribe is my way of asking, what do you guys do when the rolls go against you for what seems like a long period of time?

Thanks
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Your title talked about "slump," but you're really asking the last sentence. This speaks to the mental game, IMO, more than your physical game. But, then again, if you've been "playing for 45 years," and you haven't taken a lesson from, say, a PBIA instructor or an instructor that emphasis technique, then you might need to, to get a good baseline in these situations.

That being said, you sound and read like a rhythm player, and after 45 years, changing that wouldn't make any sense. So, I suggest you dance. Just frickin dance. Remind yourself what makes you smile, and concentrate on that when you're playing.

Read Bob Fancher's Pleasures of Small Motions, especially the chapter on dancing (which is what I'm talking about)

Read Inner Game of Tennis

Laugh, smirk, chuckle outwardly (but quietly without too much disruption) when your opponent gets lucky. This does a few things:

  • Keeps you laughing
  • Signals to your opponent that without luck, he ain't $hit
  • Confirms that you didn't build your game by shooting without condoms (that's the Spray and Pray method, for those still reading)
.

Now clean up the coffee.

Freddie <~~~ for reals
 
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