What puts you in the "Zone"?

[olauzon]

maybe focus relentlessly on the match as it plays, at the table or sitting down. pre-shot routine (should include walking around the table) goes w/o saying as do game face.. it's ok to look arrogant but of course never be. stick to it and practice it as often as it fits the occasion. never worry about what the opponent or surroundings is up to, always stay positive minded and the 'zone' will pay lots of visits.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Sometimes a break will do it...

I was just talking about this with Deno Andrews on the phone. We were wondering why taking a break from the game can get you into the zone when you first play again. We agreed that it had something to do with having an uncluttered mind and "letting it be easy", but struggled to put more words to it.

Do instructors/coaches ever address this?

pj
chgo

 

[Secaucus Fats]

Some good hydro always does the trick for me.

Fats

 

[Mark Avlon]

You can't make the Zone happen. You can only setup the conditions that will allow it to occur. Being relaxed, no sense of fear, and confidence are some of the conditions. The level of mental arousal is very important. having a high level of interest and being moderately exctied could be used to describe the level of arousal. Bordom and over excited are at the ends of the range.

A key is to look inside yourself once you realize that you were in the zone. How did you feel? What was your sense of time? Where was your attention? Was it focused? Were you confident, relaxed, fearless? The conditions you note are what you should try to recreate when you're playing to have the best chance of getting into the Zone.

 

[PoolBum]

I was just talking about this with Deno Andrews on the phone. We were wondering why taking a break from the game can get you into the zone when you first play again.

pj
chgo

I've wondered about this myself as it seems to happen to me fairly often. I think it has something to do with feeling fresh in coming back to the game, having no mental fatigue from having put in too many hours, and thus being able to concentrate and focus more easily. At least that's the way I feel when I come back to the game after taking time off and hit the zone.

 

[Ktown D]

Some good hydro always does the trick for me.

Fats

Codone or ponic??????

 

[BPG24]

Codone or ponic??????

LOL That's funny

I'm pretty sure he means ponic

 

[Secaucus Fats]

LOL That's funny

I'm pretty sure he means ponic

Ponic, preferably white widow. But haze, cali skunk. or northern lights will also do nicely.

Fats

I learned the technique from a master:

 

[Ktown D]

Ponic, preferably white widow. But haze, cali skunk. or northern lights will also do nicely.

Fats

I learned the technique from a master:

LOL....great pic. Many things over the years have gotten me in "the zone" and I have tried it all. There is no secret to getting there it just happens. I have done it on uppers, lowers and on the natch. Unfortunately, it hasn't happened in a while.......I'm due.

 

[cyrex]

Getting in the zone

http://www.amazon.com/Peak-Performance-Training-Techniques-Greatest/dp/0446391158

This book was written by a sports psychologist who trained olympic athletes. He specialized in getting athletes into their peak performance 'zone'. The book covers exercises and techniques for getting into the zone. This book is highly recommended for anyone working on their mental game.

 

[okinawa77]

What helps me get into the zone is imagining the entire shot in my head, and executing it near exactly to my mental image. If the execution of the shot doesn't match my mental visualization, then I analyze what my mistakes were and how to improve.

I have also experienced a phenomenon whereas I shot around on a 3-cushion table, then played in a match. During the match I was knockin balls as if all I had to do was hit the ball and they would magically falling the pocket. Kind of weird...can't explain that....
It may be because when I play 3-cushion I really have to concentrate hard on making my mental predictions of the shots as accurate as possible.
And it puts me in a zone, so when I play my match. I'm already in the zone.

 

[tjlmbklr]

It is something i search for everytime i start a match...This is the reason alot of struggling players resort to mind enhancing medication...
I use ginko biloba and it definitely helps and is safe to use and is affordable.

I take Ginko as well but as my daily vitamin regiment. Do you take a particular type right before you shoot?

 

[HittMan]

In Stroke

I have actually spent a good bit of time actively trying to figure out how to call ?your game? when you come to the table. I agree with the guy who said he has trouble remembering details. I have come to the conclusion that for me getting in stroke is very similar to a meditation, hence I agree with the guy that said you can?t make it happen you can only set up the right circumstance to allow it to happen. HOWEVER, I believe you can get very good at setting up the circumstance. I use a combination of pre-shot routines, visualizations and physical anchors, top it off with desire (mental component) and try to keep myself in peak physical preparedness. My problem has always been distraction. I have posted a short treatise on ?in-stroke ? on my website. If you Google ?Hitt Cues? and follow the link, look under Transcendental Pool. I haven?t updated my site in ages (don?t know how) but the articles remain useable (in my opinion). I have written a couple more sections and will send them to anyone who PM?s me a request after reading the posted material. This is well worth spending some time to learn.
Learning how to use my grip and elbow were both big break-throughs for me. Hope it helps.
Just my opinion, you be the judge.
Hittman
Andy Bruce

 

[randyg]

I was just talking about this with Deno Andrews on the phone. We were wondering why taking a break from the game can get you into the zone when you first play again. We agreed that it had something to do with having an uncluttered mind and "letting it be easy", but struggled to put more words to it.

Do instructors/coaches ever address this?

pj
chgo

Every Pool School we host.....SPF=randyg

 

[crawfish]

I need the right amount of

1. Fear
2. Alcohol (to ease the fear. Not overboard, but just enough)
3. Music
4. Crowd
5. Money (now this is all relative on my position in life)
6. Contempt for my opponent
7. The "Road Factor" (some of us know this one. It's where you are out of town and already have the line on the opponent, and he has no clue who you are and is playing a ball worse because of it.)
8. Lastly, I have to know the opponent has cash and isn't going to nit at me.

Now, if all of these things swirl around in a barrel and begin to gel, there it is. It's a full out drillin' for whoever is on the receivin' end.

 

[Straw_Hat]

You can't make the Zone happen. You can only setup the conditions that will allow it to occur. Being relaxed, no sense of fear, and confidence are some of the conditions. The level of mental arousal is very important. having a high level of interest and being moderately exctied could be used to describe the level of arousal. Bordom and over excited are at the ends of the range.

A key is to look inside yourself once you realize that you were in the zone. How did you feel? What was your sense of time? Where was your attention? Was it focused? Were you confident, relaxed, fearless? The conditions you note are what you should try to recreate when you're playing to have the best chance of getting into the Zone.

I agree with this.... The best thing I have found (for me) to help bring it around is to sit back and take everything in.. Realize everything around me is real and I have control of what is happening and is to come.. I study the table and think of all the moments that have lead me to this point and how real it all is, and then after all this maybe like 5% of the time it will work.. But it's relaxing and eye opening to me, so good times..

 

[akaTrigger]

Mental Toughness

In Mental Toughness Training for Sports, the author describes how to get in the zone.

Basically, you visualize when you were in the zone - imagine one of your best match - before you play in your matches or a big match. Close yours eyes and think about how your felt. What do you remember? How did you feel? What were you aware of? How did your body feel? What was your heart rate like? Imagine how confident you were; how you were free stroking and not worried about shots - they just happened.

Simple, reflect how you felt during that one match that you know you were "in the zone." Absorb those 'reflections' before your match - you are getting your mind and body prepared by doing this.

As a side note, when you are in the zone, you actually remember everything around you; you are a part of the environment, not blocking all the noises/crowd. It's important to remember that when you are reflecting back.

 

[cyrex]

In Mental Toughness Training for Sports, the author describes how to get in the zone.

Basically, you visualize when you were in the zone - imagine one of your best match - before you play in your matches or a big match. Close yours eyes and think about how your felt. What do you remember? How did you feel? What were you aware of? How did your body feel? What was your heart rate like? Imagine how confident you were; how you were free stroking and not worried about shots - they just happened.

Simple, reflect how you felt during that one match that you know you were "in the zone." Absorb those 'reflections' before your match - you are getting your mind and body prepared by doing this.

As a side note, when you are in the zone, you actually remember everything around you; you are a part of the environment, not blocking all the noises/crowd. It's important to remember that when you are reflecting back.

Very similar to the technique in 'Peak Performance' I was talking about. He also recommends making charts to record what you were feeling and thinking while in the zone. It doesn't have to be just while playing pool. It could be while you're driving or working or anything else that you may do automatically. You can train yourself to have more ability to focus and create an atmosphere to get into dead stroke.

 

[3andstop]

I'm older and I find myself getting into the zone much easier now than in years past. Personal life distractions can hinder you and clutter your mind.

What I'm about to say though, is what I attribute most of my success in being able to falling into the zone with conscious control.

I feel that the more often you experience that state, the easier it is to achieve it. I very strongly feel that 9 ball is the absolute worst game to play when attempting to become experienced with getting into dead stroke. In 9 ball you shoot, you stop, you rack, you stop, you shoot, you duck, your innings are short.

None of that is too much of a problem if you have already played enough to have experienced dead stroke often. But if it is still one of those things that is fleeting, I am convinced that to get familiar with the feeling, NOTHING does it like straight pool. Once you experience it often enough and long enough in straight pool, it becomes easier to carry over to other games.

Shoot, I can find dead stroke pretty readily now even playing One Pocket.

Now .... lol my "in the zone" isn't running hundreds, but it is 30s and 40s with an occasional higher blip.

I think as mentioned in an earlier post, killer instinct has a lot to do with staying in the zone also. I never really had a ton of that, I just enjoy playing.

I think practicing getting into the zone in and of itself is important and 14.1 is the ticket to finding it.

 

[okinawa77]

I'm older and I find myself getting into the zone much easier now than in years past. Personal life distractions can hinder you and clutter your mind.

What I'm about to say though, is what I attribute most of my success in being able to falling into the zone with conscious control.

I feel that the more often you experience that state, the easier it is to achieve it. I very strongly feel that 9 ball is the absolute worst game to play when attempting to become experienced with getting into dead stroke. In 9 ball you shoot, you stop, you rack, you stop, you shoot, you duck, your innings are short.

None of that is too much of a problem if you have already played enough to have experienced dead stroke often. But if it is still one of those things that is fleeting, I am convinced that to get familiar with the feeling, NOTHING does it like straight pool. Once you experience it often enough and long enough in straight pool, it becomes easier to carry over to other games.

Shoot, I can find dead stroke pretty readily now even playing One Pocket.

Now .... lol my "in the zone" isn't running hundreds, but it is 30s and 40s with an occasional higher blip.

I think as mentioned in an earlier post, killer instinct has a lot to do with staying in the zone also. I never really had a ton of that, I just enjoy playing.

I think practicing getting into the zone in and of itself is important and 14.1 is the ticket to finding it.

I agree that straight pool will help you get into the zone. I have also noticed many local players taking up the game of straight pool, and they all have jumped up in skill level recently.

When I play league 8 ball, I like to use a soft break and leave a lot of frozen balls because I can break it out and win the game whereas many of my opponents that don't play straight pool....cannot break out the balls.

And I totally agree with the concept of, the more you experience the zone, the easier it is to get into it again.

I have found that by getting my mental visualization of the shot to match my actual performance will get me in the zone.

In straight pool, cue ball position within an inch can make or break you.