What to do when we have a bad day

[Milan]

First, I want to say thanks to all good instructions here, especially FranCrimi, CJ Wiley, Bob Jewett, RandyG and many others for yours great contribution for posting here. I learn to play pool just reading your comments here, and now I am solid B player. The reason why I am posting now is because I don’t know how to improve my game anymore, and I have one big problem. On a good day I miss 1-2 balls in race to 7 (ofc I miss position and then play safe), also I have 1-2 break and run, etc. But, on a bad day I have trouble to pocket 4 easy open balls (miss easy ball, miss easy position).

My question is what to do when that day came? Sometimes when I play very bad, I start to question everything (did my stance was off, did I grip to tight, maybe I rush a shot, maybe I didn’t focus, maybe I took my eyes off the object ball, etc.). Ofc after that I play much worse than before, and playing pool is no more fun. Because of that I play very inconsistent in tournament, also. In last couple of months, I start again to change something in my fundamentals (more focus where to aim on cue ball, double checking aim line, etc. but I don’t see that I improve anything).

I read here that FranCrimi once said that she goes in F.ck it mod when she was losing 8:1. I tried that in last week, after first good set, I played second set poorly but now I was very relax, and after that I played solid all day. So, is that the answer, ignore everything and just continue to play? The more I play, the fewer bad days will be? To forget about fundamentals, and to focus more on pocketing problematics balls, positions?

 

[Zerksies]

#1 are you playing bad or they having a good day? You losing games has nothing to do if they are running racks on you. Allison Fischer just lost the finals 9-0 and she don't play bad.

Now #2 if i am playing bad it's always bad fundamentals.

 

[Milan]

#1 are you playing bad or they having a good day? You losing games has nothing to do if they are running racks on you. Allison Fischer just lost the finals 9-0 and she don't play bad.

Now #2 if i am playing bad it's always bad fundamentals.

I mean when I play bad. On last tournament I lost 7:2, he runout 4 his racks and 1 my illegal break. I runout one and pocket 7-8-9 when he missed, and this loss was totally fine with me, I don’t have any problems to lose any match like that. The problem is when I play bad, when I have 10 chance to finish a match but missed some easy balls or positions. To be more precise that’s not very often but when it happens I play poorly next couple of days.

 

[dquarasr]

I am nowhere near a B player. (Well, I am when I’m in the same vicinity as one LOL.)

I can offer no advice but I can commiserate. And I am appreciative that a solid B player can admit to sometimes experiencing inconsistency. Gives us lower level players some solace. Thanks for sharing.

 

[OKDog]

Now #2 if i am playing bad it's always bad fundamentals.

This is usually my issues.

When I am playing bad I go back to the basics and start thinking through every action and routine. Usually helps...

 

[R2PQZ]

First, I want to say thanks to all good instructions here, especially FranCrimi, CJ Wiley, Bob Jewett, RandyG and many others for yours great contribution for posting here. I learn to play pool just reading your comments here, and now I am solid B player. The reason why I am posting now is because I don’t know how to improve my game anymore, and I have one big problem. On a good day I miss 1-2 balls in race to 7 (ofc I miss position and then play safe), also I have 1-2 break and run, etc. But, on a bad day I have trouble to pocket 4 easy open balls (miss easy ball, miss easy position).

My question is what to do when that day came? Sometimes when I play very bad, I start to question everything (did my stance was off, did I grip to tight, maybe I rush a shot, maybe I didn’t focus, maybe I took my eyes off the object ball, etc.). Ofc after that I play much worse than before, and playing pool is no more fun. Because of that I play very inconsistent in tournament, also. In last couple of months, I start again to change something in my fundamentals (more focus where to aim on cue ball, double checking aim line, etc. but I don’t see that I improve anything).

I read here that FranCrimi once said that she goes in F.ck it mod when she was losing 8:1. I tried that in last week, after first good set, I played second set poorly but now I was very relax, and after that I played solid all day. So, is that the answer, ignore everything and just continue to play? The more I play, the fewer bad days will be? To forget about fundamentals, and to focus more on pocketing problematics balls, positions?

I've always said that is what movie theatres are for. If you are playing go watch a movie and clear your mind.

 

[FranCrimi]

Hi Milan and thank you for acknowledging us. There are many reasons why a person can have a bad day but I think the main reasons are, fatigue, stress and nutrition. Any of these things can cause you to be out of sync and your fundamentals can start to break down. So before you start changing your fundamentals, make sure you are sleeping enough, eating well and relieving stress. Relaxation exercises help a lot, too.

 

[Pin]

I'm not an instructor.

I've discovered that when I'm playing badly, by keeping by nerve, following my routine, I can ride it out and start to play better again, coming right back to my best within, say, 3 racks.

Having that experience a few times was eye-opening. It's now something I take some pride in, because I don't know many people who can do it.

As a starting point, I'd suggest next time you're playing bad, see it as an opportunity to try following your routine and see what happens over time.

Obviously you need to be playing a fairly long match to have the opportunity!

 

[WobblyStroke]

Pool players can fall in love with fundamentals and the journey to the promised land of perfect fundamentals to the point that whenever they miss a shot they start feverishly scanning for WHY. What went wrong? What change can I make to fix it? The best answer when playing is, change nothing and simply do what you meant to do on the next one.

You aren't perfect. You will fail to produce the stroke you intend to sometimes. No need to overreact to a miss or poor stroke by switching over from playing pool and executing shots to playing stroke and executing movements. Internal focus is a proven performance killer. Leave the technique tweaks for practice sessions. When it comes to playing pool, dance with the one that brung ya. Meaning, play the stroke you've got and stick with that, accepting that you won't always execute it the way you want to. After a failed attempt, note what may have gone wrong but change nothing to what you were trying to do. Continue to focus on executing your shots and avoid falling down the rabbit hole of endless 'minor adjustments' as the misses pile up due to focusing on HOW you are doing something rather than WHAT you are doing.

The above advice will prevent some tail spins that end up as bad days. But even without the purely self inflicted meltdowns due to switch in focus and stroke meddling, you will still have bad days for a variety of reasons. Fran mentioned a few good ones. Imo, just like a bad shot, a bad day is best forgotten about and moved on from. Don't overreact or alter your approach. If bad days start stacking up, by all means meddle...hopefully under the guidance of an instructor.

 

[FranCrimi]

......Meaning, play the stroke you've got and stick with that, accepting that you won't always execute it the way you want to. After a failed attempt, note what may have gone wrong but change nothing to what you were trying to do. Continue to focus on executing your shots and avoid falling down the rabbit hole of endless 'minor adjustments' as the misses pile up due to focusing on HOW you are doing something rather than WHAT you are doing......

When I was teaching the actor Ron Silver, I asked him, "Do you ever have a bad day in front of the camera, and what do you do about it?"

He said, "Of course. I have a fair share of bad days. We can't always feel on top of our game every single day. What that happens, I just go with it. Stressing over it and forcing the issue only makes it worse. I accept that today is not going to be my best day for whatever reason, and just try to get through the day. By not fighting it, sometimes it even turns around the same day. If not, I get a good night's sleep and try again the next day."

 

[BC21]

Playing well requires a combination of orchestrated elements. I made a venn diagram to show the major elements needed for optimum performance.

The perfect balance puts you in the zone and playing your best... "On Fire". Too much focus or not enough focus on one element or another, or being too weak in one or more element will have you playing anywhere from horrible to average.

 

[Pin]

Splitting mental game and emotional control is interesting.

 

[WobblyStroke]

Splitting mental game and emotional control is interesting.

Yes, usually what we call mental game is pretty much all about emotional control....not tilting and stuff like that. But, strategy, tactical awareness, and generally 'shooting the right shots' has to factor in somehow and that seems kinda mental gameish too.

The kid version of how I'd read that Venn Diagram is basically:
Think Right + Move Right + Feel Right = Play Right

 

[BC21]

Yes, usually what we call mental game is pretty much all about emotional control....not tilting and stuff like that. But, strategy, tactical awareness, and generally 'shooting the right shots' has to factor in somehow and that seems kinda mental gameish too.

The kid version of how I'd read that Venn Diagram is basically:
Think Right + Move Right + Feel Right = Play Right

Exactly. The mental game involves strategy, focus, paying attention, keeping your head in the game. And, as Fran mentioned, often what we eat or drink can affect how he think, which can affect how we perform. But, how we respond to emotional triggers can also have a drastic impact on how we think and perform.

Emotional control involves dealing with distractions or mistakes (physical or mental). Your EQ defines how you handle emotional reactions due to pressure, mistakes, bad rolls, embarrassment, glory, etc... Being able to keep your cool when your brain wants to start sending various chemicals/hormones to your heart and muscles is very important.

The reason we get nervous sometimes and might begin to shake a little is because the brain senses trouble/conflict. And so it reacts by transmitting certain chemicals/hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol (fight/flight mode), or epinephrine and norepinephrine (stress/anxiety mode). Such chemical reactions can get our heart beating faster and our muscles primed for action, or they can put us into a defeated state of mind, where we tell ourselves, "I don't give a shit anymore". And none of this is ideal for playing pool.

Learning how to manage your emotional reactions is a skill that can be very beneficial in life, not just in pool and other sports. It allows for clearer thinking, which leads to stronger mental awareness and focus.

 

[FranCrimi]

I'm not an instructor.

I've discovered that when I'm playing badly, by keeping by nerve, following my routine, I can ride it out and start to play better again, coming right back to my best within, say, 3 racks.

Having that experience a few times was eye-opening. It's now something I take some pride in, because I don't know many people who can do it.

As a starting point, I'd suggest next time you're playing bad, see it as an opportunity to try following your routine and see what happens over time.

Obviously you need to be playing a fairly long match to have the opportunity!

I think this is a good solution if the problem is stress-related. But other issues, like fatigue, hunger, blood sugar, blood thickness levels, etc, are tough to fix mentally. They have to be addressed physically, and that option isn't always there for the player at that time.

Local tournaments are really tough due to the time constraint, because you my have to play 8 or more matches in a row. I remember when I was exhausted, I'd have trouble staying down on my shots. No matter how many times I would remind myself to stay down, it was physically impossible for me to do it consistently when fatigue set in. With food, I learned what foods will benefit me and what foods are harmful, like for example: If you think it's a good thing to have a nice salad before you play, you're wrong. Green leafy vegetables thicken your blood and can make you sluggish.

And who would've thought that the best food for your brain is sucrose and fat? So I learned to carry trail mix with me to all tournaments and ditched the salad.

 

[Pin]

If you think it's a good thing to have a nice salad before you play, you're wrong. Green leafy vegetables thicken your blood and can make you sluggish.

And who would've thought that the best food for your brain is sucrose and fat? So I learned to carry trail mix with me to all tournaments and ditched the salad.

Blood thickness is one I'd never considered before. That might be something to think about.

Sucrose and fat is interesting too. I read a book 'Willpower', which is about self-control/regulation in a much wider sense than the title suggests. The scientists who researched it tended to use sugary (and now that I think of it, probably fatty) foods in experiments to replenish people's 'willpower' ability. The book advocated that people use low-GI foods (apples in particular) when trying to boost their own capacity, but perhaps they had to say that...

 

[Pin]

Exactly. The mental game involves strategy, focus, paying attention, keeping your head in the game.

You know, I'd completely overlooked strategy and shot selection when I was looking at the diagram before. (I've also realized I've not started Playing to Win yet!)

 

[Leigh]

I am not a good player by any means but I am a former athlete at the national level.
When you are playing in a competition - you are not "thinking." You don't think about mechanics, speed, or stance - you don't think about the "how" (beyond just shooting your shot)- you are in "do" mode, not "think" mode.
You are in that moment and only that moment. Do not beat yourself up for the past and do not look ahead beyond the game you are playing.
Get in your body and out of your head. (You have to practice this.)
I am NOT a great player - but I consistently beat people far better than I am in competition because if one little thing goes sideways for them they get thrown off their game. For me - there is nothing to lose - so I just stay in the zone. Having a lifetime of competing (not in pool) gives me an edge in these situations.
My old coach forced us to practice our sport like it was the highest level of competition - at least once a week - so we could get used to this mindset. It won't happen overnight - it is literally a practice.

To be fair, I am an emotional person for sure - and I hate playing poorly (for me) - but I just get back to center, if that makes sense.

Just my two cents.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I am a former athlete at the national level.

What sport/event, Leigh?

pj
chgo

 

[WobblyStroke]

Blood thickness is one I'd never considered before. That might be something to think about.

Sucrose and fat is interesting too. I read a book 'Willpower', which is about self-control/regulation in a much wider sense than the title suggests. The scientists who researched it tended to use sugary (and now that I think of it, probably fatty) foods in experiments to replenish people's 'willpower' ability. The book advocated that people use low-GI foods (apples in particular) when trying to boost their own capacity, but perhaps they had to say that...

Ye, the nervous system pretty much only uses carbs for fuel. The reason those researchers are advocating for low GI foods is due to their steadier release of the nutrients into the blood making for a boost to blood sugar that is maintained at slightly elevated levels over a long period of time rather than a brief spike in sugar, which is generally followed by a crash to below baseline (cranky pants hypoglycemic mode). Anything that is low on the glycemic index is def going to be better for performance over the course of something like a pool match that can last hours.

Re: fat for the brain. Fats are great for brain tissue and nervous system tissue in general but won't actually affect performance in the moment as blood sugar levels will. The reason fatty foods like a trail mix are fantastic is due to their low GI and slower, steadier release of nutrients into the blood.
The reason fats are great for nervous system tissues is that the myelin sheath that coats axons of neurons is made of fat. On top of making the neurons conduct their electrical signals more quickly, myelination of neurons makes pathways more stable. This is linked to the often misapplied concept of 'muscle memory' in that the myelinated pathways are the way you become 'wired' to perform a certain movement. One of the main reasons people have trouble with new techniques is that the neurons that need to fire in concert to produce a move haven't yet built up a physical relationship...even worse, they may have wiring for something else to overcome. With practice though, the new firing sequence and neural pathways get built up and become the new normal. For most ppl, the process of myelination of a new motor skill takes about 2 weeks (with focused practice of course). Smoother sailing from there, but this myelination process def contributes in large part to the one step back to take two steps forward dance we play when making a technique change as the body struggles against its ingrained move and builds up a new one.

...And who would've thought that the best food for your brain is sucrose and fat? So I learned to carry trail mix with me to all tournaments and ditched the salad.