Yeah, whatever it is , seems we both have a bad case of it.
When do you play at your best?
- Thread starter Flakeandrun
- Start date
I tapped a finger as a sort of pressure relief valve, in the beginning. After studying Barry Stark on the grip I modified the thoughts to relieving the tension in my trigger finger on the other hand.
A search for Barry Stark and the grip on youtube should bring up 6 videos that are pure gold.
Cool. For me, it's finding my rhythm. I'm kind of like Steffi Graph in that I start to slow down when I become distracted. Picking up the pace and finding my rhythm again helps me get my mind back working in the right way.
That's a great line. Do we know your former mentor? They certainly deserve credit for that.
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
While associated with alpha waves, 'the zone' is for alpha waves and slower, namely Theta waves. This is why 'the zone' is sometimes even referred to as 'theta' these days.
The Soviets were definitely on to something as you are absolutely right that we can't just summon 'the zone'. Theta waves are incredibly rare in adults when awake. Alpha waves however are very common and associated with an alert conscious state suitable for performing tasks at a high level. Though definitely skewed towards calmer and relaxed with greater emotional control compared to baseline. Theta is like alpha on steriods with the drop from 8-12hz for alpha to 4-8hz for theta. Intuitively, it must be easier to go theta from alpha waves so promoting those is def a good idea for performance.
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
Yup, I've recommended them here before. Super solid overview of the most common snooker grip--the pronated grip.
Vernon Elliot
When I am at the table....it's My Show. You sit down and conduct yourself as .... well perhaps "Shut the F yuck up" is closer to what I said to Lake City Red. 
Okay story alert: It's on topic.
It was a 8 ball barbox(8') in Aberdeen weekend tournament that was maybe $40 entry and race to 4 with single race to 7 at the final 2.
The field was loaded with half of the 24 being Seattle Tacoma Olympia Players. Race Track Rick pronounced Clyde Bowls the favorite as he was the Oldest and well skilled. The rest were just as skilled.
The good news is I drew a House player. He could make balls but had to fall onto shape. The better news is I was making a slow start as Friday night was always a $50 night at The Seed 2. He had me 3-0 and I glanced to see who the 2 players were sweating my match and thinking, "if I survive this match. I hope I play one of them next, because they are going to think that I can't play." Sure enough I survived and Clyde was one of the two sweaters. I beat him 4-0 and could see the steam coming from his ears at the handshake where he proclaimed, "You and I can play some."(Clyde had lots of play money) My response was very respectful and "as soon as I am out". I wasn't ever out.
Lake City Red gave me a kick start for adrenaline on the 2nd chance side where Polyester Carl had sent me. That's where the opener came in. Got me through him and his son next to get back to Carl. The pot was 425 with 300 to first, it was a late evening Sunday. We were the only players left. So I offered a split because it was now a single elimination race to 7. I offered him the extra 25 he declined. I handed him the first 2 then found my gear and won 7-2.
Okay story alert: It's on topic.
It was a 8 ball barbox(8') in Aberdeen weekend tournament that was maybe $40 entry and race to 4 with single race to 7 at the final 2.
The field was loaded with half of the 24 being Seattle Tacoma Olympia Players. Race Track Rick pronounced Clyde Bowls the favorite as he was the Oldest and well skilled. The rest were just as skilled.
The good news is I drew a House player. He could make balls but had to fall onto shape. The better news is I was making a slow start as Friday night was always a $50 night at The Seed 2. He had me 3-0 and I glanced to see who the 2 players were sweating my match and thinking, "if I survive this match. I hope I play one of them next, because they are going to think that I can't play." Sure enough I survived and Clyde was one of the two sweaters. I beat him 4-0 and could see the steam coming from his ears at the handshake where he proclaimed, "You and I can play some."(Clyde had lots of play money) My response was very respectful and "as soon as I am out". I wasn't ever out.
Lake City Red gave me a kick start for adrenaline on the 2nd chance side where Polyester Carl had sent me. That's where the opener came in. Got me through him and his son next to get back to Carl. The pot was 425 with 300 to first, it was a late evening Sunday. We were the only players left. So I offered a split because it was now a single elimination race to 7. I offered him the extra 25 he declined. I handed him the first 2 then found my gear and won 7-2.
My first coach was Ray Ellis of the WW2 Marine Corp (blown off 2 ships in the Pacific). Playing Little League baseball he taught,
but couldn't get out. I wasn't ready for the big table. Especially playing Danny.
I kind of miss the old push-out rules. My favorite memory is pushing out after the break, the one time I played Dan Louie. He gave it back and I hit the bank with shape.Ray said:
but couldn't get out. I wasn't ready for the big table. Especially playing Danny. 
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
ye. here's a snippet from a brain training site's write up on the various brain wave rhythms....
"Theta waves are strong during internal focus, meditation, prayer, and spiritual awareness. It reflects the state between wakefulness and sleep and relates to the subconscious mind."
I couldn't find the documentary I watched on Theta but it had some interesting things in it other than references to athletes in 'the zone'. One is that it is linked to high creativity and innovation and how great minds of the past like Edisson and Da Vinci would 'dip into theta' with their sleep practices.... Since theta brain wave patterns are most common in transition from wakefulness to sleep, the way Edisson tapped into this creative state of mind was to take a nap holding a metal ball over a metal plate. As he fell asleep, he'd drop the ball and wake himself up. He found this really boosted his creativity and problem solving. Da Vinci was also known for napping 10-20min every 3hrs. Since these brain waves are so super rare in wakeful adults, these seem like pretty good strategies for dipping into theta on purpose.
On the athlete end (not from the doc and my own musings), Klay Thompson of the Warriors missed the shoot around as he was napping before the game when he had his other worldly 37pt 3rd quarter and 60points in 29min games. Def in the zone for both. Maybe the naps had something to do with it?
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Interesting stuff
Thanks wobbly
Nobody was ready for Dan Louie! He beat all comers in the Northwest for decades. Even my man Keith advised me he was "tough action!"My first coach was Ray Ellis of the WW2 Marine Corp (blown off 2 ships in the Pacific). Playing Little League baseball he taught,
I kind of miss the old push-out rules. My favorite memory is pushing out after the break, the one time I played Dan Louie. He gave it back and I hit the bank with shape.
When Denny Searcy challenged everyone and anyone to play for $5,000 up in Bend, OR, Danny told me later he would have played him except he was worn out from playing Mike Sigel for over five hours to win the Bend tournament. Danny won that match with Sigel that went two overtimes to decide. It was epic. Anyone who was there will never forget that match.
After I find out all my old friends had their country invaded and then followed up by a coverup.
After 9/11 I peaked in my pool playing development.
Today after COVID, Putin, South China Sea, Africa, and the Middle East and having been part of several global communities where I know and spent more than a few months with people from various nations, that is when I do my best.
When I know who is counting on the work and why they are counting on me specifically, that is when work mode gets extra prep.
Several top pool pros are sick and lack health insurance, and then there is the life on the road.
I support pool from the business side now. Everyone does better playing in debt, most top champions slip off after their peak earnings.
Pool mentality is real, but it is costly for the individual taking on the burden.
Can you answer the question "Why do you love pool and how do you share your love of pool?
After 9/11 I peaked in my pool playing development.
Today after COVID, Putin, South China Sea, Africa, and the Middle East and having been part of several global communities where I know and spent more than a few months with people from various nations, that is when I do my best.
When I know who is counting on the work and why they are counting on me specifically, that is when work mode gets extra prep.
Several top pool pros are sick and lack health insurance, and then there is the life on the road.
I support pool from the business side now. Everyone does better playing in debt, most top champions slip off after their peak earnings.
Pool mentality is real, but it is costly for the individual taking on the burden.
Can you answer the question "Why do you love pool and how do you share your love of pool?
Corona time i lost my job and our goverment refused to pay any money because i had own company before. So when tourneys came back after lock down i lived 1 year just playing them. Won 9 in row i believe.
In 1984 at the Ceasars Tahoe 9 ball tournament Dan beat Parica twice. At the conclusion of one of the matches Parica stated, "I am not the best in the Philippines." One thing that makes Dan's performance in that tournament incredible is that he traveled to Reno for dialysis and played the same day. My experience as a cab driver picking up patients after dialysis was they were very weak and needed significant time to recover.
I remember that.