Why does this happen?

8

8up

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I can play by myself in the basement. I play well and seem to be getting better but as soon as someone shoes up I can't sink a ball? I miss shots I almost never miss . Even when its just my wife or daughter who I can always beat I still do it in an ugly fashion, missing lots of shots. Then I get nervous and it gets worse.

Anyone have any advice?
 
I met many ppl with this problem. Mostly to do with your attitude (not negative meant, don t worry). Try to think about what you re doing there- you re spending time on your hobby- and this just is something to have fun. This is something you can train on yourself (like a pain therapy, hrhr). For example if you re doing drills or so, let your kids play in the same room, talk with them while you re training. There are just a few seconds where you really have to concentrate during your game- just go around the table and get your informations. And if you have them all and know what to do: This is the one and only correct time to go down into the stance, do your warm up strokes-Ssst-plop ^^. You usualy need 15-25 seconds when you re going down to make a ball. In the other time you can do anything else my friend- look for the nice waitress (in this case your wife-don t make a mistake-LOL), talk with your buddies or your opponent.
Your problem is really often seen- and you ll see it very often especially at league-games or other tournaments where ppl going crazy about outside influences- in the most cases (my opinion) a great amount of billiard-players are just searching for excuses for missing the next ball-nothin else (don t talk about a guy who s really nasty or bad who s hollering at you thru a game!).

Don t set yourself to much under pressure- have fun my friend-even on patterns and if you re playing solo. And if you re playing with an opponent: talk to him while playin (about weather, work, women blabbla etc)- remember- you just need to concentrate when you re going down.
Everybody have to work with influences which are naturally given. Don t spend to much time on em. And if you re really enjoying your hobby and able to stop taking care about what other ppl could think about YOUR game or style of game many many things will become much more easier :)
I walked trhough this problem many times- but it went better after playing many tournaments and finding out for myself that it is just a waste of time thinkin about influences to my game- after i *understood* that it is all about myself in this game my game increased dramatically. (it really doesn t matter who s watching yuo or who is your opponent!) Just have fun and play your game-as long as nobody steals your cue while playing....there s no problem what should disturb you:p
I don t want to get too deep into psychological things here. But i hope you understood what i tried to recommend you. It will take a while, but it will work soon ,


lg from overseas,

and...have fun!

Ingo
 
Thanks for the reply. I think its like stage fright and is casing a loss of focus maybe. I do have some anxiety problems might need to take a xanax before playing with others around lol
 
Sounds like there is a subtle shift in your mental attitude, where you are going from practice mode, and suddenly feel like you are "preforming". Your mind is no longer on what you are doing, but rather on trying to impress someone with what you are doing.

It is one of the big hurdles in transitioning to competitive level playing. I would bet that your entire routine and thought process on every shot changes when this happens. You aren't thinking about the shot, you are thinking about what someone thinks about your ability.

Put a big picture of your wife and kids in the pool room, and imagine they are always watching you! Learn to ignore anything other than what is happening inside the rails. It's nothing more than a mental block that you can overcome with practice.

Steve
 
8up said:
I can play by myself in the basement. I play well and seem to be getting better but as soon as someone shoes up I can't sink a ball? I miss shots I almost never miss . Even when its just my wife or daughter who I can always beat I still do it in an ugly fashion, missing lots of shots. Then I get nervous and it gets worse.

Anyone have any advice?
Click to expand...

it's pressure and nothing else.
 
Thanks it was about like I figured. I will just have to work on focus. Once the game is won its usually easy to run the rest of the balls off the table when there is no pressure to win and show off.
 
How much solo practice do you do versus playing against opponents?

If it is heavily weight towards the former, I think you just need to start playing more live opponents until you get comfortable.

It's very common for someone to be able to play great in practice and then dog it in a match. Taking straight pool for example, someone could have run 50 balls many times on the practice table but if they've never done it in a match those 20's can get nerve racking, even if you rain them in practice.

So I would just suggest playing more competition until your comfortable at the table. Also try to practice in a way the most accurately simulates match play.
 
I do spend more time practicing than playing others. I am not nearly as good as running 50 balls I am still working on 30. I need to join a league I was trying to get good enough to not look like a joke but it seems that might help.

Thanks for everyone's advice.
 
Don't worry so much about what you can or can't do in a league. I've been playing a BCA 8 ball league for 10 years, and we have players from all ranges and abilities. The main focus is to have a lot of fun, and of course while you have having fun, you try to win. I have seen many of these people in league come from "can't make a ball" to actually be pretty decent players.
It sounds like this is just what you need, to play around people IMHO. Soon you get to know all the guys and gals in the league, and it becomes even more fun. Good luck.
 
I see this in my students all the time. Your expectations of your performance are very high based on your practise acheivements. When you don't live up to your expectations you start to panic and wonder what the other people think about you, because you are not performing to your potential and everything spirals from there, you are putting undo pressure on yourself and it hinders your performance..

Many people base their expectations of performance on their best days, this sets the bar to high because their average game does not reach this level and sets them up for failure.

Try to develop a more accurate veiw of your game, relax and enjoy the competion and stop putting so much pressure on yourself. The only pressure that can be applied is self imposed.

Remember that you don't always have to run out, sometimes winning is enough.

Bern
 
Thanks for all the great advice, it makes sense when you explain it. Now to find a league. :smile:
 
Well I took your advice and joined a league. Carrying a stick in without a case will look a little funny but oh well. I will wait until I can afford a double case before I take both cues and just break with a house stick.

Thanks again, Ron
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top