young but tired?

Foolio

Foolio

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I know that this this might be funny to some people but here goes. I am not a big time gambler in pool by no means. But when I do play for money I play sets with a few friends and people that I have met. Usually they are very cheap (don't laugh) since I don't have much money and at most two sets.

Today I matched up with a player that is better than me, I knew it but was in a mode that wanted to play him just to see where we stand, and if I could hold my own against him and mentally myself. So we played two races to 7 and three races to 9 of nine ball. I am extremly satisfied with the way I played, I felt in stroke and confident with my shots. One of his friends who has watched me progress from the times when I didn't know how to play and given me plenty of "pep talks" on heart and mental game told me that he's never seen me show that much 'corazon' as he puts it.

Well after all those hours of nonstop playing, we broke even (I know sucks huh?). I haven't played that much pool in a while, especially for money. After that I was tired. I am young at 21 years of age but all that took a toll on me. I know some older, or maybe wiser is the term, people that would respond "when I was that age..." but for some reason I was out.

Does this happen to anyone else? Do I need more experience in playing longer matches, what do you do for stamina and keeping focus the whole way through?

I should add that I didn't sleep well this morning and this certain group of individuals invited me to smoke a certain substance with them. I'm am not a pothead but do it on occasions, I believe sometimes it makes me focus more, but I know I get lazy afterward when the feeling is gone so I think this might be a problem.

Any response is appreciated!
 
Foolio said:
I know that this this might be funny to some people but here goes. I am not a big time gambler in pool by no means. But when I do play for money I play sets with a few friends and people that I have met. Usually they are very cheap (don't laugh) since I don't have much money and at most two sets.

Today I matched up with a player that is better than me, I knew it but was in a mode that wanted to play him just to see where we stand, and if I could hold my own against him and mentally myself. So we played two races to 7 and three races to 9 of nine ball. I am extremly satisfied with the way I played, I felt in stroke and confident with my shots. One of his friends who has watched me progress from the times when I didn't know how to play and given me plenty of "pep talks" on heart and mental game told me that he's never seen me show that much 'corazon' as he puts it.

Well after all those hours of nonstop playing, we broke even (I know sucks huh?). I haven't played that much pool in a while, especially for money. After that I was tired. I am young at 21 years of age but all that took a toll on me. I know some older, or maybe wiser is the term, people that would respond "when I was that age..." but for some reason I was out.

Does this happen to anyone else? Do I need more experience in playing longer matches, what do you do for stamina and keeping focus the whole way through?

I should add that I didn't sleep well this morning and this certain group of individuals invited me to smoke a certain substance with them. I'm am not a pothead but do it on occasions, I believe sometimes it makes me focus more, but I know I get lazy afterward when the feeling is gone so I think this might be a problem.

Any response is appreciated!
Click to expand...

I played a guy 10 a game for 60 straight hours on a bar table (him takin bathroom breaks once an hour was all that i would allow) he must have gotten sick in the bathroom cuz he always came back with the sniffles ;) I had to be driven home cuz (i felt like at least) had walked 25 miles 7 feet at a time lol.
As for being wiped after a couple of sets is kinda weak my man. I would try get in better shape and pretty soon an 8 hour grind session will feel like a warm up. As for focus, you have to find a way to want it more than the guy you are playing. I'm not gonna lie or put it nicely you are gonna have to take quite a few long brutal beat downs before you really know what im talking about. Before you can win you have to learn the pain ( mental and physical) of losing. I lost a ton to everyone that gambled in my area and i just sucked it up and came back for more. I told them i would only be their ***** for so long, and guess what? They quit playing me after the booked loser after loser with me and i moved up the food chain little by little.

Sleep is for after you bust someone lol. Like i said you have to want it more than they do. By that i mean dont just say it or kinda mean it. In between match ups i would play rack after rack, drill after drill until i didnt think i was better, I knew it. As for the left handed cigs, :cool: The problem is maybe not enough LOOOOOOOL
 
That's quite an effing pep-talk, coach. Makes all the Mothers out there want there little boys to go to the pool room. You probably can't even beat this 67 year old man. Just tell me when, this week some time.

As for you Foolio, it was probably the stress that wiped you out. There is no way that running around a pool table for a few hours can be considered legitimate exercise. I do it for about 4 hours a day 5 days a week and I'm something less than a perfect physical specimen. If you played the better player to a draw you won more than money. And it was the adrenaline high that probably wiped you out. (By the way, he ain't a bettah playah no mo'):wink:
 
Foolio said:
I know that this this might be funny to some people but here goes. I am not a big time gambler in pool by no means. But when I do play for money I play sets with a few friends and people that I have met. Usually they are very cheap (don't laugh) since I don't have much money and at most two sets.

Today I matched up with a player that is better than me, I knew it but was in a mode that wanted to play him just to see where we stand, and if I could hold my own against him and mentally myself. So we played two races to 7 and three races to 9 of nine ball. I am extremly satisfied with the way I played, I felt in stroke and confident with my shots. One of his friends who has watched me progress from the times when I didn't know how to play and given me plenty of "pep talks" on heart and mental game told me that he's never seen me show that much 'corazon' as he puts it.

Well after all those hours of nonstop playing, we broke even (I know sucks huh?). I haven't played that much pool in a while, especially for money. After that I was tired. I am young at 21 years of age but all that took a toll on me. I know some older, or maybe wiser is the term, people that would respond "when I was that age..." but for some reason I was out.

Does this happen to anyone else? Do I need more experience in playing longer matches, what do you do for stamina and keeping focus the whole way through?

I should add that I didn't sleep well this morning and this certain group of individuals invited me to smoke a certain substance with them. I'm am not a pothead but do it on occasions, I believe sometimes it makes me focus more, but I know I get lazy afterward when the feeling is gone so I think this might be a problem.

Any response is appreciated!
Click to expand...

Stop sandbagging, and your APA matches will start to take longer. :D That will start to help with your endurance.

In all seriousness, there are a lot of factors to consider. If you were drinking, remember that alcohol is a depressant, and will cause you to feel more tired than you otherwise would. It's also important to take into account where you are playing. I know when I am playing in some of those bars down by the beach, where they don't have air conditioning, it can get pretty hot, which causes fat guys like me to sweat a lot, which also tends to drain me. Then there is the mental drain of trying to keep your focus for such an extended period of time. For me, when I'm playing a better player in a match that means something, I know that I need to maintain my focus the entire time, or else I don't stand a chance. I imagine that you feel the same way. Maintaining that level of mental concentration is exceptionally draining if you don't do it on a consistent basis, and there aren't many activities that people engage in that require such intense continuous concentration for that long. The last thing I did that required me to bear down for that long without a break was take the GMAT, which felt like a three hour rectal exam when I was done. And I had gotten a good night's sleep, the room was quiet and climate controlled, and I had prepared well for it. But I understood the stakes, and when I was done, I was fried. The only way to beat that kind of fatigue is through repetition, or taking some substances that you don't really want to mess with.

In short, if you're really concerned with how you're going to feel afterwards, don't drink while you play, wear clothes that you're going to be comfortable in at the location that you're playing in, and start playing longer sets. Maybe instead of playing the races to 7 or 9, start playing 7 ahead or 9 ahead for whatever you're comfortable betting. Those sets can take a really long time if you match up even with the other player, and if you're playing better players, you will be able to judge your progress based on how long the sets take to finish, and when you get better than them, how long or how many games it takes you to win.

No matter what you choose to do, keep playing.

Johnny
 
12310bch said:
That's quite an effing pep-talk, coach. Makes all the Mothers out there want there little boys to go to the pool room. You probably can't even beat this 67 year old man. Just tell me when, this week some time.

As for you Foolio, it was probably the stress that wiped you out. There is no way that running around a pool table for a few hours can be considered legitimate exercise. I do it for about 4 hours a day 5 days a week and I'm something less than a perfect physical specimen. If you played the better player to a draw you won more than money. And it was the adrenaline high that probably wiped you out. (By the way, he ain't a bettah playah no mo'):wink:
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I said i wasnt gonna lie or be nice about it :) You of all people know the brutalities of the pool world.
As for you any day but tomorrow and ill give you a shot after i got so lucky last time ;) seriously hit me up im down for some pool this week
 
I just got in about an hour ago from a near 8 hour session. I am only 31 but realize I am good for 6-8 hours before I really start to fall off and my game slips. I have been trying to figure out what it is since I do not smoke or whatever. I think perhaps I just need to start working out and also eating better especially when I am playing you need to put food and drink in your buddy.

I was asking a question on Facebook just the other day on what people eat when they play pool to get them through, some people said candy bars, trail mix, fruit and other stuff. I am going to keep trying and working on playing longer sessions, I admire the guys who can do it but I am not one of them who can play 24 hours straight. :cool:
 
Sounds like you are simply tiring yourself out by thinking too much and putting too much pressure on yourself.....it's actually pretty common, seen league players wiped out at the end of a race to 5.....

When the other player is shooting, relax....you need to kill the nervous energy....watch him just like you would any pro player on TV when you are trying to learn from them, except with him you are just looking for weaknesses :grin:

Next, it sounds like you are overconcentrating when it's your turn to shoot....prep, take your time, and keep loose.....just because you are focused does not mean you have to been tense or flex muscles.....keep thinking, but keep your body loose and simply think about executing....

Over time, it will get easier and easier for you, and you'll get less tired....experience, like anything else, plays a part and time will help....
 
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