Mentalul

[Clara White]

Un articol mi s-a parut interesant. Il reproduc in extenso. Autorul, PETE LINDSAY, este un psiholog specializat in tratarea sportivilor si lucreaza si in calitate de consultant la Academia de snooker din Rushden, Northants, unde vin tineri din toata lumea ( recent, asa cum se stie, intr-un numar de-a dreptul ... alarmant ( ), din China ! ). Lindsay preda si la Universitatea Hallam din Sheffield. ( Adresa lui : pete.lindsay1@btinternet.com. )

Improving your mental game

LESSON 1

The mind is widely acknowledged to play a fundamental role in how a player performs in competition. It’s often interesting to ask players how much of the game they believe to be mental – ask yourself now:

In percentage terms, how much of snooker is physical, how much is technical, how much is tactical, and how much is mental?

Whilst the physical, technical and tactical aspects of the game should not be underestimated, we often find that the mental side of the game is thought to be of massive importance. This is interesting, and often in stark contrast to the amount of practice time spent on the mental game. If you’ve decided that 40% of snooker is mental, can you honestly say that you spend 40% of your practice time developing and refining your mental game?

The mental game is similar to the technical game - you’ve got to practise it with the correct form and technique if you’re going to see the corresponding improvements in performance. To improve your technical game you might read books or articles from coaches, ask knowledgeable friends or listen to the pros discussing their approach. The most effective approach is obviously to work with a qualified coach who can analyse your current technique, understand your aspirations, and tailor the coaching to your tastes.

Similarly, you can approach the mental game through further reading, self-reflection, or by working with a sports psychologist. Often misunderstood and misrepresented, the role of the sports psychologist is essentially to help you work on your mental technique, alongside developing your mental toughness. Imagine how a footballer might work with a fitness coach – it’s not a one-off quick fix, instead it’s a progressive training package used to gradually improve upon baseline fitness. In the same way, a sport psychologist will work with you to develop a training package to systematically help you develop your self-awareness and improve upon your current performance.

This series of articles will provide you with the understanding of how you can improve your mental game, and we’ll start at the beginning by helping you develop a professional attitude:

Step 1 – Control the controllables

Firstly, I want you to make a list of every aspect within snooker that is within your control. As you do this, it’s imperative that you really question whether these aspects are 100 per cent within your control. Make the list now. Alongside this list, write a separate list of those factors which are outside of your control:

For example, “Winning a match” is not 100 per cent within your control – if your opponent plays the game of his life, the chances are that you’re going to lose the match.

Short example list:

Controllable
Maintaining a smooth cue action.
Keeping a winning attitude throughout the game.
Having a consistent pre-shot routine. T
Keep my focus in the present.
Approaching the table with confidence every time

Uncontrollable
My opponent’s behaviour.
The result of the game.
The quality of the table.
The reaction of the crowd.
Other people’s comments

Now look at the factors that you’ve identified as being 100 per cent within your control and score yourself out of ten for the degree to which you currently control each factor. Are there any that you’re not controlling completely? The aim is to try to score ten out of ten for everything on your “controllables” list.

Taking one factor that you’re not controlling fully, create some strategies to help you bring it further under your control. It’s important to not overload yourself so you should address these factors one at a time within your training.

Secondly, look at the list of factors that you have determined to be “uncontrollable”. You should strive to fully accept that they are outside of your control and therefore there is nothing to be gained by worrying about them. Many players find this easy to say but difficult to do, especially in the heat of competition, but by not wasting precious mental energy on factors that you cannot influence you’ll see a definite improvement in your overall game.

They key is to realise that you CAN control how you react to the uncontrollables! You must begin to take ownership of your own internal emotional climate – start taking responsibility for your managing your mindset on a consistent basis.

As a final note, here’s a quote from Ed Moses (the famous 400m hurdler) when asked how he had managed the pressure of being unbeaten in 122 consecutive races over a period of nine years, nine months and nine days:

“Ain’t no use worryin’ bout things beyond your control, cos if they’re beyond your control, ain’t no use worryin’."

“Ain’t no use worryin’ bout things within your control, cos if you’ve got them under control, ain’t no use worryin’.”

_________________
Laureată a Premiului Oscue - German Masters 2018, German Masters 2019, Masters 2022
Moral principles do not depend on a majority vote. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong. Right is right, even if nobody is right. ++ Fulton Sheen

[Clara White]

LESSON 2

Keeping focussed under pressure

What mental qualities separate the best players from the rest? One quality that the best players often display is the ability to keep focussed under the spotlight of competition - to keep focussed under pressure. A lost match can often be traced back to a lapse in concentration, often when both players are fatigued mentally and physically.

It’s important to understand that concentration and focus is a skill that can be developed like any other. Just like technique, the key is practising this skill as often as possible during your practice sessions – only then will it hold up to the added pressure of competition.

Concentration and focus can be thought of like a beam of light from a torch. The ‘width’ of the beam can be narrow to focus on a single thing, or it can be broad to focus on a larger area. The beam can also be ‘directed’ to point at the external world (eg the pack of reds, the scoreboard etc), or it can be directed internally (eg focussing on strategy, thinking about how we feel etc). Robert Nideffer (1976) developed a model of concentration with these two dimensions – Width and Direction.

Under pressure, we tend to find that players will first revert to their attentional strength or preferred style. Where do you find your focus tends to go when you’re under pressure in a match – ie what’s your preferred attentional style?

- Do you focus narrowly upon the external world (eg focussing singly upon getting position for the next ball – sometimes to the detriment of the current shot);
- Do you focus narrowly internally (eg focussing upon how you feel when under pressure – this might lead to missing other shots that are also on);
- Does your focus become broad and directed externally (eg onto the whole table and everyone in the room – sometimes leading to focussing on irrelevant information);
- Or does your focus become broad and internal (eg focussing upon strategy and game plans – sometimes leading you to follow a strategy which is no longer effective).

Under pressure players tend to first revert to their preferred style (as described above), even if it’s not appropriate for the situation. Then pressure often leads them to focus more narrowly, causing them to feel rushed or overloaded by information. As they start developing the physical symptoms of anxiety (eg sweaty palms, heavy legs) their focus often becomes more internal leading them to miss task relevant cues in their environment (eg a possible plant, a simple safety option).

A simple technique to help counteract the effects of pressure on your focus is as follows:

1. First recognise that you’re not focussed appropriately;
2. Take a couple of deep, slow breaths – feel all of the air as you breathe in and out. This will serve to keep you focussed on the present moment, and relax you a little;
3. Use a key word or phrase to regain your focus – eg “focus”, “just play the shot”, “the next shot is most important”;
4. Play the next shot, focussed in the present and focussing on the appropriate areas (eg playing the ball, keeping a smooth cue action, getting position for the next ball or safety).

The key points in maintaining focus under pressure are:

* Stay in the present – don’t focus on past or future events (eg past = missed shots, future = winning);
* Don’t focus internally for too long – this can lead to paralysis by analysis – snooker is played in the external world;
* Focus on the relevant information in the environment – focussing too broadly can lead to becoming overloaded and feeling rushed.

_________________
Laureată a Premiului Oscue - German Masters 2018, German Masters 2019, Masters 2022
Moral principles do not depend on a majority vote. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong. Right is right, even if nobody is right. ++ Fulton Sheen

[Smaranda]

Genial, Clara! Thanx a bunch pentru articol. Daca mai gasesti, impartaseste! (I know you do anyway, but still...) Exact ce vorbeam l aun moment dat despre factorul psihologic.

_________________
Score one-four-seven... Snooker heaven!

[Clara White]

LESSON 3

Developing mental toughness

Snooker presents many unique challenges to players, challenges that make snooker one of the most mentally demanding sports in the world.
In sports such as golf or field events in athletics, your opponent making a great shot or throw still gives you a chance to play/make an equally effective shot/throw. In snooker however, when your opponent plays an excellent shot, you are often left to sit in your chair and reflect upon missed chances or previous mistakes.

In sports such as football or rugby, players are often making decisions or remaining involved in the game for the majority of the playing time. In snooker, you may be away from the table for half an hour before you’re presented with a single chance, and then it’s imperative that you get back into the groove when you might be feeling cold and mentally switched off.

As a result of these characteristics of the game, a key focus for the mentally tough player is the way in which they use the time when they are not at the table.

Some less mentally tough players might spend this time reflecting negatively upon their performance, developing negative expectations about the outcome of the match.

Instead the mentally tough player will often sit in their chair appearing calm and focussed, maintaining an effective internal climate. They might mentally go through some positive self statements, reaffirming their unwavering belief that they can succeed in the match.
Less mentally tough players might miss a shot, and sit in their chair internally beating themselves up over the mistake, looking disappointed and frustrated. They might then carry over these negative feelings and expectations when their next chance arises, only to let the previous mistake negatively affect this new chance. In addition, the negative body language (appearing frustrated and disappointed) often raises the hopes and expectations of their opponent, thus reducing their own chance of success further.

Upon missing a shot, the mentally tough player will instead focus upon re-establishing their internal equilibrium by telling themselves to “calm down”. In addition, they’ll often ensure that they maintain precise control over their body language when walking away from the table, and when they’re back in their chair (often staring at a specific point in the arena, or calmly pouring a glass of water).

As a result, the following are two practical approaches to developing your mental toughness further:

1. Become aware of your thoughts when away from the table – are they primarily negative and self-defeating? If so, strive to remain calm whilst keeping your thoughts positive and free from critical comments;
2. Ask yourself “What happens to my body language when I miss a shot?” Appearing confident and focussed will prevent you from giving your opponent any further boosts from looking disappointed and frustrated.

Remember, if you don’t FEEL confident and focussed – make sure you ACT confident and focussed.

[You know what ?!... Astea nu sunt lectii valabile DOAR pentru snooker. ]

_________________
Laureată a Premiului Oscue - German Masters 2018, German Masters 2019, Masters 2022
Moral principles do not depend on a majority vote. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong. Right is right, even if nobody is right. ++ Fulton Sheen

[Clara White]

PETE LINDSAY se întoarce. Cu o nouă lecţie la aproape un an de la ultima (vezi mai sus).

This lesson is on confidence:

Confidence is perhaps the most important ingredient in any sporting contest. Confidence is the glue that holds together your game from a technical, tactical and mental point of view.

Surprisingly, it's not really a matter of "how much" confidence a player has. What's more important is "how robust" that confidence is. By this, I mean if a player suffers a setback, how does this impact their confidence? Will their confidence hit rock bottom, and take months to recover? Can their confidence be shattered by a single bad result, or are they able to remain confident in even the most difficult circumstances?

The more successful players develop "robust" self-confidence that is able to take a knock and not be shattered. Robust self-confidence is like a bubble or a shell around a player. If it's strong, negative experiences will not cause it to break apart.

The key to developing robust self-confidence is firstly identifying where you get your confidence from. What gives you confidence in your game? Here are some typical answers:

- Winning
- Other people's positive comments (e.g. coach's)
- My cue action
- Practice
- Preparation
- Feeling healthy
- Having beaten the opponent before

If your confidence is built purely upon factors such as winning or the comments of others, then your game is likely to be something of an emotional roller-coaster. Your confidence will be likely be high one day, then low, then high again as you're not fully in control of these factors.....this approach is not likely to breed consistent results.

Alternatively, if you build your confidence on areas that you have complete control over (eg number of practice hours, solid preparation, etc), this will remain constant whatever your results. Basing your confidence on these more stable factors can help to develop a form of unshakable self-belief, because whatever else happens, you can always get back to these habits. Take some time to brainstorm the factors that give you confidence, and then score each factor out of ten for how much you're currently controlling each one? Strive to build your confidence on the things that you can influence!

I ask players to commit to practising the daily habits that will build and develop their robust self-confidence. Confidence then becomes a skill that they can develop, practice, refine, and most importantly, rely upon.

Assessing where your confidence comes from, and developing the daily habits to build and maintain this confidence will help keep your game strong and consistent, even under pressure.

_________________
Laureată a Premiului Oscue - German Masters 2018, German Masters 2019, Masters 2022
Moral principles do not depend on a majority vote. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong. Right is right, even if nobody is right. ++ Fulton Sheen

[luiza_hunter]

8) finish...

_________________
HUNTER Lover 4 EVER!!! ...♥ PAUL!!!!!!
" daca vom ajunge in rai, sa nu ne miram de va fi sa vedem printre ingeri si unul cu tacul in mana..."

[Clara White]

* LOOKING AT FEAR
by Blackjack David Sapolis
Excerpt from The Growling Point

FEAR

It’s your biggest nightmare. One day you can make that shot, the next day you can’t. Or, you do it perfectly in practice, but when it is time to do it in competition you choke.

Fear. You hate it. It can be paralyzing. It can make even the most patient player want to check him or herself into the psych ward. This article will help you look at fear in a totally new way. A way so different, so revolutionary, you may just want to write me a thank you note. So… Are you ready to revolutionize the way you are looking at fear?

You work all day at the table on making shots and attaining pin point position. You do drill after drill to be sure that your stroke is fine tuned. Your coaches/instructors talk at length to you about the importance of having a smooth fluid stroke and a tight, solid stance. You always ensure that you have the proper body alignment while shooting. You know full well that shooting pool without proper alignment is like trying to thread a piece of spaghetti through the eye of a needle. Not easy and not very effective.

But what about the mind? The mind is a thought factory, creating thought after thought after thought. A mind out of control is the same as a stroke out of control; all over the place, and mostly in places where it doesn’t belong. Loose mind creates fear, frustration, doubt, and negativity. The opposite is also true. Tight mind creates fearlessness, positivity, confidence, and focus. So it’s simple, just as you work on how to correct and tighten your stance through correction and drills, do the same with your mind. Teach yourself how to tighten your mind through mental corrections and drills. Change the way you think about fear by simply seeing it as loose mind.

Fear is simply "loose mind".

You correct loose body (lazy stance) all the time. You would never let go of the cue ball with the match winning 9 ball sitting in the pocket. So why do we let go of the mind? Begin to correct loose mind just as you would any body position. Correct it non-emotionally. Whenever you feel fear, frustration or over-thinking, simply draw your attention to loose mind with a simple comment. Say something to yourself like, "my mind seems loose, what am I thinking?", or "I see fear is creeping in, just focus on the correction over and over." Teach yourself to identify loose mind whenever you feel it. Without awareness, making a correction is virtually impossible. Teach yourself to listen to what you are saying in your head. Then, "lock it down" by either saying cue words, corrections, or positive self statements.

Remember, when the mind is loose, negative thoughts have a free for all. They take any opportunity to sneak in and create fear. So how can you keep your mind tight? How can you "lock it down"? The following is a list of drills you can do to help anchor your mind. "Anchoring" keeps the mind tight, in proper alignment, so that negative thoughts cannot enter leading to fear and doubt.

Anchors for loose minds. Mental Choreography

The mind is simply another part of the body. In sport, you spend countless hours training your body for proper position, alignment, and technique. The mind must also remain in proper alignment in order to achieve success. One of the most important skills for any pool player is the ability to pull one’s mind back into proper position when it goes off course. Mental choreography is the blinders for the mind. It keeps the mind tight and provides a resting place when it goes off course. We know that the biggest cause of poor performance is out of control thinking. Keeping the monkey-mind occupied and "out of trouble" is key. Using mental choreography enables the mind to stay focused, centered, and on track.

Mental Choreography words are verbal cues words used to keep the mind tight during performance. These words are used before, during, and after performance, not only during difficult points in the match. When these words are done during every shot or stroke, your words serve as a resting place for your mind. This is the secret gift of mental choreography. Once it becomes second nature and automatic, it will carry you through during the difficult or trying times. The words will allow the mind to become "non-thinking", thus in the zone. The zone is ultimate "tight mind".

There are three types of Mental Choreography thoughts to utilize as mental cues when you’re afraid:

Technical Statements: Statements or corrections ("lift", "tight", "shoulders square")

Energy Statements: Statements that bring energy up or down ("go!", "push here!", and "relax" "breathe")

Confidence Statements: Statements that encourage and build trust (i.e. "I can do it", "I've done it before")

Focus on these cue words to lock down your mind and keep it tight.

Anchor phrases

Anchor phrases are any phrase or series of actions that help tighten your mind. The mind must be anchored strong and steady in order to stay on course in the turbulence of negative thinking. Just as you pull your cue back to perform your stroke, you can pull your mind back the same way by using an anchor.

An anchor is a series of thoughts or actions that will pull your mind back to perfect mental position. An anchor is a series of strong "come-backs" to those negative thoughts keeping you in fear and doubt. Anchors help you return to focus, fearlessness, and doubtlessness. Examples of strong anchors include: "breathe, stay on course, I can do this", "breathe, tight mind, don’t go there", or "relax, keep it cool, it’s no big deal." Each anchor statement should include breathing and positive self-talk. The anchor should break the downward spiral of frustration, fear, or nervousness, and get your mind back on course. Whenever you notice loose mind, pull it back by telling yourself to "go get a drink, and use my anchor", or "do some drills and use your mental anchor", or simply, "anchor my mind".

The Confidence Bank

For most players, fear is simply a deficit in confidence. Look at your mind as a confidence bank. When positive deposits go up, the mind feels an abundance of confidence. When you’re in a deficit in the confidence account, the mind feels fear and worry. Have a wealth of confidence by building up your accounts. An account is built by success. Even successful shots can make your bank overflow. See fear as a lack of confidence. Even if you have made the shot hundreds of times, if you are fearful, then you are lacking in confidence. Remember, fear isn’t always rational. As you as you see fearful behavior, especially balking, help create success by going back to the last successful shot. Build up the bank again, before pushing yourself to take the next shot. It’s important to note, that the mind seems to focus on failures more than successes. A player can successfully perform a shot over and over again, just to have all of that shattered by a scratch, miscue, or a bad miss. Don’t forget about your successes - the shots that do drop. They are just as important as times when you are having difficulty.

Watch your Language!

What you say to yourself is extremely important. Maybe even more important than what others say to you! Are you creating an atmosphere in your head of fear, or one of confidence? What we put energy into grows bigger. Putting energy into fear, even overcoming it, fuels the fear beast. Use language with yourself that changes the way you view fear.. The following are some phrases to use in order to build confidence and take the focus off of fear.

It’s ok, I just need to build up your confidence.
Tight mind, I can see my fear beast coming up.
Go back and do some drills. Let’s build up my confidence bank.
Check my thoughts. I am having loose mind.
Anchor my mind. Focus on the correction and put it on automatic.
Don’t think about anything but this correction. Say it over and over again in my head.
Walk through the pre-shot routine saying my key words.
My monkey mind is getting me into trouble. Focus on this correction.

Remember, look at fear as simply loose mind. It can be corrected, there are drills for it. Correct loose mind quickly and easily before you lose yours.

BREAKING DOWN THE BLOCKS

It’s so frustrating. One minute you can pocket balls, the next minute you can’t. So many players can shoot perfectly one day, only to find themselves losing it, or worse yet, not even being able to go for it at all. Take the story of Don for example,

"One day I was breaking the balls perfectly. I was making the corner ball and consistently getting a shot on the 1 ball and running out. It was great! The next day I came to the table and couldn’t make anything. Nothing fell on the break, I missed easy shots, it was like I was scared. It was like I had a block inside my body that said "don’t go for it. You’ll never make that shot. I was frustrated. I wasn’t sure what was going on."

This happens to every player at one time or another. A block is so strong that it shakes your confidence down to the very core. This article will give you some tools to help you break down the block so that the block doesn’t break you down.

Where do Blocks come from?

All fears and blocks come from out of control thinking. The mind controls the body. If you are not feeling confident or are thinking negative thoughts, the body responds with fear and balking. It’s strange, but sometimes you are totally unaware that this is happening. Many players say they are not afraid, but continue to balk on shots, or duck tough shots. If there is balking, there is some kind of fear. It may be a fear about something that has never happened. Or something that might happen. It might be a response to too much pressure. It might be that your stroke doesn’t feel natural. Whatever it is, the key is to change your thinking! What are you thinking as you’re practicing and playing?

We all know how powerful the mind is. Think of the mind like a sailboat on the ocean of life. As the boat sails, thoughts control the weather. Negative thought patterns create storms and blocks in our lives, while positive thought patterns create smooth sailing. The disciplined player has as much control of their thoughts as a musician has control of his instrument. It is essential to increase awareness of when your thoughts become out of control. A "tight mind" is one that is focused, effortless, confident, rational, and in control. A "loose mind" is negative, dramatic, irrational, over-thinking, doubtful and out of control. Most blocks come from having a loose mind. Too many times, the mind becomes loose, going off on it’s own "field trip" of negativity and doubt. These field trips may lead to losing a game, or even the entire match. Remember, out of control thinking leads to out of control performance.

Battling the Block: 3 Keys to Breakthrough

A pool player battling the block needs to bring out the entire army. There are three aspects of training that are especially helpful. Only utilizing one or two of these aspects is like fighting a battle with one hand tied behind your back. Two of these training interventions are physical one is mental. It’s very common for players (as well as instructors) to do the physical interventions without addressing the mental part. Since we know that blocks are mostly mental, it’s crucial that instructors and players address the mental side too! The two physical aspects are progressive drills and repetitions, the mental aspect is tightening the mind.

1: Progressive Drills

First thing to do when you have a block is go back to the earliest progressive drill you can complete successfully. Progressive drills are drills that have advancing degrees of difficulty. Perhaps it is a long cut shot with the object ball on the top rail. Perform the shot over and over at various distances and angles until you become very successful at making the shot. Keep increasing difficulty until your feel confident doing the skill again. After you become very confident, try the shot one handed or opposite handed. Always raise the bar and challenge yourself. I don’t care of you have to close your eyes to enhance the difficulty, practice the shot every way imaginable.

2: Repetitions

Along with the drills, you must take repetitive shots, like practicing your break shot. Break the balls over and over, trying to stick the cue ball, and control the one ball. Do it over and over until you get sick of it. Do the same thing with a shot that you missed in your last match. Keep doing it until you begin to say, "I can do this", rather than "I can’t do this". Make the successful completion of this repetitive shot second nature, so that when you are in competition your moves and mental state will be natural, not choppy or unfamiliar. You will be motivated by the confidence that you can successfully make the shot, rather than being controlled by the fear that says that you won’t.

3: Tools to Tighten the Mind

Progressive Drills and repetitions can’t break the block alone. Dealing with the problem directly will help the block break easier and faster. The best way to break the block cycle is combining progressive drills, repetitions, and tight mind tools. Here are the three most effective mental tools to break the block.

Mental Choreography (MC)

Never underestimate the importance of mental choreography (MC) or "key thoughts" . MC more than any other tool helps to tighten the mind. Think of MC as blinders for the mind. MC keeps your mind "locked down" so that distraction or doubt can not interfere with your focus. Create key thoughts that you say to yourself for any skill you feel blocked on. Say those thoughts in your head whenever you are down in your stance taking the shot. That is the most important part. As you take each shot, be sure to say your mental choreography words. Your key thoughts will help your body and mind to work together to complete the task automatically.

Visualization

What you think is what you do. Imagine yourself taking and making the shot in your mind to break the block cycle. Practice imagining yourself making the shot while your eyes are open, looking at the shot. If you are blocked on a particular bank shot, stand at the table facing that shot and visualize yourself making the shot perfectly. Be sure to do your mental choreography words every time you imagine yourself doing the skill. This pairs the words you say with completing the task. In addition to visualizing, walk through the shot you are blocked on. Pay attention to each and every one of your stroke movements while saying mental choreography. Feel yourself taking the shot as much as possible. Slowly perform each practice stroke and the final stroke from start to finish.

Anchors

It’s important to be aware when your mind is loose and off track. Then, you must have enough determination to pull it back on course. The turbulent thoughts of your mind can pull your sailboat way off track. At times, pulling it into the dangerous whirlpools of the Bermuda Triangle! Your mind must be anchored strong and steady to stay on course in the storm of negative thinking. Just as you pull your stroke back to proper position to make a technical correction, you can pull your mind back the same way by using an anchor.

Your anchor is a series of thoughts or actions that will pull your mind back to focus and doubtlessness. Your anchor will be strong "come-backs" to negative thoughts. Helping your mind return to focus, fearlessness, and doubtlessness. Examples of strong anchors include: "breathe, stay on course, I can do this", "breathe, tight mind, don’t go there", or "relax, keep it cool, it’s no big deal." Each anchor statement should include breathing and positive self-talk. Your anchor should break the downward spiral of frustration, fear, or nervousness, and get your mind back on course. Whenever you feel a block coming on, use your anchor to move you to a positive place.

Remember to keep it cool.

Breaking the block is something all players can do. It’s important to keep a positive attitude. Stress feeds the Block Beast. The more you tell yourself, "I’m getting over this", "I know I can get this back", "It’s getting better every day", the quicker you will break the block. Don’t let negative thinking defeat you. Stay positive, stay totally doubtless, knowing you will get the consistency back. Sometimes the more pressure you put on yourself the worse the block. Keep it cool. Let go and trust you’ll be back in the winner’s circle in no time!


* FEEDING THE RIGHT BEAST
by Blackjack David Sapolis
(excerpt from Stroke of Genius)

This is by far the most popular article I have ever written. I appreciate all of the kind words I have recieved concerning this article, but all credit goes to Johnny Black Wolf, wherever he may be! - Blackjack.

Many years ago I had the pleasure of meeting a Sioux Indian named Johnny Black Wolf. Johnny was sort of a quiet guy, more of a drinker than he was a pool player, but he still knew more about the game than I did at the time. He was good at straight eight on the bar box. He’d play you for anything from a bottle of beer to a hundred bucks, it all depended on how thirsty he was.

Johnny won more than he lost, and he never did complain, nor did he ever seem phased by the outcome, be it good or bad. Johnny seemed to have ice water in his veins. He always remained focused on what he was doing, never flinching, gasping or even commenting on anything that was going on around him. He just drank his beer and shot the balls into the subway when it was his turn to shoot.

He was boring to watch. He just slow rolled the balls. One night I saw something that amazed me about this man, and that is what this story is about. Two guys came into Dunphy’s bar in Harrison, New Jersey and start watching Johnny as he’s shooting a game of eight ball with a local player.

The men were tall, dark, rough looking Italians from Brooklyn. Johnny was wearing his hair in a pony tail, with the locks in back braided. He had a black Stetson with adorned with eagle feathers. Johnny’s body was shaped sort of like a bowling pin, and he wobbled as he strutted around the table in his black cowboy boots. Johnny wore genuine turquois Indian jewelry around his neck and on his fingers. He was quite a sight to see in New Jersey at the time.

The two strangers started taunting Johnny as he made his way around the table. "Tonto shoot pool with kemosave." One snipped. Johnny played as if he did not hear them. The comments became personal as they attacked his clothes, his heritage, and his name. Johnny shook it all off and remained focused on what he was doing. I believe he was up by about $200 at the time.

Then one of the strangers challenges Johnny to a game of eight ball for $100 a game. "I thought you guys just shot arrows?" One of them snickered. "You think he shoots pool with his bow and arrow?" The other laughed. Johnny ignored their insults and played the taller of the two strangers. The more they insulted Johnny and made crude remarks, the better Johnny played. Nothing they said or did seemed to bother Johnny at all. I’m not sure how much money Johnny won that night, but I know that he won the respect of everybody in the bar. The two strangers ran out of money, insults, and patience. They left the bar never to be seen again.

Being young and full of lots of questions, I asked Johnny how he remained so calm when it was obvious that the two guys were trying to distract him. "They were trying to get a reaction out of me." Johnny explained calmly. "My inner strength was no match for their childishness."

Then he explained to me about "Feeding the Panther". Johnny explained that in his beliefs, he is challenged by two beasts that live within his soul. One provides strength, knowledge, wisdom, understanding and and pride. This is the Panther. The other beast tries desperately to conquer the other beast and what it provides for him. This is the rattlesnake. The rattlesnake tries to inflict its poisoness venom into his soul.

Johnny explained that it was up to him as to who would be stronger, the panther or the rattlesnake. He explained that it was up to him as to which one he fed. If he concentrated on negativity, anger, resentment, bitterness, hatred, self pity, and discontent, he was feeding the rattlesnake. If he concentrated on being positive, happy, calm, friendly, understanding and proud, he was feeding the panther.

He explained to me that the rattlesnake occasionally stole a meal or two from the panther, but that he had put the rattler on a diet long ago. "The longer the rattler goes without being fed, the hungrier it gets. That is why I have to keep the Panther stronger than the snake, smarter than the snake, and more prepared than the snake. Someday I hope the snake will die of starvation."

To me it seemed as if it was a simple solution to a big problem. What beast was I feeding? Who was I really cursing at when I missed that damn easy four ball in the corner pocket? Who was I really hurting when I rationalized myself into cutting my practice routine short? Who was I helping by doing that? Whan I got angry at the wife and kids yesterday, was that the panther or the rattlesnake sneaking a snack?

If you are like me, I had a pretty healthy rattlesnake, and a damn puny looking panther at the time. I had to change my attitudes in order to feed the right beast. Today when I go to tournaments, people see the "Feed the Panther" logo on my cue case. When I train my students, I feed their panthers. By that I mean I give constructive criticism in a positive, helpful way. I don’t yell and scream or get frustrated. That only produces resentment that will get in the way of accomplishing our goals. When I make a good shot, or run a tough rack, or achieve a goal, I believe that it is important to celebrate the achievement. This is a feast for the panther.

My students look at me funny when I ask them to choose an animal that will be the symbol of their strength, inspiration, pride, and determination. They look at me even funnier when I ask them to to choose an animal that represents all that is destructive to them. When they reap the rewards of this training method, they understand its meaning. I give out little animal trinkets when my students achieve their goals.

One lady on the women’s pro tour can tell you of her large collection of little toy tigers. She will also tell you that she’s earned every single one of them. They may not mean much to anybody else, but to her they symbolize growth in mind, body and spirit. I lost touch with Johnny Black Wolf many years ago. I never thanked him for sharing his ideals with me. Our conversation opened up a door that was filled with a wide range of ideas that I still use today. May you have the same result.


* DEALING WITH PRESSURE
by Blackjack David Sapolis
(excerpt from The Growling Point)

What would it take to make you choke during a match??? A television camera showing your next shot to a national audience? The chance to earn several thousand dollars if you were to run out the rack? What about the risk of losing $1000 if you were miss it?

When I was doing research for this book I decided to find out. With the help of the University of New Mexico Psychology Department, I designed a research project to determine how 10 players of various skill levels would react to the stress of shooting straight in shots on the 9 ball. Each round consisted of 20 shots with varying levels of pressure. The first round, the players were asked to make a straight in shot on the 9 ball 20 times (no pressure).Then I added pressure by asking them to repeat the 20 shots while being filmed for a nationally televised show. They had the added pressure of a crowd full of people, cameras around the table, and adverse lighting conditions. In the third stage, we added even more pressure by telling the players that they would get $300 each by matching their performance on the first round of tests. That's not all. I warned them they would lose $1000 if they didn't match their first round scores. While they shot, we monitored heart rate and brain wave activity. Here's what happened.

Five players matched or exceeded their initial scores from the first round and collected $300. The other half didn't -- they choked. But our test found that all 10 players equally displayed all of the measurements of anxiety. The test concluded that it's not the level of anxiety that determines performance, but how the brain processes the increase in activity. Our chokers had the left side of their brain doing most of the work when the pressure increased. The successful players had brain activity that was spread evenly throughout both sides of the brain. Remember that imagery and target awareness are created in the right brain, while the left side focuses on the technical aspects of making the shot.

It's not just amateur pool players who get nervous. One of the great myths of sports is that elite athletes in all sports don't experience the same kind of anxiety that the rest of us do. As a professional player, I get nervous. You must realize that it's okay. Getting nervous is part of the game. World-class players such as Efren Reyes and Ralf Souquet experience a temporary case of the nerves, but they have learned how to handle their emotions in ways that don't hinder their performance. I would argue that they know how to use both sides of their brains.

"Balanced Brain Activity" under stress is a skill that can be practiced, but it's not something that can be developed overnight. Below are several suggestions for getting both sides of the brain involved to avoid choking. Here are a few of them:

• Use mental (visualizing the target) and verbal cues (positive self-talk).

• If you become distracted during your pre-shot routine, start over. Don't try to fix the problem in mid-stream.

• Be specific in your thinking about what you want to do with a shot. It's easier to concentrate when your attention is sharply focused than when the objective is vague.

• Do your thinking prior to getting down in your stance.

• Avoid overthinking during your pre-shot routine. That stops the psychological momentum you've already created. If you are still unsure of what you are about to do, get back up and start all over again.

• Visually connect with the target on your last look.

• End your routine with a breath. Exhale, then take the cue back.

Always remember that to be a top class player, you should practice -- on and off the table. If you can use some of these stress management techniques away from the table, (in rush hour traffic, for example), they might transfer to your game during a match.

Pressure is a pool player's occupational hazard. Whether you're playing in the local tournament or the U.S. Open, it's always there. Some seem immune to nervousness simply because they choose to ignore it. Others go to pieces. How do you cope with it?

I have many theories about dealing with pressure. I believe that negative feedback is the key to it all. It's so difficult to con your mind. All the great players seem to be hypnotized. They eliminate negative thoughts and breed positive thoughts. They put mistakes and errors out of their mind prior to coming back to the table. They focus on winning and eliminate thoughts that are not focused on that.

You build up subconscious muscle memory, and it takes a while to block those things out. When you're shooting, don't even think about shooting. Just think about stroking the ball. It's not your nerves; it's the way you think. How you go about it is the key.

Successful players have different ways of coping with pressure. Some see sports psychologists, who stress visualization, remaining calm and positive reinforcement; others psyche out pressure by thinking negatively, sort of reverse psychology. Some just tune out. One year, I played the MPBT Tour listening to music on a Walkman to relax. I would remove the headset while I was shooting, but while I was in the chair, I wore the headset and stayed in my own little world. While in the chair, I would focus my attention on the playing surface of the table while I listened to music.When it was my turn to shoot, I would remove the headset. When the music stopped, it was like a starting gun in my brain.

I played the tour for 17 years and saw a lot of players self-destruct. Sooner or later, it happens to almost everybody. Our worst faults come out in competition. We are all creatures of habit. If choking is our habit, we need to treat it as such. We need to unlearn habits. If we keep our thoughts simple, we will do better. As you get into competition, your stroke speeds up and so do your thoughts, that's natural. You need to back off and be more deliberate. Trust your stroke and don't doubt yourself. It's a matter of being organized and remaining calm. If you overload your brain with negativity, anything you try to do will also be negative.

Many players have a common fault - thinking big. They often try to make shots they're incapable of making. All of a sudden they're trying to win the match with every shot instead of using good judgment and playing safe when they need to. Newsflash - YOU CAN'T MAKE EVERY SHOT!!! You can't make things happen out there and waste your opportunities by being overzealous. You will only turn the table over to your opponent. This caused by getting ahead of ourselves. I know you've heard it before, but you have to play one shot at a time. You have to put that last shot that you missed, or that last error out of your mind.

Most top players agree that mental preparation is essential. The night before a tournament, visualize each shot and how you would like to play it. That way your mind is focused the next day and simply needs reinforcement. If you can't see yourself making a particular shot, chances are you won't, so don't try. Always try to play within yourself and your abilities. Visualize your break shot, watching your cue ball stop dead after contact, making a ball, and controlling the one ball perfectly. Then visualize yourself running out.

The average stroke lasts 1 - 2 seconds. Francisco Bustamante sets up for 12 to 15 seconds before each shot and 10 seconds for his break. If he makes 1 ball on the break, that leaves him with 8 shots. at 17 second intervals, each game lasts an average of 2:16 per game. If his opponent breaks and makes nothing, it takes him an average of 2:00 to run out the rack. This will vary at lengths of shorter and longer due to how many balls he makes on the break. Seeing that each shot lasts 1-2 seconds, he averages about 16 seconds per rack when he is actually pulling the trigger. That leaves a lot of time where he is left thinking about what he is going to do and how he is going to it.

We are going to look at those 12-15 seconds. What you do and what you think about is very important. Some of that time is spent evaluating your situation. Some of that time is dedicated to recognizing the shot you are going to take, and what route you will be sending the cue ball for your next shot. These are task oriented thoughts. Whenever a thought creeps into your mind, such as "I can't get there from here," or "I missed position," or "I screwed up", these are non-task oriented thoughts. Those thoughts are not useful in accomplishing the task. From here, you need to recognize these thoughts and create a system to interrupt these thoughts to get your mind back on track with task related thoughts.

I believe in a four step thought process:

1) Recognize your shot
2) Prepare for your shot (this includes getting behind the cue ball and seeing your position route)
3) Get into your stance
4) Make the shot (notice the word make, NOT take)

If anything interferes with this process, start over. If the negative thoughts, or if the non-task related thoughts start creeping in, use one word interrupting statements such as "Stop", "Backup", "Rewind". This can be practiced and perfected. You can practice your thought process. I try to time my thoughts with the steps I take while moving from one shot to another. That works for me. Plan my position route while chalking my tip. When I am positive that I know what i am going to do, I stop chalking. I then get down into my stance and go through my practice strokes. If any self doubt creeps into my thought process, I stop. I get out of my stance, and walk to the other side of the table and start all over again. I don't pull the trigger, and I don't stand back up to breed more negative thoughts. The key is to stay positive, no matter what the circumstances. When the going gets tough, stay cool and collect your thoughts.

Thought Process After a Miss

The trick is putting missed shots and mistakes behind you and moving forward. Don't let one bad shot ruin the entire match. What you think, and what you say to yourself while you are sitting in the chair can affect your performance when you get out of the chair. I have a three thought process that I use, and I believe that if you start to apply this you will start to see a major difference in your attitude.

1) Stay positive
2) I will win regardless
3) Push it aside and win

If you go back to the chair disgusted, chances are you'll start mentally battering yourself with statements like, "Gosh, why did you do something so stupid?" or "I always screw up!" When you say things like that yourself, you increase the odds of repeating the process. If you return to the table and you are still fuming over the last error, chances are you will make further errors. Put it behind you, and NEVER allow your misfortune to be the key to your opponent's victory. If he is going to win, let him earn it. If you self destruct, you will hand him the victory on a silver platter.

Now lets look back at the times I mentioned earlier for Francisco Bustamante. It takes him 1:45 to 2:00 on average to break and run a rack of nine balls. Does this mean that he concentrates fully for 2:00 straight? No it doesn't. Remember I said that he sets up for 12-15 second between shots and then the shot actually takes 1-2 seconds? That's an total of 17 seconds per shot. That means he is applying his concentration for approximately 17 seconds at a stretch, give or take a few. Between racks, he shifts his concentration away from the balls, but it remains in the match. He wipes down his cue, examines his tip, gets a drink of water, whatever. Then he is able to reapply that concentration when he sets up for the break, and then reapply it to run out.

Many players make the error of trying to stay completely focused for the entire match with no breaks in concentration. Think of it like a rubber band. The more you concentrate, the more we stretch it. Well if we continue to stretch it, sooner or later it will snap. What usually happens is that our rubber band snaps during competition, then we get frustrated. Frankly, we just ran out of gas mentally.

I firmly believe that if you practice your mental game, you can develop it in much the same way that a bodybuilder builds a muscle group. The more you exercise your mental skills, and the greater the resistance, the stronger it will get. It needs to be fed correctly, tested, pushed, and then relaxed. We nourish our mind with the thoughts we allow in. We test our mind by using it in competition to overcome obstacles, which can be compared to bodybuilder lifting weights. We push our mind by overcoming the resistance to negative thoughts. We relax our mind by taking rest periods. If we don't work out, chances are we will become lazy.

Going into competition without being mentally fit is like trying to run a marathon without preparing for it. After running the first 50 yards, you'll get out of breath. After the second 50 yards you'll start asking what you got yourself into. Shortly after that you'll probably stop. I guarantee you will never see the finish line.

A lot of pool players do the same exact thing. They don't prepare, and usually they don't realize that until after they are already running the race. By then it's too late. Laugh if you want, but there are many players out there that expect to win the marathon yet they don't have the energy required to make it around the block.

Many players shift their attention to technique. All the technique in the world will only get you so far. It does not assist your endurance. Mental endurance is the key to winning tournaments. Champions understand this. Champions use that to their advantage.

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Laureată a Premiului Oscue - German Masters 2018, German Masters 2019, Masters 2022
Moral principles do not depend on a majority vote. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong. Right is right, even if nobody is right. ++ Fulton Sheen

[Mrs. Hendry]

Thanks a lot, Clara! Super!

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"Luck is an offensive, abhorrent concept. The idea that there is a force in the universe tilting events in your favor or against it is ridiculous." ~ Sherlock Holmes ~ Elementary

[Clara White]

Nu poţi să nu-l iubeşti, nu-i aşa ?!... 8)

Un fragment din cartea lui, Lessons in 9 Ball http://www.pro9.co.uk/html/article.php?sid=127&mode=thread&order=0

_________________
Laureată a Premiului Oscue - German Masters 2018, German Masters 2019, Masters 2022
Moral principles do not depend on a majority vote. Wrong is wrong, even if everybody is wrong. Right is right, even if nobody is right. ++ Fulton Sheen