I toured and played professionally for over 10 years. When i first started i got nervous all the time. Then i started to tell myself whenever i had a tough shot " if i know its hard he kmows its hard" i would focus on my aiming point and draw a line on the table to my target. Then id just concentrate on my stroke following that line. Anytime it was tough id force myself to like the shot. Eventually i seemed to make the harder ones cause i knew it would make my opponent just a little more scared of my game. Eventually hitting more of these shots would get them more nervous than you and they start missing balls they shouldnt too.
You've touched on virtually everything there is that makes us miss. The biggest fundamental sins I’ve seen people make are: shooting too hard, jerking their stroke, and lifting up as soon as they shoot. I have some additional thoughts based on my experience (APA): 1. Don’t worry about what your opponent does. You can’t control what he/she does. You can only control what YOU do when it’s your turn at the table. That includes not worrying about what the score of the match is. There are two people keeping track of the score (APA) and they’ll let you know when the match is over. Just focus on your own game. There have been quite a few times when I got down to take my next shot, only to be stopped by my scorekeeper and told to shake the hand of my opponent because I just won the match without even realizing it. 2. Block everything out and find your “zone” when you get up there. Do all of your thinking while you’re still standing up; that is, how you’re going to make the shot you’ve committed to and how you’re going to position the cueball for the next shot. Once you get down on your current shot, focus solely on making that ball. If you’re “over thinking” and still thinking about position on the next shot, you’re almost guaranteed to miss the current ball. A good strategy for position on your next shot is useless if you don’t make the ball you’re currently shooting. 3. Find a “rhythm” to your game. If you start making balls and capture a good “feel” for the pace of your game, stick with it, regardless of the difficulty of the shots. 4. If you miss even an easy shot, don’t get upset. Forget about it, shake it off, take a deep breath and keep focusing on the rest of your game on your next turn. Well, that’s my two cents. I hope it helped. This is a great video I happened to stumble across, and I want to thank you for sharing it. You have a new subscriber. Cheers, and good luck!
Well said. I'm currently in a terrible slump. I just can't get back to the production of the past that I miss dearly. Lol, it's daunting and frustrating but I reckon these things happen.
I play internationaly as the captain of the scotland team and every thing u said is true but also when your on the shot think only about your stance and cue action not only will this help with taking your mind of the pressure (BTW after years i still feel the pressure alot but ive came to embrase it now im the best pressure player i know and have won many big desiders)this also helps with consistency hope i have helped
Jumping like a rabbit i call it get up to early. The other one my cousin calls it screw the pooch not hitting the cue ball correctly. The last I call it flapped your chicken wings where we pool or billards players flap our elbow. There two more but that's all the funny terms
@@edwardphillips7066 i used to (jump like a rabbit) i quickly fixed this by getting my coach to hold a cue above my head for 2 seconds after i take a shot this habbit comes back quite alot but once you fix it once you can fix it quite easily again
My advantage ? I play English pool so its a lil diff to your pool. Have a drink n walk around the table use as much time you have if you're timed. If you dont see the pot as you said at the start play a nice safety n make it as hard as you can for him
A female pool player - I think it might have been Emily Duddy - said that on the last ball in 8 ball (as an example) you should pretend in your mind that there is another ball to get position on after. This keeps you focused as if you're still playing the rack instead of feeling the mountain of pressure.
A comment I saw on Fb "If the pressure is getting to you, you are probably thinking about the outcome and results. Your focus has to stay on the shot in front of you. That's all you have any control over."
Yes Staying in the moment is huge! Grounding your breathe to the present is a great way to just stay in the moment. You have to read Zen Golf. Its a great book that talks about this idea. Having a pre-shot and post-shot routine is essential.
That's crazy you said that. I stopped thinking about everything else and just concentrate on one shot at a time. I know I can make all kinds of shots, so instead of worrying about 5 balls ahead, I just concentrate on the one i'm on. I've started making more runs by doing this.
When i feel pressured i just stick to the basics like keep my head down following through. After i do that make a few nervous shots it open up my stroke
Yes, just concentrate on the balls, where, when and whom your playing really doesn't matter, I've finished games and forgot who I was playing (one frame in the UK league)
Another gem of a video here. A few things about dealing with high pressure situations and I played league pool for over 10 years as well as the APA when it first started for 4 years. Amazingly we went to nationals every year I played. Ok enough about my experience with high pressure shots. 1: The players who have the strongest fundamentals deal with high pressure shots better than those who don't. 2:: Accept the possibility that you might miss but realize it wouldn't be the end of the world. Every player who ever played this game for very long has missed in high pressure situations so you are not alone. 3: If you do miss, forget about it, it's over. Move on. By the way you might have missed that 8 ball and took 2nd place but I'll bet in your life you've come through many more times than you've missed.
Play the game like it's a game and like you said it's not necessarily the end of the world if you miss but also a key part in dealing with pressure is enjoy the game and the pressure wont have such a bad effect on you.
I agree. These are great tips. Tip 2 helps me the most, as well as accepting the miss and moving on. Simply more practice and one day you may not miss that shot. Having fun is another thing that helps me. Always remembering that it’s just a game and while it’s nice to win, it’s nice to lose sometimes too. It reminds you what you need to work on.
Sing a dumb song to yourself under your breath while you're lining up your shot. Your brain can handle two things at once: making the shot and something else in the background. You need to replace the background thoughts about the eyes on you with background thoughts of something else. Personally, I'd suggest a bluegrass version of Baby Got Back.
I agree, but in so many cases all it takes is missing one, ONE critical shot and it can mean the whole tournament. Watched Van Boening play chinese gal, race to 7, 9ball. She had him 6,4. She missed one shot, one easy shot and he came back and took the tournament from her. One shot!
ehh. My fundamentals are not great but I play better under pressure. I think in my mind that I WILL make the shot. This works for me many times. I am always matched with people who have 200 points more than me in Fargo. I have beat some of these people and scared many others. They get so nervous even though I'm not near their skill level. It's an advantage. If I fixed my stroke I would be a monster.
The best thing that helps me relax is breathing. I always tell my teammates to relax and take a deep breath in through the nose and slowly out of the mouth. This has helped me tremendously.
I used to play snooker as a young kid and didn’t even think about pool. Now I’m old and just put a 9ft pool table in my house. My problem is trying to listen to so many people telling what to do instead of just focusing on what I know, a stick a ball a pocket. But I’m learning so much from you young guys and hopefully it’ll click soon. Thank you
On High pressure shot what I was taught by Lee Brett, he said there is no such thing as pressure. It's just in your mind. He said just do your normal routine and don't think about the shot. It works for me most of the time. Bill.
I personally just put full concentration on the pace of the shot, and that can help, but if it doesn't, get back up and double check where you're going to shoot it, so you will know that you'll make it, with no worries. (If you don't, a you'll at least make more shots) (I have not played in any tournaments, but I've had many people watch me shoot as they're waiting for me to finish so they can shoot)
the one thing i can say the has helped me tremendously with my regular pool game and also high pressure situations is beta blocker blood pressure medication. I have been recently diagnosed with Grave's Disease. Which is a extremely high Thyroid hormone level. I also take meds to lower my hormone level, but the beta blocker is to lower my heart rate. Which was 195bpm at rest before any meds were begun. Many performance artists take a beta blocker of a low mild dose about an hr before a show. This helps to eliminate stage fright and the nervousness of being on stage and the like. It may seem extreme to suggest this at all but it's true and it works. I have a condition that has allowed me to know this.
With dealing with pressure my captain told me to relax and try to imagine if the shot was 1 foot away. It helped me improve my high pressure hill hill nerves, and gave me an idea about how i should be playing my long shots or cut shots.
underrated comment. On long shots, you really do know where to hit, its all about execution. The quicker you can realize that, the quicker you can go about focusing on execution and not second guessing your aim.
I usually miss shots that I feel "down" about. Try to remember you got in this game because you thought it was fun. Go back to that feeling of optimism and enjoyment and why you liked the game of pool in the first place. There's "death", and "taxes" and there's "pool". Pool is the best option of the three. Basic skill not withstanding, our mental outlook can determine success or failure on our outcome. Tell yourself "This is a fun challenge, I can do this"...not, "OMG I'm probably going to miss this". Your mind is a powerful ally.
Everyone feels the pressure, even when they’re not betting their own money. Trust the work you put in and go all in on the shots. Get the butterflies to fly together.
Ok so I have been playing pool on and off since I was 8 or 9, but never really consistent until 2 years ago when I started playing APA. In my first session qualified for the regional tournament then Nationals in Vegas. In order to cope with pressure of league play or tournaments is this, there is no one playing in amateur leagues (APA, BCA, NAPA, etc.) that aren't feeling nervous, so I stopped worrying about nerves and concentrating on my game and no one else's.
On the high pressure ganes it took couple years and finally have been able to understand it's nerves. So fear or Focus. I've been able to have a mind set of nothing but focus on the game. When I'm not shooting I'm looking for balls that can be easy saftey lock ups and any balls that are problems for my opponet. Really have been able to shut down everything around me and it's nothing but thought of getting advantage So if I can't get out, or roll on wrong side of ball etc, I have a plan in my head how to get to that saftey play and re-group with possibility ball in hand. Never upset about a miss ir bad roll. Just 100% focus and remember, then m and m lose yourself starts in my head!
I had the same problem and probably still do. Missing and getting nervous in tournaments. I rang my friend at time uk no1 his said practise practise practise. Never get annoyed practise practise. The moment you finish a match practise again
In order to get use to playing pressure shots is to always play for money. Even if it's a dollar it will psychologically affect your game and you'll become more comfortable playing under pressure.
2 words bruh, mental fortitude, and you're on the right track, repetitiveness and *metal reflection, Repeat Over and over and over again makes perfection! I can't empathize more and more practice builds experience. Experience builds knowledge. Knowledge builds guidance, guidance builds better decisions. Better decisions makes you better then your opponent. *Metal reflections is realizing when you're wrong and improving your mistakes. 'Leaning guidance and what NOT to do '
When I'm under pressure on the table. I just focus on me and forget about everyone else around me. It's easy to get lost in the crowd but if you just think about your practice shots you'll make every shot count.
The pressure one, play more pressure matches, eventually/hopefully you develop a method of blocking out distractions. I feel I have this down but that leads straight to the focus one, it’s then so easy to be over confident with the pressure and lose that focus for one second. Nice vid 👍🏻
No one in the stands is down on the table playing. For what ever reason they have chosen or have to site and watch. You are the pro. Even if you mess up, they definitely wouldn't want to come up and take your place. Play like a pro because you are the pro.
I like Michael Pang post, it mentions playing pressure balls at pocket speed to give them a better chance of going in. I think this is good advice in most instances but I have seen lots of players do this and miss too. Some shots I prefer to stroke in confidently, not hard but just back yourself and think how many times you have done this in practise. All good advice, some tips work better than others depending on the player and their normal style of play. Cheers
I don't play pool in competition...I'm just learning...But I do show dressage which is very exacting, precision horse back riding. You HAVE to keep your nervousness under control or it transfers to the horse. What I do is give myself permission to be as nervous as i want AFTER my go in the competition. An Olympian gave me that tip once and for some reason, it works for me.
Captain of a team I play on had advice for high pressure. He uses what he was taught and then trained all snipers under him in the Marines to do. The number one thing on every shot including that high pressure one is positive intent. I have a process I work on when the tension builds particular when as you said you couldn't see the shot. You're not in your body but in your head. You are in fear and doubt. So take a break. Stand behind the line of the shot close your eyes and breath as deep as you can. Feel the tightness. Let it go with the breath. Open your eyes and see the color of the object ball, the cloth, the rail and whatever else. Name each color as you see it. Feel your feet on the floor and your your hands as they touch the table. Feel them like roots extending into the earth. See the line of the shot, visualize it. Be curious about the experience. say to yourself "I'm making the ball in that pocket". Then just as they say shooting a gun or releasing a bow commit the stroke in zen like smooth awareness. And stay down. Follow through. That's the one error so many make causing a miss.
Well, I use a couple techniques in a pressure game and when I’m teaching someone who Forrest know how to play: - pretend you are practicing instead of shooting the money ball; - use pressure as a challenge, like when someone tells you that you cannot do it; - pretend you don’t see anyone, right before the shot you close your eyes for a split of a second then you open them and shoot. Hope it helps
I have a read a few books since this video which have helped with my performance under pressure. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to try the techniques that much due to COVID cancelling all the events here.
No matter what the situation always display confidence and good body language because no body can see what is going on in your head... these negative signs will strengthen your opponent also don't make eye contact with spectators this can create pressure but you can put it on your opponent making by making eye contact with them ... but above all "ENJOY YOUR SELF"
I will make eye contact with the spectators in the middle of a run and it really does throw me off. Definitely something I will try to keep in mind. Thanks for the recommendation.
i think you answered your own question; just keep putting yourself in these high pressure situations to get used to it. I used to do that for basketball and now that I've picked up pool I make myself uncomfortable. Even just recreating physical symptoms that come with high pressure situations give relief in real pressure situations.
great commments here and super video..i will add in one that is not mentioned and that has to do with trying to steer the cue ball..If you take a moment to see the path the cue ball is going to take and have your speed in mind then all that is left to do is make the ball as you know where the cue ball is going..The mind can make you miss a shot by trying to get the cue ball to go where you want..so fully commit to the shot and let the rest happen
I really agree with John Pendleton below. His 4 points are quite accurate. Stay with your rhythm, dont sweat the misses and move forward, it really is just you and the table. The other person is just a delay in the time of the game. As far as focus goes for high pressure situations, visualize the positive and stay "in the now". I actually prefer to be the high pressure shooter in tie situations during leagues or big tournaments for this reason. Smile internally also, know you can and dont second guess yourself.
I had a problem of problem of popping up a lot. My team called me Poptart 😂. A local rank 9 told me to imagine myself as a statue when I go down on my shot. 🗿 It changed my game tremendously. You'd be surprised how much unwanted body movement will affect accuracy. 🤓
I've played high stakes and I know a lot of other who play high stakes too. To deal with the pressure there is only one Way to do it. And its all in the breathing. You have to have a big strong breath of air in your body before you shoot. A lot of the times you miss is because you feel weak from the pressure but in reality your breathing probably became shallow and you shot on the last air of your out breath. You want to be breathing strong and confident always before you shoot. If you dont feel it. then put your stick down, walk around the table, look around like you are looking at something but know you are just taking a breather. Take a big breathe and shoot it knowing you are giving yourself a great chance to make this shot!!! Hope that helps lol .
Play for as much money as you can as often as you can. You will certainly learn to deal with pressure that way. That is what worked for me in the past. Now days, frankly, I don't really play a lot; but I do still love the game. Good luck guys and gals!
"High pressure" shots run a lot along the lines of missing any easy shot after making an outstanding shot. There is a larger dump of adrenaline during these situations so for me I turn my back to the table take a couple steadying breaths and then return my attention back to the table. Part of this is to allow my blood pressure and adrenaline to subsided somewhat, and then especially during timed events I have effectively removed second guessing myself by using up a good portion of my time, forcing myself to rely on my practiced skill set. Well it works for me anyway, keep them dropping.
My suggestion for high pressure is to simply learn to get crazy faded while playing. I smoke a good amount of weed(+other additives of my choosing) and find that being high helps me tone out the pressure. I get high before I play, then play till I'm not high and attempt to reach the same level of calm when not playing high. I know it sounds weird but it works. Since I have to play sober in tournaments I've kinda trained my body to play in a "faded" state because it is used to playing pool while super duper high. Basically, train your mind and body to revert to the state of most calm whenever and wherever you're shooting. This will take a lot of practice and it is very reminiscent of Pressure can always get bigger but if you are always playing in the same mindset, you will be able to play without fear of pressure. Control your mind, then you can control your body and your spirit will follow suit. "Smoke weed everyday."- Dr. Dre....probably a great pool player am I right??
Yeah what Jabob Parrent said...Before a match I show up early warm up, then sit down and wait for the rest of the teams to show up. While doing so I watch others warm up and take notes while knocking my first and usually only adult drink to calm my nerves. Even if a skill 5+ gets a near break and run on me, I just settle back, relax, focus on my shot one shot at a time. If you cant make this shot...then your wasting your time worrying about the leave and making the next shot. I cant tell you how many times as a skill 3 I humbled a skill 6 or 7! It doesnt always work but youd be surprise how far you can ride that ride!
For the situation you were in, help might have been afforded by simply walking around the entire table, taking time to look at the shot from another perspective. It is really the walk around the table that can reduce the pressure one feels.
I just started playing in leagues last year I have my own table in my man cave just got tied of playing the same guys every weekend my 1st game in the league I was so nervous having panic attacks it was awful now I ignore my surroundings and just focus on the table don't even look at my opponent just what they doing it's has got a lot better sometimes close your eyes and try to clear all your thoughts take deep breaths in and out
Great video man ... just was wondering what cue, shaft, tip do you use and what other stuff and accessories have you used that work or does not work for you ... just very curious as I started trying a lot of tips to find out what I personally like ...
I use to play with a Meucci black dot shaft, but I recently switched to the Cuetec Cynergy. I really like the Cuetec, but I changed the tip to a Kamui Black soft tip. As for other accessories, I have a cue extension which is really nice for shots that are just out of reach. I use a pool glove because it gives a consistent coefficient of friction no matter where I am playing (humidity..etc). I use Blue Diamond chalk. My break cue is the McDermott jump/break. I think its called the stinger or something. Its just a break cue and nothing special and it does its job.
Get enough practice to correct your mistakes and to feel confident in competition. If you feel nervous slow down, chalk your cue, look around and determine your best option for potting and getting position. Consider position but concentrate totally on potting first. If the shot appears difficult consider safety.
How do I deal with high pressure situations? Call me crazy, but alcohol. Not too much of it though. Just a few beers to take off the edge. Although I will say, if I jump out the gate and have momentum, it’s a lot easier. That happened in the playoffs last session. I got my team 3 points. My opponent knew I was on fire and it messed with his head. Just don’t get in your head. Know what you’re capable of. Look at your options, take your time (not too much time). Get down and shoot the shot as if you were at a bar with your friends instead of the playoffs with everything on the line. Don’t have a “it’s now or never” mentality. And when you’re on the 8, think of it like any other ball. Don’t overthink things. Pool is more of a mind game than anything else. For the love of God, don’t doubt yourself and/or get in your own head. Block everything out when you’re at the table.
Playing under pressure is the best to improve. But when your at the last ball , you get all kinda excited that your gonna win that you don't focus on the shot. So what I does do is focus on the shot , hiding all the excitement until after the ball is potted
Experience is something you get right after you needed it. Just keep putting yourself in the same spots in tournaments or league and you will work through pressure situations.
what works for me personally, is to set up a hypothetical ball after the 8 or 9. if i’m on the 8 ball, i pretend i’m playing 9 ball. 9 ball, i pretend i’m playin 10 ball. the goal is to keep running the rack, regardless of the rack (like 1 pocket). i miss, i literally shake my hands, to shake it off. mental trick. plus i think of the worst case scenario, accept it, and tell myself whatever happens.. i’ll be just fine w the outcome. strange, but it really does work for me. takes the pressure off for me. i’ve noticed with all these tricks, i tend to finish the rack a lot more. if i miss the 8, it’s bc i would have missed it even if it hadn’t been the 8... if that makes any sense. works for me. 🤷🏻♂️
Like you say fundamental. Just play your game ignored the people go to the place in your head and play. It's a game don't worried about your shots but learn from your mistakes
I would have used a follow through shot ,ending up down table, depending on where the ball lands, i would have had 3 possible outs for the 2 ball, as for pressure, i usually talk a walk around the table to spot any angles i might have missed or are presented to me by missing my original shot, get my composure back by using my usual routine. Bad shape was probably due to high elevation of your cue in order to execute a decent draw shot.
I really just under hit the shots speed. I was playing on a table that I wasn't use to, and it had some absurdly fast felt. We are talking 3 cushion fast felt. anyways, Worried about over hitting and leaving no angle, I under hit it and left too much angle for the shot to feel comfortable.
Another reason people miss is having too much distance between the bridge hand and the cue ball. Any stroke error at the bridge is magnified at the tip of the cue. It's a geometric fact. At 4:26 the hand needs to be on the felt, not on the rail. I see a lot of good players miss somewhat easy shots because they're too far from the cue ball.
It's all in the head. When under pressure your inner dialogue should always be positive. Positive thinking beats a negative feeling. Even if your faking it. It's what separates the best from the good.
Players miss the last ball quite a bit because your mind and body are used to 3 steps: aiming, shooting, shape. Many times we don't think shape on the last ball, thus our rythm is broken. Pick a spot in the table for shape off the last ball and complete the same routine.
The key to number 4 is number 5. The reason players miss high pressure shots is FOCUS. My Dad always told me “put yourself in a bubble,” “Nothing else exists.” These seem like simple points, but they are SO SO true. The next time you’re in a high pressure match. Focus solely on the ball you are trying to make. Block out the entire world. Nothing else matters in that moment. Focus on form and speed. When the thought of winning or losing enters your mind, force it out. Don’t focus on the win. Focus on making the ball. Period
Main reasons why people miss in billiards/pocket billiards I know everyone I'm tagging doesn't need this but maybe it can help people they know too. Plus if I can't play anymore I can still help. Hope you guys enjoyed it. 1 They don't take deep Breaths like snipers do to calm down before shooting while practicing they're stroke standing. Why? Because once you get down you shouldn't be down long enough to hesitate/get nervous again. You only wanna take 3, 3 1/2, or 4 strokes on most shots. If you do get nervous stand up and go through the process again. You wanna take any shot with full confidence. See the line of the cue ball pocketing the object ball and it's line going in before shooting. 2 I think most people get on pool tables before they've perfected their Strokes for two yrs between two upside down golf tees on the table that way it's tighter than using a bottle etc. People should take two yrs like I said perfecting their stroke before they ever shoot a ball but some feel two yrs is extreme I don't. 3 I think people don't understand foot placement and alignment does matter, but not as much as also being comfortable. So listen to the mechanics, but also find you in your stance. Dr Dave has a nice example of the stance dance or whatever he calls it on youtube. 4 I think a lot of people even pros neglect true center at times which is slightly to the left of center cue ball if your right handed and vice versa. For a shot that needs no english. 5 I think most people don't perfect shooting without english for two yrs before they ever learn english that way they can learn when not to use english first. 6 They don't stand straight up with the middle of they're pelvis in the middle of the shooting line before they get down and they jump up because they've never practiced enough staying down by practicing all shots with extra follow through for practice. 7 Cue grip should always be loose maybe slightly tighten it when your cues elevated for control. You mostly want it to swing loose like a pendulum the only true way to do that is slightly move your wrist forward and backward while stroking. 8 Most beginners think loose grip means loose bridge hand. No you want a loose grip so it slides through your firmly placed bridge smoothly. 9 Don't drop your elbow keep it in a consistent line through the whole shot. Whether your favorite pro does it or not.
I think the most important thing you can do in high pressure situations is just go through your pre-shot routine as best as possible. I think that is the most important part of the shot is doing it the same way every time. We all know when a shot feels right and when it doesn't. I shot competitive archery for many years and this best shot you can ever make is the one you don't shoot... The reason is because you know it's going to be a bad shot so stand back up and just go through your routine. Most people don't work on a pre-shot routine, but it's the most important part of the shot.
For me its the shoulders. When the pressure is on, My shoulders tense up and raise up a little. I don’t realize it at the time but hit happens all the time. Between shots I wiggle my shoulders to get loose again. It seems to work with easy breathing. Dont hold your breathe. Loose is good tight is bad.
The biggest reason people miss shots is They Jump Up & Not follow threw completely on shot..Iv owned 2 Pool Halls so Iv been watching pool for long time & I even have this problems myself..It just happens & in the 1st couple of examples of Pros Missing Videos you showed They Stood Up B4 shot was complete missing the ball to seemingly easy shot..Jumping Up is probaby the biggest reason for missed shots..This is my opinion so cant be fact But I think it issue after watching This Exact Thing Happen for so many years..Boy I Missouri Pool Hall, I should open another one🎸
I have always been skeptical of the argument that you missed the shot because you stood up. I think its more common that people jump up because they know they missed the shot. Its a question of correlation vs causation. I don't doubt that players like myself can cause them self to miss by standing up too quick, but a player like Efren or Alex probably jumped up because they know they hit it bad. Not following through though.... its a huge flaw and will cause you to either miss, or get no action on the cue ball and miss your position. Also, where in Missouri is your pool hall? I am originally from St. Louis and use to play out of Riverbend Billiards (sadly closing) and Diamond Billiards.
I think of being in a different situation, not focus on the crowd or shot situation because it will just make you more nervous, but i imagine i am in a pick up game for fun with a friend and it’s an non high value shot. Usually takes the pressure of it
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I play in many 8 & 9 ball tournaments every year all over the country. One thing I've found that ALWAYS helps is drinking about 3 full glasses of tequila before starting. This allows your mind to relax & your eyes to focus. It's also the best way to make bank shots.
I never drink during a tournament though I can say in other situations, I've played some of the best pool of my life after a few beers. Not enough to be stupid drunk. Just enough to relax the muscles and smooth the stroke.
I had a friends who's father had a very similar issue. It helped him to put some light weights on his hand to prevent the shaking from having such a big effect on the outcome of the shot.
I use to play for money quite a bit, but had a hard time finding action after moving to Korea. I finally found some people I can play now, and it is helping.
So I use to play badminton and I would play 2 on 1. On a doubles court which is a little bigger. I would win every time but I would come back from being down and people would be like how did you come back. I would say. Over confidencality it’s just a word I made up that means I give you the confidence to win so I can bring you down. And that’s what’s happening to you. I’m your reenactment you had ball in hand. You can to the table saw the pattern and was like ok this is easy there’s nothing in my way. I’ve done this 1,000s of times. You had 8 steps to victory 1, 2, 3... you had so much confidence when you missed the placement on the 7th ball is when you lost. It was the 6th shot that you lost on. Best advice stay humble, and don’t win before you win. When you had ball in hand is when you won in your head. And when you didn’t do exactly what you were suppose to do well that was it. The funny thing is you also have to have a winning mentality like you know you can do this, confidence just don’t win before hand
I tend to set my breathing so I can remain calm and think clearly about what I want to do and then I picture myself in an empty room so I block out any noise or disturbance to give me the best possible chance of winning in the really late rounds of a tournament or competition
Only way I have been able to ignore all pressure is just and trust your game. Learn all the angles you can by just simply playing your game and your game only..
The comment section has become solely about “how to deal with pressure” 😄. Me? I sing along to the music whenever possible, even if I don’t really like the song. And I don’t pay too much attention to my opponent running balls after I commit a bad miss. It’s just salt on the wound and delays my getting over it. I will watch him/her at the beginning of the match to look for weaknesses.
months ago i used to go uptown at night and play pool,i missed a easy shot ppl look at me weird then i tell them even the best pool players in the world miss easy shots.
I think the key to controlling pressure is situational ignorance. No one cares who you are or what you are doing. They are focused on themselves, what's for dinner, when they have to be home, etc. No one cares. I am just a guy at a table hitting balls with a stick and it doesn't matter to anyone else. It's me, my stick, one shot and executing a path to put one of those balls in a pocket wide enough for 2. At the end of the day, it's just one shot of the thousands of shots i'll take in my life. No extra importance to it no matter where or when it is. It's just hitting balls with a stick. I just remind myself of this, take a deep breath and go down on my shot. I also ignore any people standing around looking on or noise to something else going on that's more interesting than watching my dumb ass try to line up a shot. Take the importance away. It's easier to make a shot if you don't put it on a pedestal that's why getting in a groove and you just get hot dropping balls even on hard shots. You don't put tremendous importance or pressure on them. It's just a shot that you see the line on it and you know you're going to drop it so it's just time to smile and pocket the ball. No reason to worry when you already know you can make the shot and you see the line.
Use your time, step back breath and use all the time allotted to you, give that heart a chance to stop beating out of your chest, have a sip of beer, and breathe , your addrenalin will settle a bit, and then go for it, this has worked for me dozens of time, try it out...
I find that the way to minimize the effect of higher pressure situations , is to realize that everybody can miss any shot...You wouldnt be the first...
The answer is simple just remember if you miss the shot then you don't shoot again.... The fix is just concerned on making your shoot once you learn this you'll be fine
Remember you are playing because in all likelihood you are better than everyone watching. No matter what you're playing for, it's a game & you play because it brings you 😂
I toured and played professionally for over 10 years. When i first started i got nervous all the time. Then i started to tell myself whenever i had a tough shot " if i know its hard he kmows its hard" i would focus on my aiming point and draw a line on the table to my target. Then id just concentrate on my stroke following that line. Anytime it was tough id force myself to like the shot. Eventually i seemed to make the harder ones cause i knew it would make my opponent just a little more scared of my game. Eventually hitting more of these shots would get them more nervous than you and they start missing balls they shouldnt too.
You've touched on virtually everything there is that makes us miss. The biggest fundamental sins I’ve seen people make are: shooting too hard, jerking their stroke, and lifting up as soon as they shoot. I have some additional thoughts based on my experience (APA):
1. Don’t worry about what your opponent does. You can’t control what he/she does. You can only control what YOU do when it’s your turn at the table. That includes not worrying about what the score of the match is. There are two people keeping track of the score (APA) and they’ll let you know when the match is over. Just focus on your own game. There have been quite a few times when I got down to take my next shot, only to be stopped by my scorekeeper and told to shake the hand of my opponent because I just won the match without even realizing it.
2. Block everything out and find your “zone” when you get up there. Do all of your thinking while you’re still standing up; that is, how you’re going to make the shot you’ve committed to and how you’re going to position the cueball for the next shot. Once you get down on your current shot, focus solely on making that ball. If you’re “over thinking” and still thinking about position on the next shot, you’re almost guaranteed to miss the current ball. A good strategy for position on your next shot is useless if you don’t make the ball you’re currently shooting.
3. Find a “rhythm” to your game. If you start making balls and capture a good “feel” for the pace of your game, stick with it, regardless of the difficulty of the shots.
4. If you miss even an easy shot, don’t get upset. Forget about it, shake it off, take a deep breath and keep focusing on the rest of your game on your next turn.
Well, that’s my two cents. I hope it helped. This is a great video I happened to stumble across, and I want to thank you for sharing it. You have a new subscriber. Cheers, and good luck!
Well said. I'm currently in a terrible slump. I just can't get back to the production of the past that I miss dearly. Lol, it's daunting and frustrating but I reckon these things happen.
I play internationaly as the captain of the scotland team and every thing u said is true but also when your on the shot think only about your stance and cue action not only will this help with taking your mind of the pressure (BTW after years i still feel the pressure alot but ive came to embrase it now im the best pressure player i know and have won many big desiders)this also helps with consistency hope i have helped
Jumping like a rabbit i call it get up to early. The other one my cousin calls it screw the pooch not hitting the cue ball correctly. The last I call it flapped your chicken wings where we pool or billards players flap our elbow. There two more but that's all the funny terms
@@edwardphillips7066 i used to (jump like a rabbit) i quickly fixed this by getting my coach to hold a cue above my head for 2 seconds after i take a shot this habbit comes back quite alot but once you fix it once you can fix it quite easily again
My advantage ? I play English pool so its a lil diff to your pool. Have a drink n walk around the table use as much time you have if you're timed. If you dont see the pot as you said at the start play a nice safety n make it as hard as you can for him
A female pool player - I think it might have been Emily Duddy - said that on the last ball in 8 ball (as an example) you should pretend in your mind that there is another ball to get position on after. This keeps you focused as if you're still playing the rack instead of feeling the mountain of pressure.
A comment I saw on Fb "If the pressure is getting to you, you are probably thinking about the outcome and results. Your focus has to stay on the shot in front of you. That's all you have any control over."
Yes Staying in the moment is huge! Grounding your breathe to the present is a great way to just stay in the moment. You have to read Zen Golf. Its a great book that talks about this idea. Having a pre-shot and post-shot routine is essential.
Yes! Focus on your process or routine. You will produce the result.
That's crazy you said that. I stopped thinking about everything else and just concentrate on one shot at a time. I know I can make all kinds of shots, so instead of worrying about 5 balls ahead, I just concentrate on the one i'm on. I've started making more runs by doing this.
When i feel pressured i just stick to the basics like keep my head down following through. After i do that make a few nervous shots it open up my stroke
Yes, just concentrate on the balls, where, when and whom your playing really doesn't matter, I've finished games and forgot who I was playing (one frame in the UK league)
Another gem of a video here. A few things about dealing with high pressure situations and I played league pool for over 10 years as well as the APA when it first started for 4 years. Amazingly we went to nationals every year I played. Ok enough about my experience with high pressure shots.
1: The players who have the strongest fundamentals deal with high pressure shots better than those who don't.
2:: Accept the possibility that you might miss but realize it wouldn't be the end of the world. Every player who ever played this game for very long has missed in high pressure situations so you are not alone.
3: If you do miss, forget about it, it's over. Move on. By the way you might have missed that 8 ball and took 2nd place but I'll bet in your life you've come through many more times than you've missed.
Play the game like it's a game and like you said it's not necessarily the end of the world if you miss but also a key part in dealing with pressure is enjoy the game and the pressure wont have such a bad effect on you.
I agree. These are great tips. Tip 2 helps me the most, as well as accepting the miss and moving on. Simply more practice and one day you may not miss that shot. Having fun is another thing that helps me. Always remembering that it’s just a game and while it’s nice to win, it’s nice to lose sometimes too. It reminds you what you need to work on.
Sing a dumb song to yourself under your breath while you're lining up your shot. Your brain can handle two things at once: making the shot and something else in the background. You need to replace the background thoughts about the eyes on you with background thoughts of something else. Personally, I'd suggest a bluegrass version of Baby Got Back.
I agree, but in so many cases all it takes is missing one, ONE critical shot and it can mean the whole tournament. Watched Van Boening play chinese gal, race to 7, 9ball. She had him 6,4. She missed one shot, one easy shot and he came back and took the tournament from her. One shot!
ehh. My fundamentals are not great but I play better under pressure. I think in my mind that I WILL make the shot. This works for me many times. I am always matched with people who have 200 points more than me in Fargo. I have beat some of these people and scared many others. They get so nervous even though I'm not near their skill level. It's an advantage. If I fixed my stroke I would be a monster.
The best thing that helps me relax is breathing. I always tell my teammates to relax and take a deep breath in through the nose and slowly out of the mouth. This has helped me tremendously.
I used to play snooker as a young kid and didn’t even think about pool. Now I’m old and just put a 9ft pool table in my house. My problem is trying to listen to so many people telling what to do instead of just focusing on what I know, a stick a ball a pocket. But I’m learning so much from you young guys and hopefully it’ll click soon. Thank you
On High pressure shot what I was taught by Lee Brett, he said there is no such thing as pressure. It's just in your mind. He said just do your normal routine and don't think about the shot. It works for me most of the time. Bill.
When i get pressured i repeat a phrase "be in the moment, not in your head" keeps my focus
I personally just put full concentration on the pace of the shot, and that can help, but if it doesn't, get back up and double check where you're going to shoot it, so you will know that you'll make it, with no worries. (If you don't, a you'll at least make more shots) (I have not played in any tournaments, but I've had many people watch me shoot as they're waiting for me to finish so they can shoot)
the one thing i can say the has helped me tremendously with my regular pool game and also high pressure situations is beta blocker blood pressure medication.
I have been recently diagnosed with Grave's Disease. Which is a extremely high Thyroid hormone level. I also take meds to lower my hormone level, but the beta blocker is to lower my heart rate. Which was 195bpm at rest before any meds were begun. Many performance artists take a beta blocker of a low mild dose about an hr before a show. This helps to eliminate stage fright and the nervousness of being on stage and the like. It may seem extreme to suggest this at all but it's true and it works. I have a condition that has allowed me to know this.
With dealing with pressure my captain told me to relax and try to imagine if the shot was 1 foot away. It helped me improve my high pressure hill hill nerves, and gave me an idea about how i should be playing my long shots or cut shots.
underrated comment. On long shots, you really do know where to hit, its all about execution. The quicker you can realize that, the quicker you can go about focusing on execution and not second guessing your aim.
I usually miss shots that I feel "down" about. Try to remember you got in this game because you thought it was fun. Go back to that feeling of optimism and enjoyment and why you liked the game of pool in the first place. There's "death", and "taxes" and there's "pool". Pool is the best option of the three. Basic skill not withstanding, our mental outlook can determine success or failure on our outcome. Tell yourself "This is a fun challenge, I can do this"...not, "OMG I'm probably going to miss this". Your mind is a powerful ally.
Everyone feels the pressure, even when they’re not betting their own money. Trust the work you put in and go all in on the shots. Get the butterflies to fly together.
Ok so I have been playing pool on and off since I was 8 or 9, but never really consistent until 2 years ago when I started playing APA. In my first session qualified for the regional tournament then Nationals in Vegas. In order to cope with pressure of league play or tournaments is this, there is no one playing in amateur leagues (APA, BCA, NAPA, etc.) that aren't feeling nervous, so I stopped worrying about nerves and concentrating on my game and no one else's.
On the high pressure ganes it took couple years and finally have been able to understand it's nerves. So fear or Focus. I've been able to have a mind set of nothing but focus on the game. When I'm not shooting I'm looking for balls that can be easy saftey lock ups and any balls that are problems for my opponet. Really have been able to shut down everything around me and it's nothing but thought of getting advantage So if I can't get out, or roll on wrong side of ball etc, I have a plan in my head how to get to that saftey play and re-group with possibility ball in hand. Never upset about a miss ir bad roll. Just 100% focus and remember, then m and m lose yourself starts in my head!
I had the same problem and probably still do. Missing and getting nervous in tournaments. I rang my friend at time uk no1 his said practise practise practise. Never get annoyed practise practise. The moment you finish a match practise again
Just make sure what you are doing is actually practicing and not throwing your stick at the ball.
In order to get use to playing pressure shots is to always play for money. Even if it's a dollar it will psychologically affect your game and you'll become more comfortable playing under pressure.
2 words bruh, mental fortitude,
and you're on the right track, repetitiveness and
*metal reflection, Repeat Over and over and over again makes perfection!
I can't empathize more and more practice builds experience. Experience builds knowledge. Knowledge builds guidance, guidance builds better decisions. Better decisions makes you better then your opponent.
*Metal reflections is realizing when you're wrong and improving your mistakes.
'Leaning guidance and what NOT to do '
When I'm under pressure on the table. I just focus on me and forget about everyone else around me. It's easy to get lost in the crowd but if you just think about your practice shots you'll make every shot count.
The pressure one, play more pressure matches, eventually/hopefully you develop a method of blocking out distractions. I feel I have this down but that leads straight to the focus one, it’s then so easy to be over confident with the pressure and lose that focus for one second. Nice vid 👍🏻
No one in the stands is down on the table playing. For what ever reason they have chosen or have to site and watch. You are the pro. Even if you mess up, they definitely wouldn't want to come up and take your place. Play like a pro because you are the pro.
I like Michael Pang post, it mentions playing pressure balls at pocket speed to give them a better chance of going in. I think this is good advice in most instances but I have seen lots of players do this and miss too. Some shots I prefer to stroke in confidently, not hard but just back yourself and think how many times you have done this in practise. All good advice, some tips work better than others depending on the player and their normal style of play. Cheers
I get through high pressure situations by practicing/rehearsing in the mindset of the high pressure situation. Works for public speaking and such.
I don't play pool in competition...I'm just learning...But I do show dressage which is very exacting, precision horse back riding. You HAVE to keep your nervousness under control or it transfers to the horse. What I do is give myself permission to be as nervous as i want AFTER my go in the competition. An Olympian gave me that tip once and for some reason, it works for me.
Chew gun when the stakes are high. It will calm your nerves. Works for me
That's the "Nick Varner tecnique." 😎
Captain of a team I play on had advice for high pressure. He uses what he was taught and then trained all snipers under him in the Marines to do. The number one thing on every shot including that high pressure one is positive intent. I have a process I work on when the tension builds particular when as you said you couldn't see the shot. You're not in your body but in your head. You are in fear and doubt. So take a break. Stand behind the line of the shot close your eyes and breath as deep as you can. Feel the tightness. Let it go with the breath. Open your eyes and see the color of the object ball, the cloth, the rail and whatever else. Name each color as you see it. Feel your feet on the floor and your your hands as they touch the table. Feel them like roots extending into the earth. See the line of the shot, visualize it. Be curious about the experience. say to yourself "I'm making the ball in that pocket". Then just as they say shooting a gun or releasing a bow commit the stroke in zen like smooth awareness. And stay down. Follow through. That's the one error so many make causing a miss.
Well, I use a couple techniques in a pressure game and when I’m teaching someone who Forrest know how to play:
- pretend you are practicing instead of shooting the money ball;
- use pressure as a challenge, like when someone tells you that you cannot do it;
- pretend you don’t see anyone, right before the shot you close your eyes for a split of a second then you open them and shoot.
Hope it helps
I have a read a few books since this video which have helped with my performance under pressure. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to try the techniques that much due to COVID cancelling all the events here.
@@WorldofPoolandBilliards it’s everywhere, brother! Glad to see that you keep improving your game and your channel! Thank you for replying!!!
No matter what the situation always display confidence and good body language because no body can see what is going on in your head... these negative signs will strengthen your opponent also don't make eye contact with spectators this can create pressure but you can put it on your opponent making by making eye contact with them ... but above all "ENJOY YOUR SELF"
I will make eye contact with the spectators in the middle of a run and it really does throw me off. Definitely something I will try to keep in mind. Thanks for the recommendation.
I'm the guy that recognized you from BNP. Great video!
Thanks, I am going to be playing down there every now and again, so I will probably see you around.
i think you answered your own question; just keep putting yourself in these high pressure situations to get used to it. I used to do that for basketball and now that I've picked up pool I make myself uncomfortable. Even just recreating physical symptoms that come with high pressure situations give relief in real pressure situations.
when in doubt stand up and take a deep breather to refocus your mind.
great commments here and super video..i will add in one that is not mentioned and that has to do with trying to steer the cue ball..If you take a moment to see the path the cue ball is going to take and have your speed in mind then all that is left to do is make the ball as you know where the cue ball is going..The mind can make you miss a shot by trying to get the cue ball to go where you want..so fully commit to the shot and let the rest happen
I really agree with John Pendleton below. His 4 points are quite accurate. Stay with your rhythm, dont sweat the misses and move forward, it really is just you and the table. The other person is just a delay in the time of the game.
As far as focus goes for high pressure situations, visualize the positive and stay "in the now". I actually prefer to be the high pressure shooter in tie situations during leagues or big tournaments for this reason. Smile internally also, know you can and dont second guess yourself.
How true; your analysis sums up the entire gamut. Thank you
I had a problem of problem of popping up a lot. My team called me Poptart 😂.
A local rank 9 told me to imagine myself as a statue when I go down on my shot. 🗿
It changed my game tremendously. You'd be surprised how much unwanted body movement will affect accuracy. 🤓
I typically think about how many have done this before me and my situation is nothing new. That always helps with grounding my pressure.
I've played high stakes and I know a lot of other who play high stakes too. To deal with the pressure there is only one Way to do it. And its all in the breathing. You have to have a big strong breath of air in your body before you shoot. A lot of the times you miss is because you feel weak from the pressure but in reality your breathing probably became shallow and you shot on the last air of your out breath. You want to be breathing strong and confident always before you shoot. If you dont feel it. then put your stick down, walk around the table, look around like you are looking at something but know you are just taking a breather. Take a big breathe and shoot it knowing you are giving yourself a great chance to make this shot!!! Hope that helps lol .
I have played at the Nationals with APA a few times and you just have to treat it just like any other night. Just do what you do!
Play for as much money as you can as often as you can. You will certainly learn to deal with pressure that way. That is what worked for me in the past. Now days, frankly, I don't really play a lot; but I do still love the game. Good luck guys and gals!
"High pressure" shots run a lot along the lines of missing any easy shot after making an outstanding shot. There is a larger dump of adrenaline during these situations so for me I turn my back to the table take a couple steadying breaths and then return my attention back to the table. Part of this is to allow my blood pressure and adrenaline to subsided somewhat, and then especially during timed events I have effectively removed second guessing myself by using up a good portion of my time, forcing myself to rely on my practiced skill set. Well it works for me anyway, keep them dropping.
My suggestion for high pressure is to simply learn to get crazy faded while playing. I smoke a good amount of weed(+other additives of my choosing) and find that being high helps me tone out the pressure. I get high before I play, then play till I'm not high and attempt to reach the same level of calm when not playing high. I know it sounds weird but it works. Since I have to play sober in tournaments I've kinda trained my body to play in a "faded" state because it is used to playing pool while super duper high. Basically, train your mind and body to revert to the state of most calm whenever and wherever you're shooting. This will take a lot of practice and it is very reminiscent of Pressure can always get bigger but if you are always playing in the same mindset, you will be able to play without fear of pressure. Control your mind, then you can control your body and your spirit will follow suit. "Smoke weed everyday."- Dr. Dre....probably a great pool player am I right??
Yeah what Jabob Parrent said...Before a match I show up early warm up, then sit down and wait for the rest of the teams to show up. While doing so I watch others warm up and take notes while knocking my first and usually only adult drink to calm my nerves. Even if a skill 5+ gets a near break and run on me, I just settle back, relax, focus on my shot one shot at a time. If you cant make this shot...then your wasting your time worrying about the leave and making the next shot. I cant tell you how many times as a skill 3 I humbled a skill 6 or 7! It doesnt always work but youd be surprise how far you can ride that ride!
For me, I tell myself "make my best stroke." Nothing else matters. What Jacob said below is right on.
I really want to thank you for making and sharing this video. It helped me a bunch. Thanks again
For the situation you were in, help might have been afforded by simply walking around the entire table,
taking time to look at the shot from another perspective. It is really the walk around the table that can
reduce the pressure one feels.
I just started playing in leagues last year I have my own table in my man cave just got tied of playing the same guys every weekend my 1st game in the league I was so nervous having panic attacks it was awful now I ignore my surroundings and just focus on the table don't even look at my opponent just what they doing it's has got a lot better sometimes close your eyes and try to clear all your thoughts take deep breaths in and out
Great video man ... just was wondering what cue, shaft, tip do you use and what other stuff and accessories have you used that work or does not work for you ... just very curious as I started trying a lot of tips to find out what I personally like ...
I use to play with a Meucci black dot shaft, but I recently switched to the Cuetec Cynergy. I really like the Cuetec, but I changed the tip to a Kamui Black soft tip. As for other accessories, I have a cue extension which is really nice for shots that are just out of reach. I use a pool glove because it gives a consistent coefficient of friction no matter where I am playing (humidity..etc). I use Blue Diamond chalk. My break cue is the McDermott jump/break. I think its called the stinger or something. Its just a break cue and nothing special and it does its job.
Get enough practice to correct your mistakes and to feel confident in competition. If you feel nervous slow down, chalk your cue, look around and determine your best option for potting and getting position. Consider position but concentrate totally on potting first. If the shot appears difficult consider safety.
How do I deal with high pressure situations? Call me crazy, but alcohol. Not too much of it though. Just a few beers to take off the edge. Although I will say, if I jump out the gate and have momentum, it’s a lot easier. That happened in the playoffs last session. I got my team 3 points. My opponent knew I was on fire and it messed with his head. Just don’t get in your head. Know what you’re capable of. Look at your options, take your time (not too much time). Get down and shoot the shot as if you were at a bar with your friends instead of the playoffs with everything on the line. Don’t have a “it’s now or never” mentality. And when you’re on the 8, think of it like any other ball. Don’t overthink things. Pool is more of a mind game than anything else. For the love of God, don’t doubt yourself and/or get in your own head. Block everything out when you’re at the table.
I always end up drinking more than plan to and it becomes a liability to my game.
Playing under pressure is the best to improve. But when your at the last ball , you get all kinda excited that your gonna win that you don't focus on the shot. So what I does do is focus on the shot , hiding all the excitement until after the ball is potted
Experience is something you get right after you needed it. Just keep putting yourself in the same spots in tournaments or league and you will work through pressure situations.
what works for me personally, is to set up a hypothetical ball after the 8 or 9. if i’m on the 8 ball, i pretend i’m playing 9 ball. 9 ball, i pretend i’m playin 10 ball. the goal is to keep running the rack, regardless of the rack (like 1 pocket). i miss, i literally shake my hands, to shake it off. mental trick. plus i think of the worst case scenario, accept it, and tell myself whatever happens.. i’ll be just fine w the outcome. strange, but it really does work for me. takes the pressure off for me. i’ve noticed with all these tricks, i tend to finish the rack a lot more. if i miss the 8, it’s bc i would have missed it even if it hadn’t been the 8... if that makes any sense. works for me. 🤷🏻♂️
I agree...I'm really trying to settle down...
Like you say fundamental. Just play your game ignored the people go to the place in your head and play. It's a game don't worried about your shots but learn from your mistakes
I would have used a follow through shot ,ending up down table, depending on where the ball lands, i would have had 3 possible
outs for the 2 ball, as for pressure, i usually talk a walk around the table to spot any angles i might
have missed or are presented to me by missing my original shot, get my composure back by using my usual routine.
Bad shape was probably due to high elevation of your cue in order to execute a decent draw shot.
I really just under hit the shots speed. I was playing on a table that I wasn't use to, and it had some absurdly fast felt. We are talking 3 cushion fast felt. anyways, Worried about over hitting and leaving no angle, I under hit it and left too much angle for the shot to feel comfortable.
Another reason people miss is having too much distance between the bridge hand and the cue ball. Any stroke error at the bridge is magnified at the tip of the cue. It's a geometric fact. At 4:26 the hand needs to be on the felt, not on the rail. I see a lot of good players miss somewhat easy shots because they're too far from the cue ball.
It's all in the head. When under pressure your inner dialogue should always be positive. Positive thinking beats a negative feeling. Even if your faking it. It's what separates the best from the good.
Players miss the last ball quite a bit because your mind and body are used to 3 steps: aiming, shooting, shape. Many times we don't think shape on the last ball, thus our rythm is broken. Pick a spot in the table for shape off the last ball and complete the same routine.
Best advice Prayer
Hey can you recommend a good solid pool table for fun competition and good practice?
not sure where you live, but the hollywood tables here in Korea are pretty popular and are quite a bit cheaper than the high-end tables.
The key to number 4 is number 5. The reason players miss high pressure shots is FOCUS.
My Dad always told me “put yourself in a bubble,” “Nothing else exists.” These seem like simple points, but they are SO SO true.
The next time you’re in a high pressure match. Focus solely on the ball you are trying to make. Block out the entire world. Nothing else matters in that moment. Focus on form and speed. When the thought of winning or losing enters your mind, force it out. Don’t focus on the win. Focus on making the ball. Period
Main reasons why people miss in billiards/pocket billiards I know everyone I'm tagging doesn't need this but maybe it can help people they know too. Plus if I can't play anymore I can still help. Hope you guys enjoyed it.
1 They don't take deep Breaths like snipers do to calm down before shooting while practicing they're stroke standing. Why? Because once you get down you shouldn't be down long enough to hesitate/get nervous again. You only wanna take 3, 3 1/2, or 4 strokes on most shots. If you do get nervous stand up and go through the process again. You wanna take any shot with full confidence. See the line of the cue ball pocketing the object ball and it's line going in before shooting.
2 I think most people get on pool tables before they've perfected their Strokes for two yrs between two upside down golf tees on the table that way it's tighter than using a bottle etc. People should take two yrs like I said perfecting their stroke before they ever shoot a ball but some feel two yrs is extreme I don't.
3 I think people don't understand foot placement and alignment does matter, but not as much as also being comfortable. So listen to the mechanics, but also find you in your stance. Dr Dave has a nice example of the stance dance or whatever he calls it on youtube.
4 I think a lot of people even pros neglect true center at times which is slightly to the left of center cue ball if your right handed and vice versa. For a shot that needs no english.
5 I think most people don't perfect shooting without english for two yrs before they ever learn english that way they can learn when not to use english first.
6 They don't stand straight up with the middle of they're pelvis in the middle of the shooting line before they get down and they jump up because they've never practiced enough staying down by practicing all shots with extra follow through for practice.
7 Cue grip should always be loose maybe slightly tighten it when your cues elevated for control. You mostly want it to swing loose like a pendulum the only true way to do that is slightly move your wrist forward and backward while stroking.
8 Most beginners think loose grip means loose bridge hand. No you want a loose grip so it slides through your firmly placed bridge smoothly.
9 Don't drop your elbow keep it in a consistent line through the whole shot. Whether your favorite pro does it or not.
I think the most important thing you can do in high pressure situations is just go through your pre-shot routine as best as possible. I think that is the most important part of the shot is doing it the same way every time. We all know when a shot feels right and when it doesn't. I shot competitive archery for many years and this best shot you can ever make is the one you don't shoot... The reason is because you know it's going to be a bad shot so stand back up and just go through your routine. Most people don't work on a pre-shot routine, but it's the most important part of the shot.
Double your concentration and focus! Save your emotion until the last ball is pocketed!
For me its the shoulders. When the pressure is on, My shoulders tense up and raise up a little. I don’t realize it at the time but hit happens all the time. Between shots I wiggle my shoulders to get loose again. It seems to work with easy breathing. Dont hold your breathe. Loose is good tight is bad.
The biggest reason people miss shots is They Jump Up & Not follow threw completely on shot..Iv owned 2 Pool Halls so Iv been watching pool for long time & I even have this problems myself..It just happens & in the 1st couple of examples of Pros Missing Videos you showed They Stood Up B4 shot was complete missing the ball to seemingly easy shot..Jumping Up is probaby the biggest reason for missed shots..This is my opinion so cant be fact But I think it issue after watching This Exact Thing Happen for so many years..Boy I Missouri Pool Hall, I should open another one🎸
I have always been skeptical of the argument that you missed the shot because you stood up. I think its more common that people jump up because they know they missed the shot. Its a question of correlation vs causation. I don't doubt that players like myself can cause them self to miss by standing up too quick, but a player like Efren or Alex probably jumped up because they know they hit it bad. Not following through though.... its a huge flaw and will cause you to either miss, or get no action on the cue ball and miss your position. Also, where in Missouri is your pool hall? I am originally from St. Louis and use to play out of Riverbend Billiards (sadly closing) and Diamond Billiards.
I think of being in a different situation, not focus on the crowd or shot situation because it will just make you more nervous, but i imagine i am in a pick up game for fun with a friend and it’s an non high value shot. Usually takes the pressure of it
I try to convince myself like this. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't.
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Even finals hill hill play to grow not to win. And play safe if odds are higher than to shoot. With 2 ball you could play safe and hide the striped
I play in many 8 & 9 ball tournaments every year all over the country. One thing I've found that ALWAYS helps is drinking about 3 full glasses of tequila before starting. This allows your mind to relax & your eyes to focus. It's also the best way to make bank shots.
I never drink during a tournament though I can say in other situations, I've played some of the best pool of my life after a few beers. Not enough to be stupid drunk. Just enough to relax the muscles and smooth the stroke.
I enjoy playing with a few drinks too, but I never get better with drinks, just a bit more confident.
Yes. I am working on that everyday. Wanna Play more. Need More Games/Challenges. Thanks!
My main issue while I am playing is that I shake extremely bad. Does anyone have good advice what I could do to help stop it.
I had a friends who's father had a very similar issue. It helped him to put some light weights on his hand to prevent the shaking from having such a big effect on the outcome of the shot.
Placing a bet really helps to improve in high pressure situations
I use to play for money quite a bit, but had a hard time finding action after moving to Korea. I finally found some people I can play now, and it is helping.
@@WorldofPoolandBilliards oh
Just remember that is what you like to do when you are playing under pressure. Show people your dedication with your shot
So I use to play badminton and I would play 2 on 1. On a doubles court which is a little bigger. I would win every time but I would come back from being down and people would be like how did you come back. I would say. Over confidencality it’s just a word I made up that means I give you the confidence to win so I can bring you down. And that’s what’s happening to you. I’m your reenactment you had ball in hand. You can to the table saw the pattern and was like ok this is easy there’s nothing in my way. I’ve done this 1,000s of times. You had 8 steps to victory 1, 2, 3... you had so much confidence when you missed the placement on the 7th ball is when you lost. It was the 6th shot that you lost on. Best advice stay humble, and don’t win before you win. When you had ball in hand is when you won in your head. And when you didn’t do exactly what you were suppose to do well that was it. The funny thing is you also have to have a winning mentality like you know you can do this, confidence just don’t win before hand
What is the fundamentals that u talked about
I tend to set my breathing so I can remain calm and think clearly about what I want to do and then I picture myself in an empty room so I block out any noise or disturbance to give me the best possible chance of winning in the really late rounds of a tournament or competition
High pressure. BEER always helps
Only way I have been able to ignore all pressure is just and trust your game. Learn all the angles you can by just simply playing your game and your game only..
The comment section has become solely about “how to deal with pressure” 😄. Me? I sing along to the music whenever possible, even if I don’t really like the song. And I don’t pay too much attention to my opponent running balls after I commit a bad miss. It’s just salt on the wound and delays my getting over it. I will watch him/her at the beginning of the match to look for weaknesses.
Only experience will fix the pressure situations you are talking about
maybe so
months ago i used to go uptown at night and play pool,i missed a easy shot ppl look at me weird then i tell them even the best pool players in the world miss easy shots.
I think the key to controlling pressure is situational ignorance. No one cares who you are or what you are doing. They are focused on themselves, what's for dinner, when they have to be home, etc. No one cares. I am just a guy at a table hitting balls with a stick and it doesn't matter to anyone else. It's me, my stick, one shot and executing a path to put one of those balls in a pocket wide enough for 2. At the end of the day, it's just one shot of the thousands of shots i'll take in my life. No extra importance to it no matter where or when it is. It's just hitting balls with a stick. I just remind myself of this, take a deep breath and go down on my shot. I also ignore any people standing around looking on or noise to something else going on that's more interesting than watching my dumb ass try to line up a shot. Take the importance away. It's easier to make a shot if you don't put it on a pedestal that's why getting in a groove and you just get hot dropping balls even on hard shots. You don't put tremendous importance or pressure on them. It's just a shot that you see the line on it and you know you're going to drop it so it's just time to smile and pocket the ball. No reason to worry when you already know you can make the shot and you see the line.
Thanks for your video
Use your time, step back breath and use all the time allotted to you, give that heart a chance to stop beating out of your chest, have a sip of beer, and breathe , your addrenalin will settle a bit, and then go for it, this has worked for me dozens of time, try it out...
Unless your EARL 👍 👍 great reference
I find that the way to minimize the effect of higher pressure situations , is to realize that everybody can miss any shot...You wouldnt be the first...
The answer is simple just remember if you miss the shot then you don't shoot again....
The fix is just concerned on making your shoot once you learn this you'll be fine
If you want to take a shot but you can't reach, just go ambidextrous
4:16 pray
Amen
I've always said the hardest ball to pot is a straight one.
Lkely an error in fundamentals
Work on your stroke..
Never second guess a shot if it's tuff just make the first shot then deal with the next with knowledge
😕😕😕😕
DRINK...as the racks go on pressure builds so a couple of shorts at the right time takes the edge off
When on pressure a deep breath can work three times
Remember you are playing because in all likelihood you are better than everyone watching. No matter what you're playing for, it's a game & you play because it brings you 😂
I play every ball good, but when it comes to 8ball the worst happens and everyone seems to notice it
My problem is, I know where I want the cue ball to go, and how to get it there (in theory), but I just can't get the angles/speed right in cueing... 😂
If you can't see a shot, stand up and find a safe. No matter that you normally would pot it automatically.