Sitting Up Straight

I wrote before how sitting up straight and smiling while seated in your chair (whether you feel like it or not), actually exudes confidence.

This is especially helpful when the last thing you feel sitting in your chair after a missed shot is confidence. You feel instead deflated with self-doubt.  Maybe even anger.

And since you want to be prepared to play your best your next turn at the table, you need to get confident quick.

And you can change that around to confidence and sureness by just sitting up straight and tall, and having a little smile on your face, pretending to be confident.  (try it, you will be surprised!)

Even when you may not feel confident... it's amazing how pretending to be confident transforms into real confidence, which of course will help your play at the table. We all know that we play better when confident, than when deflated.  Almost exaggerate these "actions" if you have to.

I wrote before how actors were tested during scenes and proved that even when acting, their oxygen and blood levels changed.  So, it's important to get this "acting confident" part of your routine.

I have seen before where a player is slouching in their chair in disgust because they are losing.  I thought to myself, "well, THAT's not going to help."  Further, she was exuding her frustration and disappointment by her body language, which as we all know can actually feed some players.


And this past weekend I learned an additional little tidbit about slouching and sitting straight!

I luckily was able to choose between two chairs while waiting for a scotch doubles match.  One was a stool and the other was a high chair with a back on it.  I told my friend, "I'll take the chair with the back so I don't slouch."

And he shared with me and his scotch doubles partner that slouching actually causing the body more work.  That the back and stomach are working to stop the body from falling over.

Hey!  Another great reason not to slouch - exerts less energy and exudes confidence. 

There ya go :)