Back in the mid to late 90s, my dear friend and top player, June Hager Walter, suggested I read a book entitled, Mental Toughness Training for Sports. I wasn't sure why she suggested I read it at the time, but now of course it makes complete sense: I needed some help with mental toughness! It turned out to be a REALLY good book for me to read. And, it was at the beginning of my pool journey and it was an enlightening book for someone who had never competing in sports before. But it's a great book for all competitors, no matter where they are in their sports journey.
The bonus to this book was there is a section in it that explains how to "get in the zone." I have consequently shared that concept with many people throughout my life, to help them in upcoming big tournaments.
But, that is not the topic of this blog post today. Sorry! Maybe I'll share "how to get in the zone" tidbit someday here in my blog, OR maybe you can read the book yourself :)
The other huge thing I learned from that book was, if you played your best, you gave your best effort, then you should not be upset at yourself if you lose. I learned from Mental Toughness Training for Sports that if I played lazy or didn't give 100%, then I needed to accept that I didn't play my best. This advice helped me from getting frustrated or depressed about my play. I loved that info! It was very helpful for me.
But the point of this blog post is something not even related to what was IN the book, but what I did while I read the book.
For whatever reason, I decided to stop practicing while I read the book. Back then I was hitting balls several times a week. But I wanted to focus on the words of the book and take the time to read it thoroughly with dedication. So, I didn't hit balls the entire time I read it.
I mentioned to June in the middle of reading the book that I stopped hitting balls. She confided that was exactly what I was suppose to do. What? I asked her, "Then why didn't you just suggest that to me?" She replied she wasn't sure I would really do that, if she suggested it, lol. But, it was kinda crucial to stop trying to improve my physical game while I read that book - I suppose so I could focus on one thing at a time.
While we can for sure multi-task (or so we think - check this out), it was imperative for my absorption to just focus on reading the book, and not also trying to improve my physical game at the same time.
Btw, the author is James Loehr.
Showing posts with label Zone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zone. Show all posts
Monday, June 25, 2018
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Getting in the Zone
Isn't it cool when you see someone trying to get into the zone? Or, trying to mentally prepare for a upcoming match?
I think what I appreciate is when other players recognize this and then DON'T bother the player. Let them do their own thing, don't come up and shoot the sh!t or ask dumb questions, leave them be to get mentally prepared.
I have seen this a few times, and once I describe these few scenarios I think you will recall similar situations.
The first time I was strongly aware of this was in April 2000 when I attended some big Straight Pool Tournament in New York City (i.e. the US Open Straight Pool Championships). Everyone was super dressed-up in tuxes or dresses. Quite the tournament.
I was there supporting my boyfriend, even though I had no idea at the time just how difficult yet amazing the lovely game of straight pool is, and how some 15 years later I would have a love/hate relationship with it, lol.
A friend of mine had sent me a message to tell Ralf Souquet good luck in the finals. I went looking for him and there he was, sitting by himself behind the stage... just.....thinking. He wasn't talking to anyone, he looked at peace with himself, all alone, hiding from everyone. He had his eyes closed and you could tell he was in deep thought.
I didn't bother him, and told him after the tournament (that he won, btw) his friends' well-wishes.
Another example of a player getting into the zone is female pro Vivian Villarreal. She wears earbuds and listens to music as she's walking to her matches. I presume she does this for several reasons. One, because she's trying not to get interrupted by fans because she's trying to get in the moment on her way to her matches. And two, because good music always helps us feel good and get in the zone . (Btw, after matches she puts her earbuds away and is very approachable for the fans!)
The other time that is vivid just happened a couple of months ago. Two local players were going to play an 11-ahead, $1,000 set on diamond bar table. I showed up to watch the action because I was in the area.
As they both came into the pool room, they each took turns warming up on the table they designated for the match; they alternated out every few games. Then, one of the players steps away from the area. He moved to a chair near the wall and kinda sat there, thinking. Just like I had seen Ralf do some 15 years earlier.
It was the same aura - you could see him trying to mentally prepare, getting mentally ready, staying by himself to compose his thoughts and emotions, and try to get in the zone.
Maybe they were reminding themselves not to get upset over outside influences, or to take their time, etc. Either way, it was pretty cool to see him/them literally mentally getting prepared and ready to play their big match.
I think what I appreciate is when other players recognize this and then DON'T bother the player. Let them do their own thing, don't come up and shoot the sh!t or ask dumb questions, leave them be to get mentally prepared.
I have seen this a few times, and once I describe these few scenarios I think you will recall similar situations.
The first time I was strongly aware of this was in April 2000 when I attended some big Straight Pool Tournament in New York City (i.e. the US Open Straight Pool Championships). Everyone was super dressed-up in tuxes or dresses. Quite the tournament.
I was there supporting my boyfriend, even though I had no idea at the time just how difficult yet amazing the lovely game of straight pool is, and how some 15 years later I would have a love/hate relationship with it, lol.
A friend of mine had sent me a message to tell Ralf Souquet good luck in the finals. I went looking for him and there he was, sitting by himself behind the stage... just.....thinking. He wasn't talking to anyone, he looked at peace with himself, all alone, hiding from everyone. He had his eyes closed and you could tell he was in deep thought.
I didn't bother him, and told him after the tournament (that he won, btw) his friends' well-wishes.
Another example of a player getting into the zone is female pro Vivian Villarreal. She wears earbuds and listens to music as she's walking to her matches. I presume she does this for several reasons. One, because she's trying not to get interrupted by fans because she's trying to get in the moment on her way to her matches. And two, because good music always helps us feel good and get in the zone . (Btw, after matches she puts her earbuds away and is very approachable for the fans!)
The other time that is vivid just happened a couple of months ago. Two local players were going to play an 11-ahead, $1,000 set on diamond bar table. I showed up to watch the action because I was in the area.
As they both came into the pool room, they each took turns warming up on the table they designated for the match; they alternated out every few games. Then, one of the players steps away from the area. He moved to a chair near the wall and kinda sat there, thinking. Just like I had seen Ralf do some 15 years earlier.
It was the same aura - you could see him trying to mentally prepare, getting mentally ready, staying by himself to compose his thoughts and emotions, and try to get in the zone.
Maybe they were reminding themselves not to get upset over outside influences, or to take their time, etc. Either way, it was pretty cool to see him/them literally mentally getting prepared and ready to play their big match.
Friday, May 27, 2016
Proof of Focusing (video clip)
I've been wanting to write about this for a while but needed some dedicated time to write this one up.
Before I go into the details of focusing, I'd like you to review this video below. See if you can beat my score! You need to watch closely to see if you can count the correct number of times the ball is passed from the girls only in the white shirts.
If you can't view this video now, go ahead and come back later - it's the whole premise of the topic.
Ready to beat my score??
So, if this was your first time viewing this video clip, then you are JUST as shocked and surprised as I was.
Even weeks later after seeing it, I will walk down the hall and see the coworker who shared this with me and still say something to him because I simply can't believe it. And of course, as soon as he showed me, I just /knew/ it would be a blog topic!
Basically, the video is proof how well we can focus on pool, and be in the zone. It also proves that we can indeed focus on things and miss other things.
I could write prolly 10 topics just related to this video and focusing in matches, but let's only touch on a few:
1. Team Captain: This video shows why a team captain is important. Some players need to focus on their game and wont be cognizant of the dynamics of what is going on around them. And that's good! We want their best game. And so the Captain can be the person who sees the entire picture. As captain, it's their role to see who is playing well, how to change up the line-up, or maybe help someone who is dealing with high emotions (as an example). Letting the players focus on pool, allows the Captain to focus on the players.
2. Focus on the Table: This video kinda encapsulates why you can be in the zone and not notice anything else around you. It also PROVES that you can be THAT focused on one thing. And for us, that is the game at hand. If you are focusing solely on 3-balls-ahead-shape, I guarantee you nothing else will enter your mind. That's the type of focus you want. If you are struggling with focusing or you think you can't focus lately for some reason, think about how well you watched the balls from the girls in the white shirt and what you missed. Yep! See?
3. Multi-Tasking: What the video doesn't show but it attests to in documentation, is that if you were to see all three changes (curtain, the walk-on, and someone leaving), then you may not have counted the correct number of passes. The neurology of our brain to do calculations is resource intensive, so if we are doing too much, other things may slack off. That's why it's crucial to try and focus only on the game at hand when we are playing pool. That's why when we get distracted by something external, we don't play as well.
4. Practice versus Tourney Play: This video also explains why during practice we play so much better sometimes than in competition. In practice, we are not distracted, having fun, making all our shots. Here comes competition and we are worrying about our "status" in the event, who our opponent is, who is watching, why someone just said something crappy to us, etc. How can we possibly play our best being distracted? That's why it's important to let things go, focus on the table, and regroup quickly when something distracts you or throws you off.
Hope this helps prove you CAN focus well, and how important it is. :)
Before I go into the details of focusing, I'd like you to review this video below. See if you can beat my score! You need to watch closely to see if you can count the correct number of times the ball is passed from the girls only in the white shirts.
If you can't view this video now, go ahead and come back later - it's the whole premise of the topic.
Ready to beat my score??
So, if this was your first time viewing this video clip, then you are JUST as shocked and surprised as I was.
Even weeks later after seeing it, I will walk down the hall and see the coworker who shared this with me and still say something to him because I simply can't believe it. And of course, as soon as he showed me, I just /knew/ it would be a blog topic!
Basically, the video is proof how well we can focus on pool, and be in the zone. It also proves that we can indeed focus on things and miss other things.
I could write prolly 10 topics just related to this video and focusing in matches, but let's only touch on a few:
1. Team Captain: This video shows why a team captain is important. Some players need to focus on their game and wont be cognizant of the dynamics of what is going on around them. And that's good! We want their best game. And so the Captain can be the person who sees the entire picture. As captain, it's their role to see who is playing well, how to change up the line-up, or maybe help someone who is dealing with high emotions (as an example). Letting the players focus on pool, allows the Captain to focus on the players.
2. Focus on the Table: This video kinda encapsulates why you can be in the zone and not notice anything else around you. It also PROVES that you can be THAT focused on one thing. And for us, that is the game at hand. If you are focusing solely on 3-balls-ahead-shape, I guarantee you nothing else will enter your mind. That's the type of focus you want. If you are struggling with focusing or you think you can't focus lately for some reason, think about how well you watched the balls from the girls in the white shirt and what you missed. Yep! See?
3. Multi-Tasking: What the video doesn't show but it attests to in documentation, is that if you were to see all three changes (curtain, the walk-on, and someone leaving), then you may not have counted the correct number of passes. The neurology of our brain to do calculations is resource intensive, so if we are doing too much, other things may slack off. That's why it's crucial to try and focus only on the game at hand when we are playing pool. That's why when we get distracted by something external, we don't play as well.
4. Practice versus Tourney Play: This video also explains why during practice we play so much better sometimes than in competition. In practice, we are not distracted, having fun, making all our shots. Here comes competition and we are worrying about our "status" in the event, who our opponent is, who is watching, why someone just said something crappy to us, etc. How can we possibly play our best being distracted? That's why it's important to let things go, focus on the table, and regroup quickly when something distracts you or throws you off.
Hope this helps prove you CAN focus well, and how important it is. :)
Friday, October 23, 2015
Getting in the Zone is Not Key for Me
I read in Mental Toughness Training for Sports how to get "in the zone." I read it in my mid 20s, and will never forget it.
I have known how to do this for years. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But what I know now is even more valuable: While everyone thinks getting in the zone is huge, I think being confident and being in control of your fundamentals are MORE important.
I prefer to have confidence in my abilities and to feel confident about them. I prefer to know that staying down and following through is more valuable than being in the zone. I prefer to know that having a smooth stroke and taking my time helps me make more shots. I prefer to recognize that I need to breath under pressure. I prefer to recognize that if I'm focusing on fundamentals, that also helps my mental toughness as well.
Sure, being in the zone is amazing. And it's a feeling like none other.
But that cannot be achieved every time. You know what can? Knowing that staying down and solid fundamentals are what you can bring to the table every time. Obviously, knowledge is KEY, also, but the combo - wow - is priceless.
And THAT feels better than being in the zone.
I want to be clear. BEING confident is one thing, but being confident and in control in your fundamentals is quite another. It's one the best feelings in the world is focusing on staying down with a smooth stroke on every shot of a match.
I recall how my ex boyfriend had a real big money match the following day that was set up. He was playing a set for $5,000. I was at home back in Texas and he was to play a guy in Alabama I think (this was 20 years ago). *I* could not go to sleep. I wondered, "how could he sleep and not wonder about the match or how it would go? How could he not be nervous?"
I know now. He was confident in his ability.
I get more sleep before big events now than ever before. I don't fret about how I might do or worry about it. I don't get nervous because I'm the clutch player in all my team events. Nope. I sleep like a baby because I'm confident with my fundamentals and the knowledge of the game.
Zone? pffft. Even the best athletes in the world admit that they have only been in the zone a handful of times. Wish I had instead the last 20 years the knowledge that focusing on solid fundamentals would win me more matches.
I have known how to do this for years. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But what I know now is even more valuable: While everyone thinks getting in the zone is huge, I think being confident and being in control of your fundamentals are MORE important.
I prefer to have confidence in my abilities and to feel confident about them. I prefer to know that staying down and following through is more valuable than being in the zone. I prefer to know that having a smooth stroke and taking my time helps me make more shots. I prefer to recognize that I need to breath under pressure. I prefer to recognize that if I'm focusing on fundamentals, that also helps my mental toughness as well.
Sure, being in the zone is amazing. And it's a feeling like none other.
But that cannot be achieved every time. You know what can? Knowing that staying down and solid fundamentals are what you can bring to the table every time. Obviously, knowledge is KEY, also, but the combo - wow - is priceless.
And THAT feels better than being in the zone.
I want to be clear. BEING confident is one thing, but being confident and in control in your fundamentals is quite another. It's one the best feelings in the world is focusing on staying down with a smooth stroke on every shot of a match.
I recall how my ex boyfriend had a real big money match the following day that was set up. He was playing a set for $5,000. I was at home back in Texas and he was to play a guy in Alabama I think (this was 20 years ago). *I* could not go to sleep. I wondered, "how could he sleep and not wonder about the match or how it would go? How could he not be nervous?"
I know now. He was confident in his ability.
I get more sleep before big events now than ever before. I don't fret about how I might do or worry about it. I don't get nervous because I'm the clutch player in all my team events. Nope. I sleep like a baby because I'm confident with my fundamentals and the knowledge of the game.
Zone? pffft. Even the best athletes in the world admit that they have only been in the zone a handful of times. Wish I had instead the last 20 years the knowledge that focusing on solid fundamentals would win me more matches.
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