[Big_Bad_Bern]

Slumps, what are they and how do you fix them

Slump, it’s that nasty word that creeps into our games causing chaos and wreaking havoc on what we believed was a solid pool game we have established. They usually appear after we have been playing some of the best pool of our lives and like a thunderbolt from heaven that smites us it’s gone.

I believe slumps are usually caused by mental fatigue or laziness. When we play our best pool the small details start to slip through the cracks, we start missing or skipping steps in our shooting routines or we fail to notice an errant elbow or misplaced bridge hand, our back foot steps in the bucket or we twist into our shots instead of walking in; but because we are still playing well (in spite of ourselves, instead of because of ourselves) due to being in the zone or in rhythm we fail to notice the leaking oil until one day we suffer a catastrophic failure.

The first step to repairing the damage is to consult your repair manual (go back to basics), revisit your shot routine and follow every step to the letter, step into the shot properly, check your alignment making sure that when you step into the shot your body is falling in its proper line for a straight consistent stroke and you are following through to your finish, making sure you are balanced and comfortable with your feet in the correct position for you. If you don’t have a repair manual (a written list of your shot routine step by step, and hopefully a video tape of your personal alignment and what it looks like when it is correct) then you should see a qualified instructor right away to help you make shot routine manual that will cover your fundamentals.

If you have reviewed your basics and everything is ok, I would suggest taking an extra second before pulling the trigger for your final stroke, as generally when people play better they tend to speed up their pace or rhythm. Your eyes might not be making the transition from cue ball to object ball before your stroke begins. Give your eyes a second longer to focus on the object ball before your final stroke. Make sure you really see it.

Secondly sometimes if you play your best pool and exceed your standard level or have a jump in your game, your mind becomes uncomfortable about exceeding that boundary and being in uncharted territory and creates issues (bad habits reappear or new ones suddenly jump out) with your game to bring you back where it feels comfortable. Only by working through these issues does your brain begin to believe that the new level was earned and not just a deviation from your standard night of play.

Keep striving and find that higher level!

Bern

[Pelican]

It seems to me that sometimes I have to fight to be concentrated on what I am doing. Have made shots and could not remember if I was looking at the object ball or not when I struck the cueball. This kind of stuff will put you in a slump in a hurry.

[RicktheStick]

Nice article, we all go into a slump, sooner or later, burn out happens in every sport.

[Big_Bad_Bern]

Hi RicktheStick, I agree slumps happen to everyone sooner or later but knowing how to deal with it and recover is one of the things that separates a good player from a great one.

Bern

[Big_Bad_Bern]

Hi Pelican, if you are making shots where you could not remember if you were looking at the object ball or not this tells you two things.

1). you align well to your shots and have a fairly straight stroke (good muscle memory), you can probably make balls with your eyes closed.

2). your eyes and your stroke are not in sync, which you can get away with in the short term but like you stated in the long run it will throw you horribly out of whack timing wise. Make sure to pause long enough before your final stroke to allow your eyes to settle on the object ball, it does not matter if the pause occurs when your cue tip is at the cue ball or at the back of your backswing (Buddy Hall does this which is the reason for his elongated pause at the back of his stroke he is allowing his eyes time to focus in and settle on the object bal) either one is good and a matter of personal preference. Try this and watch your stroke timing improve.

Bern

[Dandydan]

I got in one last year and could not win and kept going down hill. In disgust I stopped playing for a week and when I came back, I was back. I'll never figure that one out.

[Pelican]

Thanks Bern. I will try and apply myself more.

Oh yea, actually I miss more than I make when that scenario occurs.

Later, Pel