Pool Student’s Ramblings #4
This last week has been eye-opening for me in a couple of little ways that are having a big impact. I’ve been struggling with wild variations in performance and trying to figure out just what misbehavior was behind those really poor days or what I was doing right that resulted in the really good days.
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| Blinding Flash of Inspiration |
Well. I’m sure I don’t have all my answers, but I have two that are making a big difference for me.
I joined a one pocket league and have now played 3 matches. In the 1st I played what was the best 1P I’d ever played. I lost, but got to 2-2 against a much stronger player and my banks were working great. My second match a week later was an unmitigated disaster, losing 0-3 without ever making a good shot, let alone having much chance. In my match this week I again played better than ever, quickly winning 3-0 and only missing one offensive shot, and leaving that ball teetering on the edge of the hole.
As I thought deeply about the first two of these matches I realized that before each of the good performances I had had a very good night’s sleep, and before the disaster I had only gotten about 5 hours. The more I thought about it the more convinced I was that a lack of adequate sleep very often preceded a poor performance. I was almost assuredly prompted along this line of thinking by Sleep More, Perform Better by Jarno Virtanen on his fine new blog Caroming the Combination.
I decided to test my theory on the third week by ensuring that I got a great night’s sleep before my 3rd match, and I was greatly pleased with my result. I did the same for my straight pool league match and got the same result. From now on I’ll be trying to make sure I get all the sleep I need, especially before all my matches.
Another event happened while I was practicing. I was working on staying still, just banging balls and keeping track of how many misses I was making. I was shooting well, for me, and then I started to drink a Diet Pepsi. My performance went straight into the crapper, almost from the first sip. I theorized that the caffeine was bothering me, and realized that I hadn’t had caffeinated beverages in a couple days. The iced tea I usually drink by the gallon when home is 99% caffeine free. The more I thought about this the more I realized that my play at home is mostly caffeine free, while at the pool hall the attentive waitresses have usually delivered my 1st Diet Coke before I’ve got my cue put together. I do tend to play worse at the pool hall, but thought it was the low light level. Not any more I don’t. From now on it’ll be water for me.
Samples this small are useless scientifically, but I have a very good feeling about both of these, and I’m going to hold my normal skepticism in abeyance and just go with it. Of course, these two revelations haven’t improved my game at all, they just help me minimize the size of the swings between my best and worst days. But that improvement in consistency is greatly appreciated.
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8 Responses to “Pool Student’s Ramblings #4”
Michael McCafferty
- April 28th, 2010
I agree on both points.
Richie
- April 28th, 2010
I usually try not to eat until after my matches. Bar food makes me drowsy and lose focus.
Jarno Virtanen
- April 28th, 2010
Cool.
One thing to remember, though: if one is very sleep-deprived to begin with, sleeping too much at one go can make one drowsy during the following day. This is the feeling people refer to as having “slept too much.” But if one has a pretty good sleep schedule to begin with, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Maybe I should add this note to the article too.
I think I should pay more attention to what I’m drinking at the pool hall. Good point.
Martin
- April 30th, 2010
Tip the waitress for the water, or have diet-something-caffeinated. Should go without saying, I know…
John Biddle
- May 1st, 2010
Yes, of course, the waitress is doing the same work irrespective of the cost of the drink, I tip the same. I’ve been drinking water, but there’s just something in me that resents paying $2 for a bottle of water. Tap is my new choice.
Pool Minnow
- May 1st, 2010
I wonder if its the caffeine or the artificial sweetener in the Diet Pepsi? I used to drink Diet 7up at my local pool hall, but decided that it seemed to diminish my focus. Caffeine’can be bad, too, as can the sugar–so its sparkling water for me now.
If your body is sensitive to these kind of things (as mine is), I think figuring out what to eat and drink at pool hall is one of the big challenges.
p00lriah
- May 4th, 2010
hmm . . . funny you brought up this topic, mr. biddle. i wrote a post back in nov ‘09 on food & pool that’s related to your caffeine topic. check it out if u like.
StlJohnny
- May 7th, 2010
That article about getting a good night’s sleep is crucial. I’ve, in retrospect, proved that time and time again. Caffeine will fire up the nervous system, so I quit drinking it about 2 hours before my league match (or any match I want to be serious for) – and again, I’ve noticed a pretty big difference. Not in my ability to shoot straight, but actually in my ability to stay calm, not get nervous/anxious.
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