A slump is a prolonged dry spell of sub-par performance on the pool table. All players go through them. In the depths of a slump, one can feel bewildered, frustrated, and hopeless. Sometimes a slump works itself out in a short time or it could go on for weeks upon weeks. Here are six remedies to help you escape the dreaded slump.
1. Change your routine.
Could you be stuck in a rut because you have a regular schedule? Do you play two nights of leagues per week, warm up with the same teammates, and play a couple of weekly tournaments per month at the same place? You may need a jolt to the system to break out of the slump. Try to play some unknown players in unfamiliar surroundings. Play a tournament on the other side of town. Ask the counter person at a pool room to find a player to practice with and choose a game that you don’t normally play. You will be forced to perform in totally different circumstances. These unfamiliar pressures to your system may help you forget your slump-related anxiety. If these measures do the trick, you will have gained experience and confidence.
2. Buy a new cue.
Why not get some new equipment? It may excite and motivate you. You’ll have a fresh chance to work on your game and become a whole new player. The cue could take a while to get used to forcing you to make some adjustments to your game. These adjustments could solve the problems that put you into a slump. You’ll also feel better about making mistakes because you are still adjusting to your new cue. In effect, it reduces the anxiety of missing. This is one of the keys to breaking out of a slump. Playing well is largely having the confidence that you will play well. When you are consumed with tension and angst in the slump, a new cue may ignite your confidence. You’ll relax and swing your new cue smoothly rather that the tight and fearful stroke that keeps slumps alive.
3. Get help.
Take a lesson or ask another player to tell you if you are doing something different than pre-slump. Self analysis can be difficult. You may have slipped into some bad habits and an outsider’s opinion could get you back on track more quickly. Even Tiger Woods has a swing coach to critique his golf swing when he isn’t playing his best. Maybe you are jumping up during your stroke because of the anxiety of the slump. Don’t be afraid to copy a better player’s style of play. You must be humble and believe that changing something could be the way out of the slump.
4. Take a break.
When you come back after some time away from the table, your performance expectations may have changed. You will understand that you’ve got to shed some rust and you may play below your potential. By giving yourself permission to miss you’ll remove pressure and be more relaxed at the table. The game may become fun again and this will spur excitement to play.
5. Clear up other issues in your life.
If you are consumed by work or family problems, you will not be giving your pool game the focus it requires. Everyone has had times where thoughts of important issues spin through their heads while standing over a pool table. Is it any wonder mistakes can happen on the pool table with these major distractions? Sometimes pool should take a back seat to other parts of life. Spend some time working on important issues and your pool game will come around. I’ve witnessed incredible performances on the pool table by players who have great things happening in other areas of their life such as a promotion at work or an exciting new significant other. When things are going well in other areas of your life, your pool game may have no choice but to hit a record level of performance.
6. Play your way out of it.
Commit to figuring out what the problem is. Is your speed off? Missing long straight shots? Forgetting to play safe when the opportunity presents itself? Perform some drills and fine tune these weak spots. Attack these vulnerable areas and round out your game. I am gratified to see a player shooting shots they missed after a match rather than seeing a player shooting and making their favorite shot over and over. It can be difficult to address the source of a slump, but hard work can prevail.
It is important to remember there are some growing pains to endure as you become a better player. When you eventually recover from the slump, you will be back in the game. You may have gained mental toughness or made a slight adjustment to your pool stroke. Remember why you love the game and that improving your skills is a dividend that will pay off for years.
Mike Fieldhammer
Professional Billiard Instructor
Next column I will be answering questions from readers. Please submit your questions via the contact link or by phone at 612-802-0519.
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