Confidence - Concentration - Thoughts: mental side of the game

[Cue crafty]

My point is, distract yourself and do something different to what isn't working for you (and us) or you will get the same result and get stuck. We've all been there and will be again at some point.

Good point, nothing ventured nothing gained! We can all be guilty here, no excuse for doing the same Old things in routine fashion and complaining when we don't improve.

We we all need to keep evolving if we want better results. :snooker:

[John Flaf]

Shockerz / CC, How exactly do you get in the 'Zone'. I THINK i've been in it twice, It was like everything around me dissapeared only the table and the balls existed I was pottting without thinking about anything, TBH it was a wonderfull moment just wish I could replicate it.

I came down to earth quite quickly as I was 'Zoned' ( New word ) I didn't keep score my opponent was so impressed neither did he so I have no idea what my highest break is :apologetic:

[tomwalker147]

Shockerz / CC, How exactly do you get in the 'Zone'. I THINK i've been in it twice, It was like everything around me dissapeared only the table and the balls existed I was pottting without thinking about anything, TBH it was a wonderfull moment just wish I could replicate it.

I came down to earth quite quickly as I was 'Zoned' ( New word ) I didn't keep score my opponent was so impressed neither did he so I have no idea what my highest break is :apologetic:

haha John the other week i played my dad, i potted 15 reds with no colour less than a blue, turned to my dad and he said "that's 74 mate". We just decided between us it was 100 odd!

[John Flaf]

Nice one Tom, I know i started off with the blue but neither of us kept score of the blacks it was only 4 or 5 so I just said 4 then, Can only aspire to acheive your talent but only been playing a year and I'm no spring chicken

[Cue crafty]

Shockerz / CC, How exactly do you get in the 'Zone'. I THINK i've been in it twice, It was like everything around me dissapeared only the table and the balls existed I was pottting without thinking about anything, TBH it was a wonderfull moment just wish I could replicate it.

I came down to earth quite quickly as I was 'Zoned' ( New word ) I didn't keep score my opponent was so impressed neither did he so I have no idea what my highest break is :apologetic:

Wish I knew John, I think it's a bit like the 10 steps to Nirvana, we need to ask the Dalai Llama for help lolz!

Maybe sometimes, when we are happy and our mind is in that rare state of not being worried about money, Family, health etc etc (when the hell is that btw?) Our minds can fully focus on snooker? :snooker:

[Sidd]

I was literally shaking through nerves. I told my team mate of when we played in an important game of football years and one of the guys was so nervous a team mate slapped him to get his head back in"The now."

As I turned my team mate slapped me! Just before I throttled him he said, "Are you nervous now?"

My point is, distract yourself and do something different to what isn't working for you (and us) or you will get the same result and get stuck. We've all been there and will be again at some point.

I have slapped myself a few times too only to see no change in game coupled with playing with a sore cheek

[Sidd]

Shockerz / CC, How exactly do you get in the 'Zone'. I THINK i've been in it twice, It was like everything around me dissapeared only the table and the balls existed I was pottting without thinking about anything, TBH it was a wonderfull moment just wish I could replicate it.

I came down to earth quite quickly as I was 'Zoned' ( New word ) I didn't keep score my opponent was so impressed neither did he so I have no idea what my highest break is :apologetic:

I have been three at least three times myself. Its a different feeling, a different world all together. Nothing matters because you are unable to hear see distractions- just looking at the balls listening to the sound of the tip to ball ball to ball and ball to pocket coming from somewhere in the background. All the three times I have been there I made 50 odd breaks including a 51 three blacks clearance and all three times I had to be told of my break and what I did because soon after the break I literally could not remember which balls I took on where that day I made two 50 odds in three frames

then my OCD brain started asking me to repeat that performance and get in the zone but how I tried my best but could not find the answer I tried harder but no use... Tried many things ... only then I found out that there is only one secret to get in the zone .... I am about to reveal it so get ready.... you can only get in the zone when you don't think about it it has to happen and comes naturally !

[Sidd]

Wish I knew John, I think it's a bit like the 10 steps to Nirvana, we need to ask the Dalai Llama for help lolz!

Maybe sometimes, when we are happy and our mind is in that rare state of not being worried about money, Family, health etc etc (when the hell is that btw?) Our minds can fully focus on snooker? :snooker:

Only when we don't think about getting in the zone- we get in the zone no other way.

[John Flaf]

Thanks CC, Absolutely spot on Sidd, you describe it exactly how I felt at the time. I've never consciously thought about it, trouble is I Over think, if anything maybe there's my problem you have to clear your mind of everything Just as CC suggests.

[Shockerz]

I have slapped myself a few times too only to see no change in game coupled with playing with a sore cheek

Sidd

Maybe you're not doing it hard enough mate, If you need a hand I'll do it for you. lol

[Shockerz]

Shockerz / CC, How exactly do you get in the 'Zone'. I THINK i've been in it twice, It was like everything around me dissapeared only the table and the balls existed I was pottting without thinking about anything, TBH it was a wonderfull moment just wish I could replicate it.

I came down to earth quite quickly as I was 'Zoned' ( New word ) I didn't keep score my opponent was so impressed neither did he so I have no idea what my highest break is :apologetic:

Sorry, but I haven't a clue mate. 30 years ago I could see anything but the balls, it was like there was a haze round the table (not the smoke!) and never really saw anything else going on, like your mind is just dead without emotion and just doing it.

When I used to chip and putt at Golf it was the same.

As I've got older it happens rarely.

I had it in a league Individuals final last year over 5 frames and in maybe 3 or 4 other frames this year, I have no idea why. I certainly don't concentrate like I used to.

If I do routines then sometimes it happens when the mind is clear.

As Cue Crafty says it's like a Nirvanna or for me it's a bit trance like with utterly no emotion.

I would be very interested if a sports psychologist had some ideas how to bring it on as it is certainly game changing.

[Cue crafty]

Just thought of some old advice, as I have been there (the zone) a few times. When I was 19 and decent at snooker, I was at a familiar point I had reached many times, the 50+ break. I had made 87 as my highest break a whole year earlier but had struggled to beat it. This night I felt good, had reached the familiar 50 bench mark, but was tight on the side side cushion to drop in my next red. This time I took stock, said to my self, right lets press the mental default button, bank this 50 and look at this next shot as if it were my first... I fancied it more and knew if I could drop it in I had a good angle on the black to free more reds. I went on to make 103, and have only bettered that in practice at 110 since. ( I then didn't play the game for 20+ years ) sad face.

Since returning to play in 2016 my best is 84 and I have found that zone on very few occasions. My old and best friend is the "buzz" the electricity I feel when I know I can show off, sad I know but sometimes when people watch on a nearby table and I see they are impressed it gives me a buzz which is a different zone I think entirely. The other day I struggling to make 30, then a member came up who loves the table I was playing on so I happily swapped, we jumped on table 2 which was brushed, blocked and ironed and I went 38, 42,67 in two frames largely because the buzz kicked in.

Wish I could bottle it and sell it on tap, but the truth is for me and many other confidence players is that it's a break in the dynamic that opens the window and sets you on fire.

[tomwalker147]

I love this thread, great to see examples from other cueists.
I think the zone for me tends to happen when i've prepared well. This may sound bizarre but most of my matches begin at 7:30/8pm. My routine is to get in from work approx 5:30, have a light bite to eat, bath, then get to snooker for 7. Loosen the arm if a tables available (this doesn't really matter to me on match nights though).
I find the correct prep focuses the mind.

The best time i've been in the zone was my local final against Pottr, better than me in many ways but when i'm on it I fancy mixing it with anybody. On that night I won 3-1 and I think I missed 3/4 balls in the whole match and had a 77 to win the final frame. I didn't even know who else was in the room and was so focused. Jack (Pottr) won't know this or appreciate it but I won the first frame but he hit back to make it 1-1 with a 50 odd break. I felt like the match was being taken out of my control having stamped some authority on it in the first frame so after frame two I nipped to the loo, washed my hands and re-set my mindset before playing the rest of the match on my terms, at my own pace. Honestly the best i've ever felt in a match and i've taken frames off seasoned pros.

[John Flaf]

Agreed Tom, Facinating stuff so most of us have been in the 'Zone' but none of us know how or why, I can relate to Sidd, CC, and Shokerz their experience's though. I don't play in a league Tom but I understand how your pre match routine 'settles you down' before a match.Thinking about it we amatures hope to find a way of getting in the zone but pro's must do it all the time 100% concentration, they must have to shut out everything around them even the applauding after a good shot. Stephen Hendry summed it up in the title of his autobiography 'Me and the Table' Thats just what the zone is.

[tomwalker147]

Agreed Tom, Facinating stuff so most of us have been in the 'Zone' but none of us know how or why, I can relate to Sidd, CC, and Shokerz their experience's though. I don't play in a league Tom but I understand how your pre match routine 'settles you down' before a match.Thinking about it we amatures hope to find a way of getting in the zone but pro's must do it all the time 100% concentration, they must have to shut out everything around them even the applauding after a good shot. Stephen Hendry summed it up in the title of his autobiography 'Me and the Table' Thats just what the zone is.

Very true and what a great book by the way...
For me it tends to be just clearing all the clutter from my mind, fell out with the mrs two weeks ago and my game's gone to S**t, now things are ok again it'll be interesting to see how i play the next two nights with nothing to worry about!
Other factors, stressing about work, money, family etc do play their part and prevent us from getting into the zone. Other people simply aren't good enough to get into the zone, if you can't pot more than 2/3 balls in a row I don't think the zone is a destination you'll find yourself in.
I think the zone is a place that players of a certain ability can locate sporadically. It feels incredible to be there, a month or so ago I went for a knock and had exactly 100 first frame, followed by a 60 odd and 50 odd, the zone was great for those 3 frames but impossible to get back into after i'd fallen out of it!