Mind of Steel
COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING FOR TODAY’S POOL PLAYERS The Sports Doc - Dr. CHRISTOPHER STANKOVICH www.drstankovich.com
Modern-day elite athletes follow holistic training routines that go beyond simply hitting weights in the gym. In addition to physical training, these athletes often engage in various sport psychology training programs and use the latest technology to analyze their game and learn weaknesses of their opponents.
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ool players can learn from these contemporary approaches to training by also incorporating 3 important dimensions to their game: Physical, technical, and mental training.
Why a holistic approach makes sense For pool players, success hinges on making balls, running tables, and winning tournaments – but what are the most effective and efficient ways of doing that? First, the #1 rule to successful pool play is to not beat yourself! Playing while tired, disinterested, inebriated, or injured are all situations to avoid as you minimize your chances for success for obvious reasons. Instead, a better, more effective approach is to approach each game with your best foot forward, and that can only happen by training in holistic ways as outlined below: • Physical. This area of training relates to how well you take care of yourself, from the amount of rest you get each night to how stretched and ready to go your body is before
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you chalk up for your first shot. Physical training includes light weight training, flexibility training, a healthy diet, and refraining from drugs and alcohol. The better you look and feel, the more confident you will play, and the more likely you’ll win more games as a result. • Technical. This is the one area pool players usually do a decent job at, as technical training includes shooting shots, executing table strategies, playing effective safeties, and learning everything else that needs to be learned to play solid pool. You might think of this as the “X’s and O’s” of sports, and includes watching video, taking lessons, and doing whatever is necessary to actually learn the game of pool. • Mental. The final area of training, the mental dimension, in-
cludes learning how to relax under pressure, focus, and develop the self-confidence needed to know that you can get out of any situation at any time. Developing a pregame routine, a pre-shot routine, and learning ways to effectively cope with stress are examples of things top players do in order to play their best.
You will get out of it what you put into it Will a holistic approach take a little more time? Quite possibly, yes. But if the desired outcome is to start knocking off the better players in your area, then you might want to begin training in ways that allow you to feel great physically, understand the finer points of the game, and execute successfully –- even under pressure. Train like a champion and you’ll play like a champion!
Dr. Christopher Stankovich is a nationally acclaimed expert in Sport & Performance Psychology and the Founder of Advanced Human Performance Systems. For more information on performance-enhancement products, including the popular “Mind of Steel for Pool Success” conveniently streamed to your phone/pad please visit www.drstankovich.com
