Nerves ruining my natural game during matches

[Ramon]

well,,, you're right about that one!! without coffee I just don't feel normal and I get headache!! but I didn't know that coffee, can affect playing snooker!!
What I have noticed is, that most pro's drinking water during the game!!
I'm sure is better than beer!! Once they were allowed to drink beer during the match.

[Byrom]

On a different but related issue, a lot of snooker players who take caffeine regularly might benefit significantly by giving it up.

Caffeine works by inhibiting adenosine ('go slow' hormone) receptors in neurons, therefore speeding up neural activity. Research has shown that when completing activities that require skill and care, caffeine will make us complete them faster but with more mistakes, which is obviously no good for snooker players.

When we take it regularly the body compensates by increasing levels of adenosine with the effect that you no longer get the benefits from caffeine because you now need it just to feel 'normal'. So now you're subject to fluctuations between too much or too little adenosine with relatively short periods of time when the levels are appropriate. When you consider how we have to switch mindsets during play, between spatial problem solving (when choosing a shot) and pin point accuracy (executing the shot), and how hard this can be under pressure, you really don't want to be navigating the caffeine/adenosine roller coaster at the same time.

You can really only maintain normal levels of adenosine constantly by ceasing the practise of periodically flooding your system with caffeine. I quit just recently and have been feeling really good about it.

Caffeine is the one of the easiest drugs to give up. Withdrawal symptoms include headaches, irritability, sleepiness, depression and the like. I found that they get easier after a couple of days and research has shown that they cease completely within 7-9 days. After that any remaining addiction is pretty much psychological but I haven't had any issues with that so far. The first headache was pretty bad though, I must warn you.

I did this a while back - as I felt my concentration was packing in - so taking advice on this by long bomber and a few others I quit coffee and red bull and stuff - two weeks later I hit a purple patch made a ton and numerous good breaks felt like I had my old form back - then a month ago I re lapsed went back on coffee and red bull and my mistakes on the table went up again and my form dropped along with my concentration - I did this on purpose just to see if it was the thing responsible. Whilst it might not be the only thing I think I am convinced it is a big contributing factor and I do believe now that diet plays a part - whilst I don't think a Peter eat no meat Ebdon approach is needed I think cutting out caffeine is - for me at least - a bit like when you are diabetic and you need your blood sugar levels right to play snooker - I think it cant but help to keep your levels right in a dietary way - caffeine for me was one thing that sent these levels scatty.

It was hard though I got cravings and a few headaches at first - shakes in the morning and was quite grumpy and drained - but it went away - I am not now touching the stuff again and until I read your advice on this forum I did not think it a problem - opened my eyes you guys - so thanks.

[Terry Davidson]

I found this to be an interesting post. I drink 3 large cups of coffee a day and it gets worse when I play in a tournament where besides my regular 3, I might drink another 3 and then I'm peed off because I get nerves at the start of every match and it takes me awhile to settle down. I am definitely going to give up both coffee and tea and stick to ginger ale or something at tournaments and see how that goes.

Just one question though for eaoin11 (or anyone else for that matter), what about decaf coffee and tea? We have one of those wonderful expresso machines my wife bought years ago from Starbucks and now we use those coffee pellets or whatever they're called and she has bought a box of decaf coffee pellets (disks?) and actually it doesn't taste half-bad. She also gets Yorkshire brand decaf tea for herself as she drinks 8 mugs of tea easily in a day and since she's a glass artist and has to use a lot of fine motor skills she feels she's doing better on the decaf tea.

I would probably have severe withdrawal symptoms as I've been drinking coffee ever since my Navy days at 17 years old, so that's over 50 years now.

Next, I gotta go to work on the smoking. Down to 11-12 ciggys a day and planning to quit in another 2 weeks or so.

Terry

[golferson123]

Terry get a good ecig they do work and you can get nicotine free too also I have decaf tea it's ok

[tedisbill]

What's made you decide to stop the Cigarettes, Terry?

[CoachGavin]

Nerves ruining my natural game during matches

I have just stopped drinking 3 litres of coke a day. very bad headaches and irritable at first. First three days i was desperate for my sugar/caffeine fix. Much better now and I'm less tired and my hands have stopped their constant trembling. Obviously much better for my snooker.

[jrc750]

I have just stopped drinking 3 litres of coke a day.....

Wow, that was a lot !!!

[DeanH]

I used worked with a chap that walked round with a 1.5lt bottle of normal (fully-leaded) coca-cola as if it was one of those small water bottles!
Needless to say he never noticed that he had a shake going on all the time
No idea how much he consumed each day, I like my fully leaded coke but that is extreme!

[Terry Davidson]

What's made you decide to stop the Cigarettes, Terry?

I think it's about time. I'll be 70yrs in March and have been smoking since I was 14yrs, so about 56 years worth of tar on my lungs and I'm starting to get that morning smoker's cough

[Terry Davidson]

Terry get a good ecig they do work and you can get nicotine free too also I have decaf tea it's ok

I think now that I'm down to less than 12 a day I'm going to try cold turkey and see if I can handle it. If not I'll try the ecigs

[thommo335]

I have just stopped drinking 3 litres of coke a day. very bad headaches and irritable at first. First three days i was desperate for my sugar/caffeine fix. Much better now and I'm less tired and my hands have stopped their constant trembling. Obviously much better for my snooker.

Your teeth will thank you too! I've very quickly got used to pepsi max as an alternative.

[Byrom]

I have also quit smoking - I use an e cig - sadly now I am addicted to electricity

[GeordieDS]

I think it's about time. I'll be 70yrs in March and have been smoking since I was 14yrs, so about 56 years worth of tar on my lungs and I'm starting to get that morning smoker's cough

After smoking for so long do you think you will feel the benefits of giving up now?

[Terry Davidson]

After smoking for so long do you think you will feel the benefits of giving up now?

They say anytime is good. It will take about 3 weeks for my lungs to clear out. My doctor is always on me to quit and when I do I'm going to ask her when she plans to lose some weight as overweight is just as dangerous as ciggys.

[inevermissblue]

Any of you guys offer any advice on how to deal with nerves during matches?

I have suffered with them since I started playing the game and it effects my game badly where it will cause me to miss the easiest of balls.

I even let the nerves get to me against people I shouldnt really be struggling against and because of it can sometimes end up with a terrible result because of it.

I stopped playing the game for ten years and have only been back playing a year, because of this i am having to work my way back up from the lower leagues. Not to disrespect my opponents, but i should not be struggling with nerves against them. Anyone no matter how good they are can lose the odd game i know that, but this is down to nerves more than anything.

Has anybody got some advice that may help in this situation? Really frustrating when i know im a lot better than my performance suggests.

In my experience having a nervous disposition is more likely to be that you are not 100% happy with your game. Evidence of this is say for instance...your playing one of your mates(someone your favourite to beat). He leaves you in right amongst the balls with a big break beckoning. However, your under no pressure from your opponent. Though you still miss a sitter. Then you will beat yourself up because he takes what spoils he's able to. Sometimes leading to you losing the frame.
Had your confidence been what it should, the only thing you would be thinking is...where do I want the cueball for my next shot etc...
This lack of confidence is in my opinion a sighting problem. These are usually caused by overcomplicating the pot. Its a percentage game. Its about 30% for the pot and the rest is positional awareness. Although to reach this stage you need to be 100% confident that the cueball is taking the path you intended on every pot/shot.
Good form is bred through confidence not doubt!!! Enjoy yourself and happy about what you are doing and the rest is all gravy.