Pool. Billiards. The game with the giant stick where you hit a ball to hit other balls to go in a pocket on a tabletop. Ahh. Sounds easy enough, right? While some people are natural pool players, there are a great many who do struggle to maintain that steady hand, the perfect aim, the implementation of high school geometry and physics as you quickly calculate angles and the required amounts of mass and acceleration to create the required force you need, then applying it in practical terms to sink that sucker into the pocket. There are a great number of reasons to play pool but to actually play it requires skill, knowledge and practice.
As a result, HFR came up with ten health tips you could implement into your daily life to improve your pool game.
- Eat a light dinner – Eating a light dinner improves mood, gives you quicker reflexes, and can give you peace of mind the following morning. To boot, eating foods high in magnesium promote a higher quality of sleep, giving you a longer, deeper sleep, making it easier to wake up in the morning to get your day started at the pool hall.
- Have a good nights rest – Piggybacking on our first point, having a good night’s sleep allows for your body to be well rested, giving you greater control of your body throughout the day. Furthermore, having a higher quality of sleep enables your brain to process more information – say of tips you learned to improve your pool game – enabling you to improve your ability to perform tasks, such as aiming, having a steady hand, and applying the right amount of force to a strike.
- Calm nerves – Eating whole grains can decrease anxiety and calm the nerves, which is imperative in pool. Pool, of course, requires finesse and precision ad feeling antsy will ultimately lead to a poor game. Eating whole grains may help keep you calm as it promotes the release of serotonin, a neurochemical that allows you feel more in control.
- Upper body strength – As pool requires you to hold and aim a stick, having the strength and capability to do so is a must. Executing a shot, regardless of aim, involves shoulder and arm strength. Doing a quick and easy arm and shoulder workout will make shooting the stick feel effortless.
- Hand-eye coordination – Good hand-eye coordination is necessary for being a good pool player because one needs to set their sights on a pocket and execute the shot. One thing you can do to improve your hand-eye coordination is playing catch. Throwing and catching a ball allows for your eyes and hands to react in sync;continued practice at gradually increasing speed will enhance your reflexive abilities, which can not only increase your aim but also give you a sharper, quicker shot.
- Meditation – The art of staying zen keeps the mind and body relaxed. Meditation is good for reducing stress and increasing concentration. Concentration is key in a game of pool. Your mind needs to only focus on hitting the balls into the pockets and nothing else. Mediation will certain increase your attention span, allowing your to focus longer and deeper on the task at hand.
- Stretch – In a single match of pool, players can stretch their bodies at least twenty times as they extend and reach across the table. For more demanding shots you might have to lean far across the table and angle yourself in an otherwise unorthodox positions to get the shot you want. Stretching before a game will loosen your muscles, increasing immediate flexibility during the game.
- Drink lots of water – Staying hydrated is always important during a sport, competitive or recreational. Before and throughout the game you should drink water to help energize your muscles and your brain.
- Body alignment – Good stance and body alignment should be a number one focus for pool players. To line up the perfect shot you must first line up your body correctly. Acknowledging your posture is the first step to correcting your body alignment
- Have fun! – Having a good attitude improves your overall mood. Even in competition or in facing adversity, you can remain focused and happy at the same time if you truly find yourself enjoying the sport.
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