How to Get Into the Zone
I have often characterized my state of mind when in dead stroke as unconscious. What I mean is that I’m of no mind, a detached state of being that has the quality of pure simplicity. No distractions are possible, because they cannot penetrate what is not there. Dead Stroke is a pool players vernacular for getting into the zone. Dead stroke is potting/sinking balls on the billiards table without effort, the balls have in fact already been potted. It’s simply a matter of setting yourself in motion and realizing the goal, the eventuality.
How does one train oneself to achieve this mind state. Is there a drill or technique you can use to enter the zone at will? Many say it happens as a matter of chance, that it’s a fleeting moment, something to treasure because it may never return, so revel in its mystery when it occurs but harbor little hope that you’ll ever enter the zone again. A few espouse repetition, developing muscular memory, that the frequency of achieving dead stroke is proportional to the number of years of quality practice and play.
The repetition part makes more sense to me, but there’s more to it. A dead stroke is more than a matter of repetition, an aiming system, how to grip the butt of the cue, the fluidity of a pendulous forearm. Or is it that syntonic feeling that happens just before releasing the cue after a few strokes? There are many parts to a player’s stroke, as there are to a golf swing, or bowling a ball down the alley, and these parts often get over analyzed, and this analysis can clutter the mind…I mean, sometimes you forget when to breath!
I think that practice definitely plays a major part, the physical attempt to build neural pathways (muscular memory) so that the mind is unencumbered and lets the body do what it does naturally. It is when we think about the shot, that we upset this carnal force. When we achieve this physical ability our mind is free to focus on the task at hand, the task of manipulating a complex set of variables, formulating strategy and executing tactics.
Question: So, how do we get there?
Answer: Disciplined practice, a routine, a kata.
In pool there’s the pre-shot routine, that all pros invoke on every shot, so why not you. With the martial art of archery known as Kyudo, there is such a routine as well. It is my belief that the mastery of such a routine will lead to dead stroke, or getting into the zone at will. And that’s what we want, whether it’s pool, archery, golf, or even work, isn’t it?
In Kyudo there are 8 fundamental stages to shooting an arrow at a target and these stages have a direct counterpart in the pool shot routine, and in addressing a golf ball, and in bowling. Get the idea? There is quite a bit of complexity in each of the stages, just as there is in a shot routine in billiards. But the truth of the matter is that in order to truly master your shot/stroke these steps must come together as one continuous sequence of movements that are performed with seamless integration (credit to kyudo.com). Following are the 8 stages of Kyudo with the corresponding stages in a pool shot routine.
1. Ashibumi (footing) -> Move in place for the shot
2. Dozukuri (posture) -> Get balanced
3. Yugamae (ready the bow) -> Present the cue, sight the shot
4. Hikiwake (raise the bow) -> Lower body and cue to table
5. Kai (complete the draw) -> Practice strokes
6. Hanare (the release) -> Stroke the shot
7. Zanshin (continuation) -> Stay down, follow through
8. Yudaoshi (lowering the bow) -> Stand up
To conclude, it is my contention that if this routine is mastered, then dead stroke will follow naturally. Perhaps we can call this application of an ancient martial art form Strokedo?