ITH Poker Forum

[mchilger]

Peak Performance Poker, by Travis Steffen. June/July 2010.

This book will look at how diet, fitness, and nutrition can have a profound impact on achieving your true potential. Other topics to help achieve "peak performance" include sports psychology, goal setting, time management, and game-day routines and preparation (including game day diet). There are many quotes from interviews with top players, including Daniel Negreanu, David 'TheMaven" Chicotsky, Elke, Alec Torelli, and others.

This book is for your body like The Poker Mindset was for your mind.

I've read the initial draft and am very excited about the potential of this book.

Matthew

[osmosis21]

Great news...I love the concept

[Damien]

ditto, I haven't really thought of poker in these terms, but I think it makes sense.

And, it certainly can't hurt.

Gonna get this onr for sure. Even if it doesn't help my game, it should help in many other aspects of life in general.

[toronexti]

It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to also include sections for how the same advice can help in business etc. Or at least attempt to wedge it into those markets.

[Travis Steffen]

Hi everyone, I'm Travis Steffen - the author of the aforementioned Peak Performance Poker. This book started out as simply the impact of correct nutrition, fitness and wellness on your game, but it quickly turned into so much more than that.

I've trained a number of professional and collegiate athletes and even a UFC champion, and the most apparent concept that determined any of their successes was the level of control they had over themselves through all practices and competition. While the similarities between activities one would typically consider as "sport" and poker may not seem extremely obvious to you yet, they will be after the very first chapter. It may sound a little brassy, but Matthew and I like to think that this book will completely change the way you view poker as a whole.

This book outlines an approach to poker in an all-encompassing way. The connection of the body to the mind is obvious and well documented (some of which I've provided citations for within the pages of this book), but have only recently been focused on by top pros. If you're serious about poker, it should be a focus of yours as well.

However, eliciting peak performance is much more than being in shape. Getting your body and your mind ready to perform at the highest level possible in ANYTHING you do requires a number of different strategies that go beyond the scope of traditional poker training - many of which are covered within the pages of Peak Performance Poker. While the concept may be relatively new, the science to back up everything in the book is sound and is thoroughly cited, so rest assured that it's not simply "my method" that's based on my own anecdotal evidence, but on a combination of proven science published in respected medical and sport science journals and case studies from poker's top professionals.

Damien - you're right - this book WILL help your life in general, but it absolutely will have a positive effect on your game.

Toronexti - one step ahead of you man. This is covered in one of the final chapters.

I'm really excited to hear everyone's feedback after reading, and I look forward to becoming an active part of your community.

-Travis

[Wenona]

I hope there's a chapter on the relationship between single malt whisky and a players propensity to shove with air.

[mchilger]

Phil Hellmuth was generous in giving Travis an interview for the book. Travis said, "I spoke for about a minute and Phil spoke for about 25". I would expect nothing less from Phil and we got some great quotes and insights from one of the best players in the game and someone who I think exemplifies some of the concepts in the book such as goal setting, affirmations, etc.

We are in the process of getting feedback on the manuscript and expect a summer release.

Matthew

[Travis Steffen]

Aside from Phil, I think some of the best interviews in the book are from David Benefield (raptor) and Alec Torelli (traheho). Both of them really had a good grasp on exactly what I was getting at for each question, and their responses fit perfectly with chapters that were already written.

Of course Daniel Negreanu, TheMaven and ElkY all gave great interviews as well!

The manuscript is finalized - so stay tuned for the release!