ITH Poker Forum

[AntonDrake]

Hi I'm Anton Drake, the author of the book Poker Isometrics and Poker Fitness. I've gotten some questions and requests for additional information about the book, so I thought I'd drop in here. If any anybody has any questions or comments, I'm happy to answer them.

The book is currently available in paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon, and is also available in the ePub format from Smashwords. It was recently approved for the Smashwords premium catalogue, and should be available in the Sony Reader, iBooks, Nook, etc, catalogues within a few weeks. In the meantime, the ePub version of the book is available directly from Smashwords.

The book features an in depth look at isometric technique, and very detailed instructions on how to implement isometrics in a live poker environment. There are more than 170 photos and images, with innovative graphics that are designed to help explain the interplay and counterbalance of muscles in a (static) isometric technique. A lot of detail is included, so that readers can not only easily add some isometrics to their game, but also can progress toward real expertise. The subtle adjustments described in the instructions take the readers further into the techniques, and I think they'll feel immediate results.

I felt that there was need for this book; to me, it's very clear that, logically, there’s just no way that grinders or tournament players can spend 10-12 hours or more everyday sitting totally still at the poker table suppressing their emotions and not have that effect their body. After a bad beat or the loss of a big pot in a tournament, isometrics can give players a solid way to reconnect with their body and burn up some of the extra adrenaline. This in turn helps them stay more emotionally stable and off of Tilt. When I really analyzed this, it was clear that there's a huge amount of adrenaline sometimes at the poker table, but players tend to just sit still and suppress their emotions, with no real outlet for the physiological "fight or flight" response that is essentially being triggered. Combine this fact with lengthy sessions of sometimes 8, 10 or 12 hours or more, and you can easily see the problem. Poker Isometrics gives players a way to (covertly) work their body from a sitting position while they play or wait for hands, to unleash their body a bit and kind of "clean out their fuel injectors", so to speak, which makes it easier to think more clearly and stay emotionally centered.

There are additional benefits also, such as keeping one's body more oxygenated and fit, and these exercises really can, potentially, dramatically improve muscle tone and fitness. The Tilt factor, though, I think is very interesting for poker players. If you'll notice, most books that deal with the subject of poker-Tilt are in effect suggesting a type of reframing, to prevent oneself from getting agitated at the poker table in the first place. But the fact is that when something goes sideways (the drunk donkey hits a river gutshot on the river to crack your set of Kings and you lose a 400 BB pot as he yells at you "Yeaaahhhh!!!") your emotional reaction often precedes your rational thought process. For instance, you get upset BEFORE you have time to really think about it.

The problem with trying to reframe on the fly is that your body is oftentimes already reacting emotionally, just as your body might jump back if you saw a shadow in the bushes that looked like a bear. So, taking a huge beat and then telling yourself "remember, it's just about my longterm expectation" or "I'm supposed to lose those sometimes, it means I'm actually a good player" often feels like going down on the Titanic and telling yourself "hey, sometimes boats sink, you knew this when you got on board."

Ironically, using your BODY at these stressful times can help you think much more clearly, attenuating your emotions very effectively. Emotions actually occur in our bodies (or one could say the emotions are our mental experience of our physiological reactions). So, using up some of the "fight or flight" energy can really work wonders, and allow one to stay focused... and also to avoid some of the real health dangers entailed by a longterm sedentary lifestyle.