when is it time to accept you just dont have it

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
i understand we are not all blessed with the talent of players like shane and alex
or have spent the hours of practice from a young age like they did
BUT
after how much time and effort and multiple lessons with qualified instructors
and even tho I do run a rack of 9 ball from time to time
I still cant beat the 6/7 ball ghost and miss "easy " shots usually because of stroke flaws ie unintentional spin
i must admit i am getting frustrated that i dont play better than i do
during the week i practice for 1/2-1 hour most days and try to play for 2-3 hours at a time on the weekend
am i being too hard on myself??
but also please answer
when do you have to look in the mirror and admit you will never be an A level player ??
 
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Bobkitty

I said: "Here kitty, kitty". Got this frown.
Gold Member
Silver Member
i understand we are not all blessed with the talent of players like shane and alex
or have spent the hours of practice from a young age like they did
BUT
after how much time and effort and multiple lessons with qualified instructors
and even tho I do run a rack of 9 ball from time to time
I still cant beat the 6/7 ball ghost and miss "easy " shots usually because of stroke flaws ie unintentional spin
i must admit i am getting frustrated that i dont play better than i do
during the week i practice for 1/2-1 hour most days and try to play for 2-3 hours at a time on the weekend
am i being too hard on myself??
but also please answer
when do you have to look in the mirror and admit you will never be an A level player ??

Remember it's the journey that brings the most pleasure not arriving. Pool is like Chess and Bridge in that "the more you know, the more you realize you don't know" and that is why we love the game. If you are practicing the right way and right things you will improve with time. Be patient.
 

Gio Sr.

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i understand we are not all blessed with the talent of players like shane and alex
or have spent the hours of practice from a young age like they did
BUT
after how much time and effort and multiple lessons with qualified instructors
and even tho I do run a rack of 9 ball from time to time
I still cant beat the 6/7 ball ghost and miss "easy " shots usually because of stroke flaws ie unintentional spin
i must admit i am getting frustrated that i dont play better than i do
during the week i practice for 1/2-1 hour most days and try to play for 2-3 hours at a time on the weekend
am i being too hard on myself??
but also please answer
when do you have to look in the mirror and admit you will never be an A level player ??

You are not alone. You pretty much described my issues . I just keep at it and look for the little victories to keep me going. I started taking lessons about two months ago. It has helped me see what I don't see.
 

sixpack

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
To improve from here you have to upgrade your mind.

Pool players see themselves playing at a certain level and they work like heck to get there, then once they do they work like heck to stay there.

That's why guys can practice 1-2 hours a day and never improve. It isn't their fundamentals holding them back - although they might need work - it's that they are already playing at their expected level.

To change you have to really spend some time thinking about what your goal is with pool. For me my first one was that I wanted to be able to beat anybody at most bars. If I never upgraded that I would be an APA 4 still.

Then I got into playing tournaments and wanted to get 'in the money'. Then I realized I was a perennial bridesmaid getting 2nd or 3rd a lot but not really breaking through until I decided that I deserved to win any bar tournament I entered and went on a tear winning 13 bar tournaments in a two week period. Including three in a 27 - hour timeframe.

The point is, you'll get your fundamentals in line with where your head is, not the other way around.

Figure out what your next goal is. Look at all the hard work you've put in and understand that you deserve to be a better player. You expect it. You demand it.
 

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i understand we are not all blessed with the talent of players like shane and alex
or have spent the hours of practice from a young age like they did
BUT
after how much time and effort and multiple lessons with qualified instructors
and even tho I do run a rack of 9 ball from time to time
I still cant beat the 6/7 ball ghost and miss "easy " shots usually because of stroke flaws ie unintentional spin
i must admit i am getting frustrated that i dont play better than i do
during the week i practice for 1/2-1 hour most days and try to play for 2-3 hours at a time on the weekend
am i being too hard on myself??
but also please answer
when do you have to look in the mirror and admit you will never be an A level player ??

Here ya go Larry. Keep on keep'in on. :)

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B69V9lDWN464cGloX2w4WlVacE0/edit

John
 

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
to all who have responded so far
thank you for your opinions and encouragement
i was frustrated yesterday after getting beat soundly in one pocket by a better player than me but in each game i often beat him to the shot but couldnt do the same damage to him as he does to me when i leave a shot
or we would battle for position
me doing well for several innings but eventually the cue ball escapes alittle and i am punished
i do enjoy the journey
but sometimes i just wonder if i should take the advice of an old player in my pool room
when i asked him for advice he said
"son
take 2 weeks off....... then take up bowling....".:D
 

Gio Sr.

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member

Bobkitty

I said: "Here kitty, kitty". Got this frown.
Gold Member
Silver Member
i understand we are not all blessed with the talent of players like shane and alex
or have spent the hours of practice from a young age like they did
BUT
after how much time and effort and multiple lessons with qualified instructors
and even tho I do run a rack of 9 ball from time to time
I still cant beat the 6/7 ball ghost and miss "easy " shots usually because of stroke flaws ie unintentional spin
i must admit i am getting frustrated that i dont play better than i do
during the week i practice for 1/2-1 hour most days and try to play for 2-3 hours at a time on the weekend
am i being too hard on myself??
but also please answer
when do you have to look in the mirror and admit you will never be an A level player ??

Another thing; My teaching pro has always told me that certainly one can improve by playing, but improvement will come much faster by doing the drills. Position, aiming, safeties, banking, kicking, double kisses, etc. etc. For example my safety play has so much improved over the last year or so just doing the drills because when I played pool back in the 60's, it was "dirty pool" to play that way. I knew nothing about safeties. So, when starting pool again a couple of years ago, I really homed in on safeties and the fact that both balls have to be controlled. Robin introduced me to a couple safety games that I like even more than pool! I get a real thrill out of locking up my opponent. I win a few games every now and then with the 3 foul rule! I just love ball in hand. My point is that you might find one area that you really enjoy working on and get really good at it. Use it as a "go to" when the going gets tough. I know I'll never have the eyesight that these hotshot younger guys do so won't be able to make the balls they do but I can almost match safeties with the best player in town. But, (sigh) some days, I can't do that either. Some days nothing goes right. Just be happy you're not 71 and think of how much time you have to improve.
 
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bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Another thing; My teaching pro has always told me that certainly one can improve by playing, but improvement will come much faster by doing the drills. Position, aiming, safeties, banking, kicking, double kisses, etc. etc. For example my safety play has so much improved over the last year or so just doing the drills because I enjoy the fact that now both balls have to be controlled. In fact, he introduced me to a couple safety games that I like even more than pool! I get a real thrill out of locking up my opponent. I win a few games every now and then with the 3 foul rule! I just love ball in hand. Guess I love "dirty pool" as we used to call it in the 60's. My point is find one area and get really good at one faucet of the game and use it as a "go to" when the going gets tough. I know I'll never have the eyesight that these hotshot younger guys do so won't be able to make the balls they do but I can almost match safeties with the best player in town. But, some days, I can't do that either.
thanks for the advice denwhit....:thumbup:
 

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
....during the week i practice for 1/2-1 hour most days and try to play for 2-3 hours at a time on the weekend
am i being too hard on myself??

Here's what I think ---- I think your practice routine isn't working for you so you have to change it.

I think 1/2 to 1 hour on most days is pretty much a waste of time because you're just getting started and then you are already quitting for the day. Then the next day you have to start all over again because you didn't really get very far the day before.

Long practice sessions are where the most progress is made. That's when you really get a good feel for who you are on the table and when you can make the most progress in your game. Go for as many long sessions as you can and don't bother with the short ones.

And then sometimes --- play until you are exhausted. You'd be surprised as to how much your game improves when you do that.
 

Neil

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here's what I think ---- I think your practice routine isn't working for you so you have to change it.

I think 1/2 to 1 hour on most days is pretty much a waste of time because you're just getting started and then you are already quitting for the day. Then the next day you have to start all over again because you didn't really get very far the day before.

Long practice sessions are where the most progress is made. That's when you really get a good feel for who you are on the table and when you can make the most progress in your game. Go for as many long sessions as you can and don't bother with the short ones.

And then sometimes --- play until you are exhausted. You'd be surprised as to how much your game improves when you do that.

I take it you either didn't read, or don't agree with the link in post #5.
 

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Here's what I think ---- I think your practice routine isn't working for you so you have to change it.

I think 1/2 to 1 hour on most days is pretty much a waste of time because you're just getting started and then you are already quitting for the day. Then the next day you have to start all over again because you didn't really get very far the day before.

Long practice sessions are where the most progress is made. That's when you really get a good feel for who you are on the table and when you can make the most progress in your game. Go for as many long sessions as you can and don't bother with the short ones.

And then sometimes --- play until you are exhausted. You'd be surprised as to how much your game improves when you do that.

thanks fran
hard to do long sessions during the week
come home from work
practice
then its time for dinner and not soon after sleep to get ready for the next day
(i know pretty boring....:grin:)
 

Mike81

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i understand we are not all blessed with the talent of players like shane and alex
or have spent the hours of practice from a young age like they did
BUT
after how much time and effort and multiple lessons with qualified instructors
and even tho I do run a rack of 9 ball from time to time
I still cant beat the 6/7 ball ghost and miss "easy " shots usually because of stroke flaws ie unintentional spin
i must admit i am getting frustrated that i dont play better than i do
during the week i practice for 1/2-1 hour most days and try to play for 2-3 hours at a time on the weekend
am i being too hard on myself??
but also please answer
when do you have to look in the mirror and admit you will never be an A level player ??


BBB, I find myself asking the same question often. My practice times are identical to yours, so while I do agree with the post saying long sessions are better, I dont think that 1/2 hour to an hour is a waste of time. Your still keeping your stroke going and that helps with muscle memory. Sometimes I think at least my problem is nerves or maybe some performance anxiety. I'm not experienced enough to have the confidence a lot of guys do....even players who are not as good as me can still beat me because of this. So do you think this may play a role in not achieving your goals?
 

philly

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i understand we are not all blessed with the talent of players like shane and alex
or have spent the hours of practice from a young age like they did
BUT
after how much time and effort and multiple lessons with qualified instructors
and even tho I do run a rack of 9 ball from time to time
I still cant beat the 6/7 ball ghost and miss "easy " shots usually because of stroke flaws ie unintentional spin
i must admit i am getting frustrated that i dont play better than i do
during the week i practice for 1/2-1 hour most days and try to play for 2-3 hours at a time on the weekend
am i being too hard on myself??
but also please answer
when do you have to look in the mirror and admit you will never be an A level player ??

What is your passion level? I find my passion for getting better is what drives me to get better. Reaching plateaus and then breaking through them rather than resignation. Are you playing better players or just the same guys. I will tell you that every Saturday and Sunday for the last couple of years I play cheap sets with an A to A+ player and just competing against him has improved my game tremendously. JMHO.
 

BC21

https://www.playpoolbetter.com
Gold Member
Silver Member
I don't have a solution, but offer this info:

On a daily basis, the brain works like this: Any new memory information, which includes muscle memory, is temporarily stored in different areas of the mind throughout the day. Like an elaborate maze with countless hidden rooms, one memory gets split up into several different rooms. When we lie down and go to sleep, the brain really starts working, gathering the days information from the multitude of rooms, sorting, consolidating, and refiling the info into more sustainable memories. The more senses we use during the day on a given task, the more hand-holds that memory has attached to it. Then later, when you go to sleep and your brain goes to work, those hand-holds (senses) determine how well the brain consolidates and stores that particular info for long-term use.

An image alone incorporates sight, which sends a snapshot to the brain. In addition to sight, attached to this snapshot memory are other hand-holds, like sound and smell and touch. These additional senses help us retain the data. If you hear a sentence over the radio today, you are likely to forget it before tomorrow because one of the best hand-holds is missing -- sight. There is no visual data tagged to the info.

So where or how does this all tie into becoming a better pool player? Quality practice that focuses on using multiple senses to attain solid memories.

While shooting practice shots, name the shot and say it out loud before shooting it each time. Or say something that specifically pertains to the shot. It could be the exact fractional hit needed, or the CTA or B for CTE or whatever. The main goal is to attach as many handles on the shot as possible. When it's time to recall that shot, the brain will then be able to get a good grip on it. Believe it or not, smell and sound are great sensed to include during practice. Studies show how smells and sounds that are present during a task, then also present while we sleep, increases the brain's consolidation/filing skills. Play a certain style music while you practice, then when you go to bed have that music playing softly in the room while you sleep.
 

Bobkitty

I said: "Here kitty, kitty". Got this frown.
Gold Member
Silver Member
Play a certain style music while you practice, then when you go to bed have that music playing softly in the room while you sleep.

Oh NO! I've been practicing to Fox News and Rush Limbaugh.
 

gregcantrall

Center Ball
Silver Member
I don't have a solution, but offer this info:

On a daily basis, the brain works like this: Any new memory information, which includes muscle memory, is temporarily stored in different areas of the mind throughout the day. Like an elaborate maze with countless hidden rooms, one memory gets split up into several different rooms. When we lie down and go to sleep, the brain really starts working, gathering the days information from the multitude of rooms, sorting, consolidating, and refiling the info into more sustainable memories. The more senses we use during the day on a given task, the more hand-holds that memory has attached to it. Then later, when you go to sleep and your brain goes to work, those hand-holds (senses) determine how well the brain consolidates and stores that particular info for long-term use.

An image alone incorporates sight, which sends a snapshot to the brain. In addition to sight, attached to this snapshot memory are other hand-holds, like sound and smell and touch. These additional senses help us retain the data. If you hear a sentence over the radio today, you are likely to forget it before tomorrow because one of the best hand-holds is missing -- sight. There is no visual data tagged to the info.

So where or how does this all tie into becoming a better pool player? Quality practice that focuses on using multiple senses to attain solid memories.

While shooting practice shots, name the shot and say it out loud before shooting it each time. Or say something that specifically pertains to the shot. It could be the exact fractional hit needed, or the CTA or B for CTE or whatever. The main goal is to attach as many handles on the shot as possible. When it's time to recall that shot, the brain will then be able to get a good grip on it. Believe it or not, smell and sound are great sensed to include during practice. Studies show how smells and sounds that are present during a task, then also present while we sleep, increases the brain's consolidation/filing skills. Play a certain style music while you practice, then when you go to bed have that music playing softly in the room while you sleep.
This sounds good to me. I will give it a try.:cool:

In the past I have waited to see the result before naming the shot. If it works I call it sweetheart. If it misses I name it sh**head.
 

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
i appreciate all the responses guys
thank you
but the frustrating thing for me is...... not cueing straight or cueing straight and thinking i am hitting center when i dont
there many times when i am seeing straight
i pocket balls well..... play decent shape and am happy with my game ....and happy to keep practicing to improve ....:smile:
to answer a question yes i enjoy the journey
its like i said
the other day i wasnt seeing straight and missing balls i should make and getting beat from someone i should at least be giving a fight to
its the physical part (hard skill) thats the issue
i a reading the book john linked and will start to try the ideas in it to see if that helps
and believe it or not i am going to spend 3 intensive days with an instructor over the memorial day holiday to hopefully correct these issues
i am not the type to throw in the towel.......at least not yet....:D
 

Neil

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i appreciate all the responses guys
thank you
but the frustrating thing for me is...... not cueing straight or cueing straight and thinking i am hitting center when i dont
there many times when i am seeing straight
i pocket balls well..... play decent shape and am happy with my game ....and happy to keep practicing to improve ....:smile:
to answer a question yes i enjoy the journey
its like i said
the other day i wasnt seeing straight and missing balls i should make and getting beat from someone i should at least be giving a fight to
its the physical part (hard skill) thats the issue
i a reading the book john linked and will start to try the ideas in it to see if that helps
and believe it or not i am going to spend 3 intensive days with an instructor over the memorial day holiday to hopefully correct these issues
i am not the type to throw in the towel.......at least not yet....:D

When you spend those three days with the instructor, don't expect to have all your problems fixed right afterwards. Just remember that the instructor can't fix anything for you. All he can do is show you what needs fixing, and offer ways for you to fix it. It is up to you to put the time in to do the actual fixing once set on the correct path.
 
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