Developing rhythm

elvicash

elvicash

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I played in and videoed a handicapped 9 ball tournemnt. The video did not come out so well but I watched my matches. I play like a snail painful for me to watch feel bad for my opponents. I knew I was methodical had no idea it was that bad. I tried to cinch every ball way to many uneven length waggles many short then long when I pull the trigger, too much time thinking. Played OK first match (6-1) then I went two and out.

I would play better if I let a little more flow into my game let it happen ala Inner Game of tennis I tried to guide and control way to much and it kills my energy and I do not gain momentum.

Going to work on picking up my pace and playing with more energy.

Any thoughts or tips on rhythm any all are appreciated.

elvi
 
This may sound a bit crazy.....or stupid....

You should think about what your pace of speech is....Whatever that pace is.....is about the same pace that you should play a game...JMO

People that tend to be fast talkers...tend to be relatively fast paced players...People that tend to be slow talkers...tend to have a slower natural pace.

WHY???....because your pace of speech (I think) is the natural pace your brain sets for your body....and is the most natural pace you should play

Ever notice anyone that gets into stroke and at a decent pace and as the confidence builds they get faster and faster until.....all of a sudden.....boom....train wreck of a shot.

I think it is because they outran the pace of the brain.....On the other side...if you play to slow....your brain says..."damn...this body is taking too damn long......I guess I will think about other things until it gets caught up" :)
 
This is very interesting, something I have never thought about. I will definately give this some thought and attention. Thanks for the tip.
 
Get a BP (Blood Pressue) monitor and measure the rhythm in your heart.
 
Rhythm

elvicash said:
I played in and videoed a handicapped 9 ball tournemnt. The video did not come out so well but I watched my matches. I play like a snail painful for me to watch feel bad for my opponents. I knew I was methodical had no idea it was that bad. I tried to cinch every ball way to many uneven length waggles many short then long when I pull the trigger, too much time thinking. Played OK first match (6-1) then I went two and out.

I would play better if I let a little more flow into my game let it happen ala Inner Game of tennis I tried to guide and control way to much and it kills my energy and I do not gain momentum.

Going to work on picking up my pace and playing with more energy.

Any thoughts or tips on rhythm any all are appreciated.
elvi
Click to expand...

Elvi,
I do have a few observations about my own game when I was doing what you described my problem was that I really was unsure of my aim.
Once I got my aim down how I was satisfied everything else starting fixing itself because now I knew it wasnt one of a number of other things. Its kinda hard to have a confidence in your stroke if youre unsure of the shot. Its kind of hard to adjust your stroke speed too. It seems to me that when you dont know you just try to get a good clean stroke and for me I would just overhit the ball.

You probably know that I have promoted a book on here but thats really not the reason I answered your question the way I did but its amazing to me how that one piece fits in with all the others. If you feel compelled to want to ask me about my material you can reach me at the email below and I will send you the link to the booksite or answer any questions you have in conversation. My stuff is simple good and does not need tech support.

Anyway take care and keep thinking, stroking and working.

Robin Kelly

336Robin :thumbup:
aimisthegameinpool@yahoo.com

elvi[/QUOTE]
 
I too have been informed recently that I'm a VERY slow player and it makes my opponents and friends very frustrated. I've been trying to pick up the pace as well. What I've been doing is just doing my pre-shot routine a lot faster, and I kind of power walk to the next shot. It seems to work for me. Just practice getting progressively faster.
 
Rhythum

Just like in golf,the pros use a metronome to practice their tempo. There is a formula they use based on how fast they walk.How many steps a min. Set the time and practice your tempo .
 
wontonny said:
I too have been informed recently that I'm a VERY slow player and it makes my opponents and friends very frustrated. I've been trying to pick up the pace as well. What I've been doing is just doing my pre-shot routine a lot faster, and I kind of power walk to the next shot. It seems to work for me. Just practice getting progressively faster.
Click to expand...

screw everyone else, just play at the speed you're comfortable at. you're not there to make people happy, you're there to break their hearts and their wallets.

there was a buddy i used to gamble with, when he thought i was playing too slow, i'd get even more methodical.
 
thefonz said:
screw everyone else, just play at the speed you're comfortable at. you're not there to make people happy, you're there to break their hearts and their wallets.

there was a buddy i used to gamble with, when he thought i was playing too slow, i'd get even more methodical.
Click to expand...


Yo Fonz i am saying I think I play too slow and it kills my energy I never develop the rhythm that can propel me to greater heights. I used to play pretty fast and am not a slow talker but I do have a minor drawl (Kentucky born grew up in Indianapolis after 1st grade).

I hve read alot of pool info, took a fair number of lessons and am probably trying to apply way to much, AZ Ratta suggests Think while standing Shoot without thought, this is a bad paraphrase but you get the idea.

I need to get more trust in myself and not do so much double checking etc I know my game is about to explode I just got to get my mixture right and upgrade in rhythm is part of it.

I agree though play your own speed so I am wanting to quicken my game for me not for others. I have state tourney coming up in a three weeks or and I hope to have this working to some degree by that time.

I would like to have some drills to help me on this I am thinking that running out half table 5 ball rotation runouts and get my time for 20 sets of these. If I miss BIH and complete the set of balls. Not trying to go real fast but trying to build a steady rhythm. If anyone has a chance runout 20 sets of 5 random balls no bad clusters and tell me how long it takes you that is a 100 shots+. 15 sec per shot is 25 minutes I would like to be under 32 minutes is that fast or slow, I know it would be fast for me. I will do this in the AM and will post my current time for 20 sets of 5 balls in rotation and my success rate. I am on a GC II - 9' with old simonis.
 
BRKNRUN said:
This may sound a bit crazy.....or stupid....

You should think about what your pace of speech is....Whatever that pace is.....is about the same pace that you should play a game...JMO

People that tend to be fast talkers...tend to be relatively fast paced players...People that tend to be slow talkers...tend to have a slower natural pace.

WHY???....because your pace of speech (I think) is the natural pace your brain sets for your body....and is the most natural pace you should play

Ever notice anyone that gets into stroke and at a decent pace and as the confidence builds they get faster and faster until.....all of a sudden.....boom....train wreck of a shot.

I think it is because they outran the pace of the brain.....On the other side...if you play to slow....your brain says..."damn...this body is taking too damn long......I guess I will think about other things until it gets caught up" :)
Click to expand...

Wow no one replied to this one? This is probably one of the most insightful posts regarding rhythm that I have seen.
 
Tempo

elvicash said:
I played in and videoed a handicapped 9 ball tournemnt. The video did not come out so well but I watched my matches. I play like a snail painful for me to watch feel bad for my opponents. I knew I was methodical had no idea it was that bad. I tried to cinch every ball way to many uneven length waggles many short then long when I pull the trigger, too much time thinking. Played OK first match (6-1) then I went two and out.

I would play better if I let a little more flow into my game let it happen ala Inner Game of tennis I tried to guide and control way to much and it kills my energy and I do not gain momentum.

Going to work on picking up my pace and playing with more energy.

Any thoughts or tips on rhythm any all are appreciated.

elvi
Click to expand...
. Just for fun and maybe it could help, try playing very quickly for a few games. You must get on target quickly and will be surprised with your accuracy. No think long think wrong will happen. Should improve aim and confidence. Now go back to your old self and don't worry about your opponents. It's your nickel, spend it as you want!!!
 
Try to make sure that you have mentally rehearsed what you are about to do (both pocketing the ball and getting shape) before you get down to the shot. Here I am talking about visualization and not conscious decision making.

If you get this right, you should not have to do much once you are down. This should speed your game up.

To develop this skill, try playing every second rack in practice without any rehearsal strokes: just put your bridge hand down, slowly bring the cue back and then let it go.
 
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Siz said:
Try to make sure that you have mentally rehearsed what you are about to do (both pocketing the ball and getting shape) before you get down to the shot. Here I am talking about visualization and not conscious decision making.

If you get this right, you should not have to do much once you are down. This should speed your game up.

To develop this skill, try playing every second rack in practice without any rehearsal strokes: just put your bridge hand down, slowly bring the cue back and then let it go.
Click to expand...

I just shot a 100 balls 20 sets of 5 no bad clusters ran them out 29:35 shot 50% missed some balls I would not normally miss but hit some other ballls better. A key for me to go faster was minimum rehearsal strokes 2 per shot. I am going to play this rhythm drill everyday for a while see if I build some additional rhythm. I liked this pace I have to work on think and shoot but I think I can shoot 90% plus so that is next quicker rhythm with high rate of success.
 
IMO tempo relates to how fast your brain can analyze the situation. Don't shoot before you know what you want to do. For some people this is a faster process than others. But once you have plan in mind, do not second guess and over analyze. If you play the shot wrong, take note and bring it to the practice table. Once you have a plan, line up and shoot.

I don't know how slow you are shooting but if it's too slow I think it can hurt you especially in straight pool. First you start second guessing your self. Second I think that you expend considerably more energy than a player moves at a more moderate to fast pace. This makes it tougher to run balls, and come back to the table after a longer run.
 
elvicash said:
I played in and videoed a handicapped 9 ball tournemnt. The video did not come out so well but I watched my matches. I play like a snail painful for me to watch feel bad for my opponents. I knew I was methodical had no idea it was that bad. I tried to cinch every ball way to many uneven length waggles many short then long when I pull the trigger, too much time thinking. Played OK first match (6-1) then I went two and out.

I would play better if I let a little more flow into my game let it happen ala Inner Game of tennis I tried to guide and control way to much and it kills my energy and I do not gain momentum.

Going to work on picking up my pace and playing with more energy.

Any thoughts or tips on rhythm any all are appreciated.

elvi
Click to expand...
I believe the only way you pick up a rhythm/pace that is right for you is to be in the zone. IMO the only way anyone can be in the zone is to trust their stroke w/o question. I got tired of playing good one day and bad the next a few years ago. I made up a pre-shot routine and stroke that I felt comfortable with and just pulled the trigger. I didn't let any negative thoughts come into my head while I was stroking. I found that if I knew exactly what i wanted to do before I got down on the ball I'd make the shot almost all the time. Johnnyt
 
This may not help your issue but I played a fellow in league last night that spent a silly amount of time thinking over easy layouts, I was just waiting for him to mess up cause I could see the makings of paralysis by analysis unfolding :)
I think finding a rhythm is very important, it helps in many ways such as focus, relieving tension etc. You could try an ipod and some beat music to set the pace, also work in a pre shot routine to help the flow.
 
BRKNRUN said:
This may sound a bit crazy.....or stupid....

You should think about what your pace of speech is....Whatever that pace is.....is about the same pace that you should play a game...JMO

People that tend to be fast talkers...tend to be relatively fast paced players...People that tend to be slow talkers...tend to have a slower natural pace.

WHY???....because your pace of speech (I think) is the natural pace your brain sets for your body....and is the most natural pace you should play

Ever notice anyone that gets into stroke and at a decent pace and as the confidence builds they get faster and faster until.....all of a sudden.....boom....train wreck of a shot.

I think it is because they outran the pace of the brain.....On the other side...if you play to slow....your brain says..."damn...this body is taking too damn long......I guess I will think about other things until it gets caught up" :)
Click to expand...

That is not true, at least in my case. I am not a fast talker, and my brain goes a 1,000 times faster than my mouth ... lol But, I am a fast player, and sometimes it sharks my opponents out because I look so confident when I play. When I am down on a shot, my brain turns off because I already know what I am going to do.

I have found that natural players tend to be fast players, or someone that is highly experienced. Logic players or inexperienced players tend to be the slower players. I have played 49 years, and I do know one thing, don't be second guessing yourself when you are down on a shot because you will most likely mess up. Know what you want to do before getting down on the shot.
 
You are who you are, so take what your body and mind tells you and use it to your advantage.
 
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