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Plagueis

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Why is it that sometimes when I play in either league or practice I'm on my game? Sometimes I'm amazed at the shots I make and sometimes it's like I'm running up to the table with a javelin instead of a pool cue. There's no consistency and I don't know what to do from here. I've heard it said that the key to getting better isn't adding skills to what you have but subtracting flaws from your game but I don't know what flaws I have and there aren't many instructors where I live. I don't know what to do to improve from the position I am in, there's too much randomness and not enough to consistency.
Help?
 
Instructors?

Plagueis said:
Why is it that sometimes when I play in either league or practice I'm on my game? Sometimes I'm amazed at the shots I make and sometimes it's like I'm running up to the table with a javelin instead of a pool cue. There's no consistency and I don't know what to do from here. I've heard it said that the key to getting better isn't adding skills to what you have but subtracting flaws from your game but I don't know what flaws I have and there aren't many instructors where I live. I don't know what to do to improve from the position I am in, there's too much randomness and not enough to consistency.
Help?
Click to expand...

Have you done a serious search for an instructor in your area? You said "there aren't many" where you live. All you need is one!
 
This may help. Just an idea.

In my area we have Mark Wilson.
I asked Mark what he would charge for instruction, he gave me the price and it was also high.

Then I asked him if he gave evaluations and he said "yes just come by Lindenwood University any Tues, Wed or Thurs I would be happy to". This evaluation was to be free of charge.

You might want to ask the instructor in your area if he provides this type of service. He may have you shoot some balls around for a while so that he can make a list of areas that can be improved on. Its worth a shot.

$300 or $400 for a days worth of instruction will knock years, yes years off of you trying to fix any fundamental issues you may have.

Just trying to help.

John :)
 
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Plagueis said:
Why is it that sometimes when I play in either league or practice I'm on my game? Sometimes I'm amazed at the shots I make and sometimes it's like I'm running up to the table with a javelin instead of a pool cue. There's no consistency and I don't know what to do from here. I've heard it said that the key to getting better isn't adding skills to what you have but subtracting flaws from your game but I don't know what flaws I have and there aren't many instructors where I live. I don't know what to do to improve from the position I am in, there's too much randomness and not enough to consistency.
Help?
Click to expand...

I went through that as my game was developing. I remember it being frustrating as hell. Here's what I discovered:

1.) I needed to add more practice time to my routine.

2.) I had to ask myself the following questions regarding the day of my match,then compare those answers to how I did in my match:
--- Did I get enough sleep?
---Did I eat before my match? If so, what did I eat and when?
---Was I physically active that day? If so, how much?
----Did I stare at a computer screen (or cell phone) too long that day?
---How was my day mentally and emotionally? Good or bad?

Add any additional questions that you feel may help.

There are a multitude of factors that go into shooting consistently in competition. If it were easy, everyone would be consistent.
 
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One Pocket John said:
This may help. Just an idea.

In my area we have Mark Wilson.
I asked Mark what he would charge for instruction, he gave me the price and it was also high.

Then I asked him if he gave evaluations and he said "yes just come by Lindenwood University any Tues, Wed or Thurs I would be happy to". This evaluation was to be free of charge.

You might want to ask the instructor in your area if he provides this type of service. He may have you shoot some balls around for a while so that he can make a list of areas that can be improved on. Its worth a shot.

$300 or $400 for a days worth of instruction will knock years, yes years off of you trying to fix any fundamental issues you may have.

Just trying to help.

John :)
Click to expand...

Just the assessment alone had a price tag and the issues he pointed out I've worked on which only makes things more frustrating that I can shoot well enough one day not the next
 
FranCrimi said:
I went through that as my game was developing. I remember it being frustrating as hell. Here's what I discovered:

1.) I needed to add more practice time to my routine.

2.) I had to ask myself the following questions regarding the day of my match,then compare those answers to how I did in my match:
--- Did I get enough sleep?
---Did I eat before my match? If so, what did I eat and when?
---Was I physically active that day? If so, how much?
----Did I stare at a computer screen (or cell phone) too long that day?
---How was my day mentally and emotionally? Good or bad?

Add any additional questions that you feel may help.

There are a multitude of factors that go into shooting consistently in competition. If it were easy, everyone would be consistent.
Click to expand...

All good points and it makes sense that if I am physically consistent then my playing will be as well, I never seem to get enough sleep or feel well rested but working two jobs will do that, also that tends to reduce available practice time, also I need to figure out what I should be doing in practice
 
That does not sound conducive to good business practice. Sorry to read that.
The instructor would have been better off just saying " yes, I see some areas where I think I can help you" and then go from there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
John
 
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Plagueis said:
So what can I do from here?
Click to expand...

You don't get enough sleep --- you work two jobs --- not enough time to practice. I think you answered your own question.

Time management is the key. Evaluate your time and what you do during your down time. Maybe you don't have enough time to devote to your pool game right now.

Sometimes recreation has to take a back seat until you have the time for it. If that's your situation right now, then enjoy the time you do play and accept that you won't always play your best.
 
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FranCrimi said:
You don't get enough sleep --- you work two jobs --- not enough time to practice. I think you answered your own question.

Time management is the key. Evaluate your time and what you do during your down time. Maybe you don't have enough time to devote to your pool game right now.

Sometimes recreation has to take a back seat until you have the time for it. If that's your situation right now, then enjoy the time you do play and accept that you won't always play your best.
Click to expand...

Well said and very reasonable but respectfully not good enough. Even if I had every night to practice that doesn't garuantee an improvement. I see lots of people where I play practicing all the time and not really making any improvement, the flaws in their game are still there. I believe in quality practice over quantity practice although I do feel I need to practice more it's important to know what practice I should be doing to improve.
 
Plagueis said:
Well said and very reasonable but respectfully not good enough. Even if I had every night to practice that doesn't garuantee an improvement. I see lots of people where I play practicing all the time and not really making any improvement, the flaws in their game are still there. I believe in quality practice over quantity practice although I do feel I need to practice more it's important to know what practice I should be doing to improve.
Click to expand...

Tell me more about the people you see who practice all the time and don't improve. What do you notice about them? What do you think holds them back from improving?
 
FranCrimi said:
Tell me more about the people you see who practice all the time and don't improve. What do you notice about them? What do you think holds them back from improving?
Click to expand...

No structured practice, no awareness of their fundamentals, no pre shot routine, all issues I'm trying to work on.
I find structured practice very boring, I prefer to play against an opponent.
 
Plagueis said:
No structured practice, no awareness of their fundamentals, no pre shot routine, all issues I'm trying to work on.
I find structured practice very boring, I prefer to play against an opponent.
Click to expand...

You don't have to force yourself to do things you hate. Just pay attention to your mistakes when you play someone. Make notes, and then take those shots to the practice table and work on them. If you pay close enough attention, you'll find patterns in your errors. Sometimes just fixing one error corrects a whole bunch of errors.
 
FranCrimi said:
You don't have to force yourself to do things you hate. Just pay attention to your mistakes when you play someone. Make notes, and then take those shots to the practice table and work on them. If you pay close enough attention, you'll find patterns in your errors. Sometimes just fixing one error corrects a whole bunch of errors.
Click to expand...

Sounds simple enough, I do think I need to add structured oractice into a warm up routine, any suggestions?
 
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Plagueis said:
Sounds simple enough, I do think I need to add structured oractice into a warm up routine, any suggestions?
Click to expand...


You get better at this game by learning who you are on the table and then addressing your particular needs. That includes your warmup routine. Figure out who you are and what makes you get yourself playing well and tailor it to your warmup.

--Or-- you can choose something generic and be like the people you described who play a lot but never pay attention to their own games.
 
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FranCrimi said:
You get better at this game by learning who you are on the table and then addressing your particular needs. That includes your warmup routine. Figure out who you are and what makes you get yourself playing well and tailor it to your warmup.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure I understand how to do that
 
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