It is a time factor. You can get there on your own but you will get there so much faster with the right guidance.
How do you improve?
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It is a time factor. You can get there on your own but you will get there so much faster with the right guidance.
You need to make a right on 7th off of W 58th. But it all depends on where you are coming from. :thumbup:
Nature vs nurture argument. All the top A players I personally know became an A within 2-3 years of picking up a cue, and didn't have a lesson.
It sounds like your at a skill/knowledge level that is very, very important.
To me, people that know "some" of the basics but not much are in a GREAT place for becoming a GREAT player.
Why? Well, you most likely don't have bad habits that are embedded so deep that it would take tons of repair to get you there.
NOW!!!!!! I repeat, NOW!!!, is the time to LEARN about fundamentals, not play pool.
Stop worrying or even thinking about how good you are or even how good you may become some day. Stop going out to bars to play pool.
Spend your time finding and researching instructors and pick one.
1. Find a competent instructor
2. Do exactly as they say..... do not get in a hurry, stay with it/them
That's it.
Again, do A LOT of research on instructors.
DO NOT hire one JUST BECAUSE:
They are closer than others
They are cheaper than others
You like him/her more as a person than another instructor (seriously)
There are instructors that will travel to teach.
It's better to have a GREAT instructor only one day every month or three than to have a so so instructor everyday.
I know it sounds crazy but stop "PLAYING" pool and start learning how to play with a GREAT instructor.
Good luck,
Rake
Yes!!!!
A very small amount of time with the right instructor can save YEARS of time spent JUST PLAYING or PRACTICING without DIRECTION.
Rake
bad practice is just that, so hitting a million balls the wrong way will only teach you but so much. Just look at those guys that have been in league for 15 years and look not much better than the 3 or 4 that just joined the team.
Playing straight pool or any game and not having an actual plan or idea of what you are doing or why certain things are happening will teach you nothing.
Find some one or work on understand your feel or the different hits the vertical axis of the ball at different speeds give.
try playing with no chalk and see how that changes your game and it should tell you how little you know or though you know about CB control
Playing straight pool or any game and not having an actual plan or idea of what you are doing or why certain things are happening will teach you nothing.
Find some one or work on understand your feel or the different hits the vertical axis of the ball at different speeds give.
try playing with no chalk and see how that changes your game and it should tell you how little you know or though you know about CB control
By trying to play against stronger players as playing down to one's opponent is all too easy vs up.
In a tournament or league, you play the field so you get what you get and live with the results.
However, when you walk into your pool room, look for a game against the best players only. The
ones you highly regard as the best players around in your town and avoid playing down as much
as you can without being rude by declining someone's invitation to play. You learn shit.....zero....by
playing down to a weaker players other than calling dumb shots you wouldn't normally play against
a stronger opponent. If you do not respect the table layout or your opponent, you game really suffers.
In a tournament or league, you play the field so you get what you get and live with the results.
However, when you walk into your pool room, look for a game against the best players only. The
ones you highly regard as the best players around in your town and avoid playing down as much
as you can without being rude by declining someone's invitation to play. You learn shit.....zero....by
playing down to a weaker players other than calling dumb shots you wouldn't normally play against
a stronger opponent. If you do not respect the table layout or your opponent, you game really suffers.
Practice, practice... work on your weaknesses, not your strengths, and play
other people as much as you can, COMPETE. That's how you get used to
pressure, competing, playing better players, get your ass kicked and get back up
and do it again.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Gretsky
other people as much as you can, COMPETE. That's how you get used to
pressure, competing, playing better players, get your ass kicked and get back up
and do it again.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Gretsky
Runner, that's so true, get your ass kicked and get back up.
When I first got back into pool, I went to a local tourney that had many of the area's best. I got my ass handed to me, I was embarrassed. Not only did I realize how much my skills were lacking, I couldn't even play a decent game of the skills I did have.
That was incredibly strong motivation for me to put in the time and improve my game.
When I first got back into pool, I went to a local tourney that had many of the area's best. I got my ass handed to me, I was embarrassed. Not only did I realize how much my skills were lacking, I couldn't even play a decent game of the skills I did have.
That was incredibly strong motivation for me to put in the time and improve my game.
There is a lot of good advice here. It sounds like you
have a “small pond” area. I would take what icon of sin said and
add one thing that helped me. When you meet a guy or two
that plays a bit better than you do. In Fargo terms about 30-50
points better, do what ever you can to get them to play cheap
sets with you. Figure out what is separating your respective games
and between sessions practice those small differences. Rinse and repeat
until you play even. Mix this with some tournament play and enjoy the
the slow, sometimes agonizing ride.
have a “small pond” area. I would take what icon of sin said and
add one thing that helped me. When you meet a guy or two
that plays a bit better than you do. In Fargo terms about 30-50
points better, do what ever you can to get them to play cheap
sets with you. Figure out what is separating your respective games
and between sessions practice those small differences. Rinse and repeat
until you play even. Mix this with some tournament play and enjoy the
the slow, sometimes agonizing ride.
OP:
lots of people are saying to play better players. That is good advice but, I know several very strong "A" players and a few really strong shortstops that have horrible mechanics.
Each and every one of the players I know learned through trial and error to become strong players.
Now, having said that, what if those same players would have, from the get go, started with a really good instructor? What would that have changed? Well, think about this:
Like most agree, they would have reached that level much, much faster, right? Of course.
Now, what about that one in a million of top "A" or especially "shortstop" speed player that would have not only reached their potential faster but, what if their potential bar would have been raised from high level "A" / "shortstop" to a low level PRO???????
think about that and see if it don't make you wonder just how important a GOOD INSTRUCTOR and WHEN instruction is given to said player vs. Learning on their own over years and years of trial and error?
I was at one time a weak shortstop. Now most consider me nothing more than a solid "A".
It took me roughly 7 to 8 years to become shortstop speed in 20's.
After returning 25+ years later, it's took me over a year to just get to an "A" speed and I know deep down that sit for me.
Timing is everything. Do it while you can whether your potential is nothing more than weak "A" or even lower...... you will always wonder if you don't give yourself the opportunity.
Rake
lots of people are saying to play better players. That is good advice but, I know several very strong "A" players and a few really strong shortstops that have horrible mechanics.
Each and every one of the players I know learned through trial and error to become strong players.
Now, having said that, what if those same players would have, from the get go, started with a really good instructor? What would that have changed? Well, think about this:
Like most agree, they would have reached that level much, much faster, right? Of course.
Now, what about that one in a million of top "A" or especially "shortstop" speed player that would have not only reached their potential faster but, what if their potential bar would have been raised from high level "A" / "shortstop" to a low level PRO???????
think about that and see if it don't make you wonder just how important a GOOD INSTRUCTOR and WHEN instruction is given to said player vs. Learning on their own over years and years of trial and error?
I was at one time a weak shortstop. Now most consider me nothing more than a solid "A".
It took me roughly 7 to 8 years to become shortstop speed in 20's.
After returning 25+ years later, it's took me over a year to just get to an "A" speed and I know deep down that sit for me.
Timing is everything. Do it while you can whether your potential is nothing more than weak "A" or even lower...... you will always wonder if you don't give yourself the opportunity.
Rake
Double post
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To me:
Instructor = paid with money up front
Mentor = time donated through friendships. A way to leave something behind. At times though, money did play a big part, even bigger than modern day instructors. Think gambling......
Rake
I had the opportunity to be mentored by a couple all but famous players but I was verrrrrry young and stupid, mostly stupid.
One of them did get my high run in st8 pool to 156. He always told me I could have been much better if I would just listen.
I chased the fast buck. As soon as I improved to that point, I hit the door/road.
Every time I see a table, stick or balls I remember and regret not listening.
Rake
OK, but doesn't answer my question. Gambling, now you're talking about experience and mental toughness, not instruction or mentoring.
Where the hell are these guys? What you're saying just ain't happening without any help. Even with instruction, achieving that level that quickly would be extremely rare.
How do you improve? Practise the things at which you are bad!
If your health allows get low to the cue! It makes a big difference.
I usually recommend learning to shoot with your eyes shut, to test the quality of your fundamentals. Take your normal practise strokes and then, before the last backstroke, close your eyes and keep them closed until the stroke has finished. If you keep missing balls all over the place, your fundamentals are no good and need work. If you play close attention to the power you use, you can improve your cueball control this way too. You get a much better feeling for the speed this way.
Reminds me of a quick story. I played in an “L” shaped pool hall. Players and 9’ Gold Crowns on one run, 8’ tables on the other run. Had been playing early one Saturday and was leaving for a late lunch and chores. Left out front, on the 8’ side, which I rarely did.
Ran into a friend, a psychiatrist who played in my monthly poker games, and his 12 year old son. He asked if I could give a couple pointers. The son was at a pretty basic level, and I was short on time. I decided to discuss body and shot alignment.
At the end, I went into position for a shot, emphasizing cue alignment and adding body alignment, as I was talking, I raised up slightly, looked straight at his son, took my normal two-strokes-then hit routine, and followed through and made the shot.
You should have seen his eyes light up! I really felt like I made a connection with a future pool player (or at least got his attention for the near future). Irv took a position elsewhere shortly after, and we lost contact. Now I wonder if the son sustained any interest in pool.