Getting back to full speed....

Ken_4fun

Ken_4fun

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well, I have started playing again after about a 2 year layoff from pool. While I expected it to take some time to get back to 100%, it is a slow process.

I have joined a couple leagues, basically to force myself to get back playing. While that sounds a little harsh, I do enjoy playing but life gets in the way if we let it.

So my AZ brothers, give me your tips on getting back to 100%. I had a teacher years ago and she told me it is purely table time that determines how well you play. I tend to agree up to a point, I think it is quality table time, verses just table time.

I am playing the 9-ball ghost at home as my practice. I estimate I am playing about 75%, and up from about 50% speed when I started back about a month ago.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ken
 
In my opinion the better you were the easier
it is (Solid psr and patterns.)
A solid pre shot routine is of utmost importance
when coming back.
Speed control will take some time.
Then get under pressure as much as possible.
 
Pretty much what above post mentions. I took 4 yrs. off and started playing again about 21 months ago. I can play at my old speed for maybe an hour at a time on my good days but overall old me could give present me the 7. If we had fargo back then I'd guess there's about a 40-50 point difference. I'm all ears here hoping to hear a bit of wisdom to help me get back too. G/L.
 
I take a series of golf lessons every spring after taking the winter off. When my pro asks what I want to work on I always say the same thing: Show me how to grip the club, show me how to stand, show me how to take the club back....

You get the idea. Start with the basics to be sure time hasn't undone the basics of pre-shot, stance and stroke. Then some drills to get the speed control feel and cue ball positioning back and then just shoot a ton of racks.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
JolietJames said:
Pretty much what above post mentions. I took 4 yrs. off and started playing again about 21 months ago. I can play at my old speed for maybe an hour at a time on my good days but overall old me could give present me the 7. If we had fargo back then I'd guess there's about a 40-50 point difference. I'm all ears here hoping to hear a bit of wisdom to help me get back too. G/L.
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"Practice* ( as opposed to "play" ) as much as you can. Whether you're playing the ghost or just throwing balls up and running them in rotation. For myself, I wouldn't be playing the ghost. I would focus on making balls and playing position instead of worrying about an arbitrary "score". Once I began making balls with confidence most of the time, then I would begin practicing the break ( the most important shot in probably *every* game ). Then I would focus on breaking and stringing racks.

But that's just me. You could do worse, however. Good luck regardless...
 
judochoke said:
how do you do on a 9 ball ghost? are you making all 9 balls? 8 balls? 7 balls?
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With ball in hand I can usually run the rack with a normal run out as long as I don't get out of line. Pocketing balls isn't a problem, its speed and getting, staying in line. Speed is the biggest issue at home (9 foot Gold Crown) and at leagues (Valley and Diamond 7 foot tables.) Again an issue as I have a great table with 860 Simonis at home, and crappy cloth on bar tables....:angry:

I have been successful playing league primarily because I play smarter than most, not by running racks. If I could get my speed and not get out of line I feel I could get to the 90%+ .

Ken
 
I started playing again about 2 years ago after 10 years off. I think the table time theory is, in some ways, a limiting belief. Table time is important when you are learning and you need some maintenance but I have steadily improved the last two years playing only once a week at leagues. I had a few long sessions after I started back and then some big things came up in life and caused me to limit my time.

You don't need to learn how to play, you need to remember how to play and more importantly, get the killer instinct back.

Shots won't look right. Your position play will be off. English might or might not take like you expect it too. Deflection and swerve will be slightly different and your fundamentals won't be as solid as when you quit.

My strategy has been:
1) Go back to fundamentals. Make sure your stroke is straight. Your stance is good. Your eye position and alignment is where you want it. And that you are the right height above the cue. For me, after 10 years it was difficult to get down as close to the cue as I used to.

2) Once your fundamentals are solid, or at least solid enough to practice without making things worse, work on aiming and ball pocketing. Start with fairly short straight in shots. Just focus on hitting center CB and hitting the OB straight into the center of the pocket. Then get longer until you are shooting full table diagonal shots. Seeing where you are aiming is more important at this point that making the balls. Keep working on this in the beginning of every session. If your fundamentals start to drift it will show up here. If you remember how you used to aim, look for those reference points and fix them in your mind.

Then set up the L corner drill and just take BIH and shoot balls in from different angles. Pay attention to where you are aiming to make the balls.

Soon you will be feeling it.

I found that there were a lot of shots that were 'automatic' in the old days. I had no idea how I was aiming and what I was looking at. Sometimes if I just shoot without thinking those shots go in. But if I do that I miss a lot of other shots. So breaking down aiming felt mechanical and forced. But I'm glad I went through the effort now.

3) Start running out a couple of balls. Set 2-3 balls on the table in easy positions and take ball in hand and run out. If you miss take ball in hand and finish them. Then if you run out, throw an additional ball out for the next one. So if you run 3 out, then throw out 4.

Try to do this only using the vertical axis. Plan your runs to use the vertical axis.

Depending on how well you used to play, if you can work on these super basic fundamentals for several hours or a week you should be making balls and playing position close to where you left off. If you keep incorporating this into your practice regularly you will soon surpass where you left off IMO.

4) Speed control should come back naturally as you are running these balls but if you are struggling then just set up some cut shots and try and make the CB travel set distances after contact. I usually position a ball that I want to gently nudge with the CB. Everybody thinks about speed control differently. I try and move my arm a certain speed. Honestly my speed control came back very quickly.

5) Sidespin, runouts, and clusters - If you were a good player, once you have the fundamentals back on track you'll be ready to start working on sidespin and game situations. I set up straight shots and played them with extreme sidespin. Then worked back from there. Eventually playing an entire rack of balls with inside on every shot. Then an entire rack with outside on every shot. This is where things will start to come together. I still do that if I do manage to get some practice time.

6) Be patient and kind to yourself. This is not the time for negative self-talk or punishing yourself for missing. You should take ball in hand whenever you miss. Have a curiosity about why/how you missed or hooked yourself. Laugh and set it up again. Don't do drills that punish you for missing. The reason I say this is that you are trying to get your confidence back. Trying to get in that flow state. You are trying to explore and remember how you used to play. If you punish yourself for missing then you'll only play things the way you already know how to, the safe way. And that's not what we're after here. The key is explore, experiment and low expectations. Just play. Have fun with it.

I believe that the main reason young kids take to pool more quickly than adults is that they are not afraid of missing and they thoroughly enjoy the whole process of learning and experimenting with pool. As adults we are programmed against failure. Against missing. And that hurts our growth. Not just in pool, but in this case, especially pool.
 
Not sure about 2 year layoff, I messaged and texted you to play 8/2018 and you only wanted to play at your house then ghosted and I never heard anything else.



Ken_4fun said:
Well, I have started playing again after about a 2 year layoff from pool. While I expected it to take some time to get back to 100%, it is a slow process.

I have joined a couple leagues, basically to force myself to get back playing. While that sounds a little harsh, I do enjoy playing but life gets in the way if we let it.

So my AZ brothers, give me your tips on getting back to 100%. I had a teacher years ago and she told me it is purely table time that determines how well you play. I tend to agree up to a point, I think it is quality table time, verses just table time.

I am playing the 9-ball ghost at home as my practice. I estimate I am playing about 75%, and up from about 50% speed when I started back about a month ago.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ken
Click to expand...
 
u12armresl said:
Not sure about 2 year layoff, I messaged and texted you to play 8/2018 and you only wanted to play at your house then ghosted and I never heard anything else.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but the last couple years have been tough as I was working TONS of hours and 6-7 days a week. Now I am down to just 5 days a week, and usually just 10 hours or less per day.

Ken
 
I think it is a little easier to figure this out with more physical pursuits, but where do you think you are percentage-wise, compared to your full speed? 70%? 90%? 4%?
 
Ken_4fun said:
Well, I have started playing again after about a 2 year layoff from pool. While I expected it to take some time to get back to 100%, it is a slow process.

I have joined a couple leagues, basically to force myself to get back playing. While that sounds a little harsh, I do enjoy playing but life gets in the way if we let it.

So my AZ brothers, give me your tips on getting back to 100%. I had a teacher years ago and she told me it is purely table time that determines how well you play. I tend to agree up to a point, I think it is quality table time, verses just table time.

I am playing the 9-ball ghost at home as my practice. I estimate I am playing about 75%, and up from about 50% speed when I started back about a month ago.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ken
Click to expand...

I took 20 years off. When I left I was a very solid player, probably around a 700 Fargo level or bit higher. I am a complete shadow of my former self. I am a 6/8 (maybe 550 Fargo now) in APA though I recently was a 7/9, but I have been back for 2.5 years and I dont think I will ever remotely come close to what I was. It's just different. Taking a lesson from Scott Lee to see if that will help me get on the track but I am not sure I will ever compete again with a really strong player on a 9 foot table. Kind of frustrating. I hope you are not like me and get back to 100% My friend who 20 years ago might have been like a 575 player is probably around a 600 now so it is possible.
 
practice by yourself most of the time while working on fundamentals (stance, pre-shot routine, follow-through, etc.). try some drills to build muscle and mental memory and confidence.
 
It's not a problem. I was just excited to play and things happen.


Ken_4fun said:
Sorry, but the last couple years have been tough as I was working TONS of hours and 6-7 days a week. Now I am down to just 5 days a week, and usually just 10 hours or less per day.

Ken
Click to expand...
 
sixpack said:
you need to remember how to play and more importantly, get the killer instinct back.

^^^DEFINITELY^^^

I found that there were a lot of shots that were 'automatic' in the old days. I had no idea how I was aiming and what I was looking at. Sometimes if I just shoot without thinking those shots go in. But if I do that I miss a lot of other shots. So breaking down aiming felt mechanical and forced. But I'm glad I went through the effort now.
Click to expand...

Quoted for truth.

I'm mostly just missing the focus I once had. My fundamentals/ physical game is not what's failing me, outs my mental process. I don't have the same level of confidence yet and I can think myself into missing shots.
I believe I'll get there. Thanks to everyone who has posted their thoughts for both the OP and myself.
 
Ken_4fun said:
Well, I have started playing again after about a 2 year layoff from pool. While I expected it to take some time to get back to 100%, it is a slow process.

I have joined a couple leagues, basically to force myself to get back playing. While that sounds a little harsh, I do enjoy playing but life gets in the way if we let it.

So my AZ brothers, give me your tips on getting back to 100%. I had a teacher years ago and she told me it is purely table time that determines how well you play. I tend to agree up to a point, I think it is quality table time, verses just table time.

I am playing the 9-ball ghost at home as my practice. I estimate I am playing about 75%, and up from about 50% speed when I started back about a month ago.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ken
Click to expand...

Practice your 9 ball break in sessions without playing. For example:

Rack, break and if you have shape on 1 ball, shoot it and stop.....re-rack, break and shoot one ball.......repeat.

Dont do anything else but that until your break is where you want it.

After your break is good to go:

Play a different ghost. Play the 14.1 ghost so you will get to shoot more balls in less time. That will get stance, stroke etc...etc... kinks worked out and since your shooting way more balls in 14.1, you'll find your weak areas faster. Such as, do you miss more to the left, have more problems with short distances or longer, do you have issues off the rail and on and on........??????

After all ^^^^^^^:

Make drills based on the weaknesses you find in 14.1. After you work thise out:

Well, at that time, go back to the 9 ball ghost and you'll, IMO be a better player for it.

Im sure you'll get great advice from others and will do fine either way.

Good luck!

Jeff
 
Ken_4fun said:
Well, I have started playing again after about a 2 year layoff from pool. While I expected it to take some time to get back to 100%, it is a slow process.

I have joined a couple leagues, basically to force myself to get back playing. While that sounds a little harsh, I do enjoy playing but life gets in the way if we let it.

So my AZ brothers, give me your tips on getting back to 100%. I had a teacher years ago and she told me it is purely table time that determines how well you play. I tend to agree up to a point, I think it is quality table time, verses just table time.

I am playing the 9-ball ghost at home as my practice. I estimate I am playing about 75%, and up from about 50% speed when I started back about a month ago.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Ken
Click to expand...

Unless you're doing it for a living. Have a nice porkloin sandwich, a Coke, and a smile. Enjoy it. It's just a game. :wink:
 
j2pac said:
Unless you're doing it for a living. Have a nice porkloin sandwich, a Coke, and a smile. Enjoy it. It's just a game. :wink:
Click to expand...

Agreed, but like most things in life, we are competitive by nature.

I know I wont be shortstop level, I never was. But I would like to get back to the level I was playing prior to the long layoff.

Ken
 
some thoughts

I laid off for a few years and played as well as I ever have afterwards. I laid off for twenty years and except for rare flashes never played anywhere close to my old speed. Health, desire, commitment, all were factors. A big factor was the increasing severity of a reaction to cigarette smoke. I simply was not willing to go out nights and do battle when I had to suffer for days afterwards. My lungs and particularly bronchial tubes just weren't up to the abuse. If I played the five to seven nights a week that was my old normal my respiratory system would probably have put me in the hospital. I practice earlier in the day or not at all and don't play events after trying a few. Not what I am suited for now though I can find a fair turn of speed on a short track sometimes.

Counter to pretty much all advice and the direction you are heading, play with other people is important. My biggest struggle is speed control. Practicing by myself I am too mechanical, I have trouble getting into the flow of things like I do with even a friendly opponent on the table. When I do practice, I usually practice alone. I played a little friendly pool with someone a few weeks ago. I found I got into the flow of play much better. Shots were falling very cleanly and speed control was much better.

While mechanics are important we can't lose sight of the fact that they are probably less than fifty percent of our game. Think how many people are great instructors but aren't top level competitors. We need to keep our game well rounded, mechanics, the thought process, and the competitive stimulus also.

I spend some time one stroking the balls when I feel I am getting too mechanical. It seems to help.

Hu
 
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