dquarasr
Registered
Not a question for the Instructors, but rather another observation. This one is about PSR.
About a month ago, I was shooting WAY above skill level. I had found a few things that had me locked in. Shots were falling, shape was happening almost unconsciously. In my Scotch Doubles 8-ball league individual matches I'm undefeated, earning 91% of points available, and we have not lost a Scotch match I've played in. I went rackless two weeks in a row, and got moved from APA SL5 to SL6. Feeling pretty good about things.
While I was shooting well, I wrote myself a PSR checklist on my phone, so I could remember the steps and keys during my shot approach to perform at a high level.
In the last couple of weeks, however, I lost it. I had regressed a lot. Thankfully, this past week I had a bye so I didn't need to play against anyone. I'm so glad I had this break because likely I would have lost a league match.
I had been purposely trying to become less robotic and more automatic and flowing. The first few days it was working. But as time went by I was getting worse. I was missing simple shots. Shape was no longer there. I was missing even more shots, even very easy shots.
(Aside: I've noticed that potting balls and getting shape seem to go together; when I'm confident and making shots, shape just seems to "happen" (of course, I'm visualizing my shots). Speed control is there, the balls go in, and the CB goes pretty much where I expect it to go. When I'm struggling, neither happens.)
I was actually regressing. So, I broke out my PSR checklist.
Apparently, I've mistaken "robotic" vs "free-wheeling", and what these terms really mean. I've found it is possible to be "robotic" to a point where all the PSR steps are rigidly followed, yet still be relaxed and "free-wheeling". And that "free-wheeling" does not really mean "just get down and shoot it, forget all that PSR discipline."
At least, for my stage of development, I still need to be consciously placing my feet, aligning my head, rotating my hips, putting the cue down on the shot line, aligning my elbow, keeping my elbow and shoulder quiet, and gripping the cue with my back hand feeling the weight on my pinkie finger. I don't have to dwell on these things so much that I lose the free-flowing stroke, but I do need to think about them until after my warm-up strokes, and only then, "release" my brain to simply let the shot happen. It's a fine line between being disciplined and totally free-wheeling it., innit?
I'm not quite there yet, where all this just flows naturally. I assume it will take many more months, or even years, before this "robotic" PSR becomes second nature, and I can get in the rhythm much more easily.
For now, though, I'm just happy I have a "formula" for getting down on the shot and achieving that confidence such that I can focus on my keys to performance, and enjoy the pots and watching the CB go where I plan for it to go.
About a month ago, I was shooting WAY above skill level. I had found a few things that had me locked in. Shots were falling, shape was happening almost unconsciously. In my Scotch Doubles 8-ball league individual matches I'm undefeated, earning 91% of points available, and we have not lost a Scotch match I've played in. I went rackless two weeks in a row, and got moved from APA SL5 to SL6. Feeling pretty good about things.
While I was shooting well, I wrote myself a PSR checklist on my phone, so I could remember the steps and keys during my shot approach to perform at a high level.
In the last couple of weeks, however, I lost it. I had regressed a lot. Thankfully, this past week I had a bye so I didn't need to play against anyone. I'm so glad I had this break because likely I would have lost a league match.
I had been purposely trying to become less robotic and more automatic and flowing. The first few days it was working. But as time went by I was getting worse. I was missing simple shots. Shape was no longer there. I was missing even more shots, even very easy shots.
(Aside: I've noticed that potting balls and getting shape seem to go together; when I'm confident and making shots, shape just seems to "happen" (of course, I'm visualizing my shots). Speed control is there, the balls go in, and the CB goes pretty much where I expect it to go. When I'm struggling, neither happens.)
I was actually regressing. So, I broke out my PSR checklist.
Apparently, I've mistaken "robotic" vs "free-wheeling", and what these terms really mean. I've found it is possible to be "robotic" to a point where all the PSR steps are rigidly followed, yet still be relaxed and "free-wheeling". And that "free-wheeling" does not really mean "just get down and shoot it, forget all that PSR discipline."
At least, for my stage of development, I still need to be consciously placing my feet, aligning my head, rotating my hips, putting the cue down on the shot line, aligning my elbow, keeping my elbow and shoulder quiet, and gripping the cue with my back hand feeling the weight on my pinkie finger. I don't have to dwell on these things so much that I lose the free-flowing stroke, but I do need to think about them until after my warm-up strokes, and only then, "release" my brain to simply let the shot happen. It's a fine line between being disciplined and totally free-wheeling it., innit?
I'm not quite there yet, where all this just flows naturally. I assume it will take many more months, or even years, before this "robotic" PSR becomes second nature, and I can get in the rhythm much more easily.
For now, though, I'm just happy I have a "formula" for getting down on the shot and achieving that confidence such that I can focus on my keys to performance, and enjoy the pots and watching the CB go where I plan for it to go.