Time and effort required to reach Fargo 400, 500, 600

[gregcantrall]

The biggest misconception with fargo and these lower levels. Is they think that playing pool has a big deal with this. But really the biggest gain of skill is "knowledge" is studying pool reading books etc.

A guy can wack balls all day and not get much better. Some book knowledge of why you do something and why you choose this route over this other one goes hand in hand.

A balance of books and practice and competition on the fields of friendly strife is my recipe.
Of course books should be Study including books.
I studied the top players at every opportunity. Dan Louie was the Northwet Champion that I paid real close attention when he was playing.
I did get to study Efren on his first visit way back in , uh was it 84 or 85?
My practice was similar to the practice regimen I learned playing baseball and football. Different routines depending on the conditions. My preparation was a big factor in good performance in big events.
NO Gambling the last week before a big event was one rule. Getting there early enough to get an hour on the equipment was another.
My Fargo number reflects my performance when walking in cold to small tournaments with untested equipment and conditions.

 

[gregcantrall]

knowledge

Well there's more than books for gaining knowledge. Experience provides the forged in Fire type retention.
Kinda like eating smart pills. Rabbit pellets lessons 101.
I recall my first ventures into The White Spot 9 ball academy and the thought, "I will be fine as soon as my hands stop shaking." As I had the books and had been practicing.
Of course my alter ego is a master of sarcasm and responded with, "Well these hands aren't going to stop shaking Until, You Make A ball."
So then the self to self conference came up with, Learn to shoot with shaking hands. The nervous energy can be harnessed. It ain't always easy though.

 

[Zerksies]

I didn't get too interested in "knowledge" until my physical skills started diminishing. Wish I knew what I know now back when I could shoot straight.

I was kind of the reverse. I would read a ton of books when i was younger. I couldn't hit the ball properly at all. Tilll i got with a coach and learned how to hit the ball. My level of play went up dramatically.

 

[gregcantrall]

My Fargo number reflects my performance when walking in cold

So uh let's see training was Huge . Of course it's the  Coaching that makes it Real effective. I owe gratitude and salute to BBackward Jan. I haven't even heard Of him in a couple or few decades. Oh how the time flies.
His coaching started with, "Be a shot maker."
My All World level high-school baseball coach started with, "Be A Hitter". Following his coaching I hit The Wheel in high-school baseball competition. His hitting coaching was, "the pea in the center of the ball is what you are hitting." So I wore out a baseball bat hitting tossed up pea gravel. At 14 to 16 and with no tv or internet I lived adjacent the gravel pits left by the gold miners.shrug
So the basics start with The Cradle.

The grip in baseball changes The Pitch an incredible amount. Same for Pool or Billiards or Snooker.
My Cradle Challenge is shooting the first shot of my morning fitness while standing erect and shooting "from the hip". . Well the motorcycle launch had me practicing with left arm in a sling and upright stance for a few weeks.
Belly button on the line of the shot at a linebackers stance a cue stick measured distance from the ball.

Please excuse illustrator....he blames pair uh lax distortion as it's a straight line on a plane too. OOOPS Better Mute That persons Microphone .
Illustrator basic Cadet efforts, please er uh "hire the handicapped " comes to mind. Of course political correctness doesn't allow me to add, "they are fun to watch". Of course the Karma Gawds have a way of making you the butt of the joke.
That should get a week before working on anything else. So an hour of practice First then you can have desert. As in go Play. One on the five and 2 on the 9 is fun. Of course one and fifteen in the side last pocket 8 ball can be fun too.
Okay back to my morning fitness.

 

[gregcantrall]

"The Taste of Blood excites me." Is a favorite quote regarding competition attitude.
Dick Butcus comes to mind.

 

[Kim Bye]

I think there's a big difference in how players learn and improve. Broadly speaking I would place them in two categories:
- Happy go lucky players who just play
- The analytical player
The player that stops, assess their mechanics, shot selection, records themselves etc has in my experience a huge advantage and they generally advance much faster. So I think you easily can achieve the same level of practice from two efficient hours than the players who grinds for 6-10 hours.
I view it much the same as going to the gym. If I can't be in and out in 45 minutes, there's something wrong with my routine.
Steady blood sugar levels and good hydration let's you stay fresh and concentrated. In my experience, the players who spend the whole day at the pool hall generally don't eat right or hydrate properly.

 

[mikemosconi]

There is an intense physical and mental aspect to the game. Moving up in rank involves many aspects of the game- the more naturally gifted with the mental and physical aspects of the game will proceed faster with dedication. The least naturally gifted would need intense dedication combined with the best knowledge and proper coaching available to have any chance.

If you are someone who spent many years with a bad stroke- combined with major flaws in your mental approach to the game's challenges; the uphill battle to correct everything is enormous, regardless of training and dedication.

 

[gregcantrall]

The right Coach is Huge. The Trinity Highschool football team didn't win a game for 2 years. Then under Coach McHargue lost the first 5 and were down to 13 that won their last 6 the first season of his coaching. Went on to win 31 straight at 10 or 11 per season.
My astute observation had me asking Backward Jan for lessons as opposed to giving him my lunch money playing 8 or 9 ball. $20 a week for 6 weeks (1980s dollars earned at 10 per hour). His first requirement was no gambling while in his lessons program. One hour lesson once a week with one hour practice every day in between was a Huge success. At a time when I thought I was a B+ , well I was winning B tournament s but folded up like a cheap lawn chair playing with the big boys.

 

[sixpack]

I've been playing since 1961 and have seen 100's and 100's of players.
Almost without exception a player reaches a certain level and stays there for life.

My opinion is that everybody has a vision of what playing good pool looks like for them. they work their ass off to get there and then stay there the rest of their life.

Unless they change their vision of how good they *could* play, nothing will change.