Your Chance to be all you wanted to be

jcpoolgod said:

If you were really dedicated and you wanted to become a champion and you had all the time in the world to achieve it how would you do it?

Design your perfect 8 hour practice session if you had the time to actually do it.

-and/or if you are someone who has already done it what was your practice routine? and what would have done differently.

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I would find a former champion and get him/her to tell me and show me all of their secrets.

Having a structured practice routine can have good effects. Here is something simpler you can do.
On 6/11, i decided to practice every day. I did... and went beyond that. I am now at day #43. 43 days straight with a cue in my hand. And believe me, you will see a HUGE difference in your game. Im going for 60.

It matters not if you cant play very long. Even if you can only do 10 or 15 minutes. GET THAT CUE IN YOUR HANDS EVERY DAY! I am making shots consistently that i couldnt before. My aiming technique is giving way to natural instinct. i just fire them in. Most importantly, my cue ball control has vastly improved.

My stroke has greatly improved. Trying to explain it, it feels like im pushing the cue ball ahead instead of hitting it. Its the effect of acceleration through impact. Its an "accuracy" feeling. I have been surprising myself a lot lately. Hopefully some others will be just as surprised.

Playing every day can be a big game changer for some, getting your own table will improve your game immensely.

It's all about motivation. Very few people have the motivation and drive to play 8hours a day by themselves. Most of us are motivated by the need to win or the need to be better than everyone else. The problem with this type of motivation is that it often leads us to quit the game or become discouraged when we don't meet our expectations. On those nights when you don't win and you are not the better player your motivation will crumble if all you care about is winning.

In order to stay motivated enough to become the best in this game you have to change your mental outlook on the game to be motivated by the beauty of it instead of the competition.

You have to get lost in the beauty of hitting a ball with a stick. You have to take ultimate pleasure in the act of the stroke itself for the act is the only thing that is important and the only thing you can control.

So in answer to your question- I don't believe that someone needs 8hours per day to get good at this game- they only need to spend every minute they get to play marveling at the beauty of it.

I was pretty good, but I could never have been a champion (pro level). Most people simply cannot become SVB or even Mike Dechaine.

Generally speaking most pro pool players and top players I have seen get to the top get there by simply playing "a lot" of pool. Gambling, playing tournaments, simply throwing the balls out and shooting them down over and over again.

Most of them have gotten good by being around other good players and competing constantly with them. Most of the stuff the top guys learned came from competition with the other good players as they were making their way up to the top, not in any "training" fashion. They simply keep competing and getting better and learning things from the competition until they can finally beat them all. It takes a lot of hunger and drive and confidence and natural talent to manage to make that climb to the top above all of the other great players in a city or state. Even at that point, those people have a "long' way to go from there to becoming one of the best in the world, few ever make it, the USA truly only has one guy who has gotten there in the last couple decades. Dechaine might have had a chance to be the next guy, but I cannot remember the last time he actually bothered to go out and play in the major world events, and unless he does so his game is going no further.

I know I do not have what it takes......same with golf.....archery........I have enuf skills to impress but not intimidate.......that simply meant if I applied myself and really committed....focused......structured my regime and routines.......I would become......turn into that elite player I imagined..............

But I didn't have the commitment.....found things kept getting in the way......pretty soon when I was able to commit to a program over a month....maybe 5-6 weeks at best.......it became tedious and I wanted to see dramatic, faster improvement in my play while I practiced and it ultimately became unappealing.......I just wanted to go out and play some matches....the best opponents I could find and the biggest spot too cuz I deserved it as these guys were better......anyway, that helped a lot more than my structured attempt to practice to get better.

I think it would require a balance of:

drills like PAT or Billiard University, that pinpoint the fundamental skills like ball pocketing, speed control, cueball control, etc.

Along with more advanced drills like in Appletons perfect practice series.

Along with singular game play to find your rythem in gamelike situations like playing the ghost or practicing straight pool.

Along with actual competition.


The balance depends on each individuals unique situation.

Nature vs nurture debate. You could practice side by side with Shane for the next 10 yrs doing exactly what he does and never progress pass a B if that is your genetic limit.

iusedtoberich said:

Nature vs nurture debate. You could practice side by side with Shane for the next 10 yrs doing exactly what he does and never progress pass a B if that is your genetic limit.

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Genetic limit? Is this a proven fact? I personally believe if you have enough drive, motivation, work ethnic, and was bullied as a kid for being deaf, then yes you can be as good as Shane.

During the day I would spend my time with Allison Fisher, learning the fine art of pool.
At night, I would instruct her on the beaux-arts de l'amour. Ah, the times we could have.
Pool and love. Love and pool.
And, in the evening an occasional bottle of Chateau Chatard 2005 and some cheese. A nice round of Brie de Melun, I think.
And, a pizza. I like the ones you get at Casey's, with sausage. Yeah, that's the ticket.
And, nacho flavored Doritos. Oh, man I love that shit.
What else? Let's see, Some Ben and Jerry's ice cream. That would top off a great evening, huh?
Mountain Dew. Would Mountain Dew go with that wine and cheese? I wouldn't want to screw this thing up. It's Allison Fisher, for crissakes.
Let's see. What else.................. :smile:

Kris_b1104 said:

Genetic limit? Is this a proven fact? I personally believe if you have enough drive, motivation, work ethnic, and was bullied as a kid for being deaf, then yes you can be as good as Shane.

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No it's not proven either way. It's a debate as old as time.

I'm reading a fascinating book right now about the very topic. I heard about the book on these forums. It's called: The Sports Gene.

Bavafongoul said:

I know I do not have what it takes......same with golf.....archery........I have enuf skills to impress but not intimidate.......that simply meant if I applied myself and really committed....focused......structured my regime and routines.......I would become......turn into that elite player I imagined..............

But I didn't have the commitment.....found things kept getting in the way......pretty soon when I was able to commit to a program over a month....maybe 5-6 weeks at best.......it became tedious and I wanted to see dramatic, faster improvement in my play while I practiced and it ultimately became unappealing.......I just wanted to go out and play some matches....the best opponents I could find and the biggest spot too cuz I deserved it as these guys were better......anyway, that helped a lot more than my structured attempt to practice to get better.

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This conversation reminds me of a great book I read a few years ago, "Paper Tiger" by Tom Coyne. A good college player and scratch golfer, Coyne decided to try to dedicate one year to doing everything possible to maximize his golf game. The ultimate goal was to pass Q-School and get a tour card.

What he found was that there is a HUGE difference between a scratch golfer and a pro. Even with a year of intense physical training, lessons, practice, and competition, he finally came to the realization that he could never make it on tour. It's a great read, I recommend it.

The first thing I would try is Tor Lowry's 14 day makeover....

That would answer a lot of question's about my true ability.

Daily One Pocket

jcpoolgod said:

If you were really dedicated and you wanted to become a champion and you had all the time in the world to achieve it how would you do it?

Design your perfect 8 hour practice session if you had the time to actually do it.

-and/or if you are someone who has already done it what was your practice routine? and what would have done differently.

Click to expand...

My idea of a perfect practice routine is daily One Pocket and practicing new moves and shots and learning from more experienced players. One Pocket has all of the greatest parts of pool with no standing around watching people play so you are continually involved and each move is extremely important. That is everything there is in my opinion.

If we're assuming money is no object I'd hire a coach/instructor I'd trust like Mark Wilson, I'd have a tight table I could practice on daily and have any and all necessary training equipment including video, breakrak etc, I'd run throught Play Great Pool's training regimen completely to the letter, I'd travel and play tournaments and competition as much as possible, drop a few pounds and improve my physical fitness.

Hire the best coach, learn from world champions, and improve your weaknesses. Master ball pocketing, ball control, pattern play, safety shots, bank shots, and all possible shots. Develop mentally and physically to compete the highest level in pool.

The truth? There are players who have the time and resources that will never become a world champion.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSdlfdk6zG-rltsivz2zWAjkeYUj1UgWE

jcpoolgod said:

where can i find that .---the tor 14 days thing

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