Hi pool-addicts, players, instructors-just all who re interested in our great game
Thought a longer time to make something like this- but finally many friends forced me somehow (with nicely advices, nice *reps*, and some just bc they were curious over a long time now) to write this here. At least this is also a way to say thank you to some of my students. Especially I will just name 2 of em here. Because they found me somehow here on AZ, which was also kind of funny. Just through reading here and there some postings, threads or whatever.
Right on beginning- this will be a bit longer thread-so if someone is in hurry-better watch out! Lol I am also for sure not a great writer like George Fels-so please forgive me for my writing style and also for my low English sometimes- hopefully I ll be able to write understandable^^
So- this “Story” started in July last year. I was hangin around on AZ- and somehow a young guy from Norway and myself found each other on FaceBook. We talked about this and that and finally about a video of a nice high-run he uploaded. Sure a great number (90+ or so). He asked a bit about what I would think about it etc- the more that young gun was talking I thought myself: Wow, this young man is really 110% addicted to pool- I ve almost never seen such an interested guy, who s so addicted to the game of pocket-billiards. In our first conversations I felt how he tried to pull every single piece of knowledge out of it. Good questions-and of course sometimes those *known* unspoken questions for the holy gral in pool, hrhr^^. At a point he asked if I perhaps could help him out, to increase his skills, his overall game etc. pp.
Immediatley I answered, that it usualy isn t serious to teach someone via internet. I could give him for sure advices and pray some theoretical stuff. It was kind of strange. But he got me thinkin more and more if this could be seriously possible- and he *manipulated* me somehow (but very nicely
) and after a few days I told him my ideas and what terms would be necessary. First was of course the need of a video cam where he could record himself-and a way to watch him also live. And to receive video files I wanted from him. So the first *few* precondition were setup. Then I gave him the orders to record some files- and additional made a date to meet- to watch him live to play a test of shots he would have to run through-to observe him and makin my thoughts/observations.
So he recorded some smaller files- a nice example about what I ll describe here is easy to see here:
http://vimeo.com/39135084
…logged in- and viewed the *Kid*. After a few minutes I thought myself-how was this guy able to run several racks- was kind of impressed and kind of wondering at one time. Really terrible habits, no rhythm, no PSR—not able to hit the cueball where he wanted to- horrible arm-movement. I was now really already overthinking my *sayings*. But kept it first for myself- and after he completed the whole test I started to make my serious thoughts-because we made a date again 2 days later to talk about, what I would think where he has to work on. I felt myself uncomfortable- how should I tell him, that there is a lot of I personally would work on- but was very unsure how to manage this.
So we met- and I told him that this would be a *hard job*-for both. And that he would have to change big things on his mechanics. He was very afraid *to loose his abilities to shoot pool*. And I told him to sleep a night over it and then he could give me his decision-to start-or to end here before we would start. I explained him really detailed what my thoughts were-and I think that really scared him.
So on the *day* I came home from work and Terje waited already on FB. He seriously told me that he s afraid- but also that he understood what I explained him-and that he furthermore understood completely that he would have to change things, to really get better and be able to make the next step. I was just more lucky about that he still had positive thoughts now and wasn t that kind of disappointed anymore. ( he was really afraid and scared, lol).
So the journey finally begun. Told him then the first order, how to practice the next 2 weeks. I noticed that he was not able to hit the cueball ONE TIME and for sure not to hit the cueball where he wants/planned to. Gave him 2 different shots to do- 1 shot I call the *confidence drill* and that he from now for 2 weeks is not allowed to use any pre-stroke anymore. Just going down to the shot-already aligned visional and physical. Tip 1 inch away from the point he wants to hit- and a smooth slow backstroke-and just execute it. This way tried to work on 2 issues- I just talked about to him about takin care to hit the cueball correctly and finish. The issue with *slowering down* his backstroke I told him just inbetween some sentences to don t make him crazy and having to many thoughts-
His first answer was sure not *wOOh, great I ll love it..*- His first answer was *hm, I will try…*. To this answer my response was: There is not try- just a simple DO! – there will be also no *yes, but…*. Just do this now for the next 2 weeks. As in your *confidence drill* like in playing 14.1 for example also. You can ask anything—but just off the table- and just like *how should I handle this* but sure not answering again “Yes.but..”
So we left. And 2 days later I came online after coming home from work. And Terje was again already in FB…waiting. He just typed: Wow Ingo: I played straight-pool…..and made while just shooting with your order- 62, 59, 61 in 3 following innings….LOL!
After 4 days, he recorded another short vid- where he already improved a bit.
http://vimeo.com/37047300
You can imagine that I had a little (ok, bit bigger^^) smile on my face, because the plan seemed to work. He now knew 100% that hitting the cueball really where he wants, and slowering his backswing and executing with a smooth transition (pause) is a great and necessary/important thing.
So he got a bit pushed positively by these fast result (I was surprised myself also). So then after 3-4 more days (and observing small vids about his shooting now) I started to talk with him about pre-shot-routines. Why and how- just that he understands, what a pre-shot-routine does. Eye-pattern was a very long theme also. Stance just changed a bit (minor adjustments with back and front foot). What really was great, was that I was able to help him out with a wrist-problem. He told me already on the beginning that he has a large and painful problem with his wrist. I explained him how he executes his strokes-and how he should try to execute in a different way. So after that he should execute with a different (lighter and bit more natural grip) one. This begun to work after about 1-2 weeks. And this was for me personally a great moment when he said, that he now felt much better with his wrist. Phew ^^
Ok- now, after about 6-7 months I really must say, that I m really satisfied. Except some mental habits of my young friend Terje (yes but/ or “I lowered the number of balls” or “I just made 5 instead of 10 innings”…) he increased from my point of view dramatically. I shared some vids with well known ppl/instructors. Also discussed a bit how they would tried to manage it. It s great to have such friends who can help you out!
Terje now makes repeatable/daily good runs- his overall performance has grown a lot. In his daily 5 innings (I ordered 10 innings. But he thinks he knows better…grmbl) he shot everytime a minimum between 40 and 75 as highest run. In 2 weeks of daily innings there were except 1 day each day 2 runs over 42- the hightest run was always between 49-75. So his consistency satisfies me really. Inbetween he made 2 runs over 90+.
I hold an official PAT 3 Test also with him, where he ended with a result of 722 Points which is highest number taken in Norway- which is really a nice number in an official Test.
In another shotmaking test he improved now for 39 % (130 shots about).
He started at the DCC-where he earned a lot of great expiriences by taking lessons from legends and a world-champion. He came into the money ranks in one-pocket, made some rounds in bank-pool. And made his expiriences also in the other disciplines (not sure what he reached exactly there). I have the strong opinion, that he made not just a single step. His improvement is amazing. And I believe if he s able to put the things together and learn a bit more to focus and concentrate-the number 100 is waiting for him around the corner!
_____________________________________________________________
Here are some actual videos from him now- watch yourself if you re interested.
Terje demonstrating a drill for another student-
http://vimeo.com/39135915
Terje doing the *crass-cross-drill*:
http://vimeo.com/37046693
Terje doing some harder PAT Drills
http://vimeo.com/37334128
Terje running 75
http://vimeo.com/39137133
Terje running 42
http://vimeo.com/37422065
Terje running 71
http://vimeo.com/39140277
______________________________________________________
Even if this is a very very long text, I was for sure not able to *cover* all those things I worked on with him. At least he was the person with the willing and also he was the person who made the balls into the pockets Just nice that I was able to *show him the way* to improve.
He s still on his journey- and I hope he will have more options to play tournaments and practice-partners-this is a real problem for him there.
Thank you Terje for your enthusiasm and believing in me. It was kind of an experiment-and I was for sure more curious about this than you was
With Marek it s a totally different story. We also found here on AZ-and then started chatting on Facebook. He s a great player from Czech republic. We started about 3-4 months ago. He already made a nice posting in the main forum- thanks again for this-it s one of the reasons I make things like instructing. With Marek I worked also a bit on minor issues. Changed a bit his stance to give him more room while executing his stroke (kind of “comfort zone”). Greater amount is the mental part, where he now starts to take benefit from. He qualified for 4 finals in 4 disciplines in his country (will be played in april). And qualified in 4 disciplines at the European championship, where he is right in this moment is playing (and I m starving while watching….lol, I will never learn to watch relaxed^^).
With Marek have to work a lot on the mental part. He sometimes has a problem with his self-belief. But it already got better now- he now increased his straight pool record in an official match to 142 (increased by 50 balls or so). So he s sure on his mission
Thank you also Marek for your *believing*
__________________________________________________________________________________
Both of you are great guys- and we became kind of friends. I really appreciate this all!
__________________________________________________________________________________
I m not a professional instructor- I m just doing it here and there in my free-time next to normal work. But it is anyway kind of a passion. Without this you cannot do a thing like this seriously. That s my strong opinion. ON this way I want to say Thank You to those many professional instructors I talked to and to some I sure look up to. I learnt a lot of many of these guys. And I m very thankful to name some of them friends. That s why I still like AZB!
Ok, thx for reading, have all a good time,
lg from overseas,
Ingo
Thought a longer time to make something like this- but finally many friends forced me somehow (with nicely advices, nice *reps*, and some just bc they were curious over a long time now) to write this here. At least this is also a way to say thank you to some of my students. Especially I will just name 2 of em here. Because they found me somehow here on AZ, which was also kind of funny. Just through reading here and there some postings, threads or whatever.
Right on beginning- this will be a bit longer thread-so if someone is in hurry-better watch out! Lol I am also for sure not a great writer like George Fels-so please forgive me for my writing style and also for my low English sometimes- hopefully I ll be able to write understandable^^
So- this “Story” started in July last year. I was hangin around on AZ- and somehow a young guy from Norway and myself found each other on FaceBook. We talked about this and that and finally about a video of a nice high-run he uploaded. Sure a great number (90+ or so). He asked a bit about what I would think about it etc- the more that young gun was talking I thought myself: Wow, this young man is really 110% addicted to pool- I ve almost never seen such an interested guy, who s so addicted to the game of pocket-billiards. In our first conversations I felt how he tried to pull every single piece of knowledge out of it. Good questions-and of course sometimes those *known* unspoken questions for the holy gral in pool, hrhr^^. At a point he asked if I perhaps could help him out, to increase his skills, his overall game etc. pp.
Immediatley I answered, that it usualy isn t serious to teach someone via internet. I could give him for sure advices and pray some theoretical stuff. It was kind of strange. But he got me thinkin more and more if this could be seriously possible- and he *manipulated* me somehow (but very nicely
) and after a few days I told him my ideas and what terms would be necessary. First was of course the need of a video cam where he could record himself-and a way to watch him also live. And to receive video files I wanted from him. So the first *few* precondition were setup. Then I gave him the orders to record some files- and additional made a date to meet- to watch him live to play a test of shots he would have to run through-to observe him and makin my thoughts/observations.So he recorded some smaller files- a nice example about what I ll describe here is easy to see here:
http://vimeo.com/39135084
…logged in- and viewed the *Kid*. After a few minutes I thought myself-how was this guy able to run several racks- was kind of impressed and kind of wondering at one time. Really terrible habits, no rhythm, no PSR—not able to hit the cueball where he wanted to- horrible arm-movement. I was now really already overthinking my *sayings*. But kept it first for myself- and after he completed the whole test I started to make my serious thoughts-because we made a date again 2 days later to talk about, what I would think where he has to work on. I felt myself uncomfortable- how should I tell him, that there is a lot of I personally would work on- but was very unsure how to manage this.
So we met- and I told him that this would be a *hard job*-for both. And that he would have to change big things on his mechanics. He was very afraid *to loose his abilities to shoot pool*. And I told him to sleep a night over it and then he could give me his decision-to start-or to end here before we would start. I explained him really detailed what my thoughts were-and I think that really scared him.
So on the *day* I came home from work and Terje waited already on FB. He seriously told me that he s afraid- but also that he understood what I explained him-and that he furthermore understood completely that he would have to change things, to really get better and be able to make the next step. I was just more lucky about that he still had positive thoughts now and wasn t that kind of disappointed anymore. ( he was really afraid and scared, lol).
So the journey finally begun. Told him then the first order, how to practice the next 2 weeks. I noticed that he was not able to hit the cueball ONE TIME and for sure not to hit the cueball where he wants/planned to. Gave him 2 different shots to do- 1 shot I call the *confidence drill* and that he from now for 2 weeks is not allowed to use any pre-stroke anymore. Just going down to the shot-already aligned visional and physical. Tip 1 inch away from the point he wants to hit- and a smooth slow backstroke-and just execute it. This way tried to work on 2 issues- I just talked about to him about takin care to hit the cueball correctly and finish. The issue with *slowering down* his backstroke I told him just inbetween some sentences to don t make him crazy and having to many thoughts-
His first answer was sure not *wOOh, great I ll love it..*- His first answer was *hm, I will try…*. To this answer my response was: There is not try- just a simple DO! – there will be also no *yes, but…*. Just do this now for the next 2 weeks. As in your *confidence drill* like in playing 14.1 for example also. You can ask anything—but just off the table- and just like *how should I handle this* but sure not answering again “Yes.but..”
So we left. And 2 days later I came online after coming home from work. And Terje was again already in FB…waiting. He just typed: Wow Ingo: I played straight-pool…..and made while just shooting with your order- 62, 59, 61 in 3 following innings….LOL!
After 4 days, he recorded another short vid- where he already improved a bit.
http://vimeo.com/37047300
You can imagine that I had a little (ok, bit bigger^^) smile on my face, because the plan seemed to work. He now knew 100% that hitting the cueball really where he wants, and slowering his backswing and executing with a smooth transition (pause) is a great and necessary/important thing.
So he got a bit pushed positively by these fast result (I was surprised myself also). So then after 3-4 more days (and observing small vids about his shooting now) I started to talk with him about pre-shot-routines. Why and how- just that he understands, what a pre-shot-routine does. Eye-pattern was a very long theme also. Stance just changed a bit (minor adjustments with back and front foot). What really was great, was that I was able to help him out with a wrist-problem. He told me already on the beginning that he has a large and painful problem with his wrist. I explained him how he executes his strokes-and how he should try to execute in a different way. So after that he should execute with a different (lighter and bit more natural grip) one. This begun to work after about 1-2 weeks. And this was for me personally a great moment when he said, that he now felt much better with his wrist. Phew ^^
Ok- now, after about 6-7 months I really must say, that I m really satisfied. Except some mental habits of my young friend Terje (yes but/ or “I lowered the number of balls” or “I just made 5 instead of 10 innings”…) he increased from my point of view dramatically. I shared some vids with well known ppl/instructors. Also discussed a bit how they would tried to manage it. It s great to have such friends who can help you out!
Terje now makes repeatable/daily good runs- his overall performance has grown a lot. In his daily 5 innings (I ordered 10 innings. But he thinks he knows better…grmbl) he shot everytime a minimum between 40 and 75 as highest run. In 2 weeks of daily innings there were except 1 day each day 2 runs over 42- the hightest run was always between 49-75. So his consistency satisfies me really. Inbetween he made 2 runs over 90+.
I hold an official PAT 3 Test also with him, where he ended with a result of 722 Points which is highest number taken in Norway- which is really a nice number in an official Test.
In another shotmaking test he improved now for 39 % (130 shots about).
He started at the DCC-where he earned a lot of great expiriences by taking lessons from legends and a world-champion. He came into the money ranks in one-pocket, made some rounds in bank-pool. And made his expiriences also in the other disciplines (not sure what he reached exactly there). I have the strong opinion, that he made not just a single step. His improvement is amazing. And I believe if he s able to put the things together and learn a bit more to focus and concentrate-the number 100 is waiting for him around the corner!
_____________________________________________________________
Here are some actual videos from him now- watch yourself if you re interested.
Terje demonstrating a drill for another student-
http://vimeo.com/39135915
Terje doing the *crass-cross-drill*:
http://vimeo.com/37046693
Terje doing some harder PAT Drills
http://vimeo.com/37334128
Terje running 75
http://vimeo.com/39137133
Terje running 42
http://vimeo.com/37422065
Terje running 71
http://vimeo.com/39140277
______________________________________________________
Even if this is a very very long text, I was for sure not able to *cover* all those things I worked on with him. At least he was the person with the willing and also he was the person who made the balls into the pockets Just nice that I was able to *show him the way* to improve.
He s still on his journey- and I hope he will have more options to play tournaments and practice-partners-this is a real problem for him there.
Thank you Terje for your enthusiasm and believing in me. It was kind of an experiment-and I was for sure more curious about this than you was
With Marek it s a totally different story. We also found here on AZ-and then started chatting on Facebook. He s a great player from Czech republic. We started about 3-4 months ago. He already made a nice posting in the main forum- thanks again for this-it s one of the reasons I make things like instructing. With Marek I worked also a bit on minor issues. Changed a bit his stance to give him more room while executing his stroke (kind of “comfort zone”). Greater amount is the mental part, where he now starts to take benefit from. He qualified for 4 finals in 4 disciplines in his country (will be played in april). And qualified in 4 disciplines at the European championship, where he is right in this moment is playing (and I m starving while watching….lol, I will never learn to watch relaxed^^).
With Marek have to work a lot on the mental part. He sometimes has a problem with his self-belief. But it already got better now- he now increased his straight pool record in an official match to 142 (increased by 50 balls or so). So he s sure on his mission
Thank you also Marek for your *believing*
__________________________________________________________________________________
Both of you are great guys- and we became kind of friends. I really appreciate this all!
__________________________________________________________________________________
I m not a professional instructor- I m just doing it here and there in my free-time next to normal work. But it is anyway kind of a passion. Without this you cannot do a thing like this seriously. That s my strong opinion. ON this way I want to say Thank You to those many professional instructors I talked to and to some I sure look up to. I learnt a lot of many of these guys. And I m very thankful to name some of them friends. That s why I still like AZB!
Ok, thx for reading, have all a good time,
lg from overseas,
Ingo
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