6 Steps to Improve Your Abilities
- Thread starter Donovan
- Start date
NittiFan said:
Mike, I can't agree more! However, I found the place that really can change the way you play pool is the visualization before taking the shot.
I was asked to play on a league here when I first moved to TX. They put me on a team with all 3 other people with less than 1 year playing experience. I was like, "what?" SO I thought well this will be fun. I will learn alot from them watching the things that they do that I would not have thought of and I will see just how fast someone can improve. I say that because they were all really into it.
First off, let me say that they all 3 played amazing for only 6 and 9 months of playing. I was feeling a little jealous actually. ANyway, I noticed that when there was a pressure shot, they tended to choke on those. I really did not want to teach them anything and kept telling them to get an instructor. I knew if they played this good, this early, that there isn't alot for them to unlearn. So a real pool coach would be able to lots with them, fast! But I did talk to them about seeing the shot in their mind, before getting down onto the ball. I told them, I don't care how long you have to stand there, you keep seeing the shot until you can make it in your head. Then go down on the shot, see it again as you are lining it up and pull the trigger.
One of the people, really didn't care but 2 of them were really doing this. Next thing I know the girl on the team was running racks. Every so often she would stand an look at a tough straight in long shot. It took long enough that the opponents would whisper something like, there is no way she is going to make that why is she taking so long. I loved whispering back to them. If she is taking that long, it means your ass. Of course, I said this is a fun way, but I meant it. It has been a couple years since then, and she is probably one of the top 20 players there, and without a doubt, the best girl player there. If she ever reads this..."Keep seeing 'em my friend, you got 'em where you want 'em!"
BTW, I will throw balls on the table in my head and figure the best runout pattern. Usually never more than 6 balls and I do it like when waiting at the dentist office or something like that.
BUT WHEN TAKING "TIME AWAY" FROM THE GAME, THIS IS A NO-NO!
Donovan said:
Donovan...I also enjoyed reading the article, and agree with many of the concepts. However, there is one specific point overlooked by the authors. That is that a sleep cycle, after acquiring new knowledge (whether it is 'cognitive' or not), is necessary for the brain to sort out and completely process the new information. This is one reason why we have set up our pool schools to last three days. Each day the student acquires new information (as well, as reinforcing prior information), and the sleep cycle allows the brain to "post" the information to the correct storage area.
BTW...nice job of posting the original list!
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee said:
Great job there Scott. I truly believe that time delayed and then coming back for reiforcement is a great tool. I don't know if it is actual sleep, but with only 24 hours in the day, I think we are stuck with it for the most part.
If something is taught early in the day and the brain gets a break from thinking about it for a few hours, do you think they would still retain and get the same bennefit?
I don't know, but I think it is a possibility. I personally think it is the break that does the trick. Sleep, is of course, the easiest way to get that break.
duckie said:
I do this too. I don't complain about the lean of a table or the condition of the cloth or any of that stuff. I believe we are all playing under the same conditions and we all have to make the same adjustments. Since you are playing on various conditions and equipment, you are much more likely to adjust quicker than people who play under the same conditions all the time. Of course this is all theoretical....LOL!