Are we done.......yet?

[Jodacus]

I have been playing pool for a mighty long time, and yet I still tweak the things I think can be improved.Have you decided you have had enough of one step back for two steps forward and if so why and when. I am not talking about the mental aspects, patterns, safeties, etc.. I am curious about the physical process. When was your stroke straight enough that you were just going to accept it as is. When did PSR quit needing improvement. This pertains to the higher/highest level of players. Th Bs and below should still be working on this stuff if they want to improve or they should be playing eight hours a day, every day. We all know you can make anything work if you practice enough but for most of us this just isn't possible. So when did you forget about making the physical stuff the priority and just worry about the rest of it?

 

[Meezer Girl]

Unfortunately, as it pertains to our favorite game, we are human and will always have the problem of trying to maintain perfection

Too many distractions can disrupt us physically (my feet hurt, my back is stiff, this shirt is too tight, etc, etc forever)

IMO mental toughness is a HUGE factor that needs to be learned very early on.

 

[peteypooldude]

I dont think we are ever done.I dont spend as much time on my break or
stroke anymore because I know they are working well. But your stroke is something that needs some testing from time to time to make sure that it is
straight.My PSR is solid because of the aiming method I use.My biggest obstacle has been speed control. Safety play also is something I like to work on along with kicking. Making myself put in table time is hard for me,which
directly affects my speed control. That is a never ending part of the game that can not be overlooked. I guess everyone needs work on something

 

[Snapshot9]

Physicality

I quit worrying about Phsicality when I am playing good. It all becomes second nature to me (should after 50 years of playing), but if I sense any problem with my playing I pay attention to my stroke mechanics, grip, and form, and try to correct any bad habit that has snook in on me.

 

[RRfireblade]

I think the myth is that if you practiced enough you will get to a certain level. Some people will only get to a certain level of the matter how much they practice and beyond that point is just a waste of effort. The problem is knowing if you are 1 of those people or not.

 

[storke]

I think the myth is that if you practiced enough you will get to a certain level. Some people will only get to a certain level of the matter how much they practice and beyond that point is just a waste of effort. The problem is knowing if you are 1 of those people or not.

This is something I have tried to explain to people for a long time! Most refuse to except it others totally ignore.

 

[pt109]

I have been playing pool for a mighty long time, and yet I still tweak the things I think can be improved.Have you decided you have had enough of one step back for two steps forward and if so why and when. I am not talking about the mental aspects, patterns, safeties, etc.. I am curious about the physical process. When was your stroke straight enough that you were just going to accept it as is. When did PSR quit needing improvement. This pertains to the higher/highest level of players. Th Bs and below should still be working on this stuff if they want to improve or they should be playing eight hours a day, every day. We all know you can make anything work if you practice enough but for most of us this just isn't possible. So when did you forget about making the physical stuff the priority and just worry about the rest of it?

I feel it never stops...every shot you have , you have to find it all over again.
Every day you are a different person, you gain experience with every
shot.
And your muscles are always changing....ever notice that some times
your cue feels heavier or lighter?

There is no security, you have to keep trying.

 

[ironman]

This is something I have tried to explain to people for a long time! Most refuse to except it others totally ignore.

I think there is a huge difference between real and unrealistic goals. When I began to take the game seriously Buddy hall was IMO the best 9 ball player on the planet. I lived near Shreveport and sat and watched him for days and countless hours. I wanted to become a goo player so badly and worked at it tirelessly. I never thought I would become a Buddy and certainly didn't. I improved and at little steps at a time. Sure I became frustrated and hit peaks a valleys but I was never one to easily give up.
In or about 1990 I hit what I see as my peak and felt pretty good. I won some stuff and took off some pretty nice scores. I was still not Buddy, but felt pretty good about what I had done. I then stopped playing for 9 years.
Nothing IMO replaces hard work and determination. hard work in this game can be misleading. The game is far more than just banging balls around a few hours a day and then thinking we might be making progress.
I watched SVB miss a ball on David G in San Angelo Texas a couple of years back and the hot seat match. A few minutes later he was on a vacant table and shot that shot over and over for about an hour. it was not particularly hard shot either, he simply missed it. I wondered then if I had ever practiced any shot that much in my entire life.
I don't like to hear anyone tell anyone they can't do something. I love it when they do and are proven wrong.
In my mind and opinion, there has not been a Buddy Hal since, but I am sure there will be and I hope it is someone who was told that they can't!

 

[punter]

I think there is a huge difference between real and unrealistic goals. When I began to take the game seriously Buddy hall was IMO the best 9 ball player on the planet. I lived near Shreveport and sat and watched him for days and countless hours. I wanted to become a goo player so badly and worked at it tirelessly. I never thought I would become a Buddy and certainly didn't. I improved and at little steps at a time. Sure I became frustrated and hit peaks a valleys but I was never one to easily give up.
In or about 1990 I hit what I see as my peak and felt pretty good. I won some stuff and took off some pretty nice scores. I was still not Buddy, but felt pretty good about what I had done. I then stopped playing for 9 years.
Nothing IMO replaces hard work and determination. hard work in this game can be misleading. The game is far more than just banging balls around a few hours a day and then thinking we might be making progress.
I watched SVB miss a ball on David G in San Angelo Texas a couple of years back and the hot seat match. A few minutes later he was on a vacant table and shot that shot over and over for about an hour. it was not particularly hard shot either, he simply missed it. I wondered then if I had ever practiced any shot that much in my entire life.
I don't like to hear anyone tell anyone they can't do something. I love it when they do and are proven wrong.
In my mind and opinion, there has not been a Buddy Hal since, but I am sure there will be and I hope it is someone who was told that they can't!

Nice post, Ironman. Getting the best out of yourself is a struggle for most. Self doubt is best erased by practicing, competing under pressure, and continuing the process until you have success. It's that success that instills the confidence to let you play your best game. Once you quit for awhile though, you got to start the cycle again. But at least you know the process. Again, good post, sir.