Are you getting better? Compare this!

BarTableMan said:
Conversations among pool players exist about how our skills are or are not increasing with time and age. I suggest instead of comparing yourself to others...compare yourself to a "younger you". Would your 30 yr old self beat your 20 year old self? I can tell you that now at 50... my 20, 30 or 40 year old self would be crushed..I know the steps I've taken toward getting better are working. No down swing yet.
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Honest I just played so much pool from 14 till 25 there was no comparison, -B player,, next 45 years golf captivated my brain,. Wife also so it was easy to spend the time on it. Played to solid 8 low 4. 45 years later moved into an adult 62+ development with a table. That got the juices flowing again. Table rarely used. Picked up where I left off after couple practice sessions. Then started reading on net and watching streaming tournaments.. Come to find out I never knew where my head, eyes, feet, or cue were consistently. Plus I was spinning everything then, Right now +B coming on 73 I would win the majority of matches with myself now compared to when I was 25. All body parts are in place and I'm full of confidence,. I hit the ball much softer, sliding the cue and with definite angles involved in every shot except maybe the last.
 
I'm 36 now, started playing about 14 or so.

I'd say I'm slightly better now, maybe the last 2 better, than when I was 25.
 
Johnnyt said:
As I said, I play on my BB at home every day I'm able, but no one is firing back at me. I might be much worse under pressure. Johnnyt

PS:I think I do always give it my all to beat the ghost and try for high runs any time I'm practicing 1. If I s4.1tart just banging balls, I quit fast. Johnnyt
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Body conditioning will help soften stress. I stretch everything possible gently and use light weights. Walk in place as fast as I can for 20 min to build up heartbeat. Presently doing the same before bed because I like the results. Plus a good vitamin no iron (72)and D3 for muscle and bone development. 2000 IU daily. Takes 1 hour, have news on, time flies. Oh yeah, includes 100 sit ups.
 
jeffj2h said:
When I learned to play in high school, I learned shot making and position play from reading 99 Critical Shots and the Standard Book. I won the local 8-ball bar box tournament (~25 players a week) three times and came in 2nd 2-3 times. I remember always thinking "Just give me one more shot and I'll run out"

But today I know sooooo much more about pattern play and strategy (there is very little about that in the above books).

I'd like to think I'm better today, but also I think all the other tournament players are better too, compared to the 1980's...
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You are right, I watch streaming, amateurs , play and they are good. Much better than my early days. Where they mess us is they play too fast and hit too hard.
 
My 26 year old self would smash me right now. I was playing VERY solid pool for about 6 months before I stopped playing every day. My current self would probably beat me at any other age, though.
 
After years of riding my brother and his buddies coat tails I can say I have improved drastically. I used to shoot with an open bridge style and had a terrible for from the word go. Within the past 2 years I took the leap to a closed bridge cupping the cue with my index and also worked a ton on my form. The first month or so was rough transitioning from an open bridge to a secure closed bridge. I found myself missing alot of shots that I normally would have made which made me want to go back to my old style, however I pushed through those urges and before I knew it I was making all the shots I would have and more...one thing that helped a lot with my stroke was the coke bottle drill where you lay an empty bottle on the table and just take stroke after stroke into the bottle until it was effortless. All of that being said my 34 year old self would destroy my 21 year old self...a good buddy on this forum sebas was one of the guys I have to thank as I followed his coat tails for a long while...
 
At 72 I'm playing as good as I ever have, I never tried that hard when I was
younger so I can't really compare myself now and then.
 
PoolBoy1 said:
Body conditioning will help soften stress. I stretch everything possible gently and use light weights. Walk in place as fast as I can for 20 min to build up heartbeat. Presently doing the same before bed because I like the results. Plus a good vitamin no iron (72)and D3 for muscle and bone development. 2000 IU daily. Takes 1 hour, have news on, time flies. Oh yeah, includes 100 sit ups.
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Thanks for the good advice, but at this point, half that routine would do me in. :). I could put up a list of at least 20 medical issues I have right now. I can give Geno the 5 and the break with medical issues. I can still play good for very short periods (like 45 min sessions ), but just between the SOB and the Arthritis, I can't stand to try much longer than that. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy to be able to play at all after what I've done to the inside and outside of my body over a 50 year non-stop span. But ya know, I have a lot of great memories. Johnnyt
 
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