Can anyone help

mr8ball

mr8ball

Active member
I have been having trouble with my back for the past 20 or so years and when I started playing pool I got to be pretty good at it. At one time I was one of the best bar box 8 ball players in our area and I really loved playing then. As my back got worse I noticed I was losing my drive to play anymore. Now I have noticed that I have lost just about all interest in this great game of pool. (And I hate that also.) I started to notice this as I would go to bars and pool rooms where there was always people arguing and constantly b****ing about things going bad, bad rolls and so on I just didn’t want to go anymore. It’s been about 7 months now since my last surgery and it is still bothering me some. I went and shot some last night and the pool room was pretty quiet and I played for a couple hours and felt pretty good about the way I played but I still feel that I don’t have that killer instinct that I had at one time. The guys I played were not even average players to me but that was all that was their. I still won but I felt like I did not care either way. I use to like to just punish people when I played. Can anyone give me some advice on how to get that back? I went back and read all my old stuff and still don’t have the feelings I am looking for. I know some people go through this so any advice will be thankful.
 
Simple answer, find yourself some serious competition that you just can't beat and let the calendar do the rest.:)
 
I agree with klopek, enter a tournament, play for money, etc.. Find a motivation.

I play twice a week, one night is for pleasure and the other is all day Sunday in tournaments. I play for blood on Sundays but couldn't care less on my social night.

BK
 
I agree with everyone.

I also have a bad back, so recently I have been playing around with a more upright stance. It seems to be working, but I just have to get used to seeing the table from a different perspective.
 
For one, you've probably lost some stability due to your back. It's difficult to be stable when you're in pain.

I've adopted a stance where my hips are about 45 degress to the line of the shot, my knees are bent and flexed, and my weight is balanced evenly over both feet. Not only is this a very stable shooting position, but it's easy on the back. I can do squats from this position. Any stance where you cannot easily lift your bridge hand from the table will put strain on your back in my opinion.

Be careful on break shots - they can be very hard on your back.

As far as the rest, stroke freely and don't cinch shots or baby the cueball. Go the extra rail if you have to. Soon your confidence will return and you'll be firing them in like it's nothing once again.

Chris
 
Thanks all

Thanks everyone, I have had to change my stance also and it is hard to get use to. Its only been 7 months since I had my surg and the Dr. said it might take up to 1&1/2 years before i can really tell if it helped. Others seem to think maybe I am dippressed because of all that I have been thorugh over the past 5 years or so with my back. Anyway I am going to get back out and keep trying because I love the game to much just to give it up. Thanks for all the advice and hopefully I will see some of you guys in KY and the DDC. Thanks again, Doug
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top