Can't Improve. Should I quit?

genomachino said:
When a player quits playing for awhile they don't realize how much that the natural ability to aim falls off. This is one of the biggest parts of so called getting in stroke. It's getting the eyes in the most correct position again to envision the shot correctly.

When you start playing again it can almost feel helpless.
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I disagree with this. It's like riding a bike for me, but maybe I am part of the lucky few?? I can take months off, hit for a day or even a game or two and be right back to shooting like normal. It may take a bit longer for position/speed control, but the shot making doesn't really seem to take long at all to be "back again".
 
ENGLISH! said:
Fatz,

It does look nice but...

Do you realize that that pic is representative of the downfall of Pinocchio in the story?

Best,
Rick
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I did realize that. When Jiminy Cricket finds Pinocchio there he says, "Pinocchio! So this is where I find you! How do you ever expect to be a real boy? Look at yourself. Smoking! Playing pool!", with a lot of emphasis on the end of the sentence as if to say these are very bad things you are doing.

The dialog is another indication of how the general public in the US perceives pool as a seedy activity. It might have been even worse back then, I don't know. I think it's the main reason the sport is in such doldrums in this country. There have been many threads about this, but I don't want to derail this thread.

Fatz
 
Pre-Flag Master said:
I did realize that. When Jiminy Cricket finds Pinocchio there he says, "Pinocchio! So this is where I find you! How do you ever expect to be a real boy? Look at yourself. Smoking! Playing pool!", with a lot of emphasis on the end of the sentence as if to say these are very bad things you are doing.

The dialog is another indication of how the general public in the US perceives pool as a seedy activity. It might have been even worse back then, I don't know. I think it's the main reason the sport is in such doldrums in this country. There have been many threads about this, but I don't want to derail this thread.

Fatz
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I agree with all you said.

I was just wondering. It is a nice looking avatar.

Best,
Rick
 
i have played for years and never got very good,but i match up
i hate practice drills,it seems too difficult,boring and discouraging

i think you would be better off just playing,if its fun keep it up

if not,do something better with your life
 
Hey all,

I hear what you're saying: Leaving the instruction aside and learn to just have fun again.

I actually can play better if I disregard position and just knocked the balls around. So instead of thinking: "Ok, um um, let's see...now I think I need a smidgen of, ah, low left-English, like around 7:38 (not 7:30!!!) on the CB's 'clockface' in order to come off three rails for perfect position on the eight-ball and I better compensate for squirt and deflection and mysterious wormholes and I have to hit it with a medium-hard stroke, but definitely not hard-hard or hardly medium, and...on top of all that I need to remember to breathe and stay alive!"

I should just be like: "Whatever happens happens; I just wanta' get the round thing into the pocket thingy. Where's the beer?"

And it is true my chances of making the ball are then about 3-times better.

BUT...

...doesn't it totally negate the point of learning position play?

Or should I just quit position play altogether and leave it to the hands of the pool gods?

Regarding my Avatar. Yikes, I did not realize there was a negative connotation. I just thought it was a cool pic. I will be reposting my previous avatar -- my "girlfriend."
 
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What has saved me and elevated my game to the point its never gotten to before is just to concentrate on keeping my elbow straight and stroking straight and not drop the shoulder at all, plus using the tip as an aiming point and keeping it on the stroke line has done me wonders. I hope this makes sense as its easier to show than write about.
I am just deeply disturbed that it took me all these years to find this out, im 53 and i wish i would have known these things in my teens or 20,s. I might have turned out to be a decent player, BUT better late than never.
I have been running 20,s and teens in straights like i never have before and this on a Diamond table.
If i didnt make so many positional mistakes, i know i can crack 50.
 
Pre-Flag Master said:
I did realize that. When Jiminy Cricket finds Pinocchio there he says, "Pinocchio! So this is where I find you! How do you ever expect to be a real boy? Look at yourself. Smoking! Playing pool!", with a lot of emphasis on the end of the sentence as if to say these are very bad things you are doing.

The dialog is another indication of how the general public in the US perceives pool as a seedy activity. It might have been even worse back then, I don't know. I think it's the main reason the sport is in such doldrums in this country. There have been many threads about this, but I don't want to derail this thread.

Fatz
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We got trouble right here in River City. With a capital T, and that rhymes with P, and that stands for pool.
 
MitchAlsup said:
You are trying too hard with your head and not allowing your body to simply connect the dots.

Stop the drills and books for 2 weeks and just practice hitting balls, alone. Anything you miss, set back up and then shoot it 5 times in a row before moving forward.
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great advice here. I am also in a slump and have realized I was way overthinking stuff. I play mainly 8 ball and everybody on my team can run out anytime at the table so I was starting to think like them; by that I mean they examine every shot pattern etc for the entire run. I realized thats not my game. I do much better dealing with groups of balls not thinking about the entire rack. In practice now I just break and see if I can run all the balls in no particular order; kind of like 14.1 but I do an 8 ball break each time. Its starting to come back. Don't let the thousands of thoughts you have in your mind clutter it. Do it natural.
 
CurvedCue said:
I recently took up pool again after a long hiatus and find myself not only much worse than I ever was, but also unable to improve, even marginally, despite hours of practice.

I joined an APA league, but am getting annihilated every week and by guys whose stance, bridge, fundamentals, etc, look god-awful, but who NEVER miss. Meanwhile, I'm OCS about that stuff, but can't make a shot.

I practice drills, I read books, I take lessons. Nothing seems to help. Only seems to further my overall sense of mass confusion. For example, I understand the basic concepts of Stun, Follow, Draw, Tangent Lines, 30-degree Rule, etc, but when I come up to the table that all goes right out the window and I only see a morass of unbelievable complexity and soul-crushing chaos. (Excuse the hyperbolic lingo). For example, my estimation of the tangent line is often off by 40-50 degrees!

And when I try to practice the diagrammed drills in books, I can't recreate the shots. For example, there's a "simple" draw cut shot in 99 Critical Shots, but every time I do it, the cue ball NEVER follows the path as shown in the book, but diverges in a TOTALLY DIFFERENT path. This is despite trying up to a 100 times! :angry:

So are there people who simply should not be playing pool? Just as there are midgets who shouldn't be playing basketball? Am I too geometrically-challenged?
I did flunk geometry in high school, btw. :(

I just want an honest appraisal. That way I won't expect anything more of myself, and try to accept that I'm genetically handicapped in regards to this game.
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Not reading 7 pages of posts to tell you what is wrong..... you are not hitting where you think you are.... Call Geno and do a phone lesson... If I was close i could fix it in person but he can do it over the phone.... worst part of getting old is the eyesight changes... and then it goes... but if you can see the edges you don't have to quit just yet.....

Chris
 
My guess is you aren't hitting enough balls to improve. Those books and other ideas only work if you start by hitting a lot of balls. If you aren't willing or don't have the time to do that you probably won't improve.
 
dear can't improve; Pool is a wonderful game to be enjoyed. Sounds like you know what to do to improve so just have fun playing a great game. Yes practice does make perfect if you enjoy it, so maybe take it a little slower on what to expect as far as winning and enjoy the moment for what it is. League pool is a great opportunity to meet new people and watch others play their game. good luck and have fun.
 
Here is what is wrong. You are not having fun playing and you are trying to hard to improve. This has made you put too much pressure on yourself. You need confidence in you current ability and if are worrying too much you will not improve it will make your game a downward spiral. It will make you want to quit because you feel hopeless. Your stroke and other playing ability should all come from sub conscious and you can't force it. You can try new things but they shouldn't be what your thinking about when you are down shooting. Try playing and not thinking about books and drills, have fun just shooting balls in the hole. Be comfortable and don't think about improving at all. If your hating to play you will not play good. You will be stuck until you have to quit. It drives most people to quit unless they learn they can't force to get better. For all the people that tell you, you need an instructor or what ever, look at all the different ways people play. The biggest advantage of a lesson is gives you temp confidence and you think what they tell you is why you are playing bad. It is the placebo effect. When ever you know how to pockets balls and a general understanding of where the cue ball is going is all you need to start improving, no books or videos on fundamentals, you already have been doing it for for years. Just for a week or two just play for the fun of by yourself and build your confidence back up. That will be the most valuable lesson you will ever learn.
 
..take your time, I'm always available

CurvedCue said:
I recently took up pool again after a long hiatus and find myself not only much worse than I ever was, but also unable to improve, even marginally, despite hours of practice.

I joined an APA league, but am getting annihilated every week and by guys whose stance, bridge, fundamentals, etc, look god-awful, but who NEVER miss. Meanwhile, I'm OCS about that stuff, but can't make a shot.

I practice drills, I read books, I take lessons. Nothing seems to help. Only seems to further my overall sense of mass confusion. For example, I understand the basic concepts of Stun, Follow, Draw, Tangent Lines, 30-degree Rule, etc, but when I come up to the table that all goes right out the window and I only see a morass of unbelievable complexity and soul-crushing chaos. (Excuse the hyperbolic lingo). For example, my estimation of the tangent line is often off by 40-50 degrees!

And when I try to practice the diagrammed drills in books, I can't recreate the shots. For example, there's a "simple" draw cut shot in 99 Critical Shots, but every time I do it, the cue ball NEVER follows the path as shown in the book, but diverges in a TOTALLY DIFFERENT path. This is despite trying up to a 100 times! :angry:

So are there people who simply should not be playing pool? Just as there are midgets who shouldn't be playing basketball? Am I too geometrically-challenged?
I did flunk geometry in high school, btw. :(

I just want an honest appraisal. That way I won't expect anything more of myself, and try to accept that I'm genetically handicapped in regards to this game.
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Maybe some of my students will comment on this.....if you don't find the answers you're looking for you can reach me at thegameistheteacher@gmail.com ....I'll give you some free access to more information, I hate to see someone want to quit because of lack of information......take your time, I'm always available. 'The Game is the Teacher'
 
Post a video of you playing pool, or practicing pool...............


CurvedCue said:
I recently took up pool again after a long hiatus and find myself not only much worse than I ever was, but also unable to improve, even marginally, despite hours of practice.

I joined an APA league, but am getting annihilated every week and by guys whose stance, bridge, fundamentals, etc, look god-awful, but who NEVER miss. Meanwhile, I'm OCS about that stuff, but can't make a shot.

I practice drills, I read books, I take lessons. Nothing seems to help. Only seems to further my overall sense of mass confusion. For example, I understand the basic concepts of Stun, Follow, Draw, Tangent Lines, 30-degree Rule, etc, but when I come up to the table that all goes right out the window and I only see a morass of unbelievable complexity and soul-crushing chaos. (Excuse the hyperbolic lingo). For example, my estimation of the tangent line is often off by 40-50 degrees!

And when I try to practice the diagrammed drills in books, I can't recreate the shots. For example, there's a "simple" draw cut shot in 99 Critical Shots, but every time I do it, the cue ball NEVER follows the path as shown in the book, but diverges in a TOTALLY DIFFERENT path. This is despite trying up to a 100 times! :angry:

So are there people who simply should not be playing pool? Just as there are midgets who shouldn't be playing basketball? Am I too geometrically-challenged?
I did flunk geometry in high school, btw. :(

I just want an honest appraisal. That way I won't expect anything more of myself, and try to accept that I'm genetically handicapped in regards to this game.
Click to expand...
 
when I am in a slump.... and everyone cycles to the best they can be and then they lose it........... mostly it is because something is on they're mind........... you might not even realize it or know what it is............ clear your mind..............

another thing is strategy.... learn by watching the the good players............. make up for your not so great shooting skills with safety play............ if a player that is better than you and can't see his balls to make then in a pocket........ he can't beat you............

Kim
 
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