consistency problem solved :) HAPPY solly, thx to all

Solartje

the Brunswick BUG bit me
Silver Member
hiya all,

sorry if this a kinda personal post, and not of big use to many readers, but i just had to share this with u guys.

I had since 2 months some BIG consistency problems, tried to find many solutions and possible problems with alot iof u guys here, and well it is cured.
like someone said, consistency is often a basic problem. So i put up my videocamera on for a night, filming my stroke on the kitchentable, and i saw a error wich could explain alot. so i did for a full night , only strokes. no balls, no pooltable, just stroking and checking every 15min on the camera, and today i got a chance to see how it had changed my game.

before i was a SPEEDING gun, no adressing strokes at all, almost running around the table, and if i thought of a shot longer then 2sec, i would miss it, sitting down in my chair for 5min, and i couldnt pot a single ball anymore. After the changes (lower part of my arm is straighter now 90° en vertikal (wasnt vertical before, i had a 20° deviation)). Now i changed my game completely, if i play fast, and dont think of my arm, i miss every ball, BUT if i take my time on every shot, thinking about the arm, im a potting god :cool: really helped my game too, as now i can take ALL the time i want to study paterns, concentrate on EACH shot, i use 3-5 adressing strokes, i can sit down for 15min, and still come on the table as if i never left it. (Even though i only slept 3 hours before todays tournament.) I also thought about eye dominance, i dont have one, and when im tired (most of the time, my dominant eye would shift, making me miss pots by alot) now before every shot, i force my right eye to be dominant. (he is slightly dominant when im awake and slept enough).

conclusion, went to my first big international 2k$ tournament, all the top32 of my country, and toppers of other country's,

won: 4-6 vs a dutch player (dont remember his name, so cant check his achievement, played AMAZING.)
lost: 3-6 vs the #1 dutch pro team cup player. (smart of my maybe future coach, when i asked him if he new him, he said:" ow! that guy, he's REALLY bad, go for the kill!! 6-0") i got 1-3 in front, missing a tough 8 for a 1-4 lead, missed in the jaws and 2-3 behind, then he did 4 consecutive breaks and outs (only 1 where he had to play a safety in between, to clean after. Smart of him to tell me this guys sucked, so i had no stress at all. 3-6 vs a #1 dutch pro is a VERY good score, and i played very well. HArd to win if someone can do consecutive clearences. Smidt Sulivano was his name i think. Very nice guy, with a very nice playing style, enjoyed to watch his last 4 frames from the seat. i think i remember seeing his face on the dutch MVP list)
lost on losers side: 4-6 vs a guy from the BPBF board, i should be able to win, but had many bad luck, scratched 3 times on the brake, 2 times on the 9ball. (OW i did make my first 9ball on the break in competition though :p ) played well but didnt had lady fortune by my side. I never won vs him, he's a very nice guy who introduced me to ALOT of players, and i dont got the killing instinct when playing vs him. but im fed up of loosing vs him, so killer solly mode is almost there.

conclusion,i didnt qualify (wasnt a goal either, i was one of the weakest player in the field) but my new stroke is AMAZING, i trust it 200%, i can take all the time i want, im VERY consistent, im just not used yet to the quick 860 cloths... Changes alot from my 1cm :rolleyes: thick cloth on the bartables from the karaoke barr where i play, and i overshot most positions making it hard clearences, but nice to watch. Now i got my arm back, and even better then he ever was, i just need to get used to 9ft simonis tables, and ill be ready to get to my next level in my poolgame. I REALLY REALLY enjoyed it today, and im having fun again. I feel my next level is so close. Glad all the time i invested in it is paying off, always nice when u can see a improvement once u are in a advanced level

So, special thx all who have/tried to help me in my past consistency posts, it really helped, and made me think of many options to check on what the reason behind it was.

greats, from very happy silly solly.
 
video is a huge tool.......last lesson i went to they used it and i think anyone who doesnt use it trying to work with someones stroke is shortchaning them. You can explain to someone what they are doing all day, but nothing works better than sitting down and showing them what they are doing. Glad you found your problem
 
exactly scotty, i have been training the stroke of my gf for the past 4 months, and sometimes she just wouldnt believe, or understand what i ment. so in fact i placed the video's for her first, but when she went home, i thought of... mm why not check my own, and BINGO!!! Weird no one ever told me something about it before. A non vertical arm IS something good players should spot, and they never spotted it before.

This stupid video just solved ALL my consistency problem in 1 day. Costed me exactly: 0$ compared to a coach, and it SHOW me instead of telling me, (wich for stuborn players, who have been playing for 10 years with the same stroke, and dont believe or want to believe in changes is th ONLY way).

i know in the last weeks, more and more consistency problems posts have been made, but no book, no instructional dvd, no match watching can tell u what a video can. I really think, taping u At least one time in your life, is as important as having your own cue.

why o why, was i so stuburn to try this before :o silly solly i guess :rolleyes:
 
Solartje said:
hiya all,

sorry if this a kinda personal post, and not of big use to many readers, but i just had to share this with u guys.

I had since 2 months some BIG consistency problems, tried to find many solutions and possible problems with alot iof u guys here, and well it is cured.
like someone said, consistency is often a basic problem. So i put up my videocamera on for a night, filming my stroke on the kitchentable, and i saw a error wich could explain alot. so i did for a full night , only strokes. no balls, no pooltable, just stroking and checking every 15min on the camera, and today i got a chance to see how it had changed my game.

before i was a SPEEDING gun, no adressing strokes at all, almost running around the table, and if i thought of a shot longer then 2sec, i would miss it, sitting down in my chair for 5min, and i couldnt pot a single ball anymore. After the changes (lower part of my arm is straighter now 90° en vertikal (wasnt vertical before, i had a 20° deviation)). Now i changed my game completely, if i play fast, and dont think of my arm, i miss every ball, BUT if i take my time on every shot, thinking about the arm, im a potting god :cool: really helped my game too, as now i can take ALL the time i want to study paterns, concentrate on EACH shot, i use 3-5 adressing strokes, i can sit down for 15min, and still come on the table as if i never left it. (Even though i only slept 3 hours before todays tournament.) I also thought about eye dominance, i dont have one, and when im tired (most of the time, my dominant eye would shift, making me miss pots by alot) now before every shot, i force my right eye to be dominant. (he is slightly dominant when im awake and slept enough).

conclusion, went to my first big international 2k$ tournament, all the top32 of my country, and toppers of other country's,

won: 4-6 vs a dutch player (dont remember his name, so cant check his achievement, played AMAZING.)
lost: 3-6 vs the #1 dutch pro team cup player. (smart of my maybe future coach, when i asked him if he new him, he said:" ow! that guy, he's REALLY bad, go for the kill!! 6-0") i got 1-3 in front, missing a tough 8 for a 1-4 lead, missed in the jaws and 2-3 behind, then he did 4 consecutive breaks and outs (only 1 where he had to play a safety in between, to clean after. Smart of him to tell me this guys sucked, so i had no stress at all. 3-6 vs a #1 dutch pro is a VERY good score, and i played very well. HArd to win if someone can do consecutive clearences. Smidt Sulivano was his name i think. Very nice guy, with a very nice playing style, enjoyed to watch his last 4 frames from the seat. i think i remember seeing his face on the dutch MVP list)
lost on losers side: 4-6 vs a guy from the BPBF board, i should be able to win, but had many bad luck, scratched 3 times on the brake, 2 times on the 9ball. (OW i did make my first 9ball on the break in competition though :p ) played well but didnt had lady fortune by my side. I never won vs him, he's a very nice guy who introduced me to ALOT of players, and i dont got the killing instinct when playing vs him. but im fed up of loosing vs him, so killer solly mode is almost there.

conclusion,i didnt qualify (wasnt a goal either, i was one of the weakest player in the field) but my new stroke is AMAZING, i trust it 200%, i can take all the time i want, im VERY consistent, im just not used yet to the quick 860 cloths... Changes alot from my 1cm :rolleyes: thick cloth on the bartables from the karaoke barr where i play, and i overshot most positions making it hard clearences, but nice to watch. Now i got my arm back, and even better then he ever was, i just need to get used to 9ft simonis tables, and ill be ready to get to my next level in my poolgame. I REALLY REALLY enjoyed it today, and im having fun again. I feel my next level is so close. Glad all the time i invested in it is paying off, always nice when u can see a improvement once u are in a advanced level

So, special thx all who have/tried to help me in my past consistency posts, it really helped, and made me think of many options to check on what the reason behind it was.

greats, from very happy silly solly.

I glad you have found and fixed those problems. Pre-shot routine and fundametals have been tuned up, video tape is amazing isn't it?

Playing on that fast cloth takes plenty of practice time on it if your not used to it.

Try this next time playing against the nice guys to get that killer instinct:

1) Don't verbalize with him. It is a outside distraction. I had an old timer tell me once, "You know what your problem is? You don't play mum pool." (As in mum's the word.) Verbalizing and fine tuned motor skills do not go hand in hand.

It also helps you sometimes in that it affects your opponents actual thinking process. Things start running thru his head like: What's he thinking about? Etc.

2) Time is money. The time you have spent practicing, video taping, on line questions, and playing up to this point. What is it worth to you? How important is that time that you have spent honeing your game?
Time is money. ...that's what your playing for. Don't let him take it!!!
 
hehe , thx for the reply foxyman. U arent as happy as i am. U know how hard i have been breaking my head on these problems, and poof magic video and solved.

Maybe the killer instinct has to do, with me not playing yet to win. Im just testing my bounderies, what can i do , what cant i do, make notes for myself what i need to improve, what my weak points are , dealing with stress etc etc.. I still got to learn much, and im playing competition for the experience.

funny, i have played this guys in EVERY ranking/houstournament/major event in the first round. When i saw him waiting at the table, we both jusy started laughing and we jumped in eachother arms with a big hug. Hard not tbe verbal... my tongue never stops :p not here on the forum, not in real life. I love talking, and learning. but at least i know the killer instinct is a problem, and its just on my TO-DO-LIST.

Man i feel like celebrating this like if it was my bday :D, weird as i didnt qualify. Hope my post might help others who had or are having consistency problem. It often is a combination of factors (in my case, eye dominance changing and stroke). but i think in EVERY consistency problem, a stroke is ALWAYS one of the factors, so GET YOUR videocamera!! and tape it
 
Good to hear you've made a break through Solly!

I don't want to appear negative, but I think the stroke is only a part of the solution.

For example, today I watched a young player who is very serious about becoming a great player. Every time she missed she'd check and practice her stroke and thought the reason for her missing was pulling or pushing left or right.

But actually, she was missing because she was not placing her bridge hand where it needed to be (in line) for the shot. And this made her stroke feel uncomfortable.

If the bridge hand isn't placed accurately (and I believe this is the most difficult chalenge), then the best straight stroke in the world won't help any.

It needs to be placed accoring to the requirements of english also.

So if you can combine the good strokig with careful and accurate bridge placement for the requirements of each shot, then the potting will start to take care of itself and you'll be able to focus more on shape, strategy etc.

btw: I think it's good you don't have the killer instinct against your opponents. Just keep your enthusiam and focus some killer instinct at solving the puzzles each game presents.
 
hiya colin, thx for the nice reply too. im sure u must know how it feels to make a breake through. As i had been playing snooker alone for many times, i wasnt sure changes was a good thing, or that it would prove its usefullness so soon, but it is. like u said, now i can concentrate on my game again. Tactics, paterns, safety's, etc.

mm never thought of the bridge hand position , i actually never gave it a thought, i think it comes naturally with the experience, and seeing the succes rate on pots now, i supose it is good.

now next important thing, is finding a job, so i can afford to pay for the trip to better poolclubs with 9ft simonis tables. the cloth speed really is still a problem. Im pritty confident in my positional shots, kicks, 2rails, 3rails or 5rails from my past 3cussion experience, but the speed made me having to make far more difficult cuts instead of small angels. I usually make them, but well there still is that 10% of cuts i do miss, especially if im having to use alot of englisch. but im glad i can finally work on something else. I will also concentrate together with the speed, in recovery positional shots. I feel it is a very important part in a game, to get into good position as soon as possible if the past position wasnt spot on.

It feels like passing a exam, and being all excited u made it into the next year, with new teachers, new courses :D im also VERY happy it happened now, as i said to my gf last week i would take a breake, and i didnt feel like competing this weekend or even after for some weeks, but as i had already paid the entree fee, it would be stupid to not go to it. And 2 days before it, the problem got solved. Talking about coinsidence.

i think the killer instinct is because i have greath respect for the pooltalent of each player, or for what people do for the sport. This board guy did alot , is doing alot (he is the one who asked me if i was interested to start a club in brussels with me as the mainmember (check post about starting new club)), and helped me alot with info on tournaments, so i respect that.

ps; sometimes i got the impression people think im a top player.. linda: Just to let u know, i really am not. I think i got a certain amount of natural talent, and i am VERY passionate about pool, and very respectfull to other players, wich made me welcome by many top players even if i dont got there skills yet. but im only playing for 7 months, and im only a B player. But who knows :) maybe the passion will take me to a A level player one day. but its not a goal, or something im waiting for. Im just enjoying the ride of increasing my knowledge and skills, wherever it might take or not take me.

ps2 good luck to the calcul8r and linda. I hope to see more of you in the future too. It is people like u, who make people like me dream, and increase the passion. U keep our dreams alive and u inspire us. best of luck to both of u.
 
Hey Solly, just a quick note.

I took some golf lessons last year to polish up my game and my instructor videotaped me. That helped a huge amount, but I was a bit confused when he set up the video camera for my last lesson.

His logic was it's not only good to watch a video to see what you're doing wrong, but also what you're doing right and what you've corrected.

Now I have a video of what I look like when I'm hitting the balls right that I can refer back too if things get a little wonky.

I'm glad your game is coming together btw.
 
Solartje said:
hiya all,

conclusion, went to my first big international 2k$ tournament, all the top32 of my country, and toppers of other country's,

won: 4-6 vs a dutch player (dont remember his name, so cant check his achievement, played AMAZING.)
lost: 3-6 vs the #1 dutch pro team cup player. (smart of my maybe future coach, when i asked him if he new him, he said:" ow! that guy, he's REALLY bad, go for the kill!! 6-0") i got 1-3 in front, missing a tough 8 for a 1-4 lead, missed in the jaws and 2-3 behind, then he did 4 consecutive breaks and outs (only 1 where he had to play a safety in between, to clean after. Smart of him to tell me this guys sucked, so i had no stress at all. 3-6 vs a #1 dutch pro is a VERY good score, and i played very well. HArd to win if someone can do consecutive clearences. Smidt Sulivano was his name i think. Very nice guy, with a very nice playing style, enjoyed to watch his last 4 frames from the seat. i think i remember seeing his face on the dutch MVP list)


That Dutch pro you lost to was Gilliano Smit (correct me if im wrong) and he really is a fantastic player. It's great to hear that you fixed your stroke and have improved your game as a result, do you know yet if you will be playing the Rotterdam Open next week?
 
im not sure sniper, but i guess the chances are big. Alex leley and nick vdb will be playing i heared, but not sure about smidt. how do u know him btw? u ever played him? he did get kicked out of the loontjes open in the last32 (or last 16) by a belgium friend, who really crushed him, 24 Belgium players in the last 32!! With Serge Das (from Belgium moehahah we got the trophy back to our country) winning the final vs the dutch Beerkes with 11-10 in a VERY exciting match. Seems the top5 belgium guys are really improving and the trainings are working off. I hope to see more of them in the eurotour. I know we got the quality, we just need more experience in international tournaments. The tournament itself was very strong, with many players playing there best game. for example, the 10H qualification had ten Belgium top16 players. Many consecutive 9ball break and clear frames. Very high standard. I dont think i will be going to the rotterdam open though. Its a bit expensive (entree fee's + transport + hotel) and im not at a level where i got a chance to qualify with a big %. Im still learning. good luck if u are going. the field will be strong.

Ive done some reseach too, and smidt (yes it is the one u mentioned) has some nice results under his name. Im glad i made a 3-6 vs a dutch pro, seeing im just a small B- level player. Sometimes a loss means more then any other win. Weird but true. Still i had a chance on winning. Was 1-3 in front, and missed a thin cut on the 8 for a 1-4 lead. but missed it in the jaws. He then came back to win all the remaining frames without leaving me a chance to strike back (only one time he didnt clear, and he played a safety i had to jump with a ball right behind the cb, making the bridge placement very hard, and another ball 1ball distence in front, no kicking available. I did make the jump, but scratched, and never got any chance again). His breakes on the last frames where amazing. ok , the table was tipped, so it wasnt hard to make the wingball, but he consistently made the wingball + 1 in the side + other balls with a average of 3.5 balls on each breake. HArd to compete vs that. still think 3-6 is a very nice score comparing the level difference, and its all thanks to my new arm.

I wish all other players who have consitency problems to experience the joy when u overcome it. Its an amazing feeling. your confidence will be boosted so high, u feel like u are bustamante now :D


Edited; its funny, u can see my standings in my signature, and u can see easily, since when im having consistency problems... but i always think: if u never lost, a win will never taste as sweet...
 
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