Does time off make you better

$TAKE HOR$E

$TAKE HOR$E

champagne - campaign
Silver Member
I have noticed that after taking some time off from playing once and a while makes you play a little better it seems like when you start playing again. I dont know if this is because you dont get burned out or you can concentrate better or what. I have talked with several people about this and they all feel the same way. I know there are people that play all the time and practice when they are not gambling or in tournaments or whatever so this might not be the same for them. I sometimes hear people say how bad they are playing and that they are burned out, I think most of the time this is because they are playing some kind of league three and four nights a week. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.
 
I feel like I play better when I take a break, depending on the reaon why I took the break.

If you're burning out, it's probably the best thing you can do. Playing while you're burned out is only gonna make you play like doo doo.
 
Everyone is different I suppose, but, I believe desire can make a huge difference in the way you play, think, execute, and last long periods of time.

Taking time off when your desire drops and then playing again when the desire rekindles will make a difference.
 
I think a week or so off helped me years ago, in fact I use to do it 4 or 5 times a year when I was not hitting them good or getting beat by people that shouldn't have beat me.

But not today. At 68 yo I'm lucky if I remember how to hold the cue stick if I take two days off. Johnnyt
 
I took off 2 weeks recently and my game has gotten better, before my break i was burntout and going to play pool seemed like a chore that i was forcing myself to do, not good.

of course i play more than the average person.

if i only played every other day for 3 hours then i would be okay but i was playing 7 days a week 8-10hrs a day.
 
No

You may return without the negativity you may have experienced due to slumps or lulls, but your overal level of play will not improve.

If your burnt out and not enjoying it anymore than I think it is a good idea to take a break. However if you are in a slump I don't believe it is the best response.

If you're in a slump I think the best response is to take a look at your fundamentals and improve whatever may be the problem. This will cause you to improve whereas the other will just keep your game where it is.
 
I am having an issue with this now. I have been playing kinda bad lately and decided to take a break. I have been playing a new game to me called snooker and i really like it. I was playing in an 8 ball league and like someone said it felt like a chore and i knew it was time to do something. I am going to Vegas in May for the BCA so i am going to start getting ready for that next week. I will keep you posted on if my break helped or not.
 
I never heard of improving while away from the table. Yes, people can go away, come back fresh, and shoot better, but they don't actually GET better. They just happen to be shooting better on July 1st than they did on June 1st. Maybe if they'd played steadily throughout June, they'd have STILL shot better on July 1st than they did on June 1st.

In any case, they won't be shooting any better than their own personal "average".

Your pool mission, should you choose to accept it, is to shoot better than you ever have before. Running away from the table will never accomplish that mission. No offense, but... don't look for an easy fix to stop shooting subpar. Look to figure out what is preventing you from matching or surpassing the best 'pool day' of your life.
 
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Are you kidding get better without playing,maybe when you took a break and came back you was glad to see the green monster,so you felt better
and maybe that help you think you played better.Even practing dosnt always
help you get better.Its what you practice that what helps.Mostly the things
you dont do well.Take that back its is forsure the things that you
dont do well ,and the key to that is realy, realy pay attention wether you
pocket the ball or not.I have alot of refernce shots on the table that i
practice all the time,i no by memmory how to hit them without even realy thinking about them.I have learn so many banks shots by paying attention to when i missed the shots i would practice.To me practicing right is the key
to better pool plus a good stroke and 3,to 4 good aiming systems.
 
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When you take a break or feel you need a break it's usually when your game and you need one. Things are probably not going well, in your life or your game. Taking a break has a tendency to rekindle the spark that was missing in your game before you took that break you needed. Your game may be better or seem better because your back doing something you missed and enjoy.
 
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