Finally pulled the trigger on professional instruction

[buckshotshoey]

Look on the bright side of all that work. You will have enough money to visit Bob or Randyg for an up close and in person instruction.

There's only one thing wrong with that plan... I have a wife!

In-person lessons are probably the best instruction that you can have. But I thought this was the best option for me. I can work at my own pace, and I have a year to complete the course.

In-person lessons are three times the cost, you only get about 15 hours ( give or take) worth of instruction, and once you're gone you're on your own with no support. I considered going to the National billiard Academy in Columbus Ohio, but it's 90 miles away from me, and I would have to add the cost to hotel and food and everything else to the bill. I just can't afford that. I wish I could afford to take his three-day intensive.

In-person instruction would be more intense, but I feel the virtual course is the right thing for me. And I was improving. Now if I can just get out of this damn work thing.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

I found long ago you can learn lot if things about playing Pool reading instructional books, or with DVD, or even UTUBE.

Then the thing is practing what you say in print, or other medias.

My favorite book is 99 Critical Shot by Ray Martin, if you practice what you read correctly it will help improve your game.

 

[chefjeff]

Did you instructor tell you to squeeze the trigger, not pull it?


Jeff Livingston

 

[Rimfirejunkie]

Did you instructor tell you to squeeze the trigger, not pull it?


Jeff Livingston

It’s press the trigger. Haha

 

[chefjeff]

 

[buckshotshoey]

Love the Stooges!

 

[buckshotshoey]

After 2 weeks of seemingly endless work, we finally got rain. Practiced some 8 ball. Since it's been so long since I've had a stick in my hand, a wooden one anyway, I warmed up just trying to focus on the fundamentals. After warmed up, I shot 2 Break and runs, one dry break with a TR, and a total of six innings.... in six games! Good lord! I was shocked.

The pre shot routine, the pauses in the stroke, getting low on the cue .... it's all coming together. Ball pocketing has improved.

 

[JolietJames]

Yes. I know that. I just feel that on hard shot speeds it is easier and natural to let it drop little bit than try to focus keeping it still.
I have some student who do it wrong it though. He get rid of it when we practice and then after few weeks it crawls back...

I personally believe on the shots to which you are referring, the elbow drop helps me extend my follow through and stay down rather than stopping abruptly and possible lifting a bit after contact. JMHO

 

[evergruven]

hey joey, nice thread and look forward to your progress reports- good luck!

 

[buckshotshoey]

Tried again later in the day. A little disappointing. Didnt do near as well. Shot making improved. Position play weak. The reason I did so well earlier was my cue ball was landing spot on. Not always the case. A lot of my misses are rattling in the jaws, but they are tight.... 4 1/4". The shallow shelves make it play easier, but still rattle out on a not-so-perfect shot

 

[buckshotshoey]

Update... I'll start off by saying I joined an APA summer session. I am a skill level six. First week I played a 5 and I didn't do so well. He played some very good safes, and I missed a lot of shots. Second week I played against the seven. Got beat there too. I was trying to put together a lot of the things I learned, but it just wasn't there yet.

Now onto few days ago... They put me up against another 7. I destroyed him.

When a 7 plays a 6, it's a race to handicap minus 2. So he had to win five before I won four. I won 4-2. He won lag and broke and run the first game.

I had excellent shot making.... very good safes.... great position.

I attribute this to two things.....
1... the drills I've been working on.
2... the mental side.

I've been browsing through the lessons while at work. I got to the one on the mental game. Many different lessons in this category.

Some of you may believe in this, and some may not. But I got to the section on hypnosis and positive reinforcement. I've been listening to audio of positive affirmations and hypnosis. I just kept listening to them over and over and over again. I made myself believe that it could help. I'll tell you what, it sure helped me the other night. I believed in myself. I believed in my abilities. I believed that I could win. That along with the drills and fundamentals I've been working on made all the difference in the world for me.
I'll see if I can keep it going.

 

[Alabama8Ball]

I just finished 3 days with Anthony Beeler at his home. I had taken the online course and went up to get my Level 1 & 2 instructor certs. He is very knowledgeable and like everyone else my stroke had issues i was able to identify with my own video setup. Once you know what to look for the flaws become easy to spot. If you have been playing for years with no formal instruction it won't take long to identify any flaws you may have but erasing them from your subconscious takes some time. Under stress you will often "fall off the wagon". The reality is that many shooters stall at the 4-7 skill area. This is almost always caused by flaws in your stance, stroke, aim, or alignment. You can only progress so far with flawed fundamentals. The best of the pros have the best most consistent fundamentals. If your stuck and want to move forward contact Anthony or myself and we can get your game to the next level! Sharkbilliards dot com

 

[Scott Lee]

I personally believe on the shots to which you are referring, the elbow drop helps me extend my follow through and stay down rather than stopping abruptly and possible lifting a bit after contact. JMHO

What do you believe "extending my follow through" does?

Scott Lee

 

[Scott Lee]

I just finished 3 days with Anthony Beeler at his home. I had taken the online course and went up to get my Level 1 & 2 instructor certs. He is very knowledgeable and like everyone else my stroke had issues i was able to identify with my own video setup. Once you know what to look for the flaws become easy to spot. If you have been playing for years with no formal instruction it won't take long to identify any flaws you may have but erasing them from your subconscious takes some time. Under stress you will often "fall off the wagon". The reality is that many shooters stall at the 4-7 skill area. This is almost always caused by flaws in your stance, stroke, aim, or alignment. You can only progress so far with flawed fundamentals. The best of the pros have the best most consistent fundamentals. If your stuck and want to move forward contact Anthony or myself and we can get your game to the next level! Sharkbilliards dot com

Alabama8Ball...Just curious, but what organization are you certified as an instructor through?

Scott Lee

 

[Alabama8Ball]

Alabama8Ball...Just curious, but what organization are you certified as an instructor through?

Scott Lee

PBIA... ACS

 

[Alabama8Ball]

Absolutely correct... Except for one thing. It wasn't too difficult for me to cure. And yes my problem was elbow drop before or during contact with the cue ball. And you are correct about another thing.... It was causing some of my misses. And having my arm forward of 90° caused a lot of miss cues when I was attempting draw shots.

After a little over a week of practice, my video analysis showed that my elbow drop was completely gone. I just had to focus on it. What takes longer is in grinding that into your psyche so you don't have to think about it. It must be subconscious. I'm still working on that. It will just take time.

I pretty much rebuilt my entire stroke in the last couple of weeks. Along with eliminating my elbow drop, I'm adding proper pauses into my stroke, and I'm positioning the cue properly.

The only good thing I had was the grip, and proper open/close of grip when stroking. Eyeball pocketing has improved, but like I said it's going to take some time for me to do all this subconsciously without thinking about it. I think at that point I will start to excel.

Congratulations on your improvement! Proper fundamentals allow you to advance as far your willing to push yourself. The best pros usually have the best fundamentals among other pros. Much like psychoanalysis doesn't work on the Irish, I am not convinced the fundamentals of pool or the laws of physics apply to the Phillipino players!

 

[buckshotshoey]

Congratulations on your improvement! Proper fundamentals allow you to advance as far your willing to push yourself. The best pros usually have the best fundamentals among other pros. Much like psychoanalysis doesn't work on the Irish, I am not convinced the fundamentals of pool or the laws of physics apply to the Phillipino players!

You are sure right about the Philippino's!
They are their own breed! Cant say they are wrong. They are tougher to beat them most.

I am definitely improving. In the last two days, I completed the brainwash drill 5 times. It's not the easiest drill to accomplish, but getting a little easier day by day.

 

[JolietJames]

What do you believe "extending my follow through" does?

Scott Lee

It keeps me down and focused on the target rather than popping up to early.
Just my opinion.

 

[GoldCrown]

There's only one thing wrong with that plan... I have a wife!

Interesting comment. Same here. Otherwise I’d ditch my earplugs, stop hiding in the basement or garage. Would definitely be a better pool player. And would stop biting my finger.

 

[buckshotshoey]

2 month Update.... just had my fundamentals evaluation. Its was kind of a midterm test so to speak. Everything looks good. Stance, stroke, alignment over the cue. I did have small setbacks in where I wasnt staying down for a 4 count after the shot.

Things are coming together. I played another 6 last night and won 5 to 2, with a break and run. After the match, I went to the practice table to work on a weakness that came up in the match, and had another B&R.

I had a break and run when I played two weeks ago also. But I lost that match. I played well, but my safes were weak, and the 7 I played took advantage of that.

Next lesson on the list is speed control. See paragraph above ^ as to why my safes were weak! Glad this lesson is next!