Going to See the Monk
- Thread starter Pushout
- Start date
The Monk, Tim Miller will be at The Windy City Open this coming January. He will be holding classes and other things.
It should be a great time.
It should be a great time.
I'll be nice and withhold my opinion of "The Monk" and his products. Suffice it to say I think he and Kevin Trudeau would be best of friends.
catscradle said:
Wish you would give your opinion. I've heard both good and bad over the years. I confused Tim Miller and Warren Constanza {sp?} til just recently. What I heard during the live tv spots on the local sports news was NOT too encouraging. I'm old school and I'd never heard of some of the stuff he was talking about, such as the "four strokes of Pool".
Feel free to pm me if you don't wish to post your opinion.
Well, I just got back. Not too impressed, really. He made some good points about pre-shot routines, but other than that, kinda ho-hum. Think I do most of the shots/strokes he showed, just not quite the same way. Wasn't moved to spend any money on books or dvds.
I saw a bit of a video of his. Interestingly the four strokes of pool are basically one stroke at four different portions of the cue ball. But I can't see how there would be more than one stroke anyways. I vary the distance of back swing, but basically its all just drawing back and following through.
The other issue I had with him was that he said that you shouldn't play leagues tournaments or matches, just practice. I think that is about as wrong an idea as I anything I have every heard. I have met guys who play very well in practice but collapse during a match. Dealing with pressure is just as important as pocketing balls.
The other issue I had with him was that he said that you shouldn't play leagues tournaments or matches, just practice. I think that is about as wrong an idea as I anything I have every heard. I have met guys who play very well in practice but collapse during a match. Dealing with pressure is just as important as pocketing balls.
At least dozens of people that I have talked to always laugh when they hear his name, because they think his products and lessons are a joke. I've seen some of his products, and they were ridiculous. Can you believe that he actually teaches people to squeeze the cue tightly with your grip hand all throughout the stroke? LOL
cuetechasaurus said:
Yes and I do just that when first at the table. I was never told to do it but found out that it helps keep my stroke straighter while warming up. The grip loosens up as I play as it is suppose to. It sure gets me in stroke faster doing it this way. Since starting this I have found that it no longer takes a lot of time to get in stroke.
pete lafond said:
Whoopity doo. Anyways, he says you are supposed to choke the crap out of the cue when you are playing, not just warming up.
Pushout said:
In a nutshell, I think he is a con-man, hence the reference to KT. All this hocus-pocus suggesting he has some secret knowledge of the ways of the world.
Going to see the "Monk" isn't exactly like going to Tibet to see the Dalai Lama. 
PoolSharkAllen said:Going to see the "Monk" isn't exactly like going to Tibet to see the Dalai Lama.
He would like you to believe it is.
Rodney said:
Maxamillan's?
That's where I play my leagues now, but it's moved to Tyngsboro.
Any good player uses the 4 strokes of pool, but just doesnt know it as "the 4 strokes of pool". How the call ball is hit obviously changes its motion and energy. For beginners its clear that learning the 4 strokes improves their game becuase they use less sidespin and use center to go everywhere, using punch, follow, force follow etc strokes.
I've read most (if not all) of the Monk's published books; as well as the info on his website. Though I am not a big fan of "psycho-babble" as a way to improve the game, he DOES have a lot of interesting and credible information. A person who followed his drills and instructions could develop a respectable game. It's not the regimen that I have chosen; but hey, different strokes for different folks.
I DO know a world class player who uses a tight grip on the back hand.
Whatever else you think about the Monk; I have tremendous respect for his enthusiasm for the game - it's obvious that he does know the true secret to pool ("it's in the cloth" - to paraphrase Ben Hogan). It is also obvious that he is dedicated to spreading around the kind of knowledge that can lead to proficiency - a dedication that would have been nice to see from the "old-schoolers" who jealously guarded their secrets to the detriment of the game.
The poster who credits the Monk with recommending no competitive play has not studied the Monk's published works that deal extensively with BOTH practice and competition - and throughout view practice as a way to build proficiency FOR COMPETITION.
P.S. - I've never met him.
P.P.S. - For you non-golfers: Ben Hogan was the dominant golfer in the world for about 8 years in the late 40's, early 50's. He had completely changed and re-tooled his game in his early 30's; becoming dominant in the process. He was a maniac practice fanatic; and was WIDELY assumed to have some secret knowledge that allowed him to dominate. When asked about "The Secret", all he would ever say is, "it's in the dirt" (meaning the dirt of the practice range where he spent most of his time).
I DO know a world class player who uses a tight grip on the back hand.
Whatever else you think about the Monk; I have tremendous respect for his enthusiasm for the game - it's obvious that he does know the true secret to pool ("it's in the cloth" - to paraphrase Ben Hogan). It is also obvious that he is dedicated to spreading around the kind of knowledge that can lead to proficiency - a dedication that would have been nice to see from the "old-schoolers" who jealously guarded their secrets to the detriment of the game.
The poster who credits the Monk with recommending no competitive play has not studied the Monk's published works that deal extensively with BOTH practice and competition - and throughout view practice as a way to build proficiency FOR COMPETITION.
P.S. - I've never met him.
P.P.S. - For you non-golfers: Ben Hogan was the dominant golfer in the world for about 8 years in the late 40's, early 50's. He had completely changed and re-tooled his game in his early 30's; becoming dominant in the process. He was a maniac practice fanatic; and was WIDELY assumed to have some secret knowledge that allowed him to dominate. When asked about "The Secret", all he would ever say is, "it's in the dirt" (meaning the dirt of the practice range where he spent most of his time).
i ordered his first line of films the monk 101 vol 1-3. i wasn't great but at the time it helped a little. they were prety basic and now that i've read some stuff by phil capelle and ordered dvds from accu stats i wouldn't recommend them to anyone.
