Dont feel bad, with the Mosconi drill, I am hopelessly out of position after three balls!
help me get a clue
- Thread starter wigglybridge
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Dont feel bad, with the Mosconi drill, I am hopelessly out of position after three balls!
it actually Is 6 balls, Michael -- i found a video of Mosconi demoing it on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ciT9c80hOY
it is still Wicked hard -- i can come very close, but i don't recall doing it perfectly once yet.
very helpful drill, even though i can't yet complete it, my draw position is getting better...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ciT9c80hOY
it is still Wicked hard -- i can come very close, but i don't recall doing it perfectly once yet.
very helpful drill, even though i can't yet complete it, my draw position is getting better...
Thank you Ratta, it is well appreciated!
I think a better way to do the drill is as a progressive practice. Start with four balls and if you can do it twice in a row move on to five. If you miss at five go back to four. If you can do it twice in a row at five, move on to six. This keeps the goal within reach but challenging.
thanks, Bob!!!
Also keep track of your scores and take notes. This will help you see your progress, even if you don't master the drills and give you insights to refer back to when things were working well, etc. I'd also recommend reading the notes aloud, even to someone else if you can. Ingrain in the brain.
Not to Nitpick
but I always disagree when people say this. I know I'm probably the only one who thinks this, but I believe keeping track of your "score" in completing skills is counterproductive. Now, to qualify that statement, if you have a 12 year old child who is learning to play and needs some kind of game score to make it fun, then that is fine. I also agree with the idea of taking notes at the end of a session to record things that you don't want to forget.I disagree with the idea of cluttering your mind with "drill scores" while you are trying to learn a skill. When doing the Mosconi draw drill, for example, you will improve partly through trial and error. Every once in awhile, you will execute a perfect draw effortlessly and it will go right where you intended. You have to have your mind on what you are doing if you have any chance of recognizing what it is that you just did. You may find that your hand was more relaxed than usual, or that you kept your elbow still that time. These little revelations are what help you improve in the skill. IMO, if you clutter or occupy your brain with trying to keep track of a score, then you may miss those little nuances. If you are keeping score, then you are paying attention to that score. You can't help it... just like trying not to think of the pink elephant hanging above the pool table.
I say do the drill until your arm cramps up and pay attention to what you are doing on every stroke. Every once in awhile you will do something a little differently and it will work. Pay attention to those moments. That's the motivation.
Not to Nitpick
I disagree with the idea of cluttering your mind with "drill scores" while you are trying to learn a skill. When doing the Mosconi draw drill, for example, you will improve partly through trial and error. Every once in awhile, you will execute a perfect draw effortlessly and it will go right where you intended. You have to have your mind on what you are doing if you have any chance of recognizing what it is that you just did. You may find that your hand was more relaxed than usual, or that you kept your elbow still that time. These little revelations are what help you improve in the skill. IMO, if you clutter or occupy your brain with trying to keep track of a score, then you may miss those little nuances. If you are keeping score, then you are paying attention to that score. You can't help it... just like trying not to think of the pink elephant hanging above the pool table.
I say do the drill until your arm cramps up and pay attention to what you are doing on every stroke. Every once in awhile you will do something a little differently and it will work. Pay attention to those moments. That's the motivation.
I pick nits because it's the only way I can ensure not getting busted. LOL. I understand your point about not focusing on score. It's why I don't keep score when playing/practicing with league teammates, friends, etc. When I keep score of practice, it's after the drill and all I'm doing is marking/recording my progress. I also reflect on situations and write down things that worked and how/what I was "feeling". When I have bad days at the table, get down on myself and feel like I'll never improve because I still haven't had a perfect drill session or met a specific goal, I can look back at where I've come and see that my time practicing is actually being used effectively. Lower scores also give me some priority in what I should practice more. Reading how I was feeling, often allows me to be "transported" back to that point in time, and sometimes gets that muscle memory right in check. But this is just what has worked for me, and thought I'd offer it as a general suggestion.
I think it depends on the person. Some people will clog their minds with all the data, others will find it useful and/or motivating.
I used to write down the results from all my practice drills. For me, it was motivating to see my progress.